The effects of inhaled anaesthetics on the resistance of the airway of patients subjected to general anaesthesia

ISRCTN ISRCTN33947005
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN33947005
Secondary identifying numbers N/A
Submission date
28/02/2011
Registration date
17/03/2011
Last edited
21/01/2019
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Respiratory
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English Summary

Not provided at time of registration

Contact information

Dr Alexandra Papaioannou
Scientific

Livadias 11a
Heraklion
71409
Greece

Phone +30 (0) 281 0394 733
Email alpapa@med.uoc.gr

Study information

Study designRandomised trial
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Hospital
Study typeTreatment
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use the contact details below to request a patient information sheet
Scientific titleRespiratory resistance during anaesthesia with isoflurane, sevoflurane and desflurane
Study hypothesis1. To investigate the effects of 1.0 and 1.5 MAC desflurane, isoflurane and sevoflurane on total inspiratory resistance (Rrs) and its components during 30 min administration in patients with healthy lungs undergoing general anaesthesia after induction with propofol which does not affect bronchial tone.
2. To investigate the effects of 1.0 and 1.5 MAC desflurane, isoflurane and sevoflurane on total inspiratory resistance (Rrs) and its components during 30 min administration after induction with thopental which may increase bronchial tone.

Our primary hypothesis is that desflurane at high concentrations will cause an increase of respiratory resistance partially due to increased density of the inspired gas mixture.
Ethics approval(s)The study has been approved by the Scientific and the Ethics Committee of the University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece on 22/10/2003 , reference number: 10981
ConditionAirway resistance in patients with healthy lungs undergoing general anaesthesia
InterventionTwo different induction agents (propofol and thiopental) and three different inhaled anaesthetics (isoflurane, desflurane and sevoflurane) at two different concentrations.

In first group, anaesthesia will be induced with propofol 2mg kg-1, remifentanil 0.1 mcg kg-1 and 0.2 mg kg-1 cisatracurium. All patients will be intubated under direct laryngoscopy with a 7.5 mm cuffed endotracheal tube (ETT) and mechanically ventilated with volume control ventilation (Primus, Draëger Medical, Lübeck, Germany) as follows:

Tidal volume (VT) 7ml Kg-1 of ideal body weight, respiratory rate 10 breaths.min-1, positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) 5 cmH2O, inspiratory plateau time (time of inspiratory hold) equal with 50% of total inspiratory time and fresh gas flow (FGF) 5 L.min-1. A screen pneumotachograph with a differential pressure-based flow sensor (RSS100-HR; Hans Rudolph, Kansas City, MO) and a pressure transducer will be inserted between the endotracheal tube and the Y piece of the respiratory circuit, for the measurement of flow and tidal volume and inspiratory pressures respectively. At the beginning of the study a first baseline measurement was obtained after endotracheal intubation and initiation of mechanical ventilation, before the administration of the volatile agents. Thereafter, anaesthesia was maintained with 1 MAC end tidal concentration of sevoflurane, isoflurane or desflurane. Measurements of flow and pressures were recorded for five consecutive breaths every five minutes for thirty minutes at 1 MAC steady state. Subsequently, the inhaled agent will be turned off and two further measurements of flow and airway pressures will be recorded, when end tidal concentrations reach 0.5 and 0 MAC. A second baseline measurement will be obtained after the first series of recordings at 1 MAC were conducted, the volatile agent was turned off and the end tidal concentration of the volatile was zeroed. After the second baseline measurement the volatile agent will be turned on to achieve 1.5 MAC. The same sequence of recordings at 1.5 MAC steady state and following the discontinuation of the agent at 0.5 and 0 MAC were conducted.

In the second group of patients the same series of measurements will be obtained but the induction to anaesthesia will be performed with thiopental 5mg kg-1, remifentanil 0.1 mcg kg-1 and 0.2 mg kg-1 cisatracurium.
Intervention typeDrug
Pharmaceutical study type(s)
PhaseNot Applicable
Drug / device / biological / vaccine name(s)Isoflurane, sevoflurane, desflurane
Primary outcome measureEffects on:
1. Total inspiratory resistance (Rrs) and its components
2. Minimal resistance (Rmin)
3. Effective resistance (DRrs)

Total inspiratory resistance (Rrs) will be calculated every 5 min using the inspiratory hold maneuver. During the end - inspiration flow pause, the static airway pressure waveform has a characteristic trend, with the highest peak at end-inspiration [Pmax], followed by a rapid drop after the zeroing of flow [P1] and a slow decay until a plateau is reached [Pplat].

The accuracy of the results requires passive conditions therefore all patients were paralysed under deep anaesthesia. Total inspiratory resistance (Rrs) and its components, minimal resistance (Rmin) and effective resistance (DRrs) were calculated according to the equations: Rrs = [Pmax – Pplat] / V’, Rmin = [Pmax – P1] / V’, DRrs = [P1- Pplat] / V’, where V’ denotes flow.

Rmin reflects mainly airway and endotracheal tube resistance and denotes the flow dependent component of Rrs. DRrs represents two phenomena, time - constant inhomogeneities within the lung and the viscoelastic behaviour of the pulmonary tissues and chest wall. Respiratory values will be expressed as the mean of five consecutive breaths.
Secondary outcome measures1. The baseline total inspiratory resistance (Rrs) and its components, minimal resistance (Rmin) and effective resistance (DRrs), between the two groups, propofol and thiopental groups to examine whether the induction with thiopental is associated with increased respiratory resistance
2. In the propofol group: the effects of the three different agents at two different concentrations on respiratory resistance and its components
3. In the propofol group: the effect of the duration of the administration of the aforementioned agents (time effect)
4. In the thiopental group: the effects of the three different agents at two different concentrations on respiratory resistance and its components.
5. In the thiopental group: the effect of the duration of the administration of the aforementioned agents (time effect)
Overall study start date01/11/2006
Overall study end date01/12/2012

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
Lower age limit18 Years
SexBoth
Target number of participants16 patients per group, 12 groups
Participant inclusion criteriaAll patients aged 18 to 75 years old, scheduled for elective non abdominal, non thoracic surgery under general anaesthesia
Participant exclusion criteriaHistory of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or malignant hyperthermia, as well as previous treatment with bronchoactive drugs (ß-agonists or antagonists, theophylline, anticholinergics and corticosteroids).
Recruitment start date01/11/2006
Recruitment end date01/12/2012

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • Greece

Study participating centre

Livadias 11a
Heraklion
71409
Greece

Sponsor information

Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital of Heraklion (Greece)
Hospital/treatment centre

Livadias 11 A
c/o Alexandra Papaioannou
Heraklion
71409
Greece

ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/0312m2266

Funders

Funder type

Hospital/treatment centre

Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital of Heraklion (Greece)

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryNot provided at time of registration
Publication and dissemination planNot provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Results article results 01/06/2006 Yes No
Results article results 01/09/2011 21/01/2019 Yes No

Editorial Notes

21/01/2019: Publication reference added