title: Comparison of the effects of xenon and sevoflurane anaesthesia on leucocyte function in surgical patients: a randomized trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  While most anaesthetics are known to suppress immune reactions, data from experimental studies indicate the enhancement of reactivity to inflammatory stimulators under xenon treatment. We investigated the effect of xenon anaesthesia on leucocyte function in surgical patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a subgroup analysis of subjects undergoing xenon or sevoflurane anaesthesia in a randomized clinical trial. After oral premedication with midazolam, two separate blood samples were obtained from subjects undergoing elective abdominal surgery, directly before and 1 h after induction of anaesthesia. General anaesthesia was maintained with either 60% xenon or 2.0% sevoflurane in 30% O2. Leucocyte count, phagocytotic function, and pro-inflammatory cytokine release after ex vivo lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Except for lymphocyte numbers, leucocyte subpopulations did not differ between the groups. Phagocytosis and oxidative burst of granulocytes were reduced in both groups after 1 h of anaesthesia, whereas monocytes were not affected. Pro-inflammatory cytokine release in response to LPS was not affected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In vivo, xenon and sevoflurane anaesthesia did not have a pro-inflammatory effect, at least in combination with the types of surgery performed in this study. Notably, the impact of xenon anaesthesia did not differ significantly from sevoflurane anaesthesia with regard to leucocyte function. However, an underestimation of treatment effects due to limited sample sizes cannot be fully excluded.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology.
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Fahlenkamp
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coburn
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rossaint
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stoppe
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haase
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000379:methods; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008738:Methyl Ethers / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D016897:Respiratory Burst / Q000187:drug effects; D000077149:Sevoflurane; D014978:Xenon / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D016207:Cytokines; D008738:Methyl Ethers; D000077149:Sevoflurane; D014978:Xenon
keywords: anaesthetics, inhalation; leucocytes; sevoflurane; xenon