Comparing the effect of arginine vasopressin on ear and finger photoplethysmography.
OBJECTIVE
To test whether the relative insensitivity of craniofacial vessels to catecholamines differs in response to arginine vasopressin.


METHODS
Prospective, observational human study.


METHODS
University hospital.


METHODS
8 ASA physical status I and II women scheduled for elective myomectomy.


METHODS
Patients underwent elective myomectomy surgery with intrauterine injection of arginine vasopressin.


METHODS
Finger, ear, and forehead photoplethysmographs were monitored. Changes in the plethysmographic amplitudes were recorded before and after arginine vasopressin injection.


RESULTS
In all subjects, ear photoplethysmographic amplitude (but not oxygen saturation) decreased precipitously (62% +/- 10%; P < 0.001) after arginine vasopressin injection. In contrast, there was no significant decline in the finger signal (4.5% +/- 27%; P = 0.19). The forehead plethysmograph decreased in amplitude, but this finding did not achieve significance (33% +/- 18%; P = 0.18).


CONCLUSIONS
In contrast to prior observations during adrenergic activation, arginine vasopressin induced relatively greater vasoconstriction at the ear and forehead than at the finger. This finding has potential implications with respect to arginine vasopressin's effect on blood flow and indicates that monitoring the ear plethysmographic signal may provide useful information during arginine vasopressin administration.
Jablonka
Denis H
DH
Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
Awad
Aymen A
AA
Stout
Robert G
RG
Silverman
David G
DG
Shelley
Kirk H
KH
D002395:Catecholamines / Q000502:physiology; D004423:Ear / Q000098:blood supply*; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000098:blood supply*; D005546:Forehead / Q000098:blood supply; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000601:surgery*; D017156:Photoplethysmography / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000502:physiology; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000494:pharmacology*
D002395:Catecholamines; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D014667:Vasopressins