Plasma interleukin-6 is a potential predictive biomarker for postoperative delirium among acute type a aortic dissection patients treated with open surgical repair

Abstract

Abstract Objectives The relationship between inflammatory cytokines and postoperative delirium (POD) remains to be further investigated, especially in patients undergoing acute type A aortic dissection (AAD). Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is involved in the inflammatory process and has recently been identified as a biomarker of cerebral dysfunction. We explored the hypothesis that IL-6 was one of the critical causes of POD after surgical repair of AAD. Methods Plasma IL-6 was measured using electrochemiluminescence technology in patients preoperatively and 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h after surgical repair of acute type A aortic dissection. After the first three postoperative days, delirium was evaluated twice daily using the Confusion Assessment Method. ROC curves were used to evaluate the ability of IL-6 measurements to distinguish POD. Results The incidence of POD was 14.03% (31 of 221 patients). The patients in the POD group were significantly older than the patients in the non-POD group (56.48 ± 11.68 years vs 52.22 ± 10.50 years, P = 0.040). Plasma IL-6 concentrations were significantly higher in the POD group than in the non-POD group at three time points: preoperatively, after 24 h, and after 48 h. The AUC values corresponding to IL-6 preoperatively and 24 h after surgery were 0.73 and 0.72, respectively. Conclusions Cerebral dysfunction after the surgical repair of AAD shows elevated stress levels and inflammatory responses. Plasma IL-6 is a potential biomarker to predict the onset of POD in acute type A aortic dissection patients following surgical repair.