Biomarker Profile in Off-Pump and On-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery in Low-Risk Patients

Background The purpose of this study was to investigate the cytokine and chemokine profile in low-risk patients undergoing off-pump and on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery by use of a broad panel of cytokines and chemokines. Methods Eight consecutive blood samples were obtained from patients enrolled into a prospective, randomized study comparing off-pump and on-pump CABG in a low-risk population. Eleven patients from each group were randomly selected for analysis of 25 different cytokines and chemokines using multiplex technology. Data were compared using two-way repeated measures analysis of variance. Results Of the 25 biomarkers analyzed, 11 were not detected while 14 increased significantly in both groups. Only three mediators, eotaxin, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1β, and interleukin (IL)-12 were significantly different between the two groups, increasing more in the on-pump than in the off-pump group (p < 0.001, p < 0.01, and p < 0.05, respectively). There was a marked, comparable increase in the concentrations of the cytokines IL-6, IL-10, IL-15, and IL-1Ra as well as the chemokines inducible protein (IP)-10, monokine induced by interferon gamma (MIG), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), and regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) in both groups (p < 0.001 for all). There was only a modest, but still statistically significant, increase in IL-8, tumor necrosis factors α, and IL-2R, without any intergroup differences. When corrected for hemodilution the production of the antiinflammatory biomarkers IL-1Ra and IL-10 were significantly higher in the on-pump group (p < 0.001 for both). Conclusions The cytokine and chemokine production profile of the inflammatory response associated with CABG is largely similar using the off-pump and on-pump techniques in low-risk patients, but slightly higher concentrations of eotaxin, MIP-1β, and IL-12 were found in the on-pump group.