Blood Propofol Levels in Patients with Normal and Impaired and Liver and Kidney-Function

Abstract

In this study propofol, which has been shown to possess many suitable characteristics for an intravenous anesthetic agent, was used in order to evaluate its clinical effects and pharmacokinetic in patients with normal and impaired liver and kidney functtion in a single induction dose. Thirty patients in three groups each, comprising ten patients with impaired liver function (group 1), ten patients with impaired kidney function (group 2) and ten normal patients (group 3) all undergoing various surgical interventions, were included in the study. Heart rates, arterial systolic and diastolic pressures were recorded preoperatively, and 2, 5, 10 and 30 minutes after induction of anesthesia. Blood samples were collected after induction of anesthesia with 2.5 mg/kg bolus propofol at 2, 10, 30 minutes and 2, 6, 12 hours. Propofol concentrations were measured following extraction with a spectrofluorometric method. There were similar degrees of systolic hypotension following induction at two minutes in air three groups when compared to preoperative values, and significant differences were found only between groups, one and two with goups one and three at 30 minutes and 2 hours. Similar values of propofol were found at 2 and 10 minute and 6 and 12 hour samples in the there groups. These interim data show that the heart rate, systolic and diastolic pressure and the pharmacokinetics of profopol are generally similar in patients with impaired liver function and kidney function to those in normal patients.