title: Meta-analysis of the effect of central neuraxial regional anesthesia compared with general anesthesia on postoperative natural killer T lymphocyte function.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effect of central neuraxial (spinal or epidural) anesthesia with general anesthesia on postoperative natural killer (NK) T lymphocyte function.
  
  
  METHODS
  Meta-analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  University-affiliated hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic search of the medical literature from 1966 to 2009 yielded 5 eligible studies with a total of 184 patients who received neuraxial blockade. Natural killer T lymphocyte function was studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was significant heterogeneity between the studies [I(2) = 94.4% (95% CI= 90.3-96.2%)]. Overall fixed-effect odds ratio was 0.86 (0.66-1.14, P = 0.25). The random-effect odds ratio was 1.13 (0.26-4.92, P = 0.79).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anesthetic technique does not appear to significantly affect postoperative NK T lymphocyte function. Given the heterogeneity observed, further clinical studies in cancer patients of the effect of anesthetic technique on immune function in general, and NK T lymphocyte function in particular, are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Eccles St., Dublin 7, Ireland. iancm25@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Conrick-Martin
authors.forename: Malcolm R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Kell
authors.forename: Donal J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Buggy
mesh_terms: D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000379:methods*; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000379:methods*; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D055611:Natural Killer T-Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000379:methods; D011184:Postoperative Period