The effects of short term propofol administration on pancreatitis formation in dogs

Abstract

Even the incidence of a drug-induced pancreatitis is rare there are more than 85 different drugs have been reported that induces pancreatitis. FDA have been reported that propofol administration resulted in pancreatitis in 25 human cases. Even though there are several reports pointed out an increase in blood lipid and triglyceride levels after propofol administration, there are no studies investigated the possible association between the use of propofol and consequently occuring pancreatitis in veterinary medicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible side-effects of propofol administration on pancreatic tissue in dogs. Twenty healty dogs were anesthetized for at least one hour. Bloods were collected to evaluate the serum amylase, lipase, ALP, AST, GGT, cPLI, cholesterol, triglyceride, Ca and glucose levels before and after propofol administration, during recovery period and after 4th and 24th hour. It was recorded that the serum glucose, calcium and triglyceride levels were increased during anesthesia, on the contrary serum amylase, lipase, ALP, AST, GGT, and cholesterol levels were decreased. The alterations in cPLI was insignificant. Clinical evaluation is not revealed any evidence of pancreatitis in neither of the animals. As a result, it was concluded that although the triglyceride levels were found to be elevated during propofol administration, it did not cause any clinical manifestations regarding pancreatic activity.