Influence of propofol and volatile anaesthetics on the inflammatory response in the ventilated lung

Background: The immunomodulatory effects of volatile anaesthetics in vitro and the protective effect of propofol in lung injury spurred us to study the effects of volatile anaesthetics and propofol on lung tissue in vivo. Methods: Twenty-seven pigs were randomized to 4-h general anaesthesia with propofol (8 mg/kg/h, group P, n=9), sevoflurane [minimum alveolar concentration (MAC)=1.0, group S, n=9) or desflurane (MAC=1.0, group D, n=9). Four healthy animals served as the no-ventilation group. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was obtained to measure the cell counts, platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AcH), phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Lung tissues were evaluated histologically and for caspase-3 expression. Results: Volatile anaesthetics reduced PAF-AcH levels without affecting PLA2 activity and resulted in decreased alveolar macrophage and increased lymphocyte counts in BALF (sevoflurane: 29 ± 23%; desflurane: 26 ± 6%, both P