To explore the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibition of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2) in anterior sheath of rectus abdominis in adult patients with inguinal hernia and to investigate their correlation with age.

20 cases of direct hernia and 20 cases of indirect hernia in Inner Mongolia Baogang Hospital from January 2017 to October 2018 were collected retrospectively as the observation group. And they were included in the direct hernia group and the indirect hernia group, respectively. Forty cases of non-inguinal hernia patients who underwent other lower abdominal operations were collected as the control group. To compare the levels of MMP-2 mRNA and TIMP-2 mRNA in the subjects with different hernia occurrence, age, the correlations between the expressions of MMP-2 mRNA and TIMP-2 mRNA and age were also analyzed.

The levels of MMP-2 mRNA and TIMP-2 mRNA in the three groups were different (P<0.05). The level of MMP-2 mRNA in the direct hernia group and the indirect hernia group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05), and the level of MMP-2 mRNA in the direct hernia group was significantly higher than that in the indirect hernia group (P<0.05). The level of TIMP-2 mRNA in the direct hernia group and the indirect hernia group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05), and the level of TIMP-2 mRNA in the direct hernia group was lower than that in the indirect hernia group (P<0.05). The levels of MMP-2 mRNA and TIMP-2 mRNA were different in different age groups, with significant differences (P<0.05), MMP-2 mRNA was positively correlated with age and TIMP-2 mRNA was negatively correlated with age (P<0.05).

The changes of MMP-2 mRNA and TIMP-2mRNA in anterior sheath of rectus abdominis of inguinal hernia patients are related to the formation of inguinal hernia, and age is an important factor influencing the levels of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 in patients with inguinal hernia.