Coagulofibrinolysis during heparin-coated cardiopulmonary bypass with reduced heparinization.

BACKGROUND: We examined the safety of reduced systemic heparinization during heparin-coated cardiopulmonary bypass by measuring coagulofibrinolitic indices, including fibrinopeptide A, which directly reflects fibrinogenesis. METHODS: Twenty-four patients who had elective cardiac operations were perfused using a circuit coated with covalently bonded heparin. Twelve patients received 300 U/kg of heparin and the remaining 12 patients received 150 U/kg. Blood was obtained for the measurement of thrombin-antithrombin III complexes, fibrinopeptide A, plasmin-alpha 2 plasmin inhibitor complexes, and D-dimer preoperatively; after heparin administration; 10, 60, and 90 minutes after the start of bypass; after protamine administration; and 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours after the end of bypass. RESULTS: Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative variables including postoperative bleeding were not significantly different between the two groups. Further, there were no complications in either group. No significant differences between the two groups were noted for any hematologic index at any time point. CONCLUSIONS: Reduced systemic heparinization combined with a heparin-coated cardiopulmonary bypass circuit is biochemically and clinically safe but does not reduce postoperative bleeding.

Cardiac surgery in patients with dialysis-dependent renal disease.

This study was designed to evaluate the operative outcome of dialysis patients undergoing cardiac surgery. A retrospective review was performed of 28 consecutive patients with end-stage renal disease dependent on maintenance hemodialysis (n = 26) or peritoneal dialysis (n = 2) who underwent cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The operations included isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) (n = 21), aortic valve replacement (n = 4) and CABG plus aortic valve replacement (n = 3). Seven operations were emergent or urgent. In 23 patients, a heparin-coated (HC) circuit with reduced systemic heparinization was used for CPB. The hospital mortality was 7.1%. Complications occurred in 13 patients (46%). Although thoracotomy for bleeding was required in 3 patients, only 1 had undergone CPB with an HC circuit. There were 7 late deaths. All survivors showed improvement in symptoms and overall functional status. The actuarial survival rates were 78% and 58% at 1 and 4 years, respectively. In the 10 patients with diabetes mellitus, the 4-year survival rate was 50%. In the patients who underwent non-elective surgery, the survival rate was 29%. Cardiac surgery can be performed with increased but acceptable mortality in dialysis patients. Good symptomatic relief can be expected. Surgery should be performed before the general condition deteriorates.

Different antigenic nature in apparently healthy women with high serum CA 125 levels compared with typical patients with ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: CA 125 is a representative ovarian cancer-associated antigen defined by monoclonal antibody OC125. Recently, monoclonal antibodies were produced (designated 130-22 and 145-9) that were reactive with CA 125 but bound to a separate epitope named CA 130. There was a close correlation between serum CA 125 and CA 130 values in most instances. However, among more than 8000 serum samples, 5 apparently normal women had high serum CA 125 values, despite having normal CA 130 values. In this study, the antigenic nature of these five women was investigated. METHODS: Using gel chromatography, the molecular masses of CA 125 and CA 130 were estimated that were found in the five women with false-positive CA 125 values. The sera were examined using double-determinant assays combining iodine-125-labeled OC125 or iodine-125-labeled 130-22 with OCI25-coated or 145-9-coated beads. RESULTS: The molecular masses of both CA 125 and CA 130 were estimated as greater than 1000 kilodaltons (KD); the CA 130 mass from one of the five women with an abnormal CA 125 level was approximately 200 KD using gel chromatography. Using the double-determinant assays that combined iodine-125-labeled OC125 or iodine-125-labeled 130-22 with OC125-coated or 145-9-coated beads, high radioactivity was found only in the homologous assay using iodine-125-labeled OC125 with OC125-coated beads. These results suggest that the antigenic nature of CA 125 found in apparently healthy women differs from that found in patients with ovarian cancer and that CA 130 epitopes are not present. CONCLUSIONS: Measurement of serum CA 130 concentrations may be useful for excluding women with falsely elevated CA 125 values.