Effects of ketamine on serum and tracheobronchial aspirate interleukin-6 levels in infants undergoing cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE

Corrective surgery for congenital heart defects in children frequently requires cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Serum and bronchoalveolar levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) may be useful in assessing the severity of the systemic inflammatory response after CPB. In the present study, the authors aimed to compare the effects of ketamine anesthesia and isoflurane anesthesia with respect to serum and tracheobronchial aspirate (TBA) IL-6 levels in infants undergoing CPB for cardiac surgery.

DESIGN

Prospective and randomized controlled study.

SETTING

University-based teaching hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Thirty-four infants aged 2 to 24 months were randomized into 2 groups.

INTERVENTIONS: In group K (n = 17), anesthesia was induced with intravenous (IV) ketamine, 1 to 2 mg/kg, and fentanyl, 1 to 2 microg/kg, and was maintained with infusions of ketamine, 25 to 75 microg/kg/min, and fentanyl, 10 microg/kg/h. In group I (n = 17), induction was achieved with IV thiopental sodium, 3 to 5 mg/kg, and fentanyl, 1 to 2 microg/kg, and was maintained with 1% isoflurane and fentanyl, 10 mug/kg/h. Blood and TBA samples were obtained at 6 and 4 stages, respectively.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN

RESULTS

Serum IL-6 and TBA IL-6 levels were similar in the 2 groups at all stages (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The present results show that ketamine anesthesia does not provide superiority over isoflurane anesthesia with respect to serum and TBA IL-6 levels.