The effects of obstructive jaundice on the pharmacodynamics of propofol: does the sensitivity of intravenous anesthetics change among icteric patients?

Etomidate and its Analogs: A Review of Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics

Etomidate is a hypnotic agent that is used for the induction of anesthesia. It produces its effect by acting as a positive allosteric modulator on the γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptor and thus enhancing the effect of the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid. Etomidate stands out among other anesthetic agents by having a remarkably stable cardiorespiratory profile, producing no cardiovascular or respiratory depression. However, etomidate suppresses the adrenocortical axis by the inhibition of the enzyme 11β-hydroxylase. This makes the drug unsuitable for administration by a prolonged infusion. It also makes the drug unsuitable for administration to critically ill patients. Etomidate has relatively large volumes of distributions and is rapidly metabolized by hepatic esterases into an inactive carboxylic acid through hydrolyzation. Because of the decrease in popularity of etomidate, few modern extensive pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic studies exist. Over the last decade, several analogs of etomidate have been developed, with the aim of retaining its stable cardiorespiratory profile, whilst eliminating its suppressive effect on the adrenocortical axis. One of these molecules, ABP-700, was studied in extensive phase I clinical trials. These found that ABP-700 is characterized by small volumes of distribution and rapid clearance. ABP-700 is metabolized similarly to etomidate, by hydrolyzation into an inactive carboxylic acid. Furthermore, ABP-700 showed a rapid onset and offset of clinical effect. One side effect observed with both etomidate and ABP-700 is the occurrence of involuntary muscle movements. The origin of these movements is unclear and warrants further research.

Combined Use of Etomidate and Dexmedetomidine Produces an Additive Effect in Inhibiting the Secretion of Human Adrenocortical Hormones

Background

The direct effects of etomidate were investigated on the secretion of cortisol and its precursors by dispersed cells from the adrenal cortex of human of animals. Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is an anesthetic agent that may interfere with cortisol secretion via an unknown mechanism, such as involving inhibition of 11β-hydroxylase and the cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme system. The aim of this study was to determine whether dexmedetomidine (DEX) has a similar inhibitory effect on adrenocortical function, and whether combined use of etomidate (ETO) and DEX could produce a synergistic action in inhibiting the secretion of human adrenocortical hormones.

Material/Methods

Human adrenocortical cells were exposed to different concentrations of ETO and DEX. The dose-effect model between the ETO concentration and the mean secretion of cortisone (CORT) and aldosterone (ALDO) per hour was estimated.

Results

Hill’s equation well-described the dose-effect correlation between the ETO concentration and the amount of ALDO and CORT secretion. When the DEX concentration was introduced into the model by using E₀ (basal secretion) as the covariate, the goodness of fit of the ETO-CORT dose-effect model was improved significantly and the objective function value was reduced by 4.55 points (P<0.05). The parameters of the final ETO-ALDO pharmacodynamics model were EC₅₀=9.74, E_max=1.20, E₀=1.33, and γ=18.5; the parameters of the final ETO-CORT pharmacodynamics model were EC₅₀=9.49, E_max=8.16, E₀=8.57, and γ=37.0. In the presence of DEX, E₀ was 8.57–0.0247×(CDEX–4.6), and the other parameters remained unchanged. All parameters but γ were natural logarithm conversion values.

Conclusions

Combined use of DEX and ETO reduced ETO’s inhibitory E₀ (basal secretion) of CORT from human adrenocortical cells in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting that combined use of ETO and DEX produced an additive effect in inhibiting the secretion of human adrenocortical hormones.

Effect of hepatic function on the EC50 of midazolam and the BIS50 at the time of loss of consciousness

OBJECTIVE

To explore the effect of hepatic function on loss of consciousness (LOC) and bispectral index (BIS) during sedation with midazolam (MDZ).

METHODS

Forty-five patients were assigned to three groups according to their liver function. Thirty of these patients with diagnoses of cholelithiasis were scheduled laparoscopic cholecystectomy, including 15 patients with normal liver function (normal group), and 15 patients with moderately abnormal liver function based on the results of ultrasonic diagnosis of a moderately fatty liver and elevated alanine transaminase levels of less than three times normal (moderate group). The other 15 patients with end-stage liver disease (severe group) underwent liver transplantation. Each patient was administered MDZ by way of target-controlled infusion to increase the concentration gradually. At the time of LOC, the BIS was recorded and a blood sample was withdrawn for measurement of the concentration of MDZ. The concentration of MDZ (EC50) and the BIS value (BIS50) at which 50% of patients lose consciousness were calculated using logistic regression.

RESULTS

At the time of LOC, the EC50 of MDZ and the BIS50 were similar in the normal and moderate groups (P>0.05). LOC occurred at a lower EC50 of MDZ and at a higher BIS50 in the severe group, compared with the normal and moderate groups (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with end-stage liver disease were more sensitive to MDZ and this affected the prediction of their time of LOC following MDZ administration. There were no changes in response in patients with moderately abnormal hepatic function.

Obstructive jaundice and perioperative management

The causes of obstructive jaundice are varied, but it is most commonly due to choledocholithiasis; benign strictures of the biliary tract; pancreaticobiliary malignancies; and metastatic disease. Surgery in patients with obstructive jaundice is generally considered to be associated with a higher incidence of complications and mortality. Therefore, it poses a considerable challenge to the anesthesiologist, surgeons, and the intensive care team. However, appropriate preoperative evaluation and optimization can greatly contribute to a favorable outcome for perioperative jaundiced patients. This article outlines the association between obstructive jaundice and perioperative management, and reviews the clinical and experimental studies that have contributed to our knowledge of the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms. Pathophysiology caused by obstructive jaundice involving coagulopathies, infection, renal dysfunction, and other adverse events should be fully assessed and reversed preoperatively. The depressed cardiovascular effects of obstructive jaundice are worth noticing because it has complicated mechanisms and needs to be further explored. Alterations of anesthesia-related drugs induced by obstructive jaundice are varied and clinicians should be aware of the possible need for a decrease in the anesthetic dose. Recommendations concerning the perioperative management of the patients with obstructive jaundice including preoperative biliary drainage, anti-infection, nutrition support, coagulation reversal, cardiovascular evaluation, perioperative fluid therapy, and hemodynamic optimization should be taken.

Influence of obstructive jaundice on pharmacodynamics of rocuronium

BACKGROUND

Anesthetics are variable in patients with obstructive jaundice. The minimum alveolar concentration awake of desflurane is reduced in patients with obstructive jaundice, while it has no effect on pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of propofol. In this study, we investigated the influence of obstructive jaundice on the pharmacodynamics and blood concentration of rocuronium.

METHODS

Included in this study were 26 control patients and 27 patients with obstructive jaundice. Neuromuscular block of rocuronium was monitored by acceleromyography. Onset time, spontaneous recovery of the height of twitch first (T1) to 25% of the final T1 value (Duration 25%, Dur 25%), recovery index (RI), and spontaneous recovery of train-of-four (TOF) ratios to 70% were measured. The plasma rocuronium concentrations were determined by high performance liquid chromatography using berberine as an internal standard.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in onset time between the two groups. The Dur 25%, the recovery index and the time of recovery of the TOF ratios to 70% were all prolonged in the obstructive jaundice group compared with the control group. The plasma concentration of rocuronium at 60, 90 and 120 min after bolus administration was significantly higher in the obstructive jaundice group.

CONCLUSIONS

The neuromuscular blockade by rocuronium is prolonged in obstructive jaundice patients, and therefore precautions should be taken in case of postoperative residual neuromuscular block. The possible reason is impedance of rocuronium excretion due to biliary obstruction and increased plasma unbound rocuronium because of free bilirubin competing with it for albumin binding.