Advanced glycation end products as a biomarker for incisional hernia

Incisional hernia is one of the most frequent complications after abdominal surgery, with incidences up to 30%. A reliable biomarker for the prediction of this complication is lacking. Advanced glycosylation end products (AGEs), also known as non-enzymatic collagen crosslinks, are correlated with aging, smoking, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia and oxidative stress. In this study the accumulation of AGEs and the relation between AGEs and incisional hernia were investigated.

In an exploratory case-control study, 23 patients with incisional hernia after midline incision were compared with 17 patients without clinical or radiological signs of incisional hernia after midline incision, AGEs were measured using a Skin Auto Fluorescence (SAF)-reader.

Twenty-three patients with a clinically significant incisional hernia and 17 control patients were included. The study groups had significant differences in mean BMI. There was a significant difference between mean AGEs in patients with and without incisional hernia after midline incision (3.00 ± 0.15 vs. 2.56 ± 0.11, T test p = 0.03).

AGE accumulation measured in the skin indirectly with autofluorescence might be associated with incisional hernia. Prospective larger trials should confirm this finding.