Comparison of cardiomyocyte apoptosis and early postoperative recovery between propofol-and midazolam-combined anesthesia in patients undergoing cardiac valve replacement / 中华麻醉学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To compare the cardiomyocyte apoptosis and early postoperative recovery in patients undergoing cardiac valve replacement under propofol-or midazolam-combined anesthesia.Methods Forty NYHA class Ⅱ or Ⅲ patients (aged 48-64 yr and weighing 45-78 kg) undergoing cardiac valve replacement with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) were randomly divided into midazolam group (Group M) and propofol group (Group P) (n=20each). The patients were premedicated with morphine 0.1 mg/kg i.v. and scopolamine 0.3 mg i.v. Anesthesia was induced with midazolam 0.2 mg/kg (in Group M) or propofol 2 mg/kg (in Group P) combined with fentanyl 10 μg/kg and vecuronium 0.1 mg/kg, and maintained with propofol 5 mg. kg-1·h-1 (in Group P) or midazolam 0.1 mg·kg-1·h-1(in Group M) and intermittent i.v. boluses of fentanyl and vecuronium after tracheal intubation. The patients were mechanically ventilated with PETCO2 maintained at 35-45 mm Hg. Myocardial tissues were obtained from the right atrium before and after CPB for determination of apoptosis in cardiomyocytes (by TUNEL). The apoptotic index was calculated. The expression of caspase-3 and caspase-9 was determined by immunohistochemical avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) technique staining. The mean airway pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were monitored. Aortic cross-clamping time, surgical and CPB times, spontaneous recovery of normal heart beat, emergence from anesthesia, extubation time and duration of ICU stay were recorded and compared between the two groups.Results The percentage of spontaneous recovery of normal heart beat after release of aortic cross clamp was significantly higher and the need for dobutamine support was significantly less in Group P than in Group M ( P ＜ 0.05). The emergence from anesthesia was significantly more rapid, the extubation time and the ICU stay were significantly shorter in Group P than in Group M (P＜0.05). There were no significant differences in apoptosis index and expression of caspase-3 and caspase-9 before CPB between the two groups. The apoptosis index and expression of caspase-3 and caspase-9 were significantly increased after CPB in Group M and significantly higher than those after CPB in Group P (P＜0.05).Conclusion Cardiomyocyte apoptosis in patients undergoing CPB can be inhibited and the postoperative recovery is more rapid under propofol-combined anesthesia.