Comparison of the Effects of Acute Appendicitis and Chronic Cholecystitis on Intestinal Mucosal Function During Surgery

Objective: The objective of this study is to explore the effect of acute appendicitis and chronic cholecystitis on inflammatory factors and intestinal mucosal function during operation. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study. Forty-four patients including those who underwent elective cholecystectomy (Group A, n = 22) or emergency appendectomy (Group B, n = 22) were recruited. Before anesthesia and after surgery, arterial blood was collected for the measurement of plasma indices associated with inflammation or intestinal permeability. Results: Both the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were higher in Group B than in Group A (P < 0.05). The preoperative IL-10 level was higher in Group A than in Group B (P = 0.036), while after surgery, the opposite relationship was observed (P = 0.020). There were no intergroup or intragroup differences for D-Lac. The postoperative lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and human syndecan-1 (Sdc-1) levels were lower than the corresponding preoperative value (P < 0.05) in the two groups. Both the preoperative Sdc-1 and fatty acid binding protein (FABP2) levels in Group A were higher than the corresponding levels in Group B (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The study suggested that chronic cholecystitis had more severe damage to intestinal mucosal function than acute appendicitis. It is necessary to strengthen the protection of intestinal mucosa during the perioperative period.