Xuebijing Injection Alleviates the Inflammatory Response in Patients with Venous-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane...

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Critical Care Medicine
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and its treatment, venoarterial-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO), can increase proinflammatory cytokines and tissue damage.
• Xuebijing (XBJ) is a traditional Chinese medicine that may modulate cytokine production involved in inflammatory responses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the efficacy of Xuebijing (XBJ) in patients experiencing cardiogenic shock following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) who are supported by VA-ECMO.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, randomized trial was conducted in an intensive care unit.
• Patients with cardiogenic shock post-AMI on VA-ECMO were randomized into an XBJ group or a control group.
• Key outcome measures included cytokine levels, inflammatory factors, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

Main Results:

• The XBJ group showed significantly lower levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) compared to the control group within 72 hours of VA-ECMO.
• Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was significantly higher in the XBJ group at 48 and 72 hours post-VA-ECMO.
• The duration of VA-ECMO support was shorter in the XBJ group (5.57 ± 2.11 days) compared to the control group (p = 0.033).

Conclusions:

• Xuebijing injection demonstrates potential in mitigating the inflammatory response associated with AMI and VA-ECMO.
• XBJ treatment appears to improve cardiac function and reduce the duration of mechanical circulatory support in these critically ill patients.