[Effect of ulinastatin on inflammatory responses induced by oesophagectomy].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of ulinastatin (UTI) on the inflammatory responses induced by oesophagectomy. METHODS: Forty patients with esophageal cancer (without serious hypertension, heart disease, or respiratory function impairment, including 34 men and 6 women aged 46 to 70 years) scheduled for oesophagectomy via left thoracotomy were randomly divided into control group (n=20) and UTI group (n=20). Anesthesia induction and perioperative management followed the same protocols in the two groups, and in UTI group, patients received 5000 U/kg UTI while those in the control group were given the same volume of saline. Before operation (T(1)), 10 min after recovery of two-lung ventilation (T(2)), and 24 h (T(3)) and 48 h (T(4)) after operation, the venous blood sample was taken from the internal jugular vein and the plasma was separated and stored at -70 degrees C for later analysis of IL-6 and IL-8 with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The bronchoalveoar lavage fluid (BAFL) was also collected at T(1) and T(2) for IL-6 and IL-8 detection. RESULTS: IL-6, IL-8 levels in the plasma and BALF collected at T(2)-T(4) increased significantly as compared with those in samples collected at T(1), and their peak concentration inplasma and BALF samples were similar. IL-6 and IL-8 levels in the UTI group were significantly lower than those in the control group during the time points of T(2)-T(4). CONCLUSION: Inflammatory responses occur during and after oesophagectomy, which can be inhibited with UTI.