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The effect of parenteral indomethacin on T-lymphocyte subpopulations and cytokine production in patients under major surgical operations

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Research in Experimental Medicine

Abstract

Major surgical trauma has been considered as a cause of immunosuppression mainly through the production of prostaglandin E2 from activated monocytes/macrophages. In the present study we investigated the effect of parenteral indomethacin—a cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor—on T-lymphocyte subsets and cytokine production in patients under major operations. We studied 20 patients undergoing major surgical procedures, 10 of whom were randomly treated pre-and postoperatively with indomethacin (group 2) and 10 were not (group 2). We measured total T-cells T-helper, T-suppressor, T-helper/T-suppressor (Th/Ts) cell ratio, NK-cells and interleukin (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor production by endotoxin-or phytohemagglutinin-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells, before operation and at days 1, 3 and 7 postoperatively. We detected a significant increase in Th/Ts cell ratio and an improvement in delayed type hypersensitivity response in the treated group at day 3. We believe that the above immunomodulating effect of in vivo cyclo-oxygenase inhibition may be beneficial in patients under major surgical procedures with a high susceptibility to postoperative infections.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Patras University Medical School, P.O. Box 1045, 26110, Patras, Greece

    C. A. Gogos, N. C. Zoumbos & B. Salsa

  2. Department of Surgery, Patras University Medical School, P.O. Box 1045, 26110, Patras, Greece

    J. Maroulis & F. Kalfarentzos

Authors
  1. C. A. Gogos
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  2. J. Maroulis
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  3. N. C. Zoumbos
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  4. B. Salsa
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  5. F. Kalfarentzos
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Gogos, C.A., Maroulis, J., Zoumbos, N.C. et al. The effect of parenteral indomethacin on T-lymphocyte subpopulations and cytokine production in patients under major surgical operations. Res. Exp. Med. 195, 85–92 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02576778

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02576778

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