ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to independently evaluate the beneficial effects of a high dose of transamine administrated prior to CPB on the postoperative hematologic aspect and bleeding. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included randomly selected groups of 40 adult patients undergoing OHS with CPB. All patients were divided into 2 groups: transamine group (T-group, n=20) and placebo group (P-group, n=20). The T-group received a high-dose of transamine (10 g) before and during CPB. The P-group received normal saline at the same times and served as a control group. RESULTS: The results of comparative studies between the 2 groups in the same hematologic variables were summarized as follows. (1) During CPB, the fibrinogen concentrations and platelet counts were significantly lower in the P-group than in the T-group (p<0.01). (2) During CPB, production of D-dimer occurred in 18 patients (90%) in the P-group and did not occur in the T-group (0%) (p<0.0001). (3) At CPB-off, the % concentration of fibrinogen (70.2+/-3.9%) and the % platelet counts (72.4+/-4.5%) of the T-group were significantly higher than those (54.5+/-3.8%, 64.3+/-2.9%) of the P-group (p<0.01). (4) Postoperative values of PT (14.0+/-0.03 sec.) and aPTT (27.6+/-0.1 sec.) of the T-group were significantly lower than those (16.0+/-0.02sec., 30.1+/-0.1sec.) of the P-group (p<0.05). (5) Postoperative bleeding and requirement of whole blood and other blood products were significantly less in the T-group than in the P-group (p <0.05). (6) There were no significant hypercoagulability signs such as cerebral em bolism, myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism, or any other neurological prob lems in either group. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that a high dose of transamine administered prior to CPB prevents the activation of fibri nolytic system and has beneficial effects of reducing the postoperative bleeding t endency without apparent hypercoagulability signs.