Echocardiographic evaluation of the effects of a single bolus of erythropoietin on reducing ischemia-reperfusion injuries during coronary artery bypass graft surgery; a randomized, double-blind, placebo-control study

ABSTRACT

Background: Erythropoietin [EPO] is known as a regulating hormone for the production of red blood cells, called erythropoiesis. Some studies have shown that EPO exerts some non-hematopoietic protective effects on ischemia-reperfusion injuries in myocytes. Using echocardiography, we evaluated the effect of EPO infusion on reducing ischemia-reperfusion injuries and improvement of the cardiac function shortly after coronary artery bypass graft surgery [CABG]