[Effects of ulinastatin on cognitive function in patients with coronary artery bypass grafting]

To investigate the effects of ulinastatin(UTI) on postoperative cognitive function in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

One hundred and twenty-seven patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass surgery were randomly divided into three groups:high-dose UTI group(16000 U/kg i.v.), low-dose UTI group(8000 U/kg i.v.) and control group(normal saline). The levels of plasma cortisol were measured before and one day after surgery. The level of IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and S100β were measured before operation(T0), at open chest(T1), end of operation(T2), 6 h(T3)and 24 h(T4) after operation. A neuropsychological test scale was to evaluate the cognitive function 1 day before operation, 1 week and 3 months after operation.

Ninety-three patients completed the study. There was no significant difference in general information of patients among three groups(P>0.05). The level of plasma cortisol one day after operation was significantly higher than that before operation in control group(P<0.01). The levels of plasma cortisol in high-dose UTI group and low-dose UTI group were lower than that of control group(P<0.01). In all groups, the level of plasma IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and S100B increased remarkably at T2, T3, T4 compared to those at T0(all P<0.05). The level of plasma IL-6, TNF-α(at T2, T3, T4)and S100β(at T3)in high-dose UTI group and low-dose UTI group were all lower than those of control group(P<0.05),while there were no significant differences between high-dose UTI group and low-dose UTI group(P>0.05). The incidence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction in POCD 1 week after operation in high-dose UTI and low-dose UTI groups(25.8% and 23.3%)was lower than that in control group(50.0%), while there were no significant difference 1 month after operation between high-dose UTI group(12.9%) or low-dose UTI group(16.7%)and control group(28.1%). The level of plasma S100β at T2 of POCD patients(n=31)was higher than that of non-POCD group(n=62)(P<0.05).

Ulinastatin can reduce the incidence of postoperative cognitive dusfunction 1 week after coronary artery bypass surgery, which might be associated with inhibition of inflammation and S100β expression.