Μέθοδοι περιορισμού των μεταγγίσεων ομόλογου αίματος και επίδρασή τους στην μείζονα πνευμονική εκτομή για καρκίνο

Abstract

It has been postulated that transfusions have immunosuppressive effects that promote tumor growth and metastasis. Moreover perioperative anaemia is considered an independent prognostic factor on outcome in patients operated for malignancy. Major thoracic operations (such as lung cancer resections) are associated with increased blood losses and transfusion requirements leading to increased mortality and morbidity. In addition, the blood saving effect of aprotinin has been well documented in cardiac surgery. The aims of our studies were to evaluate, on the one hand the possible influence of red blood cell (RBC) transfusions and perioperative anaemia on survival in patients operated for non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC); and on the other hand, we have tested the influence of aprotinin using an ultra-low dose drug regime on major pulmonary operations concerning bleeding diathesis and need for transfusion. In our first study, 331 consecutive patients, male/female=295/36, (mean age 64±9 years), who underwent radical surgery for NSCLC were prospectively enrolled in this cohort and followed up for a mean of 27.2 months. The overall survival of patients was analyzed in relation to RBC transfusions and perioperative anemia. These parameters were analyzed in the whole cohort of patients and separately for stage I patients. Patients were divided according to perioperative transfusion, into Group A (transfused) and Group B (non-transfused) and according to the preoperative haemoglobin (Hb) level into Group 1 (Hb<12g/dl) and Group 2 (Hb≥12gr/dl) respectively. Furthermore in our second study, a subgroup of 59 patients, of mean age 58±13.25 years (mean±SD) undergoing general major thoracic procedures were randomized into placebo (Group A) and treatment–aprotinin group (Group B). The group B (n=29) received 500.000 IU of aprotinin after induction to anesthesia and a repeat dose immediately after chest closure. In our fisrt study, the overall transfusion rate was 25.7%. Univariate analysis showed that in the whole cohort of patients overall survival was significantly shorter in Group A (mean 33.6 months, 5-year survival 25.1%) compared to Group B (mean 48.0 months, 5-year survival 37.3%) (p=0.001). It also showed that patients with preoperative Hb level<12g/dl (Group 1), (mean of 33.0 months, 5-year survival 21.3%) had shorter survival compared to Group 2 patients (mean 49.3 months and 5-year survival 40.0%) respectively (p=0.002). Multivariate analysis in the whole cohort of patients showed that preoperative anemia was an independent risk factor for survival while RBC transfusion was not. In particular for stage I patients, it was shown that RBC transfusion was an independent prognostic factor for long-term survival as detected by multivariate analysis (p=0.043), while anemia was not. In our second study, the two groups were similar in terms of age, gender, diagnosis, pathology, comorbidity and operations performed. The mean drainage of the first and second postoperative day in group B was significantly reduced (412.6±199.2 vs. 764.3±213.9 ml, p<0.000, and 248.3±178.5 vs. 455.0±274.6, p<0.001). Similarly, the need for fresh frozen plasma transfusion was lower in group B, p<0.035. Both the operation time and the hospital stay were also less for group B but without reaching statistical significance (84.6±35.2 vs 101.2±52.45 min. and 5.8±1.6 vs 7.2±3.6 days respectively, p<0.064). The overall transfusion rate did not differ significantly. No side effects of aprotinin were noted Our conclusions suggested that RBC transfusions affect adversely the survival of stage I NSCLC patients, while do not exert any effect on survival of patients with surgically resectable more advanced disease, where preoperative anemia is an independent negative prognostic factor. These findings indicate that RBC transfusion might exert an immunomodulatory effect on patients with early disease while in more advanced stages this effect is not apparent. Additionally perioperative ultra-low dose aprotinin administration was associated with a reduction of total blood losses and blood product requirements. We therefore consider the use of aprotinin safe and effective in major thoracic surgery.