title: The effects of sevoflurane and desflurane anesthesia on QTc interval and cardiac rhythm in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inhalational anesthetics may prolong QTc interval (QT interval corrected for heart rate) of the ECG and cause life-threatening arrythmias. The effects of desflurane on QTc interval and cardiac rhythm have not been reported previously in children. We assessed the effects of desflurane anesthesia on QTc interval and cardiac rhythm and compared them with sevoflurane anesthesia in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed on 20 children admitted for inguinal hernia repair, with normal QTc intervals. Anesthesia was induced with propofol and intubation was achieved with vecuronium. Anesthesia was maintained with 2% sevoflurane (group I, n = 11) or 6% desflurane (group II, n = 9) and 66% nitrous oxide in oxygen. Electrocardiogram recordings were obtained by Holter recorder. QTc intervals were measured at baseline, 5, 10, 15, and 30 min after inhalation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the patients had significant arrythmia with desflurane anesthesia. One patient in the sevoflurane group had single, bigemini and multiform ventricular extrasystoles. There was no statistically significant difference in the baseline QTc values of the groups. Desflurane significantly prolonged QTc interval 5 min after induction until 30 min of anesthesia compared with baseline values (P = 0.029), while no significant prolongation was observed with sevoflurane (P = 0.141).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of 2% sevoflurane during maintenance of anesthesia does not significantly prolong QTc interval while 6% desflurane significantly prolonged QTc interval in children with normal QTc interval undergoing inguinal herniorrhaphy.
authors.affiliation: Section of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ebru
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aypar
authors.forename: Ayse Heves
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Karagoz
authors.forename: Sema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozer
authors.forename: Alpay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Celiker
authors.forename: Turgay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ocal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000758:Anesthesia / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000139:chemically induced*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000077335:Desflurane; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000379:methods; D007530:Isoflurane / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008738:Methyl Ethers / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative / Q000379:methods; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009609:Nitrous Oxide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077149:Sevoflurane; D013997:Time Factors; D014673:Vecuronium Bromide / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D008738:Methyl Ethers; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; D000077149:Sevoflurane; D014673:Vecuronium Bromide; D000077335:Desflurane; D007530:Isoflurane; D009609:Nitrous Oxide