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
Protocol serial number	N/A
Sponsor	Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital of Heraklion (Greece)
Funder	Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital of Heraklion (Greece)

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 of protocol

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

Primary study design	Interventional
Study design	Randomised trial
Secondary study design	Randomised controlled trial
Study type	Participant information sheet
Scientific title	Respiratory resistance during anaesthesia with isoflurane, sevoflurane and desflurane
Study objectives	1. 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
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	Airway resistance in patients with healthy lungs undergoing general anaesthesia
Intervention	Two 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 type	Drug
Phase	Not Applicable
Drug / device / biological / vaccine name(s)	Isoflurane, sevoflurane, desflurane
Primary outcome measure(s)	Effects 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.
Key secondary outcome measure(s)	1. 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)
Completion date	01/12/2012

Eligibility

Participant type(s)	Patient
Age group	Adult
Lower age limit	18 Years
Sex	All
Target sample size at registration	192
Key inclusion criteria	All patients aged 18 to 75 years old, scheduled for elective non abdominal, non thoracic surgery under general anaesthesia
Key exclusion criteria	History 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).
Date of first enrolment	01/11/2006
Date of final enrolment	01/12/2012

Locations

Countries of recruitment

Greece

Study participating centre

Livadias 11a

Heraklion
71409
Greece

Results and Publications

Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	No
IPD sharing plan summary	Not 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
Participant information sheet	Participant information sheet	11/11/2025	11/11/2025	No	Yes

Editorial Notes

21/01/2019: Publication reference added