EFFECT OF LIDOCAINE ON NEUTROPHIL CHEMOTAXIS IN NEWBORN-INFANTS

Anesthetic drugs can influence the immune system, particularly granulo cyte function. The goal of the present study was to evaluate if lidoca ine used for epidural anesthesia during cesarean section can influence neonatal neutrophil chemotaxis. We measured chemotaxis and plasma cor d lidocaine and cortisol levels in (A) 15 infants born by cesarean sec tion with epidural anesthesia, (B) 15 infants born by vaginal delivery , and (C) 20 infants born by cesarean section with general anesthesia. Chemotaxis levels were significantly lower in group A infants (35.5 /- 16.1 mu m) compared to groups B (54.6 +/- 10.5 mu m) and C (71.4 +/ - 23 mu m). The highest cortisol levels were observed in vaginally del ivered infants. A significant inverse relationship was observed betwee n chemotaxis and lidocaine levels (r = -0.6, P = 0.016) in infants bor n by cesarean section after epidural anesthesia, while no significant correlation was observed between chemotaxis and cortisol level. In con clusion, lidocaine, transferred through the placenta to the fetus duri ng epidural anesthesia, may have an inhibitory effect on chemotaxis.