Evaluation of near infrared spectroscopy for detecting the β blocker-induced decrease in cerebral oxygenation during hemodilution in a swine model

β blockers reduce cerebral oxygenation after acute hemodilution and may contribute to the incidence of stroke when used perioperatively. The goal of the study was to investigate whether cerebral tissue oxygenation using near infrared spectroscopy can detect the β blocker-induced decrease in cerebral oxygenation depending on the severity of hemodilution and/or the dose of β blockers. Animals were anesthetized with 2 % isoflurane and randomly assigned to a landiolol or esmolol group. After baseline measurement, landiolol or esmolol was administered at 40 µg/kg/min for 20 min, increased to 200 µg/kg/min for 20 min, and then stopped. Hemodynamic and arterial variables and the tissue oxygenation index (TOI) were recorded at each β blocker dose. Two stages of hemodilution were sequentially induced by repeated hemorrhage of 600 ml (33 % of estimated blood volume) and infusion of the same volume of hydroxyethylstarch. During each stage, landiolol or esmolol was similarly administered and measurements were made. Landiolol and esmolol both dose-dependently decreased heart rate, mean arterial pressure and cardiac output, depending on the severity of hemodilution. Landiolol at 40 µg/kg/min was almost equivalent in potency to 200 µg/kg/min esmolol for decreasing HR before hemodilution. Based on the TOI, short-acting β blockers reduced cerebral oxygenation in a dose-dependent manner during hemodilution, and oxygenation returned to the baseline level after drug infusion was stopped. TOI may be useful for identification of a decrease in cerebral oxygenation for patients receiving β blockade during surgery associated with major bleeding.