Natural killer cell activity in a patient undergoing open-heart surgery complicated by an acute myocardial infarction

The natural killer (NK) cell activity of peripheral mononuclear cells was investigated in a patient undergoing open-heart surgery complicated by an acute myocardial infarction. After a transient increase in NK activity during surgery, the activity fell to undetectable values postoperatively. This reduction appeared after continuous adrenaline infusion was established. The changes in NK cell activity suggest that the effect of prolonged adrenaline infusion--as in this case for two days--is a depression of NK cell activity.