title: Comparative pharmacokinetics of propofol in Chinese adults and children.
abstract: The pharmacokinetics of propofol were studied in 14 healthy young male Chinese adults, aged 18-38 years, undergoing minor orthopedic surgery. All patients who received a single bolus dose of propofol 2.5 mg/kg were paralyzed with atracurium and mechanically ventilated. Anesthesia was maintained with 67% nitrous oxide plus 1-2% isoflurane in oxygen with alfentanil 5 micrograms/kg intravenously as a bolus injection. Blood concentrations of propofol over the subsequent 24 hours were measured using high pressure liquid chromatography with fluorimetric detection. Data were consistently described by a three compartment model but analysis revealed two significantly different blood propofol concentration-time profiles (p less than 0.05). Five patients, designated "fast" metabolizers, demonstrated a mean elimination half-life which was shorter than that described in Chinese children, while their total body clearance was similar. Nine other patients, designated "slow" metabolizers, had a longer mean elimination half-life and slower total body clearance than those in elderly Caucasian patients. This may be suggestive of propofol metabolism at some extra-hepatic site in some patients, while other patients demonstrate marked lipophilicitic constraint of the drug by the deep compartment.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Anaesthesiology, University of Hong Kong.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Andrew
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D044466:Asian People; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015742:Propofol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D015742:Propofol