Background: Damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) generated by major surgery can induce global inflammation response and may degrade the vascular endothelial glycocalyx layer (EGL); in turn, the resulting EGL fragments can act as DAMPs, in a destructive positive feedback loop, to promote exacerbation of inflammation. Ulinastatin (UTI) may attenuate EGL shedding by inhibiting serine proteases and hyaluronidase.
Objective: This trail evaluates whether EGL shedding elicited by Traditional Whipple Procedure (TWP) could be decreased by using UTI.
Methods: We divided 60 patients undergoing TWP into a control group and a UTI group (n = 30 for both). Blood samples were collected before (T0), near the end (T1), and 1 hour after (T2) surgery. Levels of syndecan-1, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, IL-6, C-reactive protein, thrombomodulin, Hbg and serum albumin were measured and plasma albumin leakage was estimated.
Results: IL-6 levels significantly elevated at T1 and T2 in the control group compared with T0, but not the UTI group. Syndecan-1 levels significantly elevated at T1 and T2 in the control group but only T2 in the UTI group compared with T0.
Conclusions: We found global inflammation reaction and EGL degradation during TWP. Perioperative UTI treatment can attenuate this EGL shedding and might alleviate plasma albumin leakage.
Keywords: Endothelial glycocalyx layer; Syndecan-1; Traditional Whipple Procedure; Ulinastatin.