ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the difference in circulating endothelial cell (CECs) injuries following on-pump and off-pump coronary-artery bypass surgery.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We randomly assigned 48 patients scheduled for urgent or elective coronary artery bypass grafting into two groups to receive on-pump and off-pump procedures. Blood samples were obtained before anesthesia, at the end of operation, and on days 1 and 3 after the operation, and CECs were isolated and counted using dynabeads coated with the specific antibody of CD146. Single cell gel electrophoresis was used to observe the morphological changes of the CECs.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) group, the number of CECs was significantly greater than that in non-CPB group (P<0.05) at the end of surgery and 1 day after the operation. On postoperative day 3, the number CECs was similar between the two groups (P>0.05). The length of the comet tail was longer in CPB group with stronger fluorescence intensity than in the non-CPB group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Compared with of-pump coronary artery bypass grafting, on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting results in more serious CEC injury, which is closely related to the prognosis.</p>