Pump Prime Aprotinin Fails to Limit Proinflammatory Cytokine Release After Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Background - The purpose of this study was to establish whether pump prime aprotinin could limit the cytokine responses in patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass surgery. Methods - Twenty-one patients admitted for first-time elective coronary artery bypass surgery were randomized into control or aprotinin groups. Patients in the aprotinin group received 280 mg aprotinin in the pump prime. Leukocyte count, creatine kinase cardiac isoenzyme (CK-MB), cytokine production and postoperative blood loss were analyzed perioperatively and compared with preoperative values. Results