Prognostic value of IL-6 and IL-10 serum levels and immunonutritional assessment in determining postoperative complications after geriatric surgery

The onset of postoperative septic complications hasrecently been associated to serum levels of interleukin (IL)IL-6 and IL-10. Patients with complications have higherserum levels than patients without complication after sur-gery. IL-6 has been recognized as early marker of postop-erative septic events. Furthermore IL-6 increases with age,expecially if there are associated diseases. It is a sign offunctional deterioration of different organs.The disregulation in interleukin production, anestheticdrugs, hemorrhage and transfusions may lead to the onsetof postoperative complications. The latter are more fre-quent in oncologic patients.The aim of our study is to evaluate pre- and postoperativeprofile of some inflammatory markers (IL-6, IL-10 and C-reactive protein CRP) and immunonutritional assessment(through albumin serum levels and lymphocyte count) ina group of elderly patients undergone to major intrab-dominal surgery. We related the data obtained to theonset of postoperative complications.