The Effects of Glucose Load on Catabolism during Remifentanil-Based Anesthesia in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus: A Prospective Randomized Trial

Background: General anesthesia using remifentanil may suppress the unwanted metabolic changes caused by surgical stress including hyperglycemia and ketogenesis. Surgery-related changes in catabolism can be attenuated with low-dose glucose load, without causing hyperglycemia. However, the impact of glucose load in diabetic patients during surgery is unknown. In this study, we investigated the effect of glucose load on catabolism during remifentanil-based anesthesia in patients with diabetes mellitus. Methods: Twenty-nine patients with diabetes mellitus undergoing elective surgery were randomly assigned to receive a glucose load (1.5 mg/kg/min) or not. Plasma levels of glucose, insulin, cortisol, dopamine, adrenaline, noradrenaline, acetoacetic acid, free fatty acid, ketone bodies, 3-hydroxybutyric acid, and 3-methylhistidine/creatinine, a marker of protein catabolism were measured at the start of surgery and 3 h after the start of surgery. Results: Glucose and insulin levels were significantly higher in patients who received a glucose load than in those who did not. Cortisol levels decreased at 3 h after the start of surgery in both groups whereas the levels of catecholamines were unchanged. Acetoacetic acid and total ketone body levels were significantly lower in patients given a glucose load than in those who were not 3 h after the start of surgery. The difference in the 3-methylhistidine/creatinine ratio between the two groups was not significant. Conclusions: The infusion of glucose suppressed lipid catabolism in diabetic These authors contributed equally to this work. Corresponding author. M. Hasegawa-Moriyama et al. 156 patients under remifentanil-based anesthesia during surgery. Our study also suggests that in patients with diabetes mellitus, protein sparing is inhibited by remifentanil-based anesthesia, regardless of the glucose load. Trial registration: the University Hospital Medical Information Network identifier: UMIN000010914.