Inflammatory and antioxidant response in obese septic shock patients

Abstract

There is no consensus about the influence of obesity on sepsis. Hence, we evaluated the inflammatory and antioxidant response in obese patients (body mass index > 30) with septic shock compared to non-infected obese and non-obese septic patients. Blood samples were obtained from 27 critically ill patients admitted to ICUs in Clinics Hospital, Universidade de Sao Paulo. Cytokines were measured by ELISA Milliplex and antioxidant activity by colorimetric methods. There are small differences in the cytokine profiles in obese septic patients (n=6), compared to obese non-infected ones (n=10). Only FGF2, TGF-α, IFN-α2, IFN-{gamma}, IL-10, MCP-3, IL-13 and IL-15 presented significantly higher levels in septic patients. Interestingly, there was a marked increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity in erythrocytes from the septic group. Compared to their non-obese septic counterparts, septic obese patients presented significantly lower levels of FGF2, IL-4, TNF-β and VEGF. SOD activity was higher in this group, compared to non-obese patients. We concluded that obese patients with septic shock maintain cytokine levels similar to the ones observed in their non-obese counterparts, while increasing their antioxidant activity.