A double blind study of prostacyclin in cardiopulmonary bypass surgery

In a double-blind placebo-controlled trial of 48 patients requiring open heart surgery, prostacyclin (PGI2) was infused in a dose of 20 ng/kg/min throughout cardiopulmonary bypass. When compared with the placebo group, the patients given active PGI2 were found to have significantly higher platelet counts from 30 min after commencement of bypass and in the immediate post-operative period, and to have significantly less elevation of the platelet secretory proteins, beta thromboglobulin and platelet factor 4 during bypass. The mean weight increase in the arterial line filters was significantly greater in the placebo-treated patients than in the PGI2 group. It is suggested that infused PGI2 decreases platelet activation during cardiopulmonary bypass and that further studies are required to establish its clinical value in this situation.