title: Effects of eltanolone on cerebral blood flow and metabolism in healthy volunteers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Eltanolone is a new steroid anesthetic agent that may prove to be useful in clinical practice. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of eltanolone on cerebral blood flow (CBF) and metabolism in healthy volunteers.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a randomized cross-over study, eight subjects received intravenous eltanolone 0.6 mg/kg or its vehicle. CBF was measured with the intravenous xenon 133 technique before and 2 and 30 min after administration of eltanolone or vehicle. Cerebral metabolic rate for oxygen (CMRO2) was calculated as the product of the measured cerebral arteriovenous oxygen content difference and the blood flow.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CBF decreased from a baseline value of 64 +/- 4 (mean +/- SD) to 42 +/- 6 ml.100 g-1.min-1 at 2 min after administration of eltanolone and only 4% after vehicle. Cerebral oxygen consumption was 4.1 +/- 0.4 ml.100 g-1.min-1 at baseline and decreased to 2.7 +/- 0.6 at 2 min after eltanolone, whereas metabolism did not change significantly after administration of vehicle. At 30 min CBF and Cerebral metabolic rate for oxygen were 16 and 10% less than baseline values, respectively. Coupling between CBF and Cerebral metabolic rate for oxygen was preserved at all measurements. After administration of eltanolone a significant decrease in mean arterial blood pressure of 6 mmHg and a period of hypoventilation were observed. This did not occur after injection of vehicle.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Eltanolone was shown to reduce cerebral oxygen consumption and blood flow in healthy volunteers. Coupling between metabolism and flow was preserved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Bispebjerg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carl
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Høgskilde
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Sørensen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D010313:Partial Pressure; D014677:Pharmaceutical Vehicles; D011280:Pregnanolone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D014677:Pharmaceutical Vehicles; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D011280:Pregnanolone; D010100:Oxygen