Effect of sevoflurane versus desflurane on blood glucose level in patients undergoing intracranial neurosurgery: A randomised controlled study

Anaesthetic agents can affect the neuroendocrine response to surgical stress. Along with affecting other parameters, this can affect blood glucose levels. This study aimed to compare the effect of sevoflurane and desflurane on hourly intraoperative blood glucose levels in non-diabetic patients undergoing intracranial surgery.

A total of 70 adults (18-65 years) of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I and II undergoing elective intracranial surgery for supratentorial and infratentorial lesions were enroled. Patients were randomised to receive either sevoflurane or desflurane as the maintenance anaesthetic agent. The blood glucose level was measured hourly after induction until the completion of surgery. Parametric tests, non-parametric tests, Friedman test, generalised estimating equations, Chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test were used to analyse the data.

In the sevoflurane group, the mean (standard deviation) blood glucose (mg/dL) increased from 93.34 (9.33) at the baseline to a maximum of 102.00 (8.61) at the 9 hours timepoint. This change was statistically significant (P < 0.001). In the desflurane group, the mean blood sugar (mg/dL) increased from 89.34 (9.85) at the baseline to a maximum of 92.37 (9.92) at the 4 hours timepoint and then decreased to 88.50 (0.71) at 9 hours timepoint.

Desflurane caused an initial rise followed by a decline, whereas a gradual increase in intraoperative blood glucose level was seen with sevoflurane use in non-diabetic adult patients undergoing elective neurosurgery. The intraoperative change in blood sugar was statistically significant but was within the normal clinical range.