Biol. Pharm. Bull. 30(3) 410—414 (2007)

scribes the clinical presentation of patients with systemic activation of the inflammatory response from any underlying cause. SIRS is a common problem in acute medical and surgical practice and an important cause of morbidity and mortality. As a consequence of SIRS, patients may develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). SIRS refers to a systemic, whole body, non-localized response. This response, which occurs to some degree in most patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), has the potential to affect all tissues and vital organs. We have been attempting to explore the relationship and interpret the clinical importance of acute physiology and chronic health evaluation III (APACHE III) and cytokine levels in patients with SIRS after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with or without cardio-pulmonary bypass (CPB) to determine if they are beneficial for evaluating the seriousness of SIRS with the goal of decreasing postoperative complications and increasing the survival rate after CABG. MATERIALS AND METHODS