Effects of ulinastatin postconditioning and combining ulinastatin postconditioning with pretreatment on myocardial inflammatory response in patients undergoing valve replacement under CPB

Objective To investigate the effects of ulinastatin postconditioning and combining ulinastatin postconditioning with pretreatment on myocardial inflammatory response in patients undergoing cardiac valve replacement under CPB.Methods Eighty NYHA class Ⅱ or Ⅲ patients of both sexes aged 21-59 yr undergoing cardiac valve replacement under CPB were randomly divided into 4 groups ( n =20 each): group control (group C) ; group ulinastatin pretreatment ( group U1 ) ; group ulinastatin postconditioning (group U2 ) and group ulinastatin pretreatment and postconditioning combined (group U3 ).Ulinastatin 20 000 U/kg was infused via central vein at 500-1000 U·kg-1 ·min-1 after tracheal intubation until 10 min before cross-clamping of ascending aorta in groups U1 and U3.Ulinastatin 10 000 U/kg was infused into root of aorta at 4000-5000 U· kg- 1 · min- 1 at 5-7 min before declamping of aorta in groups U2 and U3.Blood samples were obtained from radial artery before cross clamping of ascending aorta,at 40 min after aortic cross-clamping,at 45 min after declamping of aorta (T3) and at the end of operation for polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) count,routine analysis of blood and determination of plasma concentrations of IL-10,TNF-α,IL-1 and IL-6 (by ELISA).Myocardial specimens were obtained at 45 min after declamping of aorta for determination of IL-1β and IL-6 expression by immune-histochemistry.Results Ulinastatin pretreatment and/or postconditioning significantly increased plasma IL-10 concentration and decreased plasma IL-1,IL-6,TNF-α concentrations and PMN count and myocardial IL-1β and IL-6 expression in groups U1,U2 and U3 as compared with group C.Plasma IL-10 concentration was significantly higher and plasma IL-1,IL-6 and TNF-α concentrations,PMN count and myocardial IL-1β and IL-6 expression were lower in group U3 than in groups U1 and U2.Conclusion Ulinastatin postconditioning can inhibit myocardial imflammatory response in patients undergoing valve replacement under CPB.The protective effect can be augmented by combining ulinastatin postconditioning with pretreatment. Key words: Trypsin inhibitors;  Inflammation;  Cardiopulmonary bypass;  Heart valve prosthesis implantation;  Postconditioning