Peritoneal Cytokine Levels Can Predict Anastomotic Leak on the First Postoperative Day

Accumulating evidence suggests that peritoneal cytokine concentrations may predict anastomotic leak after colorectal surgery, but previous studies have been underpowered.

We aimed to test this hypothesis by using a larger prospectively collected data set.

This study is an analysis of prospectively collected data.

This study was conducted at 3 public hospitals in Auckland, New Zealand.

Patients undergoing colorectal surgery recruited as part of 3 previous randomized controlled trials were included.

Data on peritoneal and plasma levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-8, interleukin-10, and tumor necrosis factor-α on day 1 after colorectal surgery were reanalyzed to evaluate their predictive value for clinically important anastomotic leak. Area under receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed.

A total of 206 patients with complete cytokine data were included. The overall anastomotic leak rate was 8.3%. Concentration levels of peritoneal interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 on day 1 after colorectal surgery were predictive of anastomotic leak (area under receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.72 and 0.74; p = 0.006 and 0.004). Plasma cytokine levels of interleukin-6 were higher on day 1 after colorectal surgery in patients who had an anastomotic leak, but this was a poor predictor of anastomotic leak. Levels of other peritoneal and plasma cytokines were not predictive.

The study was not powered a priori for anastomotic leak prediction. Although the current data do suggest that peritoneal levels of interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 are predictive of leak, the discriminative value in clinical practice remains unclear.

Peritoneal levels of interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 on day 1 after colorectal surgery can predict clinically important anastomotic leak.