title: The effect of alfentanil on cerebrospinal fluid pressure in human volunteers.
abstract: Although the administration of alfentanil is routine in neurosurgical anaesthesia, the effects of the drug on cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSFP) or intracranial pressure (ICP) have been a subject of controversy in the past. Therefore the effects of alfentanil (3 micrograms kg-1) on mean lumbar cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSFP), heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), central venous pressure (CVP) and end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) in human volunteers without cerebral disease is reported here. The CSFP increased from 9 mmHg (P < 0.05) after intravenous (i.v.) injection of alfentanil, to 12 mmHg whereas MAP, CVP, HR and ETCO2 remained stable throughout the investigative period. The results from this study suggest that alfentanil, even when administered in low doses, leads to a relatively small but statistically significant increase in CSFP in humans with uncompromised intracranial compliance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, University Hospital, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pühringer
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hörmann
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Langmayr
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schalow
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benzer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015760:Alfentanil / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D015170:Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D015760:Alfentanil