comparison of magnesium sulphate and dexmedetomidine for attenuation of stress response in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anaesthesia by measuring biochemical markers of stress response: a prospective randomized study

Background: laryngoscopy, endotracheal intubation, pneumoperitoneum creation and extubation is stressful event marked by hemodynamic changes during laparoscopic procedures. this increases secretion of many biochemical stress markers for example, cortisol levels, tnf-alpha levels, crp levels, blood sugar levels. aim of the study was to compare magnesium sulphate and dexmedetomidine for attenuation of stress response in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anaesthesia by measuring biochemical markers of stress response.methods: 60 patients, age between 18 to 60 years of either sex, who were undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy randomized into two groups of 30 patients each by computer generated random number. group m- received magnesium sulphate 50 mg/kg and group d - received dexmedetomidine 1 µg/kg.results: the demographic data were comparable in both groups. cortisol levels rise in both the groups but significantly more in group m than group d at 30 minute (p-value < 0.001) and 4 hours (p-value < 0.001). crp levels rise in both the groups but significantly more in group m than group d at 30 min (p-value 0.013) and 4 hours (p-value 0.020). blood sugar levels rise in both the groups but significantly more in group m than group d at 30 min, 4 hours and 24 hours (p-value <0.001). tnf-alpha levels rise in both the groups but significantly more in group m than group d at 30 min (p-value 0.005) and 4 hours (p-value 0.007).conclusion: we conclude that biochemical stress marker levels (cortisol levels, tnf-alpha, levels, crp levels, blood sugar levels) were more increased in the magnesium sulphate group compared with the dexmedetomidine group. heart rate and mean arterial pressure   were higher in the magnesium sulphate group than the dexmedetomidine group. dexmedetomidine is better than magnesium sulphate in attenuating the stress of surgery in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.