title: Significance of interferon-gamma in coronary artery bypass surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) is produced by activated natural killer and T cells under pathologic circumstances. The objective of our study was to compare the level of IFN-gamma in open and endoscopic methods of vein harvesting for coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG).
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety samples of human saphenous veins harvested from patients prepared for CABG. Pre- and post-procedure sera of the patients, in addition to supernatants of 3-day endothelial cell culture, were analyzed for IFN-gamma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean preoperative IFN-gamma level (0.09+/-0.03 pg/mL) and that for postoperative sera (0.08+/-0.02 pg/mL) were not significantly different (P = 0.2). The mean IFN-gamma level in endothelial cell culture from the endoscopic (0.18+/-0.21 pg/mL) and the open method (0.19+/-0.39 pg/mL) were not significant (P = 0.89).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We recommend the endoscopic method of vein harvesting because of its lower morbidity and earlier hospital discharge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Research Institute of MMC & LMC, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York 11219, USA.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Alrawi
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Abo Deeb
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Samee
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raju
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shirazian
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Acinapura
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Cunningham
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood*; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000637:transplantation; D013048:Specimen Handling; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures
chemical_list: D007371:Interferon-gamma