de la Gala F, et al. – This study compared the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) and postoperative pulmonary and systemic inflammatory responses in patients who received sevoflurane or propofol during lung resection surgery (LRS). Findings demonstrated that among study participants, the attenuated frequency of the PPCs and reduced pulmonary and systemic inflammatory response were the consequences of sevoflurane administration during LRS.

Methods

• Researchers analyzed data from 174 patients out of 180 patients undergoing LRS.
• They randomized patients to 2 groups (propofol or sevoflurane) and managed them otherwise using the same anaesthetic protocol.
• In addition, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed in both lungs before and after one-lung ventilation for analysis of cytokines.
• Arterial blood was drawn for measurement of the cytokines analysed in the BAL fluid at five time points.
• They also recorded intraoperative haemodynamic and respiratory parameters, PPCs (defined following the ARISCAT study), and mortality during the first month and yr.

Results

• Findings revealed that more PPCs were detected in the propofol group (28.4% vs 14%, OR 2.44 [95% CI, 1.14–5.26]).
• Researchers observed that first-yr mortality was significantly higher in the propofol group (12.5% vs 2.3%, OR 5.37 [95% CI, 1.23–23.54]).
• They also noted that expression of lung and systemic pro-inflammatory cytokines was greater in the propofol group than in the sevoflurane group.
• In addition, data highlighted that pulmonary and systemic IL-10 release was less in the propofol group.