Plasma inflammatory cytokine response to surgical trauma in chronic depressed patients

We investigated inflammatory cytokine response in chronic depressed patients during abdominal surgery. Twenty-five major depressed patients (Group D) and twenty-five patients (Group C) as the control were studied. Plasma interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 8 (IL-8) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) concentrations were measured before and at 15 min after induction of anesthesia, the end of surgery, 24 h and 3 days after the operation. Plasma IL-6 concentrations in Group D at the end of the operation and 24 h after surgery were significantly lower than those of Group C, The plasma IL-6 concentration (87.1 +/- 55.3 pg/ml) of patients scoring more than 18 points in the Hamilton depression-rating score at the end of the operation was significantly higher than 57.5 +/- 76.7 pg/ml of patients scoring less than 18 points. Plasma IL-8 concentration (6.1 +/- 3.2 pg/ml) in Group D at the end of the operation was significantly lower than 8.7 +/- 4.2 pg/ml of Group C, We conclude that plasma IL-6 and IL-8 response to surgical trauma is inhibited in chronic depressed patients. The IL-6 response to surgical trauma is depending on the clinical state of depression. (C) 2001 Academic Press.