Stress doses of hydrocortisone in high-risk patients undergoing cardiac surgery: Effects on interleukin-6 to interleukin-10 ratio and early outcome*

Abstract

Stress doses of hydrocortisone attenuate the evolution of IL-6/IL-10 ratio in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome after CS, which seems to be associated with an improved outcome. The immunologic effects of hydrocortisone may thus be both, inhibitory (IL-6) and permissive (IL-10), regarding the immune response.