Heparin coating of extracorporeal circuits inhibits cytokine release from mononuclear cells during cardiac operations

Purpose. To evalute whether the production of interleukin 2 (IL 2), interlu kin 6 (IL 6) and interlukin 10 (IL 10) from stimulated peripheal blood mono nuclear cells (PBMC) was affected by coating extracorporeal circuits in pat ients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). In addition, postoperative c linical parameters were compared between patients with heparin-coated and u ncoated CPB. Design. Prospective, controlled in vivo/ex vivo study. Procedure. Blood samples were drawn immediately before, at the end and 24 h ours after the end of CPB using either a conventional circuit (n=10) or a h eparin-coated circuit (n=10) in patients undergoing CPB. Cytokine release o n the supernatants of activated PBMC was detected. Cardiopulmonary paramete rs were measured before CPB, at ICU admission, 3 hours and 24 hours after I CU admission in both groups of patients. Statistical difference intragroups and between groups were investigated with the analysis of variance for rep eated measures. Results. IL 6 and IL 10 release was significantly less (p<0.05) in the hepa rin-coated group. No differences in clinical parameters were observed betwe en the two groups. Conclusions. These results suggest that with the use of heparin-coated circ uits there is a lower production of IL 6 and IL 10 from isolated PBMC than with uncoated circuits.