Both aprotinin and gentamicin-vancomycin antibiotic prophylaxis have been used widely in cardiac surgery to prevent bleeding and infections, respectively. As the drugs are excreted almost entirely by glomerular filtration, we investigated their action on renal function when administered either separately or together. To increase consistency, we measured serum concentrations of creatinine and cystatin C, a new marker of glomerular filtration rate, that many recent studies have shown to be more sensitive than serum creatinine. One hundred patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery were allocated randomly to one of four groups: group A received antibiotic prophylaxis with cefamandole and no aprotinin; group B received cefamandole and high-dose aprotinin; group C received antibiotic prophylaxis with gentamicin and vancomycin, but no aprotinin; and group D received both high-dose aprotinin and gentamicin-vancomycin antibiotic prophylaxis. Data from 84 patients, for whom data collection was complete, were analysed. In the first week after operation, mean serum concentrations of cystatin C and creatinine either remained constant or decreased slowly in all groups, except for group D. In group D, both markers increased gradually from postoperative day 2 onwards. The increase in cystatin C was significant on postoperative day 5 (from mean 1.02 (SD 0.11) mg litre-1 before operation to 1.35 (0.32) mg litre-1; P < 0.05), reaching a peak on postoperative day 7 (1.45 (0.35) mg litre-1; P < 0.05), while the increase in creatinine concentration was significant on postoperative day 6 (from 1.05 (0.16) mg dl-1 before operation to 1.29 (0.34) mg dl-1; P < 0.05). We conclude that simultaneous administration of high-dose aprotinin and prophylactic use of gentamicin with vancomycin increased serum concentrations of cystatin C and creatinine in the first postoperative week in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.