title: Blood concentrations of dopexamine in patients during and after orthotopic liver transplantation.
abstract: Blood concentrations of dopexamine were measured in five female patients during and after orthotopic liver transplantation. Each patient received a continuous infusion of the drug (2 micrograms kg-1 min-1), starting at induction of anaesthesia and finishing 48 h afterwards. Blood concentrations of dopexamine increased rapidly at the start of the infusion, to a mean (range) value of 64 (40-150) ng ml-1 after 20 min. Blood concentrations of dopexamine increased further during the anhepatic period of surgery, to 236 (180-410) ng ml-1. On reperfusion of the donor liver, concentrations of dopexamine decreased rapidly, reaching similar values to the maximum seen during the dissection period. Steady-state was not reached during either the dissection or anhepatic periods. From 1-2 h after revascularisation the mean (range) steady-state concentration was 85 (69-102) ng ml-1 corresponding to a mean (range) clearance of 24 (20-29) ml min-1 kg -1. These results suggest that the liver plays a significant role in the clearance of dopexamine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004298:Dopamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008875:Middle Aged; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents; C046318:dopexamine; D004298:Dopamine