• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2002

Background: Ischemia-reperfusion myocardial injury is an important factor to determine the early and the late mortality of transplanted patients. Recently, modulation of the cytosolic NADH/NAD+ ratio by Pyruvate and aspartate was tested to Protect the heart from ischemia-reperfusion injury. Material and Method: We added pyruvate and aspartate to the University of Wisconsin solution, and evaluated their effect on myocardial protection. We used 16 piglet(age 1 to 3 days) hearts. Eight hearts were arrested with and stored in the University of Wisconsin solution(UW solution) for 24 hours(control group), and the other eight hearts were arrested with and stored in the modified UW solution added pyruvate(3mmol/L) and aspartate(2 mmol/L)(test group). All hearts underwent modified reperfusion with blood cardioplegic solution followed by conversion to a left-sided working model with perfusion from a support pig. And then, we measured stroke work index(SWI), high-energy phosphate stores, and myocardial water content of the hearts. SWI was calculated at left ventricular end-diastolic pressures of 3, 6, 9, and 12 mmHg after 60 and 120 minutes reperfusion, respectively, Result: At 60 minutes and 120 minutes after reperfusion, SWI was higher in the test group than in the control group significantly. The levels of AMP, ADP, ATP of the test group were also higher. But, the creatine phosphate level and myocardial water content were similar in the two groups. Conclusion: From these results, we could Prove that pyruvate and aspartate enhance cardiac contractility and high-energy phosphate stores after ischemia.