title: Effects of remifentanil and fentanyl on the cell-mediated immune response in patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
abstract: This prospective randomized pilot study compared the influence of fentanyl-based versus remifentanil-based anaesthesia on cytokine responses and expression of the suppressor of cytokine signalling (SOCS)-3 gene following coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Forty patients were assigned to receive anaesthesia with either intravenous remifentanil (0.3 - 0.6 microg/kg per min; n = 20) or intravenous fentanyl (5 - 10 microg/kg per h; n = 20). Levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and the expression of SOCS-3 were measured pre- and post-operatively. The data from 33 of the patients were analysed. The IFN-gamma/IL-10 ratio after concanavalin A stimulation in whole blood cells on post-operative day 1 and SOCS-3 gene expression on post-operative day 2 were significantly lower in the remifentanil group than in the fentanyl group. The time in the intensive care unit was also significantly lower in the remifentanil group. These findings suggest that remifentanil can attenuate the exaggerated inflammatory response that occurs after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Further clinical trials are required to define the influence of choice of intra-operative opioid on post-operative outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Campus Virchow Klinikum and Charité Campus Mitte, Charité-Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: von Dossow
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luetz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sawitzki
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Wernecke
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Volk
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Spies
mesh_terms: D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010880:Piperidines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000077208:Remifentanil; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D000071223:Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3 Protein; D050826:Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D016207:Cytokines; D007378:Interleukins; D010880:Piperidines; C106644:SOCS3 protein, human; D000071223:Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3 Protein; D050826:Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D000077208:Remifentanil; D005283:Fentanyl