Protective Effect of EECP Against Negative Inflammatory Response and Organ Dysfunction After Cardiovascular Surgery

Patients randomly assigned to EECP received 3 1/2-h sessions of EECP for 3 days before surgery. Three pneumatic cuffs will be placed around the lower limbs and buttocks and will be inflated sequentially upward at the onset of diastole, and released rapidly and simultaneously before the onset of systole. The protocol-specified applied pressure will be 300 mm Hg and was reached within 5 min of the initiation of treatment. Pulse oximetry will be monitored continuously during the treatment session, and the subject's clinical status will be re-evaluated if the oxygen saturation drops by 4%.

Patients randomly assigned to sham group received 3 1/2-h sessions of sham treatment for 3 days before surgery. Three pneumatic cuffs will be placed around the lower limbs and buttocks and will be inflated sequentially upward at the onset of diastole, and released rapidly and simultaneously before the onset of systole. The protocol-specified applied pressure will be 70 mm Hg and was reached within 5 min of the initiation of treatment. Pulse oximetry will be monitored continuously during the treatment session, and the subject's clinical status will be re-evaluated if the oxygen saturation drops by 4%.