[Changes in lymphocyte subsets, neutrophil function and complement levels in patients with complications following...

In order to evaluate the immune response during and after open heart surgery, we have studied 34 patients who received open heart surgery under extracorporeal circulation. Age range of these patients were from 41 to 76 years. These patients were divided into three groups, depending upon existence of multiple organ failure (MOF), low output syndrome (LOS) and non-LOS and non-MOF diagnosed from our criteria. The following cytological and immunological study has been performed pre-operatively, immediately after and on 1, 2, 7 and 14th postoperative day; 1) the leukocyte differential cell count, 2) function test of neutrophils, 3) lymphocyte subpopulation and subsets, 4) serum level of complement fractions (C3, C4) and CH 50. By lymphocytes analysis, postoperative early reduction of OKT 3 (CD 3) and OKT 4 (CD 4) was observed in patients with poor prognosis. Patients with the postoperative high activity of NBT reduction test was developed into MOF. Complement activity (C3, C4, CH50) decreased during surgery and recovered to preoperative level in patients without LOS and MOF. However in MOF patients, these values showed lower level than that of patients without LOS and MOF. Our data suggested that lymphocytes and leukocytes tests were useful to evaluate the prognosis in open heart surgery.