Trimetazidine and inflammatory response in coronary artery bypass grafting.

Background: Organic inflammatory response is a pathophysiological mechanism present at every coronary artery bypass grafting with extracorporeal circulation (CABG-ECC), the release of inflammatory mediators being one of its defense mechanisms.

Objective: To assess, in a prospective double-blind randomized and placebo-controlled study, the effects of trimetazidine (Tmz) on the inflammatory response, by using the variation in interleukins 6 and 8, TNF-α, complements C3 and C5, and highly sensitive C-reactive protein (HS-CRP) levels in the pre- and post-operative periods.

Methods: This study assessed 30 patients undergoing CABG-ECC with intermittent hypothermic cardioplegia, and having, at most, mild ventricular dysfunction.