Abstract:
Abstract. – OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects
of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on pulmonary
function tests and arterial blood gases in patients
undergoing on-pump coronary artery surgery.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: The effect of NAC
was assessed within the scope of a prospective,
single center, double-blind, placebo-controlled,
parallel group study. Eighty-two patients
undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting
were randomized into two groups to receive either
placebo (group 1, n = 40) or NAC (group 2,
n=42). Both the NAC group and the placebo-receiving
control group also included a COPD
subgroup consisting of patients with an
FEV1/FVC ratio of < 0.7 and an FEV1 value of 50-
80%. Pulmonary function tests were performed
preoperatively and on postoperative day 60.
RESULTS: Both groups were similar with respect
to age, gender, preoperative risk factors,
ejection fraction (EF), mean cross-clamp time,
ventilation time, intensive care unit (ICU) stay,
atrial fibrillation (AF) and hospital stay (p > 0.05).
Postoperative FVC and FEV1 values in group 1
and the postoperative FEV1, FEV1/FVC and FEF
25-75 values in group 2 were lower in comparison
to their preoperative values. However, in
both group 1 and 2, the decreases observed in
these parameters were not statistically significant
(p > 0.05). In the COPD subgroup of group
1, a postoperative decrease was observed in the
FEV1 and FEF25-75 values, with the FEV1 decreasing
by 4.55%, and the FEF25-75 decreasing
by 4.2% (p < 0.05). In the COPD subgroup of
group 2, no significant decrease was observed
in the pulmonary function test values (p > 0.05).
