[Effects of ulinastatin on operative stress in major surgery]

Effects of ulinastatin on operative stress in upper abdominal surgery were investigated. The operation caused damages to the body functions such as enhancement of protein catabolism, hepatic dysfunction and pancreatic dysfunction, followed by elevation of GOT, GPT, LDH and serum amylase. The operative stress also decreased the total lymphocyte and T cell counts in the peripheral blood, and attenuated the lymphocyte transformation induced by phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con A). Ulinastatin 7500 u.kg-1 failed to decrease the elevation of plasma enzyme levels and the depression of immune function. But ulinastatin had no immunosuppressive effect like glucocorticoid and attenuated the decrease in plasma levels of protein and albumin. The results suggest that ulinastatin has an effect in modulating the enhancement of protein catabolism by operative stress.