Etomidate for Rapid-sequence Intubation in Young Children: Hemodynamic Effects and Adverse Events

OBJECTIVES: Physicians commonly use etomidate for adult rapid-sequence intubation (RSI), but the manufacturer does not recommend its use for children under 10 years of age due to a lack of data. The authors present their experience with etomidate for pediatric RSI in order to further develop its risk-benefit profile in this age group. METHODS: Trained abstractors reviewed the medical records for all children under 10 years old who received etomidate for RSI between July 1996 and April 2001. RESULTS: 105 children, with an average age of 3 (+/-2.9) years, received a median dose of 0.32 (+/-0.12) mg/kg of etomidate. The systolic blood pressure increased an average of 4 mm Hg (95% CI = -3.3 to 9.2); the diastolic blood pressure increased 7 mm Hg (95% CI = -3.1 to 11) within 10 minutes of receiving etomidate. The heart rate increased an average of 10 beats/min (95% CI = 4.0 to 17.4). Complications included three patients who vomited within 10 minutes of etomidate administration. There were no cases of documented myoclonus, status epilepticus, or new-onset seizures. Thirty-eight patients received corticosteroids during the hospital course, none for suspected adrenal insufficiency. Three patients died, all from severe brain injury. CONCLUSIONS: In children less than 10 years old, etomidate seems to produce minimal hemodynamic changes, and appears to have a low risk of clinically important adrenal insufficiency, myoclonus, and status epilepticus. The association between etomidate and emesis (observed in less than 3% of enrolled patients) remains unclear. For clinical situations in which minimal blood pressure changes during RSI are critical, etomidate appears to have a favorable risk-benefit profile for children under 10 years old.     

乳剂依托咪酯对心脏手术病人麻醉诱导期循环功能的影响

目的　本文应用乳剂依托咪酯,观察其对心脏手术病人麻醉诱导期的循环影响。方法　选择心脏手术病人80例,心功能Ⅲ～Ⅳ级,随机分为两组,每组2 0例:Ⅰ组(水剂组) :水剂依托咪酯0 2 5mg kg-1;Ⅱ组(乳剂组) :乳剂依托咪酯0 2 5mg kg-1。记录麻醉前、注射依托咪酯前、后,气管插管后1min和3min时段的各监测参数。观察不自主肌肉颤动,注射疼痛感及过敏反应等不良反应。结果　显示两种剂型的依托咪酯各时间点的SBP、DBP、MAP、HR各组间无显著差异(P >0 0 5 )。两组在注射依托咪酯后SBP、DBP、MAP、HR轻度下降,但与注射前均无统计学差异(P >0 0 5 )。不自主肌肉运动Ⅰ组8例、Ⅱ组6例:两组间无显著差异(P >0 0 5 )。静脉注射处疼痛Ⅰ组14例、Ⅱ组1例,两组间显著差异(P >0 0 5 )。结论　乳剂依托咪酯具有麻醉诱导平稳,心血管影响轻微,副作用少在应用上优于水剂依托咪酯,可用于高龄及心脏功能受损害患者的麻醉诱导。     

[Ca^2＋]i change in hippocampal neurons influenced by preconditioning of etomidate fat emulsion following cerebral ischemia in rats

BACKGROUND: It is known that intravenous anesthetic etomidate fat emulsion has cerebral protection. Now many scholars focus on the research of its cerebral protection from molecular biology, but the mechanism of cerebral protection is still fully unclear. OBJECTIVE: To observe the influence of etomidate fat emulsion on the [Ca2+]i in hippocampal neurons during the transient cerebral ischemia injury in rats. DESIGN: Randomized controlled observation. SETTING: Weifang Medical College. MATERIALS: This study was carried out in the functional laboratory of Weifang Medical College between October 2005 and March 2006. Twenty-four male healthy Wistar rats, aged 3 to 4 months, were involved. Etomidate fat emulsion was provided by the limited company of En-hua Medical Bloc in Jiangsu Province (code of H20020511) and the other agents and materials were provided by Laboratory Center of Weifang Medical College. METHODS: The 24 Wistar rats were randomized into 3 groups: sham-operation group, model group and etomidate preconditioning group, with 8 rats in each. Rat models of transient cerebral ischemia injury were made by the ligation of bilateral carotid arteries combined with descending blood pressure in the latter two groups. Before ischemia (ligation of bilateral common carotid artery), rats in the etomidate preconditioning group were intraperitoneally injected with 12 mg/kg etomidate fat emulsion and then persistently intraperitoneally injected with etomidate fat emulsion at 1.0 mg/kg per minute. Rats in the model group were not administrated. Rats in the sham-operation group were only performed bilateral common carotid artery isolation. When rats were modeled, their brain tissues were quickly taken out and detected. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Change of the fluorescence pixel value of the [Ca2+]i in each group by the laser scanning confocal microscope. RESULTS: Twenty-four rats were involved in the final analysis. Fluorescence pixel value in the sham-operation group was in the low level. Fluorescence pixel value in the model group was significantly higher than that in the sham-operation group (P < 0.01). Fluorescence pixel value in the etomidate preconditioning group was significantly lower than that in the model group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The protection of etomidate fat emulsion to the transient cerebral ischemic injury in rats is associated with the inhibition to the increase of [Ca2+]i to some extent.     

Comparison of induction characteristics of four intravenous anaesthetic agents

The induction characteristics of thiopentone, etomidate and methohexitone have been compared to those of propofol (2,6 di-isopropyl phenol) in unpremedicated patients. Propofol 2.5 mg/kg caused significantly more hypotension, excitatory side effects and pain on injection at the dorsum of hand than thiopentone 5 mg/kg. However, with regard to the latter two sequelae, etomidate 0.3 mg/kg and methohexitone 1.5 mg/kg caused similar or more frequent upset. Propofol 2.0 mg/kg was equipotent with thiopentone 4.0 mg/kg in terms of successful induction of anaesthesia. Hypotension may contraindicate the use of propofol in the hypovolaemic or unfit patient.     

异丙酚、咪唑安定、依托咪酯及同芬太尼复合后对大鼠心肌细胞钙离子移动的影响

的　观察麻醉诱导峰浓度的异丙酚、咪唑安定、依托咪酯及同芬太尼复合后,对心肌细胞钙离子移动的影响,研究其对心肌收缩力的作用。方法　用Fluo-3AM钙荧光指示剂染色急性分离的大鼠心肌细胞,在激光共聚焦显微镜下动态观察用药前和使用异丙酚(50μmol/L)、咪唑安定(3μmol/L)、依托咪酯(3μmol/L)及复合芬太尼(20ng/ml)后,KCl诱发的细胞内钙离子荧光强度的变化。结果　异丙酚明显抑制钙离子跨膜内流,细胞内钙荧光强度峰值较对照组下降15.3%(P<0.05),而咪唑安定、依托咪酯虽减慢钙的内流,但最终细胞内钙荧光强度与对照组无统计学差异(P>0.05)。复合芬太尼后,各组细胞内钙荧光强度升高的速度和峰值较单独使用该静脉麻醉药无统计学差异(P>0.05)。结论　复合使用芬太尼不会加重异丙酚、咪唑安定、依托咪酯对心肌细胞钙内流的抑制作用     

Effects of etomidate on free intracellular amino acid concentrations in polymorphonuclear leucocytes in vitro

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown the inhibitory effects of etomidate on polymorphonuclear leucocyte (PMN) function. No reports exist, however, regarding free intracellular amino acid metabolism, although physiological cell metabolism and basic cell functions rely upon a balanced intracellular amino acid content and the cell membrane-mediated separation of cellular amino acids from the extracellular plasma amino acid pool. Thus, in the current study, we evaluated the effects of etomidate on free intracellular amino acid metabolism in PMN. METHODS: With ethics committee approval, blood was withdrawn from 35 healthy volunteers and incubated (1 h) either with 0 microg/ml, 0.0156 microg/ml, 0.0625 microg/ml or 0.5 microg/ml of etomidate as well as with its additives (propylene glycol and Lipofundin MCT 10%). The PMN were separated using standardized Percoll-gradient and centrifugation procedure before deep-freezing and lyophilization techniques were employed. All PMN samples were dissolved in methanol/H2O, and the concentrations of free intracellular amino acids were monitored using both novel advanced PMN-separation and high-performance liquid chromatography techniques. RESULTS: Etomidate influenced important free amino acid profiles in PMN in a dose-dependent manner, indicating complex changes of cellular amino acid turnover. Neither propylene glycol nor Lipofundin MCT 10% changed free amino acid concentrations in PMN. CONCLUSIONS: For the first time, the effects of etomidate on free intracellular amino acid metabolism in PMN have been investigated. Our results draw attention to the biochemical pathways which may be involved in etomidate-induced alterations in PMN function and cellular immunocompetence.     

依托咪酯、芬太尼静脉复合麻醉在消化内镜诊疗中的应用

目的研究依托咪酯、芬太尼静脉复合麻醉用于电子肠镜检查的可行性。方法选择无电子肠镜检查禁忌症的需接受肠镜检查的患者116例,其中自愿接受麻醉的58例为组,静脉推注芬太尼,用量2ug/kg,依托咪酯用量0.15mg～0.3mg/kg/次;另58例为组,接受常规肠镜检查。两组病人术中常规监测血氧饱和度、血压及心电图,并记录患者入室至检查结束不同时点的SpO2及HR值,观察苏醒时间和不良反应并进行比较。结果组58例患者顺利完成肠镜检查,患者术中几无不适感,不良反应的发生率较对照组明显降低(P<0.01),组患者反应明显,有两例未完成手术。结论依托咪酯、苏太尼静脉复合麻醉用于电子肠镜检查是一种安全有效方法。     

The effects of etomidate in the cat middle cerebral artery occlusion model of brain ischaemia: An experimental study

The effects of etomidate on focal cerebral ischaemia following transorbital occlusion of the cat middle cerebral artery were investigated. Etomidate had no effect on CBF before or after onset of ischaemia by comparison with controls, but caused a greater fall in CBF in cats with high preocclusion or initial ischaemic CBF than in those in which CBF was lower. There were more sustained rises in Kp on SG. The established flow threshold for water accumulation was lost; more gyri with CBF above and fewer gyri with CBF below the flow threshold accumulated water. The relationship between mean occlusion CBF and in vitro GABA uptake was lost; uptakes from MC were lower and from SG and EG higher than expected. In the ischaemic penumbra there was a trend towards reduction in CBF, disruption of ion homeostasis and cerebral oedema formation, whilst in areas of lower flow there was some recovery of GABA uptake and less cerebral oedema following administration of etomidate.     

依托咪酯语言及记忆评估的Wada试验在癫痫外科运动、语言和记忆评估中的初步应用

目的 依托咪酯语言及记忆评估的Wada试验(etomidate speech and memory-Wada testing, eSAM-Wada)在我国还未见相关报道,而血管超选下eSAM-Wada试验国内外还未见报道。探讨eSAM-Wada试验的安全性及其对运动、语言和记忆功能评估的效果。 方法 本文通过回顾性分析我中心5例行eSAM-Wada试验的难治性癫痫患者,观察操作过程中患者运动、语言及记忆功能的改变和术中的不良反应。结果：5例患者均可完成整个评估流程,智商偏低的患者仍可配合完成。2例患者完成血管超选下的eSAM-Wada试验。3例左利手患者中,2例(66.7%)语言优势侧仍位于左侧半球,2例(100%)右利手患者语言优势侧均位于左侧半球。4例左侧半球病变的患者,2例(50%)记忆的优势侧仍位于左侧颞叶,1例(25%)记忆为双侧优势,1例(25%)记忆优势侧转移至右侧颞叶。2例患者进行了后续切除性手术,1例患者进行了立体定向脑电图电极引导下热凝毁损术,1例患者出现左下肢一过性无力,运动、语言及记忆功能改变均与eSAM-Wada试验预测结果相符。2例患者(40%)出现癫痫发作可能与操作流程中依托咪酯静脉推注给药速度过快有关,后给药速度改为>30秒后,患者再无癫痫发作。不良反应需要进一步观察。结论：eSAM-Wada试验是全面评估运动、语言及记忆评估较为可靠且相对安全的方法。与血管超选技术结合,可以更加有效的指导涉及功能区的颅脑外科手术治疗。由于病例数量有限,结论尚需进一步观察。     

Priming with atracurium efficiently suppresses etomidate-induced myoclonus

IntroductionEtomidate is a hypnotic drug widely used as an intravenous anesthetic induction agent. The incidence of etomidate-induced myoclonus has been reported as much as 50–80% after induction making it an undesirable drug for induction.ObjectiveOur aim is to use a priming dose of atracurium to suppress etomidate-induced myoclonus during induction of anesthesia.MethodsIn a double-blinded clinical trial 80 patients were randomly given either atracurium (20% of ED95 × kg) or saline as a priming agent. Then, induction of anesthesia was performed using 0.4 mg/kg etomidate. Age, weight, body mass index, bispectral index (BIS) monitor, and duration and grade of myoclonus were recorded.ResultsThe demographic characteristics, age, body mass index, BIS score, and weight were not significantly different between the atracurium (ATRA) priming group and control groups. The binomial regression model showed that BMI was an independent predictor variable for myoclonus (OR: 2.1, CI 95%: 1.7–7.5, p = 0.032). In this model, adjusted odds ratios (OR) of myoclonus (multivariate logistic regression analysis) in the control group was 6.6 (95% CI: 1.5–9.7, p = 0.013).ConclusionLow-dose atracurium priming could effectively suppress etomidate-induced myoclonus.