Long term evaluation of Erythropoietin effects on ischemia-reperfusion injury after Coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Background and

Recent studies showed that erythropoietin (EPO) despite having role in hematopoiesis, has non-hematopoietic tissue protective effects on ischemia-reperfusion injury. In this study we evaluated the effects of erythropoietin on reducing ischemia-reperfusion injuries after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG).

60 patients that was candidate for elective CABG randomly divided into two groups, EPO and control group. Patients in EPO group received IV infusion of EPO (700 IU/kg), at the start of reperfusion after aorta cross clamp. Cardiac markers: Troponin I and Creatine kinase MB (CKMB) assessed 8hours after CABG surgery. Also echocardiography was performed in all patients 6month after surgery.

Troponin I level had no difference in EPO and control group (P=0.30). CKMB level in EPO group was higher than control group (P=0.004). After 6month from surgery, Ejection fraction (EF) in EPO group was higher than control group but differences wasn’t significant (P=0.46). But Left ventricle end systolic diameter (P=0.017) and also Left ventricle end diastolic diameter (P= 0.04) in EPO group were significantly lesser than control group 6month after surgery

in this study the administration of erythropoietin was associated with reduction in ischemia-reperfusion injuries by improving ventricular function, and also with reduction in myocardial remodeling and decrease in Left ventricle end systolic diameter and Left ventricle end diastolic diameter