Impact of pulmonary infection after radical esophagectomy on serum inflammatory markers, pulmonary function indices, and prognosis.

OBJECTIVES

To analyze the influence of pulmonary infection after radical esophagectomy on serum inflammatory markers, pulmonary function, and prognosis.

METHODS

We enrolled 278 esophageal cancer patients who underwent radical esophagectomy. Patients were split into the infected (n=51) and uninfected groups (n=227). The inflammatory parameters, complications, and prognosis were compared.

RESULTS

In the infected group, interleukin (IL)-6 was 16.19±2.63 ng/L, tumor necrosis factor-α was 19.64±3.07 µg/L, and IL-1β was 22.49±5.13 ng/L at 7 days postoperatively; white blood cell counts was 12.65±2.14 ×10/L, percentage of neutrophils (NEU%) was 67.04±10.48%, and platelet (PLT) counts was 249.82±63.26 ×10/L; the increasing ranges of the above factors after the operation were much raised compared with the uninfected group (<0.05). Compared with the uninfected group, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and FEV1/FVC were greater declines in ranges (<0.05), and the arrhythmia incidence and the mortality within 60 days postoperatively were greater in the infected group (<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Postoperative pulmonary infection can lead to pulmonary function damage, proinflammatory factor overexpression, and an increased risk of early death.