Influence of Modest Endotoxemia on Postoperative Antithrombin Deficiency and Circulating Secretory Immunoglobulin A Levels

In Brief Objective To evaluate the influence of modest endotoxemia on postoperative antithrombin deficiency and cholestasis. Summary Background Data It has not been determined whether endotoxin translocation in small amounts is a physiological phenomenon or whether it is a potential health hazard. Methods Blood endotoxin, antithrombin III (ATIII), secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), which was selected as a marker of cholestasis, C-reactive protein (CRP), and α-1-antitrypsin (AAT) concentrations were measured from the 20 patients undergoing curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer preoperatively and postoperatively. Portal and systemic blood samples were taken for the analysis of endotoxin and interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentrations during surgery in these patients. Results Although plasma endotoxin levels showed a significant increase during surgery, we did not find a correlation with ATIII, sIgA, CRP, and IL-6 levels. Systemic blood endotoxin levels during surgery correlated with a postoperative rise of serum AAT levels. Plasma ATIII levels transiently decreased on the first and third postoperative day, and sIgA levels were shown to increase on the seventh postoperative day. There was a weak relationship between the extent of postoperative endotoxemia and a reduction in ATIII concentrations. Conclusions The influence of modest endotoxemia on postoperative antithrombin deficiency and cholestasis was limited, and increased translocational endotoxemia during abdominal surgery may be a physiological phenomenon to trigger off an acute-phase protein response. An increase in circulating endotoxin concentrations during abdominal surgery was partly related to a synthesis of acute-phase proteins and did not correlate with postoperative intrahepatic cholestasis or antithrombin III deficiency. However, there was a weak relationship between the extent of postoperative endotoxemia and a reduction in antithrombin III levels.