Electrophoretic studies of the composition of peripheral mononuclear cells during operations with extracorporeal circulation

The increased incidence of infections after operations can be connected with changes of the immunocompetent cells. Mononuclear blood-cells were investigated by means of the cell electrophoresis during and after operations under the extracorporeal circulation, because electrophoretically different cells correlate with several immunological phenotypes. A heavy decrease of the electrophoretic quick mobility cell population was found out on the first postoperative day above all. This change allows itself the interpretation by decreasing the T-lymphocytes connected to a relative increase of monocytes, B-cells, and immature T-cells. Besides a lower quotient of the quick and low mobility T-cells refers to a lower immunoregulatory quotient CD4/CD8 after operation. Changes of the cell composition becomes evident also in dependence on the bypass length and the blood supply.