The effects of sevoflurane and desflurane in vitro on platelet–leukocyte adhesion in whole blood

Summary The interaction between platelets and leukocytes plays an important role in inflammatory and thrombotic processes. We investigated whether the volatile anaesthetics sevoflurane and desflurane alter the formation of platelet–leukocyte aggregates and the expression of P‐selectin on platelets. Whole blood was incubated with 1 and 2 minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) sevoflurane or desflurane. Unstimulated and adenosine diphosphate, or thrombin receptor agonist peptide‐6‐stimulated samples were stained with flourochrome‐conjugated antibodies. The formation of platelet–leukocyte conjugates and the expression of P‐selectin on platelets were measured using flow cytometry. Sevoflurane was found to enhance the binding of platelets to lymphocytes, neutrophils and monocytes, it also increased the expression of P‐selectin on platelets especially in the stimulated samples. Desflurane decreased the percentage of lymphocyte–platelet, neutrophil–platelet and monocyte–platelet conjugates principally in unstimulated samples. The results show that these two volatile anaesthetics have differing effects on the formation of platelet–leukocyte conjugates in vitro. Sevoflurane also enhanced the expression of P‐selectin on platelets.