['Aortic cross-clamp time remains a significant marker of mortality and morbidity after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Pyridoxal-5-phosphate (MC-1), blocking purinergic receptors and intracellular influx of calcium, was shown to decrease the incidence of perioperative myocardial infarction in the prospective, randomized, double-blinded MC-1 to Eliminate Necrosis and Damage in CABG (MEND-CABG) clinical trial.', 'We studied the relationship between treatment with MC-1 and aortic cross-clamping relative to the incidence of cardiovascular (CV) death and myocardial infarction (MI) in the trial that enrolled 901 high-risk patients undergoing CABG with cardiopulmonary bypass. Patients were randomized to receive either placebo, MC-1 250 mg/day or MC-1 750 mg/day starting 3-10 h before CABG and continued for 30 days after surgery. Serial creatine kinase-myocardial band (CK-MB) determinations, ECGs and clinical evaluations were performed.', 'Cross-clamping time increased the event rate of death and MI with an odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of 1.67 (1.17-2.37, P=0.0044). Treatment with MC-1 decreased the rate of events (P=0.0073) with odds ratios of 0.52 (0.31-0.88 for MC-1 250 mg/day versus placebo) and 0.48 (0.29-0.82 for MC-1 750 mg/day versus placebo). There was no interaction between cross-clamp time and treatment (P=0.61) on the occurrence of the combined endpoint.'] Is protective effect of pyridoxal-5-phosphate ( MC-1 ) on perioperative myocardial infarction independent of aortic cross clamp time : results from the MEND-CABG trial?