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Effect of propofol and isoflurane anaesthesia on the immune response to surgery *
Author(s) -
Inada T.,
Yamanouchi Y.,
Jomura S.,
Sakamoto S.,
Takahashi M.,
Kambara T.,
Shingu K.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.2004.03837.x
Subject(s) - isoflurane , propofol , medicine , anesthesia , immune system , general anaesthesia , surgical stress , immunology
Summary There are two major subpopulations of peripheral helper T lymphocytes: T helper 1 (Th1) and T helper 2 (Th2) cells. Surgical stress increases the number of Th2 cells, and decreases that of Th1 cells, resulting in a decrease in the Th1/Th2 ratio, and, consequently, in suppressed cell‐mediated immunity. Since anaesthesia can suppress the stress response to surgery, it may inhibit the decrease in the Th1/Th2 ratio. Using flow cytometry, we studied whether propofol anaesthesia ( n = 9) or isoflurane anaesthesia ( n = 9) had more effect on the decrease in the Th1/Th2 ratio after surgery in patients undergoing craniotomy. The Th1/Th2 ratio decreased significantly after isoflurane anaesthesia ( p = 0.011), while it did not change after propofol anaesthesia. The ratio was significantly lower with isoflurane than propofol ( p = 0.009). Propofol anaesthesia attenuated the surgical stress‐induced adverse immune response better than isoflurane anaesthesia.