The effects of circulating interleukin-8 and adhesion molecules on pulmonary dysfunction in pediatric orthotopic liver transplantation

We investigated the effects of circulating inflammatory cytokines and adhes ion molecules induced by orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) on pulmonar y function. Although the plasma interleukin-8 (IL-8) levels increased gradu ally, peaking at the end of the operation, these increases were considered minimal. The baseline endothelial adhesion molecule (E-selectin) level was several times higher than the normal value, but after reperfusion of the ne w transplanted liver, the plasma E-selectin concentrations decreased to wit hin the normal range and remained almost normal during the postoperative pe riod. Similar changes were observed in the plasma levels of of her types of adhesion molecules. Although PaO2/FIO2 showed a significant inversed corre lation with the peak IL-8 concentration, after the exclusion of two patient s, one of whom died and one of whom rejected the transplanted liver, no cor relation was able to be found between the PaO2/FIO2 ratio and the maximum I L-8 concentration, Furthermore, there was no correlation between the adhesi on moleclues and PaO2/FIO2. These results suggest that IL-8 exerts only a s light effect on respiratory function following successful pediatric liver t ransplantation, and that circulating adhesion molecules do not affect perio perative lung function.