The antiendotoxin agent taurolidine potentially reduces ischemia/reperfusion injury through its metabolite taurine.

BACKGROUND: Cardiopulmonary bypass results in ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced endotoxemia. We conducted a prospective randomized trial to investigate the effect of taurolidine, an antiendotoxin agent with antioxidant and membrane-stabilizing properties, on patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS: A total of 60 patients undergoing CABG were randomized into 4 groups. St Thomas' Hospital cold crystalloid cardioplegia was used in groups A and B, and cold blood cardioplegia in groups C and D. Groups A and C received a placebo infusion of normal saline, whereas groups B and D were administered intravenous taurolidine. Arrhythmias induced by pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-6 and IL-10), and I/R were assessed perioperatively. RESULTS: Administration of taurolidine in crystalloid cardioplegia patients resulted in a significant decrease in serum IL-6 and an increase in serum IL-10 at 24 hours postaortic unclamping compared to placebo (P < .0001). Although not statistically significant, this trend in serum IL-6 decrease was mirrored in the blood cardioplegia patients (P = .068). Taurolidine treatment also significantly decreased I/R-induced arrhythmias compared to placebo in the crystalloid cardioplegia patients (P < .003). There were fewer I/R-induced arrhythmias compared to placebo in the blood cardioplegia patients; the difference, however, was marginal and not statistically significant (P = .583). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that administration of taurolidine in CABG patients induces a potent anti-inflammatory response that is associated with a significant decrease in arrhythmias.

Coronary grafts flow and cardiac pacing modalities: how to improve perioperative myocardial perfusion.

OBJECTIVE: Aim of this study was to investigate modifications of coronary grafts flow during different pacing modalities after CABG. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two separate prospective studies were conducted in patients undergoing CABG and requiring intraoperative epicardial pacing. In a first study (22 patients) coronary grafts flows were measured during dual chamber pacing (DDD) and during ventricular pacing (VVI). In a second study (10 patients) flows were measured during DDD pacing at different atrio-ventricular (A-V) delay periods. A-V delay was adjusted in 25 ms increments from 25 to 250 ms and flow measurements were performed for each A-V delay increment. A transit time flowmeter was used for the measurements. RESULTS: An average of 3.4 grafts/patient were performed. In the first study, average coronary graft flow was 47.4+/-20.8 ml/min during DDD pacing and 41.8+/-18.2 ml/min during VVI pacing (P = 0.0004). Furthermore average systolic pressure was 94.3+/-10.1 mmHg during DDD pacing and 89.6+/-12.2 mmHg during VVV pacing (P = 0.0007). No significant differences in diastolic pressure were recorded during the two different pacing modalities. In the second study, maximal flows were achieved during DDD pacing with an A-V delay of 175 ms (54+/-9.6 ml/min) and minimal flows were detected at 25 ms A-V delay (38.1+/-4.7 ml/min) (P=ns). No significant differences in systolic or diastolic blood pressure were noticed during the different A-V delays. CONCLUSION: Grafts flowmetry provides an extra tool to direct supportive measures such as cardiac pacing after CABG. DDD mode with A-V delay around 175 ms. should be preferred to allow for maximal myocardial perfusion via the grafts.