Background/aims: Liver damage after hepatectomy is still a serious concern. The present study was designed to clarify the relations between liver injury/surgical stress and cytokines after hepatectomy, in patients with viral hepatitis.
Methodology: Ten consecutive patients undergoing hepatectomy were studied, all with hepatocellular carcinoma due to viral hepatitis. Blood samples for interleukin-6 (IL-6), soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), soluble Fas (sFas), soluble Fas Ligand and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor (sTNFR) assays were collected before the operation and at the end of the operation.
Results: There was a significant and positive correlation between the change in the serum level of HGF and preoperative liver function (ICG-R15). Notably, there were significant correlations between surgical stress and IL-6, HGF and sFas, but not sIL-6R and sTNFR. Furthermore, there was significant correlation between postoperative liver function (total bilirubin, albumin) and HGF, IL-6.
Conclusions: There was a close relationship between surgical stress and HGF, IL-6 and sFas after hepatectomy in patients with viral hepatitis. It was useful for the evaluation of surgical stress of hepatectomy to estimate the serum level of HGF, IL-6 and sFas.