title: The reversal effect of low dose aminophylline on thiopental-induced sedation.
abstract: Fifty-two ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) class I-II female patients, from 22 to 66 years of age, undergoing D & C (dilatation and curettage) procedure, were randomly divided into 2 groups in a double-blind and placebo-controlled design to investigate whether aminophylline could reverse the sedative effect of thiopental. Patients of both groups were anesthetized with fentanyl (2 micrograms/kg, i.v.) and thiopental (4 mg/kg, i.v. and 1 mg/kg, i.v. repeated if necessary). Postoperatively, they were intravenously given aminophylline (2 mg/kg) or normal saline in an equal volume solution over 5 minutes. The results showed that patients in the aminophylline group were more sedated (p < 0.05) than in the saline group 5 minutes after reversal, but were less sedated (p < 0.05) at minute 20. No significant differences between groups were found at other times. The total time spent in the postanesthetic unit was shorter in the aminophylline group (92 +/- 27 min.) than in the normal saline group (109 +/- 30 min.) (p < 0.05). The serum theophylline levels in some cases in the aminophylline group ranged between 3.2 and 4.9 micrograms/ml (4.3 +/- 0.7 micrograms/ml, n = 10). No apparent side effects, including tachyarrhythmias, were noted. We conclude that low dose aminophylline (2 mg/kg, i.v.) can partially reverse thiopental-induced sedation with safety in the early phase of recovery and it can reduce the total time spent in the postanesthetic unit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Tsou
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Y Y
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: T Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000628:Aminophylline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016292:Procedural Sedation / Q000379:methods*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018079:Receptors, GABA / Q000187:drug effects; D013874:Thiopental / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018079:Receptors, GABA; D000628:Aminophylline; D013874:Thiopental