[Significance of systemic inflammatory response syndrome at cardiopulmonary bypass]

Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) is a new concept of entry criteria for sepsis. This concept, when applied to area of Multiple Organ Failure (MOF), is considered to be a preparatory state for MOF. To study the significance of SIRS state at cardiac surgery, we measured the body temperature, white blood cell count, respiratory rate and heart rate of 18 patients who underwent elective cardiac surgery, from the 1st post-operative day to the 7th post-operative day. We also measured Interleukin-6 and 8 (IL-6 and IL-8) to understand the relationship between the SIRS state and inflammatory cytokines just after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), at the 1st, 3rd and 6th postoperative day. The result was as follows: Patients with CPB more than 120 minutes have more frequency and longer duration of SIRS than patients with CPB less than 120 minutes. Serum levels of IL-8 at SIRS state were revealed statistically higher than at non-SIRS case. Duration of SIRS state was related to CPB time and serum levels of IL-6 and IL-8 just after CPB. We concluded that SIRS state is an indication for anti-cytokine therapy to prevent MOF, and it is important to shorten CPB time in order to decrease the duration of SIRS.