This study compared the effects of sevoflurane and propofol on the inflammatory response and pulmonary function of patients with lung cancer during the perioperative period. Forty patients who underwent a selective resection of the inferior lobe of the left lung were randomly divided into two groups, with one group anesthetized with sevoflurane and the other with propofol (groups S and P, respectively). Radial arterial and mixed venous blood were extracted for blood gas analysis, in order to calculate the alveolar-arterial oxygen partial pressure difference (PA-aDO2), respiratory index (RI) and pulmonary shunt ratio (Qs/Qt) prior to the induction of anesthesia (T0), prior to one-lung ventilation (OLV) (T1), 1 h subsequent to the commencement of OLV (T2), 1 h following restoration of two-lung ventilation (T3), 2 h following restoration of two-lung ventilation (T4) and 24 h post-surgery (T5). In addition, blood was extracted from the radial artery at T0, T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 in order to detect the presence of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-6 and IL-10 in the blood serum. Between T1 and T4, the tidal volume, airway plateau pressure and end-expiratory positive airway pressure were recorded, in order to calculate the lung dynamic compliance (Cdyn). Heart rate, mean arterial pressure, central venous pressure, cardiac output and the duration of OLV (OLV-T) were recorded at T0-5. Compared with T0, the levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-10 significantly increased during T2 to T4 in both groups (P<0.05). PA-aDO2 and RI increased during T1 to T4, and Qs/Qt increased at T2 (P<0.05). Compared with T1, Cdyn decreased during T2 to T4 in the S group, whereas Cdyn was reduced at T2 in the P group (P<0.05). Compared with the P group, TNF-α level increased and IL-10 decreased at T3 and T4 in the S group. PA-aDO2 and RI increased, but Cdyn decreased at T2 and T3 in the S group. Qs/Qt increased at T2 in the S group. The results of the present study demonstrated that, in comparison with propofol, sevoflurane exhibited an enhanced capacity to aggravate injury to pulmonary function during the perioperative stages. This occurred via the release of inflammatory factors, the aggravation of lung edema and the inhibition of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction.
Keywords: inflammatory response; lung cancer; one-lung ventilation; propofol; sevoflurane.