Abstract
This paper describes an evalation of the respiratory function and kinetics of granulocyte elastase and anaphylatoxin after operation for thoracic esophageal carcinoma, as well as a pilot study of the influence of ulinastatin, a potent protease inhibition, on the respiratory funciton. The subjects were 18 patients with thoracic esophageal carcinoma undergone radical resection, twelve of whom were allocated to ulinastatin administered group and 6 to non-administered group.
Increase in granulocyte elastase activity was observed in the respiratory distress after operation for esophageal carcinoma, and it was presumed that the granulocyte elastase might be an injury causing factor to the pulmonary tissues as a result of its constituting positive coefficient correlation with respiratory index (RI). A tendency of RI being improved and inibition of granulocyte elastase were observed by administration of ulinastatin, and ulinastatin in doses sufficient to control granulocyte elastase activity inhibited a series of the reactive system which was found to be the morbidity preceding ARDS, suggesting a positive contribution of ulinastatin in the remission of respiratory distress.
