[Effect of remifentanil on respiratory burst of human neutrophilic granulocytes in vitro].

Recovery chances for severely ill patients have been significantly improved by the progress of intensive care medicine. The success of any therapy, however, is still jeopardized by postoperative infections and septic complications. In the early stage of bacterial infections polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) play a decisive role. After PMNL activation, the production of oxygen radicals during the respiratory burst (RB) denature the phagocytosed micro-organisms. Remifentanil is a new opioid which has been safely administered to various patient groups and shows pharmacokinetic advantages in comparison to the already established opioids. As some intravenous anaesthetics can influence PMNL functions, we analysed, by flow cytometry, the in vitro influence of clinically relevant remifentanil concentrations on the respiratory burst. In our study remifentanil had no influence on the respiratory burst of human PMNL in vitro, regardless of the RB triggering agents chosen.