[Prostaglandin E1 infusion fails to inhibit the increase of serum granulocyte elastase and myeloperoxidase and the...

We studied whether prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) could inhibit the increase of serum granulocyte elastase (GEL) and myeloperoxidase (MPO), and the decrease of plasma angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) induced by oxygenator in 19 patients undergoing open-heart surgery. The patients were randomly allocated into 2 groups: one group (PGE1 group, n = 9) received a continuous infusion of PGE1 at a rate of 30 ng.kg-1.min-1 during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), and the other group (control group, n = 10) received saline infusion. GEL, MPO and ACE were measured serially at 8 points: before induction of anesthesia (as baseline), immediately before initiation of CPB, 10 min after initiation, 60 min after initiation, immediately after the end of CPB, 60 min after CPB, 120 min after CPB, and on the first postoperative day. Serum levels of GEL and MPO during 120 min after the end of CPB in both groups increased significantly compared with the baseline values. There was no significant difference between the two groups. Plasma levels of ACE in both groups decreased significantly immediately after the end of CPB compared with values taken 10 min after the initiation of CPB. There was no significant difference between the groups. We conclude that the infusion of PGE1 30 ng.kg-1.min-1 failed to inhibit the increase of GEL as well as MPO, and the decrease of ACE.