[Mechanisms of the effect of general anesthesia with barbiturates on immunity]

The effect of short-acting barbiturates on the number of theophylline-resistant and theophylline-sensitive T-lymphocytes in donors and patients with lung cancer on the function of spontaneous and induced donor regulators as well as the concentration of cyclic nucleotides and T-lymphocytes in donors has been studied in vitro. The effect of general anesthesia with barbiturates on the number of lymphocyte populations and subpopulations in the peripheral blood of somatically healthy patients with minimum surgical trauma has also been assessed. These studies as well as previous investigations serve the basis for elucidating the impact of general anesthesia with barbiturates on the immunity. It is recommended to identify the nature of immunodepression in patients with preoperative immune deficiencies.