Open AccessCardioprotective Effects of Carnitine in Extensive Aortocoronary Bypass Grafting
Author(s) -
Roland Demeyere,
Piet Lormans,
B. Weidler,
J Minten,
Hugo Van Aken,
Willem Flameng
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
anesthesia and analgesia/anesthesia and analgesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.404
H-Index - 201
eISSN - 1526-7598
pISSN - 0003-2999
DOI - 10.1213/00000539-199011000-00012
Subject(s) - medicine , cardiopulmonary bypass , carnitine , hemodynamics , creatine , anesthesia , weaning , extracorporeal circulation , cardiology , saline
The cardioprotective effects of carnitine were tested in patients undergoing multiple aortocoronary bypass grafting. Intermittent aortic cross-clamping at 28 degrees C was used. Mean total cross-clamping time was 30 +/- 11 min. Patients were randomized into three groups: a control group receiving placebo (group 1), a group pretreated with 3 g carnitine intravenously before cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) (group 2), and a group pretreated with 6 g carnitine intravenously (group 3). The markers of myocardial ischemia included levels of adenosine triphosphate, its catabolites, and creatine phosphate in transmural left ventricular biopsy specimens taken at the beginning and end of CPB, as well as hemodynamic recovery during weaning from CPB and for the next 24 h. The intravenous infusion of carnitine (3 or 6 g) had no hemodynamic effect. At the end of CPB myocardial tissue levels of adenosine triphosphate and creatine phosphate did not differ significantly among the groups (P greater than 0.05). Recovery of cardiac function during weaning from CPB and for the following 24 h was similar in all three groups (P greater than 0.05). It is concluded that pretreatment with carnitine neither facilitates weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass in patients undergoing aortocoronary bypass surgery nor favorably affects hemodynamic function during the next 24 h.