[Protective effects of ulinastatin on the lung injury during cardiopulmonary bypass]

To determine the protective effects and mechanism of ulinastatin on the lung injury during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

Thirty patients with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) were divided into 2 groups randomly. The ulinastatin group (Group U, n = 15) received 1 x 10(4)U/kg ulinastatin intravenously before the CPB and the same amount of ulinastatin was added into the primary solution. The control group (Group C,n = 15) received normal saline instead of ulinastatin. A brochioalveolar lavage was performed at 2 h after the cardiopulmonary bypass. Polymorphonuclear neutrophil elastase, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and MDA contents in the brochioalveolar lavage fluids were measured, and the lung oxygenate index was measured preoperatively and at 1 and 4 h after CPB termination.

Polymorphonuclear neutrophil elastase, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and MDA contents of Group U in the brochioalveolar lavage fulids were significantly lower than those of Group C (P < 0.05), and the lung oxygenate index of Group U at 1 and 4 h after CPB termination was also significantly lower than that of Group C. A significant increase of lung oxygenate index occurred in both groups at 1 and 4 h after CPB when compared with the same group at the baseline before CPB (P < 0.05).

Ulinastatin has the protective effects on the lung injury during CPB by decreasing polymorphonuclear neutrophil elastase, alleviating lung inflammatory reaction and reducing oxygen free radicals.