R. Bauernschmitt et al., RESCUE THERAPY WITH C1-ESTERASE INHIBITOR CONCENTRATE AFTER EMERGENCYCORONARY SURGERY FOR FAILED PTCA, Intensive care medicine, 24(6), 1998, pp. 635-638
Administration of C1-esterase inhibitor (C1-INH) attenuates myocardial
necrosis and sustains normal cardiac performance after myocardial isc
hemia and reperfusion in animal experiments. We report on our first ex
perience of C1-INH application as rescue therapy in patients undergoin
g emergency surgical revascularization after failed percutaneous trans
luminal coronary angioplasty. Three patients were treated, because pos
t operative hemodynamic stabilization could not be achieved despite pr
olonged reperfusion periods, high-dose inotropic support, inodilators
and aortic counterpulsation. As there was no surgical or medical optio
n remaining, C1-INH was administered starting with a 2000 unit bolus,
followed by 1000 U 12 and 24 h after surgery. C1-INH therapy resulted
in rapid hemodynamic sta bilization of all patients; weaning from aort
ic counterpulsation and epinephrine support was possible within 1 day.
All patients survived and were discharged from hospital. In this grou
p of patients suffering from severe reperfusion injury after coronary
surgery, C1-INH seemed to be an effective adjuvant therapy to restore
myocardial function by blocking the complement cascade. These results
should encourage the performance of controlled studies on the effects
of prophylactic C1-INH substitution therapy in patients undergoing cor
onary surgery at high risk conditions.