Inflammatory cytokines and their receptors in arterial and mixed venous blood before, during and after infusion of drained untreated blood

Wound blood for postoperative autologous transfusion is drained through an area of damaged tissue, the surgical wound, and contains inflammatory media tors. The inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1-beta (IL-1 beta), interleuki n-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alph a) and their modulators interleukin-1-receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), interle ukin 6 soluble receptor (IL-6sR), soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor 1 (sTNF-R1) and interleukin 10 (IL-10), together with white cell count (WCC) and white cell differential count were measured in arterial and mixed veno us blood before, during and after infusion of postoperatively drained untre ated blood in nine patients operated for thoracic scoliosis. We found a tra nsient increase in IL-6, an increase in TNF-RI, an increase in IL-8 with gr anulocytosis and a decrease in IL-10 in the systemic circulation. The incre ase in IL-6 was higher in mixed venous than in arterial blood.