Platelet-activating factor plays an important role in reperfusion injury in myocardium. Efficacy of platelet-activating factor receptor antagonist (CV-3988) as compared with leukocyte-depleted reperfusion.

Although platelet-activating factor has been implicated in the pathogenesis of neutrophil-induced reperfusion injury, it has other mechanisms of direct deleterious hemodynamic effect. In this study we evaluated the definitive role of platelet-activating factor in myocardial reperfusion injury. Porcine hearts that underwent 60 minutes of normothermic ischemia with cardioplegia and 60 minutes of reperfusion under cardiopulmonary bypass were divided into three groups according to the methods of 15 minutes of controlled reperfusion: whole blood reperfusion group (n = 6), leukocyte-depleted reperfusion group (n = 6), and platelet-activating factor receptor antagonist (CV-3988) group (n = 6).