G. Valen et al., RELEASE OF CREATINE-KINASE, TROPONIN-T, AND TISSUE-PLASMINOGEN ACTIVATOR IN ARTERIAL AND CORONARY VENOUS-BLOOD DURING CORONARY-ARTERY BYPASS-SURGERY, Scandinavian journal of clinical & laboratory investigation, 57(1), 1997, pp. 85-93
Tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) as a possible marker of endothelia
l injury during elective coronary artery bypass surgery was studied. T
-PA antigen and activity were measured in arterial and coronary venous
plasma in 14 patients, and compared to the markers of myocyte injury
creatine kinase (CK-MB) and troponin-rr (TnT). Cardiopulmonary bypass
(CPB) lasted 86 (55-107) min, and aortic cross-clamping (cold, crystal
loid cardioplegia) lasted 41 (25-62) min (median (central 90% percenti
le)). Blood flow in the great cardiac vein was measured by retrograde
thermodilution, and increased from 49 (27-90) ml/min before CPB to a m
aximum of 92 (55-125) ml/min 40 min after declamping (not significant)
. CK-MB, TnT, and t-PA antigen and activity all increased during CPB,
and were significantly higher in coronary sinus than arterial plasma a
fter declamping the aorta. Net cardiac release ([coronary sinus - arte
rial concentration] x coronary flow) of TnT increased after the aorta
was declamped, and was higher in the seven patients with the longest c
ross-clamping time than in the seven with the shortest time (p<0.01).
Cardiac release of CK-MB and t-PA antigen also increased after declamp
ing, but with no significant difference between long and short cross-c
lamp times. t-PA activity, however, increased more in the patients wit
h the longest cross-clamp times (p<0.008). In conclusion, CK-MB, TnT a
nd t-PA were released from the postcardioplegic heart. Release of t-PA
indicates that postcardioplegic coronary endothelial activation or in
jury occurred. t-PA activity as well as TnT increased more in patients
with long times of cross-clamping, indicating that t-PA activity may
be a possible marker of postcardioplegic endothelial injury or activat
ion.