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Use of a Piglet Model for the Study of Anesthetic-induced Developmental Neurotoxicity AIDN: A Translational Neuroscience Approach
Published on: June 11, 2017
Repeated exposure to anesthetic ketamine can negatively impact neurodevelopment in infants: a prospective preliminary
Jia Yan1, Yi-ran Li1, Ying Zhang1
1Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Insights
Repeated ketamine anesthesia in infants may harm neurodevelopment. Three or more treatments correlated with lower Bayley Scales of Infant Development-Second Edition scores and elevated S-100β levels, suggesting potential adverse effects.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Anesthesiology
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Pediatric Surgery
Background:
- Animal studies suggest ketamine's adverse effects on developing brains.
- The impact of ketamine anesthesia on infant neurodevelopment requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants receiving multiple ketamine anesthesia treatments for laser surgery.
- To assess the correlation between the number of ketamine exposures and neurodevelopmental scores.
Main Methods:
- Infants undergoing 1-3 outpatient laser surgeries were grouped by ketamine exposure (Ket(1), Ket(2), Ket(3)).
- Neurodevelopment was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-Second Edition (BSID-II) pre- and post-treatment.
- Serum S-100β levels were measured to assess potential brain injury markers.
Main Results:
- Infants in the Ket(3) group showed significantly lower BSID-II scores post-treatment compared to pre-treatment.
- S-100β levels were significantly elevated post-treatment in all ketamine exposure groups.
- A trend towards lower neurodevelopmental scores was observed with increased ketamine exposure.
Conclusions:
- Multiple exposures to anesthetic ketamine (3 or more) may adversely impact infant neurodevelopment.
- Elevated S-100β levels suggest a potential biological mechanism for ketamine-induced neurotoxicity in infants.
- Further research is warranted to confirm these findings and establish safe anesthetic practices for infants.
Abstract:
Animal experiments indicate that repeated exposure to ketamine adversely affects the developing brain. Whether it has the same effect on infants remains unclear. We recruited infants who were scheduled for 1 to 3 outpatient laser surgery treatments of benign facial growths with ketamine anesthesia. Patients were assigned to the Ket(1), Ket(2), or Ket(3) group, according to the number of treatments. The Bayley Scales of Infant Development-Second Edition (BSID-II) was used to assess neurodevelopmental outcomes before the first and after the last therapy. Levels of S-100β were also measured. Bayley Scales of Infant Development-Second Edition scores after the last procedure were lower than those before the first surgery in the Ket(3) group (P < .05). S-100β levels after the last procedure were significantly higher than those before the first surgery in all groups (P < .05). Our results suggest that 3 or more exposures to anesthetic ketamine have the potential to adversely affect neurodevelopment in infants.
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