Age has no effect on the pharmacodynamics of alfentanil

Effects of age on the pharmacodynamics of alfentanil, as a supplement to nitrous oxide anesthesia, were studied in younger (31-52 years; n = 14) and older (56-86 years; n = 14) women undergoing curative surgery for primary breast cancer. Plasma alfentanil concentration-effect curves for perioperative stimuli and for the probability of needing naloxone at the end of the operation were fitted by logistic regression. Effects of age on the plasma concentration-effect relation of alfentanil could not be demonstrated. However, the dose requirement in the older patient group was significantly lower than in the younger patient group.