The differential effects of norepinephrine and dopamine on cerebrospinal fluid pressure and spinal cord perfusion pressure after acute human spinal cord injury.
METHODS
Prospective vasopressor cross-over interventional studyObjectives:To examine how two vasopressors used in acute traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) affect intrathecal cerebrospinal fluid pressure and the corresponding spinal cord perfusion pressure (SCPP).


METHODS
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.


METHODS
Acute SCI patients over the age of 17 with cervical or thoracic ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS). A, B or C injuries were enrolled in this study. Two vasopressors, norepinephrine and dopamine, were evaluated in a 'crossover procedure' to directly compare their effect on the intrathecal pressure (ITP). The vasopressor cross-over procedures were performed in the intensive care unit where ITP, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate were being continuously measured. The SCPP was calculated as the difference between MAP and ITP.


RESULTS
A total of 11 patients were enrolled and included in our analysis. There were 6 patients with AIS A, 3 with AIS B and 2 with AIS C injuries at baseline. We performed 24 cross-over interventions in these 11 patients. There was no difference in MAP with the use of norepinephrine versus dopamine (84±1 mm Hg for both; P=0.33). Conversely, ITP was significantly lower with the use of norepinephrine than with dopamine (17±1 mm Hg vs 20±1 mm Hg, respectively, P<0.001). This decrease in ITP with norepinephrine resulted in an increased SCPP during the norepinephrine infusion when compared with dopamine (67±1 mm Hg vs 65±1 mm Hg respectively, P=0.0049).


CONCLUSIONS
Norepinephrine was able to maintain MAP with a lower ITP and a correspondingly higher SCPP as compared with dopamine in this study. These results suggest that norepinephrine may be preferable to dopamine if vasopressor support is required post SCI to maintain elevated MAPs in accordance with published guidelines.
Department of Orthopaedics, Vancouver Spine Surgery Institute, Blusson Spinal Cord Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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Altaf
Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Division of Critical Care, University of British Columbia Critical Care Medicine, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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DE
Griesdale
Vancouver Spine Research Program, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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L
Belanger
Vancouver Spine Research Program, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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L
Ritchie
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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J
Markez
Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery, Vancouver Spine Surgery Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1966-5323
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Ailon
Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery, Vancouver Spine Surgery Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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MC
Boyd
Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery, Vancouver Spine Surgery Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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S
Paquette
Department of Orthopaedics, Vancouver Spine Surgery Institute, Blusson Spinal Cord Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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CG
Fisher
Department of Orthopaedics, Vancouver Spine Surgery Institute, Blusson Spinal Cord Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.|International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Blusson Spinal Cord Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
J
J
Street
Department of Orthopaedics, Vancouver Spine Surgery Institute, Blusson Spinal Cord Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.|International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Blusson Spinal Cord Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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Dvorak
Department of Orthopaedics, Vancouver Spine Surgery Institute, Blusson Spinal Cord Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.|International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Blusson Spinal Cord Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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Kwon
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015170:Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004298:Dopamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult
D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine