Xenon and the inflammatory response to cardiopulmonary bypass in the rat.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of xenon on the inflammatory response to cardiopulmonary bypass.

DESIGN

Prospective, randomized experimental study.

SETTING

University research laboratory.

PARTICIPANTS

Sprague-Dawley rats.

INTERVENTIONS

After surgical preparation, rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: (1) SHAM rats were cannulated but did not undergo cardiopulmonary bypass; (2) cardiopulmonary bypass rats were subjected to 60 minutes of cardiopulmonary bypass using an oxygenator receiving a 30% O(2), 65% N(2), and 5% CO(2) gas mixture; (3) MK801 rats received MK801 (0.15 mg/kg intravenous) 15 minutes before 60 minutes of cardiopulmonary bypass with the same gas mixture; and (4) xenon rats underwent 60 minutes of cardiopulmonary bypass receiving a 30% O(2), 60% xenon, 5% N(2), and 5% CO(2) gas mixture.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

All bypass groups showed elevations in both cytokines compared with the SHAM-operated group. However, the inflammatory response to cardiopulmonary bypass in the group receiving xenon was no different from the other bypass groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Xenon appears to have no effect on the inflammatory response to cardiopulmonary bypass, making its previously described neuroprotective effect during cardiopulmonary bypass likely independent of any inflammation modulation.