BJA Advance Access originally published online on April 24, 2008
British Journal of Anaesthesia 2008 100(6):765-771; doi:10.1093/bja/aen095
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Comparison of S-(+)-ketamine- with sufentanil-based anaesthesia for elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery: effect on troponin T levels
Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Treatment, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg GmbH, Campus Giessen, Germany
* Corresponding author: School of Clinical Science, UCD, Duncan Building, Daulby Street, L69 3GA Liverpool, UK. E-mail: i.welters{at}liverpool.ac.uk
Background: S-(+)-ketamine anaesthesia carries potential benefits for the cardiovascularly compromised patient. However, the use of S-(+)-ketamine in ischaemic coronary artery disease is controversial. In a prospective, randomized, clinical trial, we have investigated whether an S-(+)-ketamine-based anaesthetic protocol leads to increased cardiac troponin T levels (cTnT) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
Methods: Two hundred and nine patients undergoing elective CABG were randomized to receive either i.v. anaesthesia with sufentanil–midazolam–propofol (SMP; n=108) or S-(+)-ketamine–midazolam–propofol (KMP; n=101). Haemodynamic variables were maintained within the normal range. Invasive haemodynamic monitoring was performed using a pulmonary artery catheter. Plasma cTnT levels were sampled before induction and 1, 6, and 24 h after aortic unclamping. Cardiovascular adverse events, such as electrocardiographic signs of ischaemia, perioperative myocardial infarction, and death, were recorded.
Results: Patient characteristics, cardiac profile, intraoperative management, and the incidence of cardiovascular adverse events were comparable between the groups. Plasma cTnT levels increased after operation in both groups. cTnT levels were significantly lower in the KMP group 6 h after aortic unclamping compared with the SMP group (P=0.004), but did not differ 24 h after aortic unclamping [median (range): SMP 0.4 (0.01–3.9) vs KMP 0.4 (0.07–6.6) µg litre–1, P=0.338].
Conclusions: S-(+)-ketamine does not accentuate postoperative cTNT rises in haemodynamically stable elective CABG patients.
Keywords: anaesthietics i.v., propofol; analgesics opioid, sufentanil; complications, coronary artery disease; heart, coronary artery bypass; S-(+)-ketamine; troponin T