Effects of Xingnaojing injection on heart rate variability in elderly patients recovering from total intravenous anesthesia

Objective To investigate the effects of Xingnaojing injection(XNJI) on heart rate variability in elderly patients recovering from total intravenous anesthesia. Methods 80 elderly patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery under total intravenous anesthesia were randomly divided into two groups:the XNJI group ( group X, n= 40) and the control group ( group C, n = 40). All patients were rapidly at PACU, patients in group X were administrated XNJI(0. 5 ml/kg) within 10 min, and the same dose of saline for patients in group C. The indexes of heart rate ( HR), mean artery pressure ( MAP), the concentrations of arterial blood epinephrine ( E), norepinephrine ( NE), and cortisol ( COR ), and total frequency power ( TP), low frequency (LF), high-frequency power(HF) ,low/high frequency power ratio (LF/HF) were detected at a series of time points:before administration ( T0 ), 5 min ( T1 ), 15 min ( T2 ), 30 min ( T3 ) ,45 min ( T4 ) , and 2 hours ( T5 ) after administration.Results No statistical difference of MAP、HR and the concentrations of epinephrine(E) ,norepinephrine(NE)was found at the time points in group X. MAP、HR、E、NE and COR increased compared with that at T0 in group C ( P ＜ 0. 05 ), and higher than that in group X at T2-T5 ( P ＜ 0. 05 ). TP, LF, HF in the two groups were up to the maximum while extubation. In group X, LF/HF had no significant change, LF/HF in group C ascended obviously compared with that at T0 ( P ＜ 0. 05 ), and significantly higher than that in group X at T3-T5 ( P ＜ 0.05 ). Conclusion XNJI used for elderly patients after total intravenous anesthesia could significantly inhibit the stress response of extubation period,improve the cardiac autonomic nerve balance, and promote heart rate variability recovery. Key words: Xingnaojing injection;  Total intravenous anesthesia;  Elderly;  Heart rate variability