Purpose: Saphenous vein graft disease (SVGD), defined as an occlusion of 50% or more of the SVG excluding distal anastomotic occlusion, is an important predictor of morbidity after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Late graft occlusion is a serious complication that often limits the use of the saphenous vein as a coronary bypass graft. Late graft occlusion is particularly common in old, degenerated venous grafts with advanced atherosclerotic plaques. Adropin has been implicated in the homeostatic control of metabolism. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether serum adropin levels are associated with late SVGD following CABG.
Methods: Thirty-eight patients with SVGD involving at least one graft (occluded group; 14 females, 24 males) and 42 patients with a patent saphenous vein graft (patent group; 15 females, 27 males) were enrolled in this study. Venous blood samples were taken from all of the participants to measure plasma adropin levels using an enzyme-linked immunsorbent assay kit.
Results: The mean adropin level was significantly lower in the occluded group than in the patent group (3.2 ± 0.71 vs. 4.9 ± 1.51 ng/mL, p < 0.001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that the adropin level was the independent predictor of late saphenous vein graft occlusion.
Conclusions: Adropin levels are lower in patients with late saphenous vein graft occlusion and these reduced adropin levels, together with other factors, may lead to saphenous vein graft occlusion. Larger and prospective studies are needed to determine if adropin plays a role in the pathogenesis of SVGD.