Cytokine and hormonal changes after cholecystectomy. Effect of ibuprofen pretreatment

Surgical stress induces hormonal and cytokine responses proportional to the extent of the injury. Therefore, the authors assessed the effect of ibuprofen pretreatment on metabolic and hormonal changes after surgery.

Postoperative administration of cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor reduces cytokine production and nitrogen losses.

The authors studied the plasma hormones and metabolic and cytokines changes after perioperative ibuprofen administration in 22 patients undergoing cholecystectomy under inhalational anesthesia. Suppositories containing ibuprofen (500 mg) or placebo were administered 12 and 2 hours before surgery, and every 8 hours until the third postoperative day. Blood samples were collected 24 and 2 hours before surgery and 2, 4, 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours after surgery for glucose, C-reactive protein, leukocytes, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, tumor necrosis factor, and interleukin-1 and interleukin-6 determinations.

In both groups, plasma cortisol levels remained elevated for 3 days, whereas plasma ACTH levels returned to the basal level at day 1. The ACTH (p < 0.01), cortisol (p < 0.01), and glucose changes (p < 0.001) were smaller in the ibuprofen group and their duration was shorter. The interleukin-6 levels increased gradually after skin incision until the sixth hour and were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the ibuprofen group.

Ibuprofen pretreatment in perioperative course is able to reduce the endocrine response and cytokine release. Therefore, ibuprofen may be useful in decreasing the stress response in severely surgical patients.