Use of polypeptide neuroprotection for prevention of postoperative cognitive dysfunction after cardiac surgery: a pilot prospective randomized placebo-controlled clinical study

Aim. The study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of polypeptide neuroprotection using brain protein “Cellex” for prevention of postoperative cognitive dysfunction after cardiac surgery. Methods. Our study included 60 patients undergoing elective cardiosurgical operations, who were randomized into two groups. In the “Cellex” group, the patients received 1.0 ml of “Cellex” subcutaneously daily during 8 days, beginning from the preoperative day, while the control group patients were given a saline placebo. The cognitive function was assessed using a Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) test on the day before surgery and also at Days 3 and 7 postoperatively. The plasma concentrations of S100b protein were measured before surgery, and at Days 3 and 7. The patients’ gas exchange, hemodynamics and cerebral oxygenation were monitored. In addition, the efficacy of “Cellex” and the severity of cognitive dysfunction were evaluated intraoperatively under cardiopulmonary bypass. results. The duration of intervention and mechanical ventilation, as well as hemodynamics and cerebral oximetry data did not differ significantly between the groups. There was a transient decline of cognitive functions and an increase in plasma concentration of S100b at Day 3 after surgery in both groups (p2 correlated with cerebral oxygenation surgery by the beginning and at the end of surgery (rho = 0.305, p = 0.033 and rho = 0.533; p function show_eabstract() { $('#eabstract1').hide(); $('#eabstract2').show(); $('#eabstract_expand').hide(); }