Skip Navigation


BJA Advance Access originally published online on October 3, 2008
British Journal of Anaesthesia 2008 101(6):827-831; doi:10.1093/bja/aen276
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
101/6/827    most recent
aen276v1
Right arrow E-Letters: Submit a response to the article
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (1)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Allegaert, K.
Right arrow Articles by Verbesselt, R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Allegaert, K.
Right arrow Articles by Verbesselt, R.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?


© The Board of Management and Trustees of the British Journal of Anaesthesia 2008. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Urinary propofol metabolites in early life after single intravenous bolus

K. Allegaert1,*, J. Vancraeynest2, M. Rayyan1, J. de Hoon2, V. Cossey1, G. Naulaers1 and R. Verbesselt2

1 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
2 Center for Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium

* Corresponding author. E-mail: karel.allegaert{at}uz.kuleuven.ac.be

Background: Propofol clearance is lower in neonates than in adults and displays extensive interindividual variability, in part explained by postmenstrual age (PMA) and postnatal age (PNA). Since propofol is almost exclusively cleared metabolically, urinary propofol metabolites were determined in early life and compared with similar observations reported in adults.

Methods: Twenty-four hours urine collections were sampled after a single i.v. bolus of propofol (3 mg kg–1) in neonates undergoing procedural sedation. Clinical characteristics (PMA, PNA, weight, and cardiopathy) were recorded. Urine metabolites [propofol glucuronide (PG), 1- and 4-quinol glucuronide (QG)] were quantified using high-pressure liquid chromatography. Urine recovery (% administered dose) and the contribution of PG and QG to urinary elimination were calculated. Data were reported by median and range, analysed by Mann–Whitney U or Spearman's rank.

Results: Eleven neonates (median PNA 11 days, PMA 38 weeks) were included. Median propofol metabolite recovery was 64% (range 34–98%). PG contributed 34% (range 8–67%) and QG 65% (range 33–92%). There was no significant correlation between either PMA, PNA, or cardiopathy and propofol metabolites. Compared with adults, the contribution of PG (34% vs 77%) was lower and the contribution of QG (65% vs 22%) was higher in neonates.

Conclusions: Propofol metabolism in neonates differs from adults, reflecting the age-dependent limited glucuronidation capacity. Hydroxylation to quinol metabolites already contributes to propofol metabolism. These differences likely explain the PMA- and PNA-dependent reduced propofol clearance in neonates.

Keywords: age factors; liver, metabolism; metabolism, urinary conjugates; pharmacokinetics, propofol; potency, anaesthetic, age factors


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.