Publication

Impact of propofol on mid-latency auditory-evoked potentials in children

Journal Paper/Review - Feb 10, 2013

Units
PubMed
Doi

Citation
Kuhnle G, Müller H, Oberhauser M, Daunderer M, Flake G, Edelmann-Gahr V, Wiepcke D, Salam A, Lenk M, Hornuss C, Feuerecker M. Impact of propofol on mid-latency auditory-evoked potentials in children. Br J Anaesth 2013; 110:1001-9.
Type
Journal Paper/Review (English)
Journal
Br J Anaesth 2013; 110
Publication Date
Feb 10, 2013
Issn Electronic
1471-6771
Pages
1001-9
Brief description/objective

BACKGROUND
Propofol is increasingly used in paediatric anaesthesia, but can be challenging to titrate accurately in this group. Mid-latency auditory-evoked potentials (MLAEPs) can be used to help titrate propofol. However, the effects of propofol on MLAEP in children are unclear. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between propofol and MLAEP in children undergoing anaesthesia.

METHODS
Fourteen healthy children aged 4-16 yr received anaesthesia for elective surgery. Before surgery, propofol was administered in three concentrations (3, 6, 9 µg ml(-1)) through a target-controlled infusion pump using Kataria and colleagues' model. MLAEPs were recorded 5 min after having reached each target propofol concentration at each respective concentration. Additionally, venous propofol blood concentrations were assayed at each measuring time point.

RESULTS
Propofol increased all four MLAEP peak latencies (peaks Na, Pa, Nb, P1) in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the differences in amplitudes were significantly smaller with increasing propofol target concentrations. The measured propofol plasma concentrations correlated positively with the latencies of the peaks Na, Pa, and Nb.

CONCLUSIONS
Propofol affects MLAEP latencies and amplitudes in children in a dose-dependent manner. MLAEP measurement might therefore be a useful tool for monitoring depth of propofol anaesthesia in children.