Previous studies of patients have shown that anaesthesia with nitrous oxide (N2O) increases the plasma levels of total homocysteine. In a randomised, controlled trial we measured the plasma total homocysteine levels in patients undergoing general surgery before and after anaesthesia with and without N2O. Plasma total homocysteine levels were measured before anaesthesia and 1, 3-5 and 24 h after incision in 24 patients randomly allocated to anaesthesia with N2O (n = 12) and without N2O (n = 12). Total homocysteine levels significantly decreased from 10.4 +/- 2.7 to 8.2 +/- 2.9 mu mol.l(-1) in the non-N2O group 24 h after incision (p < 0.02), while they tended to increase slightly in the N2O group from 10.5 +/- 4.5 to 10.9 +/- 4.3 <mu>mol.l(-1) (p > 0.05). Our randomised controlled study indicates that total homocysteine decreases after general surgery in patients in whom anaesthesia is maintained without N2O, but not in patients in whom anaesthesia is maintained with N2O.

Effects of surgical stress and nitrous oxide anaesthesia on peri-operative plasma levels of total homocysteine - A randomised, controlled study in general surgery / D. Foschi, A. Rizzi, M. Zighetti, M. Bissi, F. Corsi, E. Trabucchi, M. Mezzetti, M. Cattaneo. - In: ANAESTHESIA. - ISSN 0003-2409. - 56:7(2001), pp. 676-679.

Effects of surgical stress and nitrous oxide anaesthesia on peri-operative plasma levels of total homocysteine - A randomised, controlled study in general surgery

D. Foschi;F. Corsi;E. Trabucchi;M. Mezzetti;M. Cattaneo
2001

Abstract

Previous studies of patients have shown that anaesthesia with nitrous oxide (N2O) increases the plasma levels of total homocysteine. In a randomised, controlled trial we measured the plasma total homocysteine levels in patients undergoing general surgery before and after anaesthesia with and without N2O. Plasma total homocysteine levels were measured before anaesthesia and 1, 3-5 and 24 h after incision in 24 patients randomly allocated to anaesthesia with N2O (n = 12) and without N2O (n = 12). Total homocysteine levels significantly decreased from 10.4 +/- 2.7 to 8.2 +/- 2.9 mu mol.l(-1) in the non-N2O group 24 h after incision (p < 0.02), while they tended to increase slightly in the N2O group from 10.5 +/- 4.5 to 10.9 +/- 4.3 mol.l(-1) (p > 0.05). Our randomised controlled study indicates that total homocysteine decreases after general surgery in patients in whom anaesthesia is maintained without N2O, but not in patients in whom anaesthesia is maintained with N2O.
anaesthetic, inhalational, nitrous oxide; amino acid, homocysteine
Settore MED/18 - Chirurgia Generale
2001
Article (author)
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/180966
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 2
  • Scopus 19
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 18
social impact