Objective: To investigate age-related changes in the host response to surgical stress. The clinical course, serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, monocyte production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and monocyte expression of CD11b/CD18 were used as markers of the systemic response.
Methods: Patients with gastric cancer, undergoing distal gastrectomy were divided into 2 groups: >75 years of age (elderly group) and < or =75 years of age (young group). Serum IL-6 levels, TNF-alpha production and CD11b/CD18 expression by monocytes, and the postoperative clinical course were compared between the 2 groups.
Results: TNF-alpha production by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated monocytes and CD11b/CD18 expression on monocytes after surgical stress were significantly higher in the elderly than in the young group. Moreover, serum IL-6 levels on the first postoperative day in the elderly group were significantly higher than those in the young group. The incidence and duration of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) were significantly greater in the elderly than in the young group.
Conclusions: The activation of monocytes and hypercytokinemia occur readily after surgical stress in the elderly and may therefore contribute to SIRS and increased susceptibility to postoperative complications.