ABSTRACT
A relationship of the functional status of the viscera with the immune system was studied in 38 cardiac surgical patients with septic complications and multi-organ failure in the postoperative period. In deceased patients (n = 13), the total functional organ compensation index was lower whereas the total functional decompensation index was higher than those in survivors (n = 25). In the deceased patients, each vital organ was more commonly decompensated than that in the survivors, but a definite discrepancy was ascertained only in the immune system (92% versus 16%, p < 0.0001). The average number of decompensated organs was found to increase with the severity of immunological disorders. Therefore, there is a rather high correlation between the functional status of vital organs and the degree of immunological imbalance. The authors show it necessary to use immunity-corrective drugs (splenopid) to enhance the efficiency of treatment organ failure.