THE INFLUENCE OF BUPIVACAINE ON THE CORD BLOOD CHEMILUMINESCENCE IN FULL TERM INFANTS - A PRELIMINARY REPORT WPèYW BUPIWAKAINY NA CHEMILUMINESCENCJKRWI PPOWINOWEJ NOWORODKÓW DONOSZONYCH - DONIESIENIE WSTPNE

Summary Introduction. It has been shown that neutrophil function in the neonate may by modified according to mode of delivery and analgesia or anaes- thesia technique applied to the mother. Aim. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of bupivacaine on the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by neutrophils in the umbilical cord blood. Methods. Luminol-dependent opsonized zymosan stimulated whole blood chemiluminescence (CL) was measured in umbilical vein blood samples drawn from six full term healthy neonates incubated with 0.1, 10, 1000 μM of bupivacaine. Simultaneously, peripheral blood CL of six healthy volunteers who served as the control group was also assessed. In the cord blood no significant changes were noted at all concentrations measured. A significant CL decrease at the concentration of 1000 μM could be observed in the control group. Conclusion. Bupivacaine does not significantly influence opsonized zymosan stimulated luminol dependent whole cord blood CL in vitro at all concentrations measured. The question of possible implications of different reactivity of foetus and neonate to local anaesthetics for alternative effects of these compounds under physiological and pathological conditions warrants further studies.