title: Effects of catecholamines on microcirculation during general inhalation anesthesia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of clinical dosages of norepinephrine and dobutamine on sublingual microcirculation during general anesthesia with sevoflurane in minor surgical procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study was performed on patients scheduled for breast cancer surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary care university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients undergoing elective surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients received a continuous infusion of norepinephrine (0.1 μg/kg/min) and afterwards, following a 15-minute interval, a continuous infusion of dobutamine (5 μg/kg/min). Prior to and at the end of each drug infusion period, hemodynamic parameters were measured using an esophageal Doppler probe (ED), and 5 sidestream darkfield (SDF) sublingual microcirculation video recordings were taken.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant changes to total vessel density (TVD)(mm/mm(2)), perfused vessel density (PVD) (mm/mm(2)), proportion of perfused vessels (PPV) (percentage), or microvascular flow index (MFI) (arbitrary units) were measured at the end of each drug infusion period versus pre-infusion data and no differences were observed between the effects of norepinephrine versus dobutamine. Mean arterial pressure (APm) (mmHg) was significantly greater following both norepinephrine and dobutamine infusions compared to pre-infusion values, while peak velocity (PV) (cm/sec) and the stroke volume index (SVI) (mL/m(2)) only showed a significant increase following the dobutamine infusion. No change in corrected flow time (FTc) (msec) was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  During general anesthesia with sevoflurane, the infusion of clinical dosages of norepinephrine and dobutamine did not alter sublingual perfusion, although the expected systemic hemodynamic alterations were induced.
authors: Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria S. Maria della Misericordia, Udine, Italy. Electronic address: paolo.chiarandini@uniud.it.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Chiarandini
authors: Livia
authors: L
authors: Pompei
authors: Maria Gabriella
authors: MG
authors: Costa
authors: Luigi
authors: L
authors: Vetrugno
authors: Fortunato
authors: F
authors: Ronga
authors: Roberta
authors: R
authors: Contin
authors: Fabio
authors: F
authors: Rosa
authors: Giorgio
authors: G
authors: Della Rocca
mesh_terms: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004280:Dobutamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012984:Software; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D002395:Catecholamines; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D004280:Dobutamine; D009638:Norepinephrine
keywords: dobutamine; microcirculation; norepinephrine; sevoflurane