Effective concentration (EC50) of sevoflurane for intraocular pressure measurement in anaesthetised children with

Elayavel Ravichandran1, Nitika Goel1, Babita Ghai1

  • 1Department of Anaesthesia, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India.

PubMed

Insights

Determining optimal sevoflurane concentrations for pediatric intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement is crucial. This study found that younger infants (1-12 months) require higher sevoflurane levels (1.98%) than older children (12-36 months, 0.55%) to prevent movement during IOP assessment.

Area of Science:

  • Anesthesiology
  • Pediatric Ophthalmology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Sevoflurane is a common anesthetic for pediatric procedures.
  • It reduces intraocular pressure (IOP) in a dose-dependent manner.
  • Optimal sevoflurane concentration for safe IOP measurement in children is not established.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the optimal end-tidal sevoflurane concentration for accurate IOP measurement in pediatric patients.
  • To identify concentrations that prevent patient movement during IOP assessment under anesthesia.

Main Methods:

  • Two pediatric glaucoma patient groups (1-12 months and 12-36 months) were studied.
  • Inhalational induction with sevoflurane was used.
  • The Dixon and Massey method was employed to determine effective sevoflurane concentrations for 'no movement' during IOP measurement.

Main Results:

  • The 50% effective concentration (EC50) for no movement during IOP measurement was 1.98% for the 1-12 months group and 0.55% for the 12-36 months group.
  • The 95% effective concentration (EC95) values were 2.47% for the 1-12 months group and 0.94% for the 12-36 months group.
  • Statistical significance was observed in both age groups (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

  • A higher end-tidal sevoflurane concentration (approximately 2%) is required for IOP measurement in infants aged 1-12 months compared to those aged 12-36 months (approximately 0.5%).
  • These concentrations achieve successful IOP measurement without movement in 50% of the respective pediatric populations.
  • Age-specific sevoflurane dosing is essential for reliable IOP assessment in pediatric patients.
Abstract