Investigating the immune response in patients undergoing surgery
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating the immune and inflammatory response in patients undergoing elective surgical procedures.
IRAS ID
347577
Contact name
Jon Hazeldine
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Birmingham
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN13131952
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 2 months, 1 days
Research summary
Following surgery, some patients develop hospital-acquired infections whilst others do not. The development of infections can increase a patient's length of stay in hospital. Your immune system, which protects you against infections, is made up of cells called white blood cells. Previous studies have demonstrated that following surgery, white blood cells of patients who develop infections show reduced function when compared to white blood cells from patients who do not develop infections. However, it is currently unclear as to why this is.
To help fight against infections, white blood cells require energy. This study will acquire blood samples from patient before and after they undergo a surgical operation in order to examine how surgery impacts upon the ability of white blood cells to make energy and fight against infection. We think that white blood cells from patients who develop infections after surgery will generate less energy than white blood cells from patients who do not develop infections, and that this lack of energy is associated with reduced function of the immune system. By performing this study, we aim to improve our understanding of why infections develop after surgery. Through increasing our understanding of this, it may be possible to develop treatments to increase the function of white blood cells after surgery that would reduce the risk of developing infections and improve patient outcomes such as reducing lengths of hospital stay.
REC name
East Midlands - Leicester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/EM/0284
Date of REC Opinion
17 Dec 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion