Postoperative bleeding after coronary revascularization. Comparison between tranexamic acid and epsilon-aminocaproic acid.

Background: Microvascular bleeding after Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is mainly due to consumption of clotting factors, platelets damage, and hyperfibrinolysis. Aprotinin, the only antifibrinolytic drug effective in preserving platelets, is no longer available; an alternative regimen based on pure antifibrinolytic drugs has been proposed, since hyperfibrinolysis is known to contribute both to clot lysis and platelet dysfunction. In this study the efficacy of two antifibrinolytic drugs, Tranexamic acid (TA) and epsilon-aminocaproic acid (EACA), was tested in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), for primary myocardial revascularization.

Follow-up on infants treated with porcine surfactant replacement for severe neonatal and infant respiratory distress syndrome: antigenic reactivity evaluation.

A follow-up was carried out on twenty-two children (thirteen of whom were newborn) who had been treated with porcine surfactant (Curosurf) for respiratory distress syndrome. All the infants were enrolled in the follow-up at different times after surfactant replacement to evaluate the clinical status and the incidence (if any) of respiratory disease, adverse drug effects and allergic conditions. Twelve of the twenty-two children treated completed the follow-up.