Endothelial dysfunction following coronary artery bypass grafting : Influence of patient and procedural factors.

Background: Angiopoietin-2 (Angpt2) mediates endothelial dysfunction (ED) following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Its triggers are, however, poorly understood.

Methods: We examined the time course of ED beyond the early phase of postoperative recovery in 75 patients following CABG with a special focus on different cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) modes as potential triggers of Angpt2 release.