Yonsei Med J.  2006 Jun;47(3):372-376. 10.3349/ymj.2006.47.3.372.

Analysis of C-Reactive Protein and Biochemical Parameters in Pericardial Fluid

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Trakya University Medical Faculty, Edirne. turanege@ttnet.net.tr
  • 2Department of Anaesthesiology and Reanimation, Trakya University Medical Faculty, Edirne.
  • 3Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Kadikoy, Istanbul, Turkey.

Abstract

This study was designed to examine the relationship between pericardial fluid and plasma CRP levels, and to alterations in other biochemical parameters in patients undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG). The study group consisted of 96 Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) patients who were referred to our clinic for a CABG procedure and from whom sufficient amount of pericardial fluid could be collected. The patients were classified into 3 groups: Stable Angina Pectoris (SAP) (n=27), Unstable Angina Pectoris (USAP) (n=36), and Post-Myocardial Infarction (PMI) (n=33). Levels of CRP, glucose, albumin, total protein, Creatine Kinase (CK), Creatine Kinase-MB (CK-MB), and Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) were determined in pericardial fluid samples and in simultaneously collected blood samples from radial artery. The pericardial CRP and LDH levels in the PMI group were higher than in the SAP (p=0.015 and p=0.000, respectively) and USAP (p=0.011, p=0.047) groups. Serum CRP levels in USAP (p=0.014) and PMI (p= 0.000) groups were higher than those in the SAP group. Pericardial albumin levels in the PMI group were higher than in the USAP group (p=0.038). In all groups, the pericardial fluid/serum protein ratio was > 0.5, the LDL ratio was > 0.6, and pericardial fluid LDH concentrations were > 300mg/dl. CRP level of pericardial fluid was significantly higher in the PMI group than in other groups. However, pericardial fluid LDH levels were higher than blood LDH levels in this group and were also higher than pericardial fluid LDH levels of other groups.

Keyword

Pericardial fluid; CRP; pericardial CK-MB; pericardial LDH

MeSH Terms

Pericardial Effusion/*metabolism
Myocardial Infarction/*metabolism/surgery
Middle Aged
Male
Humans
Female
Coronary Artery Bypass
C-Reactive Protein/*metabolism
Biological Markers
Angina, Unstable/*metabolism/surgery
Aged

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Results of pericardial fluid analysis according to Light's criteria. SAP, Stable Angina Pectoris; USAP, Unstable Angina Pectoris; PMI, Post-Myocardial Infarction.


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