The balance of pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) at paediatric cardiac surgery.

During adult cardiac surgery the plasma pro-inflammatory cytokine response is balanced by a phased anti-inflammatory cytokine response. Whether a similar balanced plasma pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine response occurred in paediatric cardiac surgery was investigated. Changes in intra-pulmonary cytokine balance by measuring bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cytokine content were also estimated. Plasma and BAL samples were obtained from 10 children (aged 15 months to 10 years) 10 min after induction of anaesthesia (sample 0), 5 min after the onset of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) (sample 1), 10 min after release of the aortic cross clamp (sample 2), and 2 and 24 h after the end of CPB (samples 3 and 4). BAL and plasma was assayed for interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), IL-8, IL-10, interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) and the TNF soluble receptors (TNFsrs). There was a phased plasma anti-inflammatory response commencing with IL-10 (sample 2), and followed by significant increases in IL-1ra (samples 3, 4 and 5) and TNF soluble receptors (sample 5). Plasma TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta concentrations were not significantly elevated from baseline. Mean baseline plasma IL-8 was 30 (SEM 9) pg/ml. This was significantly elevated at sample 4 (112 (SEM 68) pg/ml). In BAL, only IL-8 and IL-10 were significantly elevated after CPB as compared with baseline. During paediatric cardiac surgery there is a significant increase in plasma and BAL IL-8. This is balanced within the plasma by a phased anti-inflammatory cytokine response, and within the lung by IL-10.