Effects of propofol or sevoflurane anesthesia on the perioperative inflammatory response, pulmonary function and cognitive function in patients receiving lung cancer resection.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of propofol and sevoflurane anesthesia on the inflammatory response, pulmonary function and cognitive function of patients undergoing lung cancer resection and their differences.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: 62 patients with lung cancer who underwent pulmonary lobectomy from January 2014 to January 2016 in Jining First People's Hospital were selected and randomly divided into two groups: the propofol group (n=31) and the sevoflurane group (n=31). Patients in the propofol group were treated with intravenous injection of propofol for anesthesia maintenance, whereas those in the sevoflurane group inhaled sevoflurane for anesthesia maintenance. All patients underwent surgical resection of the lobes by the same operator. Changes in the inflammatory response and pulmonary function of patients in the perioperative period were recorded before the induced anesthesia (t1), before one-lung ventilation (t2), after sternal closure by operation (t3) and at 24 h after operation (t4), respectively; the extubation time, eye opening time and response time of two groups of patients were recorded; mini-mental state examination (MMSE) was used to evaluate the changes in cognitive function in patients and detect the concentration of S100 calcium-binding protein β (S100β) in serum of patients before the induced anesthesia and at 24 h after operation, respectively.

RESULTS: The difference of partial pressure of alveolar-arterial oxygen (A-aDO2), respiratory index (RI) and intra-pulmonary shunt fraction (Qs/Qt) of two groups of patients at t2 and t3 were significantly higher than those at t1 (p<0.01); during t2-t3, A-aDO2, RI and Qs/Qt of patients in the propofol group were significantly lower than those of patients in the sevoflurane group (p<0.05); the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in serum of patients after the induced anesthesia in the propofol group were significantly higher than those at t1, while the level of interleukin-10 (IL-10) was lower than that at t1 (p<0.01); during t2-t4, the levels of IL-6 and MMP-9 in serum of patients in the propofol group were significantly lower than those in patients in the sevoflurane group, while the level of IL-10 was significantly higher than that in patients in the sevoflurane group (p<0.05). The postoperative extubation time, eye opening time and response time of patients in the propofol group were significantly shorter than those of patients in the sevoflurane group (p<0.05). From intraoperative period to 24 h after operation, the prevalence rate of adverse reactions in patients in the propofol group was significantly lower than that in patients in the sevoflurane group (p<0.05); MMSE scores of two groups of patients at t4 were significantly lower than those at t1, while the concentration of S100β was significantly higher than that at t1 (p<0.01); at t4, the MMSE score of patients in the propofol group was significantly higher than that in the sevoflurane group, while the concentration of S100β was lower than that of patients in the sevoflurane group (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Compared with sevoflurane anesthesia, propofol anesthesia can significantly reduce the perioperative inflammatory response in patients receiving lung cancer resection, shorten the recovery time after operation, protect the pulmonary function of patients, improve postoperative cognitive function, and reduce the prevalence rate of intraoperative adverse reactions.