Experience of using taurine during rehabilitation of patients after cardiac surgery
<i>Background</i>. Increasing availability of high-tech treatments, such as cardiac surgery, heightens issues of postoperative rehabilitation. Searching for new medications and methods for successful rehabilitation of patients is a promising direction in development of reparative medicine. <i>Aim</i>. To determine the effect of taurine on major clinical, instrumental, laboratory, and psychological indices in patients after cardiac surgery at the rehabilitation stage. <i>Materials and methods</i>. The study included 48 patients with CHF aged 21 to 62 years. Groups of CHF patients receiving or not receiving taurine after a coronary bypass (CB) surgery consisted of 12 males each. Groups of CHF patients with underlying acquired valvular disease who were treated or not with taurine after the heart valve replacement also consisted of 12 patients each. Taurine (Dibicor, Limited Liability Company “PIK-FARMA”, Russia) was administered at a dose of 250 mg twice daily for three months. For all patients, clinical examination was performed; well-being, activity and mood were evaluated using the Well-Being-Activity-Mood (WBAM) Questionnaire; quality of life (QoL) was evaluated using the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire; ECG, EchoCG, and blood tests were performed. <i>Results</i>. In groups of patients treated with taurine after the heart valve prosthetic replacement and CB, LV EF was significantly increased, LV myocardial mass index was decreased, and blood triglyceride levels were decreased. The QoL significantly improved in both groups of patients treated with taurine. The WBAM Questionnaire showed that indices of well-being, activity and mood increased in groups of taurine-treated patients.