Effects of ulinastatin to T-lymphocyte subgroups during esophagectomy

Objective:To explore the effects of ulinastatin on T-lymphocyte subgroups during esophagectomy.Methods:Thirty patients with esophageal carcinoma were randomly divided into the group A as control (without ulinastatin,n=15) and group B (with ulinastatin,n =15).After induction of anesthesia,ulinastatin with 20ml physiological saline was intravenously injected slowly in group B,and the same dosage was repeated if the operation was longer than 2h,20ml physiological saline was administrated in group A.The blood sample was taken from both groups at the following time:0d (before anesthesia),1d (the first postoperative day),3d (the third postoperative day),7d (the seventh postoperative day).The content of T lymphocyte subgroups (CD3+,CD4+,CD8+,CD4+/CD8+) and NK cells were measured by flow cytometry.Results:There were no significant differences in the content of lymphocyte subgroups between the two groups at 0d.The content of CD4+,CD4+/ CD8+,and NK was decreased at 1d,except CD8+.They were back to the level of 0d in group B at 3d.However,the number of these T-lymphocyte subgroups was back to the level of 0d in group A till 7d,and the content in group B was significantly higher than that in group A.Conclusion:Ulinastatin can promote T- lymphocyte subgroups restorage in patients after esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma.Ulinastatin may protect the patient's celluar immune function from damage of surgery.