The effect of clonidine pretreatment on the perioperative proinflammatory cytokines, cortisol, and ACTH responses in patients undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy

We investigated the hypothesis that oral clonidine premedication would decrease the release of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1 beta, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and stress hormones cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), in patients who underwent total abdominal hysterectomy. Twenty patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the control group received no premedication, whereas the treatment group received clonidine 0.15 mg oral dose 90 min before surgery. Venous blood samples were obtained at preinduction time and immediately, 1, and 3 h after the start of surgery. IL-6 increased significantly at 3 h, and cortisol and ACTH at 1 and 3 h after the start of surgery compared with the baseline values within both groups. IL-1 beta levels decreased at all times compared with the baseline value in the control group. Ln the comparison study between the control group and the clonidine group, there was a significant decrease in IL-6 level 3 h after the start of surgery and IL-1 beta at preinduction time in the clonidine group, whereas there were no changes in tumor necrosis factor-alpha, cortisol, and ACTH levels. These results show that clonidine modulates the IL-6 response related to surgical stress.