title: Cytokines and inflammatory pathways in the pathogenesis of multiple organ failure following abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.
abstract: Multiple organ failure is a common mode of death following abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, particularly after rupture. Cytokines are the principal mediators of the inflammatory response to injury and high levels of circulating cytokines have been associated with poor outcome in major trauma and sepsis. Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair results in an ischaemia-reperfusion injury to the tissues distal to the site of aortic clamping. The inflammatory response in these tissues causes the release of cytokines, principally Interleukins 1-beta, 6, and 8, and Tumour Necrosis Factor alpha. If released in large enough concentrations, these cytokines may enter the circulation and gain access to organs distant to the site of initial injury. Circulating cytokines cause dysfunction of the renal, cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous and musculo-skeletal systems. The combination of these individual changes in organ function is the multiple-organ dysfunction syndrome, which may progress to multiple organ failure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bown
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Nicholson
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Sayers
mesh_terms: D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000503:physiopathology; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000503:physiopathology; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000503:physiopathology; D008099:Liver / Q000503:physiopathology; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines