title: Effect of recombinant aprotinin on platelet activation in patients undergoing open heart surgery.
abstract: The hemostatic effect of recombinant (r)-aprotinin was studied in 41 patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. Flow cytometry was used to measure the expression of glycoprotein 1b (GP1b) and alpha-granule membrane protein 140 (GMP-140) on platelets. Additional parameters studied were beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG), fibrinogen, fibrinopeptide A, plasminogen, platelet count, and the amount of postoperative chest tube drainage. Chest tube drainage was significantly less in the r-aprotinin-treated patients (p < 0.001). The percentage of platelets expressing GMP-140 increased to 9.7% in r-aprotinin patients and to 12.1% in controls during the surgery. The difference between both groups was not significant. Both values returned to baseline the next day. GP1b expression decreased in both groups by 33-38% during the surgery and returned to baseline the next day. GP1b expression and the plasma concentrations of fibrinogen, fibrinopeptide A, beta-TG, and plasminogen were not different in r-aprotinin and control patients. We conclude that r-aprotinin reduces blood loss during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery, but the primary mechanism is likely not through a protective effect on platelets.
authors.affiliation: Northwestern University, Atherosclerosis Program, Chicago, Ill 60611.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Matzdorff
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Bauer
mesh_terms: D007611:Aprotinin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D005344:Fibrinopeptide A / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010958:Plasminogen / Q000032:analysis; D015539:Platelet Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D010976:Platelet Count / Q000187:drug effects; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D005344:Fibrinopeptide A; D005340:Fibrinogen; D010958:Plasminogen; D007611:Aprotinin