Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to D Di Padua.
The authors sensitized guinea pigs to a halothane catabolite, trifluoroacetic acid, combined with guinea pig albumin. They then exposed the animals to halothane. There was no correlation between the presence of humoral and cell-mediated immune reactions obtained with the catabolite and the incidence of liver necrosis.
The authors present a critical analysis of immunological tests used by some authors to establish the diagnosis of halothane-induced hepatitis. These tests include the lymphocyte transformation test (LTT), the leukocyte migration inhibition test (LMIT) and detection of auto-antibodies. It has not been possible for all investigators to reproduce the results of these tests. The inhibition of these tests is not specific for halothane since it is also observed after infectious and serum viral hepatitis.
Variations in the C3 and C4 fractions of complement were studied in 15 patients who underwent surgery with either spinal anesthesia (5 cases) or general anesthesia using nitruos oxyde and a halogen compound (10 cases). Little peroperative variation was observed. An increase in C4 was observed in all cases postoperatively. Only a slight increase in C3 was observed after spinal anesthesia. The immune response of anesthetists exposed to halothane was investigated using PHA-induced lymphocyte stimulation (normal in males, elevated in females) and lymphocyte transformation to halothane and its metabolites (no evidence of allergy was observed).
Trifluoroacetate, a common metabolite of halothane, fluroxene, and enflurane, conjugated to guinea-pig albumin elicits specific serum antibody in guinea pigs. Two classes of antibodies were found: hemolytic, gamma-2, and anaphylactic, gamma-1. Repeated injections of the antigen, trifluoroacetyl-guinea pig albumin, often led to disappearance of circulating antibodies.
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