Objective: Cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1) is closely associated with many cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension, myocardial infarction (MI), and heart failure, and exhibits a cardioprotective effect in ischemia-reperfusion injury. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between CT-1 and Troponin-I (Tn-I) in off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) grafting on the beating heart.
Methods: Seventy-eight patients (mean age 60.8 ± 9.7 years, 79.5% male) undergoing elective OPCAB surgery were included in this study undertaken between July 1, 2012 and July 1, 2013 in the Department of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, University School of Medicine Hospital. Venous blood samples were collected 5 minutes before OPCAB surgery and 6 hours after surgery. Plasma CT-1 levels were measured using the ELISA method.
Results: Compared to the preoperative period, Tn-I and CT-1 values were higher in the postoperative period [0.255 ng/mL (0.030-0.430) versus 0.045 ng/mL (0.005-0.090), P < .001; and 33.7 pg/mL (15.8-98.5) versus 8.7 pg/mL (0.68-25.4), P < .001]. There was also an elevation in white blood cells, aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase (CK), and creatine kinase MB (CK-MB) values, as well as a decrease in hemoglobin values (P < .001). When a correlation analysis for postoperative CT-1 was performed, there was a significant positive correlation between postoperative CK, CK-MB, and Tn-I levels (r = 0.250, P < .027; r = 0.270, P = .017; and r = 0.241, P < .034).
Conclusion: CT-1 was found to be associated with Tn-I, which is used to detect myocardial damage after OPCAB surgery. CT-1 may also be used to detect myocardial damage.