Effects of ketamine on serum and tracheobronchial aspirate interleukin-6 levels in infants undergoing cardiac surgery

OBJECTIVE: Corrective surgery for congenital heart defects in children frequently requires cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Serum and bronchoalveolar levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) may be useful in assessing the severity of the systemic inflammatory response after CPB. In the present study, the authors aimed to compare the effects of ketamine anesthesia and isoflurane anesthesia with respect to serum and tracheobronchial aspirate (TBA) IL-6 levels in infants undergoing CPB for cardiac surgery. DESIGN: Prospective and randomized controlled study. SETTING: University-based teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-four infants aged 2 to 24 months were randomized into 2 groups. INTERVENTIONS: In group K (n = 17), anesthesia was induced with intravenous (IV) ketamine, 1 to 2 mg/kg, and fentanyl, 1 to 2 microg/kg, and was maintained with infusions of ketamine, 25 to 75 microg/kg/min, and fentanyl, 10 microg/kg/h. In group I (n = 17), induction was achieved with IV thiopental sodium, 3 to 5 mg/kg, and fentanyl, 1 to 2 microg/kg, and was maintained with 1% isoflurane and fentanyl, 10 mug/kg/h. Blood and TBA samples were obtained at 6 and 4 stages, respectively. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Serum IL-6 and TBA IL-6 levels were similar in the 2 groups at all stages (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The present results show that ketamine anesthesia does not provide superiority over isoflurane anesthesia with respect to serum and TBA IL-6 levels.