Sevoflurane versus ketamine+diazepam anesthesia for assessing systemic and hepatic hemodynamics in rats with non-cirrhotic portal hypertension

Abstract

The selection of the anesthetic regime is a crucial component in many experimental animal studies. In rodent models of liver disease, the combination of ketamine and diazepam (KD), generally by the intramuscular (i.m.) route, has traditionally been the anesthesia of choice for the evaluation of systemic and hepatic hemodynamics but it presents several problems. Here, we compared the performance of inhalational sevoflurane (Sevo) against the KD combination as the anesthesia used for hemodynamic studies involving the measurement of portal pressure in normal rats (Ctrl) and rats with non-cirrhotic portal hypertension induced by partial portal vein ligation (PPVL). Compared with Ctrl rats, rats with PPVL presented characteristic alterations that were not influenced by the anesthetic regime, which included liver atrophy, splenomegaly, increased plasma fibrinogen, decreased alkaline phosphatase and glycemia, and frequent ascites. The use of the KD combination presented several disadvantages compared with the inhalational anesthesia with sevoflurane, including considerable mortality, a higher need of dose adjustments to maintain an optimal depth of anesthesia, increases of heart rate, and alteration of blood biochemical parameters such as the concentration of aspartate aminotransferase, lactate, and lactic dehydrogenase. Rats anesthetized with sevoflurane, on the other hand, presented lower respiratory rates. Importantly, the anesthetic regime did not influence the measurement of portal pressure either in Ctrl or PPVL rats, with the increase of portal pressure being similar in Sevo-and KD-anesthetized groups of PPVL rats compared with their respective control groups. Overall, our results suggest that anesthesia with sevoflurane is preferable to the combination of KD for performing systemic and hepatic hemodynamic studies in rats with non-cirrhotic portal hypertension.

Comparison of the respiratory effects of commonly utilized general anaesthesia regimes in male Sprague-Dawley rats

“…Normal MAP values and heart rates were observed in all groups, with the lowest mean arterial pressure values (approximately 60 mmHg) observed in animals under sevoflurane and urethane anaesthesia. This finding is in concordance with the results of previous studies describing the haemodynamic effects of these anaesthetic agents ( De Wildt et al, 1983 ; Himori and Ishimori, 1988 ; Conzen et al, 1992 ; Brammer et al, 1993 ; Albrecht et al, 2014 ; Zuurbier, 2019 ; Fortea et al, 2020 ).…”

Impact of intraoperative dexmedetomidine on postoperative delirium and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in elderly patients undergoing thoracolumbar compression fracture surgery: A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial

“…[ 45 ] Additionally, the study indicates that interference between ketamine and DEX at the level of cytochrome P450 enzymes in the liver may occur, highlighting potential drug interactions. [ 46 ] However, caution is advised in the use of DEX, given the potential for side effects such as hypotension, bradycardia, and cardiac conduction inhibition, especially in this vulnerable population.…”