To explore the status quo of thirst in patients receiving cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) during fasting and water deprivation after extubation and to analyze its influencing factors.

Totally 120 patients undergoing CPB in a Class Ⅲ Grade A hospital in Nanjing from December 2017 to May 2018 were selected in this prospective study. The general information questionnaire was used to collect the data, and the patients' thirst score and unstimulated salivary flow rate (USF) were measured. SPSS 22.0 was used to analyze the factors affecting postoperative thirst in the patients.

The incidence rate of thirst in the CPB patients 6 h post extubation was 100%, and their thirst score was (6.20±1.90) ; and the patients' thirst intensified over time. Univariate analysis showed that the patients' postoperative thirst was positively correlated with postoperative body temperature, respiratory rate, serum sodium concentration and urinary volume (r=0.172, 0.105, 0.209, 0.258; P<0.05) , and negatively correlated with postoperative fluid balance volume and USF (r=-0.222, -0.565; P<0.05) . Multivariate analysis showed that USF and fluid balance volume were the main influencing factors to thirst in the patients (P<0.05) .

The incidence rate of thirst in CPB patients is relatively high and it is associated with multiple factors. Nurses should pay attention to the patients' thirst and take targeted measures to ameliorate their thirst to improve their comfort in nursing practice.

Cardiac surgery; Cardiopulmonary bypass; Thirst; Unstimulated salivary flow rate; Fluid balance volume