Background/aim: The plasma level of the oxidative stress biomarker catalase in patients with gallstone disease has not been previously compared with that of patients with cancer. Moreover, the number of analgesic doses required during the first 24 h postoperatively (NAD24) after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) or mini-cholecystectomy (MC) in patients with gallstones is unreported. The aim of the present study was to determine the correlation between the plasma catalase level in patients with gallstones according to cholecystectomy technique versus patients with cancer.
Patients and methods: Initially, 114 patients with symptomatic gallstone disease were randomized into LC (n=54) or MC (n=60) groups. The plasma level of catalase was measured immediately before, immediately after and 6 hours after operation.
Results: The median plasma catalase levels preoperatively and following surgery in the LC and MC patients versus those with cancer did not differ statistically significantly. The median plasma level of catalase increased immediately after operation, but the alteration was statistically insignificant (p=0.132). Interestingly, there was a statistically significant weak inverse correlation between the individual NAD24 and median plasma catalase values postoperatively in patients with gallstone disease (r=-0.283, p=0.042).
Conclusion: The plasma catalase levels preoperatively and following surgery in the LC and MC patients versus those with cancer were quite similar. Cholecystectomy patients with high plasma levels of catalase appeared to require significantly fewer analgesic doses during the first 24 hours postoperatively (NAD24), suggesting that better oxidative balance following surgery could have a protective role against postoperative pain.
Keywords: Gallstone disease; cancer; cholecystectomy; number of analgesic doses; oxidative response; plasma catalase.
Copyright© 2018, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.