Effects of Enflurane on Pulse Transit Time

Abstract

Background: In Anesthetic state, many hemodynamic parameters including blood pressure, heart rate and arterial compliance are changed. Moreover pulse transit time (PTT) is influenced by heart rate, blood pressure changes, and the compliance of the arteries. Methods: In this study, we investigated PTT changes in patients under enflurane anesthesia. PTT of the finger was measured by photoplethysmography (PPG) and electrocardiography (ECG). PTT values were calculated as the time interval between the peak of the ECG R wave and the peak of the second derivatived of the PPG in the finger tip. Results: ECG amplitude and heart rate increased reflecting hemodynamic chnages after enflurane anesthesia, and the PTT increased after enflurane anesthesia treatment by 16.68 ms (n = 24). Moreover, PTT was found to be inversely proportion to aging. Conclusions: The increase of PTT in the finger due to relaxation of the arterial wall muscle after enflurane anesthesia was used as an indicator of sympathetic block on muscle tone. This result suggests that PTT is strongly related with anesthetic state. And PTT may be one of useful surrogative methods for anesthetic monitoring, but PTT is unfortunately only qualitative.