Roles of epidural block in combination with general anesthesia in stress response and immune function of patients after surgery for cervical cancer.

ABSTRACT

We aimed to explore the roles of epidural block in combination with general anesthesia in the stress response and immune function of patients after surgery for cervical cancer. A total of 108 patients undergoing radical surgery of cervical cancer were randomly assigned into a general anesthesia combined with epidural block (observation) group and a general anesthesia (control) group. Peripheral blood was collected before anesthesia (t0), during anesthesia maintenance, as well as 10 min, 1 d, 2 d and 7 d after surgery. The levels of cytokines interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) were detected by ELISA, and IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio was calculated. Compared with the control group, the observation group had significantly lower levels of GH, PRL and Cor, proportions of Th2 and Treg cells, and levels of IL-4 and TGF-ß1 during anesthesia maintenance and at each time point after surgery (P < 0.05), but higher proportion of Th1 cells, Th1/Th2 cell ratio, IFN-γ level and IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio (P < 0.05). General anesthesia in combination with epidural block can work better in mitigating the stress response and protecting the immune function of patients after cervical cancer surgery.