Effects of General and Local Anaesthesia on Innate and Cell – Mediated Immunity in Dogs

Received: Revised: Accepted: 2014–06–19 2014–07–08 2014–07–08 The dynamics of innate and specific immunity was investigated in dogs under halothane general anaesthesia and lumbosacral epidural anaesthesia using lidocaine. Phagocytic number (PN), phagocytic index (PI), and nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) test were used to determine phagocytic properties of neutrophils during both anaesthesia regimens. Specific immunity was assessed by changes in lymphocyte number and distribution of their main subsets. The principal stress hormones were also measured in the blood and their relation with the factors of immune system was evaluated. The results showed an elevation in PN, PI and a reduction in NBT value at 120 min of anaesthesia in both groups, which returned gradually to base values. The changes were, however more pronounced in epidural group. Total lymphocyte number decreased at the cost of B–lymphocytes at 120 min and 24 hours in both groups. On the contrary, CD5+ and CD8+ cells increased in both anaesthesia types at 120 min. General and local anaesthesia produced similar increase in adrenaline, cortisol, and blood glucose. In conclusion, 2 hours of halothane and epidural anaesthesia may stimulate innate immunity and lead to increased number of cells with cytotoxic properties. The immunological disturbances may be attributable to acute stress response induced by the anaesthesia. All copyrights reserved to Nexus® academic publishers