title: The effects of N-acetylcysteine on pulmonary functions in patients undergoing on-pump coronary artery surgery: a double blind placebo controlled study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on pulmonary function tests and arterial blood gases in patients undergoing on-pump coronary artery surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effect of NAC was assessed within the scope of a prospective, single center, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group study. Eighty-two patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting were randomized into two groups to receive either placebo (group 1, n = 40) or NAC (group 2, n=42). Both the NAC group and the placebo-receiving control group also included a COPD subgroup consisting of patients with an FEV1/FVC ratio of < 0.7 and an FEV1 value of 50-80%. Pulmonary function tests were performed preoperatively and on postoperative day 60.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both groups were similar with respect to age, gender, preoperative risk factors, ejection fraction (EF), mean cross-clamp time, ventilation time, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, atrial fibrillation (AF) and hospital stay (p > 0.05). Postoperative FVC and FEV1 values in group 1 and the postoperative FEV1, FEV1/FVC and FEF 25-75 values in group 2 were lower in comparison to their preoperative values. However, in both group 1 and 2, the decreases observed in these parameters were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). In the COPD subgroup of group 1, a postoperative decrease was observed in the FEV1 and FEF25-75 values, with the FEV1 decreasing by 4.55%, and the FEF25-75 decreasing by 4.2% (p < 0.05). In the COPD subgroup of group 2, no significant decrease was observed in the pulmonary function test values (p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that NAC administration in COPD patients undergoing on-pump coronary artery surgery resulted in the preservation of pulmonary functions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Turgut Özal Medical Center, Inönü University Faculty of Medicine, Malatya, Turkey. dr.baris.akca@yandex.com.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Erdil
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eroglu
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Akca
authors.forename: O M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Disli
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yetkin
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Colak
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Erdil
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Battaloglu
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000368:Aged; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests
chemical_list: D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D000111:Acetylcysteine