title: Half-dose aprotinin does not affect haemorheological properties in patients undergoing bypass surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate haemorheological changes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and to determine whether the protective effect on haemorheology of high-dose aprotinin also exists under a half-dose regimen.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients were studied in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study design. Patients in the aprotinin group received half of the standard high dose of aprotinin during surgery. Erythrocyte and white-cell clogging rates as well as whole blood and plasma viscosity were measured. Viscosity results were expressed as a ratio to the viscosity of saline.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Erythrocyte and white-cell clogging rates were increased significantly, whereas whole blood and plasma viscosity were decreased significantly during cardiopulmonary bypass. The reduction in viscosity had a strong correlation to haemodilution. There was no significant difference in any of the measured variables between the aprotinin and the placebo groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that blood cell damage occurred during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery, as measured by a raised clogging rate. This tendency was the same in both groups and therefore no increased potential for microthrombi could be attributed to aprotinin haemorheologically. However, half-dose aprotinin did not show any preserving effect in haemorheology when the blood-cell clogging rate and blood viscosity were studied.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Sahlgrenska Hospital, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Belboul
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rådberg
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dernevik
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Berglin
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roberts
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D007611:Aprotinin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D001809:Blood Viscosity / Q000187:drug effects*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006490:Hemostatics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006490:Hemostatics; D007611:Aprotinin