Intestinal permeability changes, systemic endotoxemia, inflammatory serum markers and sepsis after Whipple's operation for carcinoma of the pancreas head.

POURPOSE: The aim was to evaluate the relationship between failure of gut barrier function, inflammatory markers and septic complications after pancreatoduodenectomy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

METHODOLOGY: 44 patients were enrolled in this prospective observational clinical study and underwent curative open pancreatoduodenectomy for adenocarcinoma of the head of the pancreas. All patients underwent assessment of intestinal permeability using the lactulose/manitol excretions ratios (L/M ratio), endotoxemia, IL-1β, IL-6, CRP, and elastase levels before surgery and on postoperative days 1, 3 and 7. Septic complication was defined as a specific clinical condition related to infection by bacterium, virus, or fungus in a specific organ/compartment with positive culture.

RESULTS: Septic complications developed in 25% of patients. There were no significant differences in preoperative L/M ratio, endotoxine, CRP, IL-1β, IL-6, and elastase levels between sepsis-positive and sepsis-negative groups. All patients showed a significant increase in intestinal permeability, endotoxemia, IL-1, IL-6, CRP and elastase on the first postoperative day. At postoperative day 7, the sepsis-positive group continued to demonstrate an increase in intestinal permeability, endotoxemia and elastase; a significant difference was observed between the two groups (P = 0.02), whereas there was no significant difference in IL-1, IL-6, and CRP levels.

CONCLUSION: The pattern of change of intestinal permeability, systemic endotoxemia, and elastase concentration in the postoperative period is significantly higher in patients in whom sepsis develops, while the concentration of IL-1β, IL-6 and CRP do not permit to distinguish infection from inflammation.