title: The effect of parenteral indomethacin on T-lymphocyte subpopulations and cytokine production in patients under major surgical operations.
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 post-operatively 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Patras University Medical School, Greece.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gogos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maroulis
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Zoumbos
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Salsa
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kalfarentzos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology*; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007375:Interleukin-1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007213:Indomethacin