OBJECTIVE The influence of composition of crystalloid cardioplegia is imprecise in clinical practice. Therefore, we investigated changes in intramyocardial pH, tissue lactate content and energy metabolism during cardioplegic arrest with 2 different crystalloid cardioplegic solutions. METHODS Twenty patients were randomly allocated to 2 groups: 10 patients had crystalloid cardioplegia buffered with bicarbonate (neutral pH of 7.8 at 20 degrees) with no additives (St Thomas' II solution) and 10 patients had a non buffered crystalloid cardioplegia (mildly acidic pH of 7.4 at 20 degrees) enriched with glutamate and mannitol (Menasché's solution). Tissue lactate and energy metabolism were measured on myocardial biopsy specimens and intramyocardial pH were continuously measured during cardioplegic arrest by a miniature glass electrode. RESULTS There were no statistical differences in hemodynamic results and in AMP, ADP, ATP, lactate values measured on biopsy specimens. The curves of intramyocardial pH were very similar in the 2 groups, the median values were 7.42 +/- 0.1 in group 1 and 7.41 +/- 0.1 in group 2 (temperature corrected values) and the areas under the curves were 260 +/- 4 and 259 +/- 4 in groups 1 and 2 respectively (P = NS). CONCLUSIONS Glutamate provided no additive metabolic myocardial protection, bicarbonate had a weak buffering capacity in cold cardioplegic solutions and the 2 studied crystalloid solutions warranted a good myocardial protection in clinical practice.