Trace elements selenium (Se) and cobalt (Co) are essential in the human body, and a correlation between Se and cardiac surgery has been suggested. We investigated the plasma concentrations of Se and Co during and after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). From December 2019 to January 2020, preoperative plasma samples from isolated first-time CABG patients (n=20; 10 males, 10 females) were prospectively collected post-anesthesia and before CPB (T1), 45 min after CPB started (T2), 90 min after CPB started (T3), and postoperative days 1 (T4), and day 4 (T5). The plasma concentrations of Se and Co were measured. The Se concentration was significantly decreased at T2 (105.24±4.08 vs. 68.56±2.42 μg/L, p<0.001) and T3 (105.24±4.08 vs. 80.41±3.40 μg/L, p<0.001). The Co concentration was significantly decreased at T4 (0.35±0.19 vs. 0.26±0.13 μg/L, p<0.01) and T5 (0.35±0.19 vs. 0.23±0.11 μg/L, p<0.001). Five patients developed atrial fibrillation (AF); there was no other operative mortality or major morbidity. This is the first report of alterations of plasma Se and Co concentrations during and after CABG surgery. Our results may indicate that Se supplementation before or during CABG and Co supplementation after CABG may become necessary for patients undergoing CABG.
Keywords: CABG; cardiopulmonary bypass; cobalt; selenium; trace element.