Assessment of Postoperative Lymphopenia as Risk Factor for Postoperative Infections

Assessment of Postoperative Lymphopenia as Risk Factor for Postoperative Infections: EVALYMPH Study

Postoperative infections are one of the most common complications in thoracic and digestive cancer surgery. Former studies have demonstrated that inflammatory response is altered during peri-operative period causing lymphopenia. It has been suggested that lymphopenia may contribute to postoperative infection. To date, no one has proved it in a multivariate analysis. The aim of this study is to determine if lymphopenia is associated with postoperative infections in thoracic and digestive cancer surgery.

Postoperative infections are one of the most common complications in thoracic and digestive cancer surgery. Former studies have demonstrated that inflammatory response is altered during peri-operative period causing lymphopenia. It has been suggested that lymphopenia may contribute to postoperative infection. To date, no one has proved it in a multivariate analysis.

The aim of this study is to determine if lymphopenia is associated with postoperative infections in thoracic and digestive cancer surgery. It is a multicenter French cohort study. Lymphocytes counts are obtained from patients undergoing pulmonary or digestive cancer surgery before surgery (day-0) as well 1, 3, 5 and 8 days after surgery. Anesthetic and surgical procedures are collected as well as risk factors for postoperative infections recognized in the literature. Clinical and biological signs of infection are collected.

Inclusion Criteria:

• patient undergoing digestive or thoracic cancer surgery under general anesthesia.

Exclusion Criteria:

• pregnant women,
• malignant blood disease,
• allograft patient,
• preoperative sepsis or preoperative systemic inflammatory response syndrome.