[Amrinone administration exerts no deleterious effect on platelet counts and blood transfusion volume during CABG]

The purpose of this study was to examine retrospectively the effect of amrinone on platelet counts and blood transfusion volume during CABG. Patients were divided into two groups. Amrinone group included 40 patients and for comparison another group included 33 patients who had undergone CABG without amrinone. Anesthesia and surgical procedures were standardized and similar for all patients. Platelet counts and hematocrit levels were measured in the arterial blood before CPB, at the end of CPB (after treatment with amrinone in amrinone group), 1 day, 3 days, and 7 days after surgery. Time course of changes in platelet counts was the same between the groups at the following points: before CPB, after CPB, 1 day, 3 days, and 7 days after surgery. We administered amrinone to patients who underwent CABG. The titrated dose of amrinone (about 29mg.kg-1) has not affected the time course of changes in platelet counts and blood transfusion volume.