Effect of free radical scavenger on serum levels of ET-1 and IL-1β in the patients with cranial bases tumors after surgery

Objective To explore the effect of free radical scavenger on the serum levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and interleukin-1 β (IL-1β) after the surgery and its meanings in the patients with cranial bases tumors.Methods Sixty-four patients with cranial bases tumors were randomly divided into both the routine treatment (not treated by free radical scavenger) and edaravone treatment groups.Thirty-two patients with cerebral convex lesions,who did not received free radical scavenger treatment,served as control group.Edaravone treatment included that the operated areas were irrigated with the fluid containing edaravone in the operation and the edaravone was injected into the peripheral veins after the operation.The serum levels of ET-1 and IL-1β were determined before and after the operation in all the patients.Results The serum levels of ET-1 and IL-1s levels were significantly higher in the routine treatment group than those in the control group after the operation (P0.05),they reached a peak 5～7 days after the operation,and then decreased gradually.The postoperative serum levels of ET-1 and IL-1β were significantly lower in edaravone treatment group than those in the routine treatment group (P0.05),but they were significantly higher than those in the control group (P0.05).Conclusions The increase in the serum levels of ET-1 and IL-1β after the operation may be decreased by free radical scavenger treatment in the patients with cranial bases tumors.It is suggested that the free radical scavenger may be of the protective effect on the cerebral vessels because the increase in the serum levels of ET-1 and IL-βmay be related to the cerebral vasospasm after the operation in the patients with cranial bases tumors.