Changes in serum enzyme levels following ketamine infusions

Abstract

The levels of four serum enzymes, known to be elevated in toxic hepatitis, were measured preoperatively and on the 3-4th and 13-15th postoperative days in patients anaesthetised with ketamine infusions (54) or with a standard technique (64). Significant elevations in enzyme levels were considered to have occurred when the postoperative levels were outside the accepted normal range and had increased by more than 3 X SD from controls. About half the patients in each group had minor gynaecological operations and 2/20 in the ketamine series had postoperative elevation of enzyme levels, with no changes in the non-ketamine group. Following intermediate operations 14/34 anaesthetised with ketamine showed abnormal enzyme levels compared with 7/34 who had standard operations. None of the latter had more than one abnormal test as compared with six in the ketamine series. The causes and significance of these findings are not known.