Dexmedetomidine could ameliorate intestinal mucosal barrier injury in patients via inhibiting intestinal oxidative stress and inflammatory responses

Abstract

Abstract Dexmedetomidine (Dex), a highly selective α2 receptor agonist can inhibit excessive inflammatory reaction and. In this study, we will investigate the effects of Dex can protect against intestinal mucosal barrier injury in patients via inhibiting intestinal inflammatory responses. This is a double-blinded randomized placebo-controlled trial. Ninety-four patients with acute intestinal obstruction, aged 33-81 years of age, weighing 48-80 kg, and having American Society of Anesthesiology physical status II or III, were divided into 2 groups using a random number table method (Con versus Dex). Patients in Dex were intravenously injected with in a loading dose of 0.5 μg/kg at 15 min before the induction of general anesthesia followed an infusion at 0.3 μg/kg/h until 30 min before the end of the operation. Before infusing the loading dose of Dex at 1, 3, and 7 d after surgery, peripheral venous blood samples were collected to measure the concentrations of diamine oxidase (DAO), D-lactic acid (D-Lac), bacterial endotoxin (BT), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). The occurrence of postoperative complications, anal exhaust time and average length of hospital stay were recorded. Compared with those in Con, the levels of DAO, D-Lac, BT, TNF-α and IL-6 in Dex were significantly decreased at 1 and 3 days after surgery (P<0.05), and anal exhaust time and total incidence of complications were decreased in Dex (P<0.05). General anesthesia combined with Dex can improve hypoxic intestinal mucosal injury, possibly by inhibiting inflammatory response.