Pentoxifylline reduces inflammatory reaction in cardiac surgery patients

SUMMARYPENTOXIFYLLINE REDUCES INFLAMMATORY REACTION IN CARDIACSURGERY PATIENTSObjectives:Cardiac surgery is associated with an inflammatory response and this reactionmay cause myocardial dysfunction after CPB. We examined the efficacy ofpentoxifylline to attenuate the ?cardiopulmonary bypass induced inflammatoryresponse? during heart operations.Methods:In a prospective, randomized study, thirty patients undergoing coronary arterybypass graft surgery, received either pentoxifylline (group P, n=15) (continuousinfusion of 1.5 mg/kg/h during operation) or not (group C (control), n= 15). Bloodsamples for measurement of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 were taken from the arterialline in both groups at 5 different time points.Results:TNF-α , IL-6 and IL-8 increased in both groups with higher increase in thecontrol group (p<0.05).Conclusions:Our results indicate that pentoxifylline infusion during cardiac surgery reducesthe inflammatory reaction during CPB, by inhibition of proinflammatory cytokinerelease.