Objective To investigate the effects of inhaled aerosolized low dose ambroxol on the inflammatory response to one-lung ventilation (OLV) in patients undergoing open-chest esophagus surgery.Methods Sixty patients (aged 39-64 years,weighing 50-85 kg and with height of 153-181 cm) with normal heart and lung function undergoing open-chest esophagus surgery were randomly divided into three groups:20 patients receiving intravenous infusion of normal saline (control group,group C),20 receiving intravenous infusion of ambroxol 10 mg/kg after induction of anesthesia (group IA) and 20 inhaling aerosolized ambroxol 30 mg after induction of anesthesia (group AIA).Arterial blood samples were taken after induction of anesthesia before ambroxol administration (T0,baseline),after 90 minutes of OLV (T1) and at 30 minutes after OLV (T2) for determination of plasma concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α),interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β),IL-8 and IL-10 by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Results The levels of TNF-α,IL-1β,and IL-8 in plasma significantly increased while the level of IL-10 in plasma significantly decreased at T1 and T2 as compared with the baseline at T0 in all the three groups.The levels of TNF-α,IL-1β,and IL-8 in plasma were significantly lower and the level of IL-10 in plasma was significantly higher at T1 and T2 in groups IA and AIA than in group C.Conclusion Both intravenous injection of large dose ambroxol and inhaled aerosolized low dose ambroxol can inhibit the inflammatory response to OLV in patients undergoing open-chest esophagus surgery.

Objective To investigate the effects of inhaled aerosolized low dose ambroxol on the inflammatory response to one-lung ventilation ( OLV) in patients undergoing open-chest esophagus surgery. Methods Sixty patients with normal heart and lung function undergoing open-chest esophagus surgery were randomly divided into 3 groups ( n = 20 each): control group (group C) ; group IA received Ⅳ ambroxol 10 mg/kg after induction of anesthesia and group AIA inhaled aerosolized ambroxol 30 mg after induction of anesthesia. Arterial blood samples were taken after induction of anesthesia before ambroxol administration (T0, baseline) , at 90 min of OLV (T1 )and at 30 min after OLV (T2) for determination of plasma concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8 and IL-10 by ELBA.Results Plasma TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-8 concentrations were significantly increased while plasma IL-10 concentration was significantly decreased at T1 and T2 as compared with the baseline at T0 in all 3 groups. Plasma TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-8 concentrations were significantly lower and plasma IL-10 concentration was significantly higher at T1 and T2 in groups IA and AIA than in group C. Conclusion Both Ⅳ large dose ambroxol and inhaled aerosolized low dose ambroxol can inhibit the inflammatory response to OLV in patients undergoing open-chest esophagus surgery.