title: Correlation between CSF concentration and side effects after spinal morphine injection in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Spinal morphine promotes good pain relief, but is not free from side effects. This study aimed at verifying the correlation between CSF morphine concentration and side effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study involved 4 groups of 7 rats, which were studied 24 hours after spinal catheter insertion via cisterna magna. Groups G1, G2, G3 and G4 received respectively 0.1; 0.3; 0.5 and 1 microg morphine in 10 microl of 0.9% saline solution. CSF samples were collected and side effects were recorded at M15, M30, M60, M120 and M180 minutes after injection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Side effects observed were: mandible tremors, agitation, pruritus, absence of diuresis, sedation, and respiratory changes. The incidence of side effects was higher during early evaluations and progressively decreased with time. Mean CSF morphine concentrations in G1 varied from 72.84 to 1.13 pg; in G2 from 114.26 to 5.68 pg; in G3 from 151.18 to 13.62 pg and in G4, from 561.37 to 18.61 pg.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There has been no correlation between CSF morphine concentration and side effects.
authors.affiliation: Dor e Terapia Intensiva da Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP.
authors.forename: Neuzimar de Souza Freire
authors.initials: Nde S
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Rioko Kimiko
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Sakata
authors.forename: Adriana Machado
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Issy