Inflammatory response and platelet activation after off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery

Background. Cardiac surgery induces a systemic inflammatory activation and alterations in the hemostatic cascade. The responses contribute to postoperative complications but may also have protective effects. We investigated the relationship between inflammation, hemostasis and bleeding after off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB). Methods. Ten OPCAB patients were included in a prospective descriptive study. Selected markers of inflammation (IL-6, IL-8, PMN-elastase, C3a, and SC5b-9), and hemostasis (platelet count, β-thromboglobulin, anti-thrombin, D-dimer and fibrinogen) were measured before and immediately after surgery. Postoperative bleeding was registered. Results. Inflammatory variables did not alter significantly during surgery while β-thromboglobulin concentrations increased and anti-thrombin and fibrinogen decreased. There were significant postoperative correlations between PMN-elastase and β-thromboglobulin (r = 0.82, p = 0.004), between PMN-elastase and fibrinogen (r = 0.69, p = 0.03) ...