Differential Effects of Etomidate and its Pyrrole Analogue Carboetomidate on the Adrenocortical and Cytokine Responses to Endotoxemia

摘要

ObjectiveWe developed a novel pyrrole analogue of etomidate, (R)-ethyl 1-(1-phenylethyl)-1H-pyrrole-2-carboxylate (carboetomidate), which retains etomidate’s desirable anesthetic and hemodynamic properties but lacks its potent inhibitory affect on adrenocorticotropic hormone-stimulated steroid synthesis. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that in contrast to etomidate, carboetomidate neither suppresses the adrenocortical response to endotoxemia nor enhances the accompanying production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.