Although great progress has been achieved in the techniques and materials of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), cardiac surgery under CPB is still one of the surgeries with the highest complication rate. The systemic inflammatory response is an important cause of complications, mainly characterized by activation of innate immune cells and platelets, and up-regulation of inflammatory cytokines. After activation, a variety of molecules on the membrane surface are up-regulated or down-regulated, which can amplify tissue inflammatory damage by releasing cytoplasmic protease and reactive oxygen species, and activate multiple inflammatory signaling pathways in the cell, ultimately leading to organ dysfunction. Therefore, the expression of these cell membrane activation markers is not only a marker of cell activation, but also plays an important role in the process of vital organ injury after surgery. Identification of these specific activation markers is of great significance to elucidate the mechanisms related to organ injury and to find new prevention and treatment methods. This article will review the relationship between these activated biomarkers in the innate immune cells and vital organ injuries under CPB.
Systemic inflammatory response (SIR) evoked by cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is still one of the major causes of postoperative multiple organs injuries. Since the concentrations of circulating inflammatory factors are positively associated with postoperative adverse events, removal or inhibition of inflammatory factors are considered as effective treatments to improve outcomes. After more than 20 years of research, however, the results are disappointed as neither neutralization nor removal of circulating inflammatory factors could reduce adverse events. Therefore, the role of circulating inflammatory factors in CPB-related organs injuries should be reconsidered in order to find effective therapies. Here we reviewed the association between circulating inflammatory factors and the outcomes, as well as the current therapies, including antibody and hemadsorption. Most importantly, the role of circulating inflammatory factors in SIR was reviewed, which may be helpful to develop new measures to prevent and treat CPB-related organs injuries.