Propofol infusion anaesthesia and the immune response in elderly patients undergoing ophthalmic surgery

In our earlier studies, propofol infusion anaesthesia increased the precentage of T helper cells in middle-aged surgical patients undergoing minor or major surgery. In the present study we compared the effects of total intravenous propofol anaesthesia and combined isoflurane anaesthesia on the immune response to ophthalmic surgery in elderly patients. Twenty patients (median age 75 years. ASA 2-3) were randomly allocated to receive total intravenous propofol anaesthesia (median total dose of propofol 710 mg) or combined isoflurane anaesthesia (median end-expiratory concentration of isoflurane 0.45 vol %). The following were measured pre-operatively, at the end of operation and on the first postoperative morning: leucocyte and differential counts: percentages of lymphocyte subpopulations (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20, CD16) and monocytes (CD14); phytohaemagglutinin-concanavalin A- and pokeweed mitogen-induced and unstimulated lymphocyte proliferative responses: polyclonal immunoglobulin synthesis as well as a serum cortisol concentrations. The immune response to ophthalmic surgery was basically similar in both anaesthetic groups. The percentage of T helper cells in the blood circulation increased in the propofol group (p < 0.05) but not in the isoflurane group. The difference in the time-response profile for T helper cell percentages between the groups was also statistically significant (p < 0.01).