title: The effects of remifentanil on cerebral capacity in awake volunteers.
abstract: Remifentanil, a short-acting potent mu-opioid agonist proposed for intraoperative analgesia but also for postoperative pain therapy, has not been investigated with regard to the effects of the drug on cerebral capacity in awake humans. We assessed cerebral capacity noninvasively by means of phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging measurement of systolic cerebrospinal fluid peak velocity in the aqueduct of Sylvius before and during infusion of remifentanil (0.1 microg. kg(-1). min(-1) IV) in normocapnic humans. Remifentanil had no significant effect on systolic cerebrospinal fluid peak velocity as compared with baseline (mean +/- SD): baseline, -4.3 +/- 1.3 cm/s versus remifentanil (0.1 microg. kg(-1). min(-1)): -4.7 +/- 1.0 cm/s. Small-dose remifentanil (0.1 microg. kg(-1). min(-1)) did not influence cerebral capacity in healthy, awake volunteers free of intracranial pathology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Knowledge about the influence of remifentanil on cerebral capacity is crucial before routine use of the drug in neuroanesthesia. Thus, we assessed the influence of remifentanil on cerebral capacity noninvasively by means of phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging measurement of systolic cerebrospinal fluid peak velocity in the aqueduct of Sylvius in humans.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine and Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Lorenz
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kolbitsch
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hörmann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schocke
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zschiegner
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Felber
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benzer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001810:Blood Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000187:drug effects; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007427:Intracranial Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077208:Remifentanil
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D010880:Piperidines; D000077208:Remifentanil