High Thoracic Epidural Anesthesia, but Not Clonidine, Attenuates the Perioperative Stress Response Via Sympatholysis and Reduces the Release of Troponin T in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

70 patients scheduled for elective coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)

High thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA) (anesthetized dermatomes C6-T10) (n=25) or IV clonidine (4 µg/kg bolus before induction, then 1 µg/kg/h during surgery and 0.2-0.5 µg/kg/h postoperatively) (n=24), added to general anesthesia with sufentanil and propofol

Routine general anesthesia with sufentanil and propofol alone (control, n=21)

Perioperative stress response (hemodynamics, plasma epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol) and incidence of myocardial ischemia (troponin T release, ST segment changes on 5-lead ECG) up to 48 hours postoperativelysurrogate