Postoperative hunger after outpatient surgery in patients anesthetized with propofol vs sevoflurane: a randomized-controlled trial

Purpose Previous preclinical and preliminary clinical data suggest an appetite-stimulating effect of propofol compared with halogenated drugs. This study compared the effects of propofol with those of sevoflurane on recovery of hunger during the postoperative period. Methods Patients undergoing outpatient transvaginal oocyte retrieval were randomized to propofol-remifentanil (propofol group) or sevoflurane-remifentanil (sevoflurane group) anesthesia. The primary endpoint was the time before feeling hungry (≥ 50/100 mm on a visual analogue scale). Secondary endpoints included plasma levels of ghrelin, leptin, and insulin (ten minutes, one hour, and two hours after anesthesia), caloric intake at first feed, and discharge readiness time. Results In the 58 patients allocated to either the propofol or sevoflurane group, there was no difference in the median [interquartile range] recovery time of hunger (97 [75–138] vs 97 [80–140] min, respectively; median difference, 1; 95% confidence interval [CI], − 15 to 14; P = 0.91); caloric intake (245 [200–343] vs 260 [171–314] kcal; P = 0.39); or discharge readiness time (125 [85–153] vs 125 [95–174] min, P = 0.29). The groups showed no difference in crude plasma levels of ghrelin, leptin, and insulin at any time-point. When peptide plasma levels were expressed as a % change from baseline, there was a higher insulin plasma level one hour after anesthesia in the sevoflurane group (median difference, 4.9%; 95% CI, − 16.2 to 43.4) compared with the propofol group (median difference, − 21.2%; 95% CI, − 35.7 to 9.1; adjusted P = 0.01). Conclusion Propofol did not accelerate the recovery of hunger compared with sevoflurane after outpatient minor surgery. Moreover, propofol did not have distinguishable effects on other clinical or biological parameters associated with food intake. Trial registration www.ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02272166); registered 22 October, 2014.