A comparison between the effect of halothane and propofol on liver enzymes after general anesthesia

Background: Halothane is the routine used inhalation anesthetic drug in the world but at present, there is an increasing interest for using intravenous anesthetics like propofol. The purpose of this study was to compare these anesthetic effects on hepatic enzymes.Methods: From 2006 to 2007, this study was performed on fifty eight patients classified in class I of American Society of Anesthetics. These patients had no preliminary symptomatic hepatic, cardiac or renal disease admitted for elective surgery in Yahyahnejiad Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences. These patients were divided randomly into two groups. Thirty patients in the study group (Propofol) and twenty eight patients in the control group (Halothane). In both groups, pre-meditation and induction of anesthesia were the same. For the maintenance of anesthesia in the study group there was continuous infusion of propofol and for the control group, 0.5-1% halothane inhalation. From all the patients, we got three blood samples separately prior to the anesthesia, twenty four hours and seven days after the anesthesia. These samples were tested for aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), alkaline phosphates (ALP) and Billirubin (total and direct). Results: Seven days after anesthesia ALP, the total and direct Billirubin levels did not have differences between the two groups. However, AST (p=0.008) and ALT (p=0.003) increased in halothane group in compared with propofol group. Conclusion: The results show that propofol has less effect on liver enzymes as compared to halothane.