(Trasylol) Aprotinin Kidney Failure Study : Twofold Higher Risk for Heart Surgery Patients
On February 8, 2008, the American Journal of Nephrology published a study of aprotinin and kidney failure. Aprotinin is marketed as “Trasylol” by the drug company Bayer. This is the first aprotinin study to evaluate the effect of the drug on urinary NGAL (neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin). Urinary NGAL increases dramatically following kidney damage.
In this observational study 369 patients undergoing heart surgery were either given aprotinin or aminocraproic acid during surgery. 205 patients received aprotinin and 164 received aminocaproic acid. The study found that the patients who were given aprotinin (Trasylol) during their surgery had a twofold higher risk of developing kidney failure compared to the patient group receiving aminocaproic acid. 25% of the patients receiving aprotinin (51 of the 205 patients) developed kidney failure. The results of this study confirm the results of Dr. Mangano’s earlier Trasylol study which revealed that patients who received the aprotinin had around a 50 percent increased risk of dying.
Am J Nephrol 2008;28:576-582
