[Effect of intravenous lidocaine infusion on arterial baroreflex]

The purpose of the first study was to identify the relationship between reflex sympathetic nerve activity and plasma concentration of lidocaine. Lidocaine was infused in 4 different doses: 2 mg.kg-1 bolus + 100 micrograms.kg-1 x min-1, 3 mg.kg-1 bolus + 200 micrograms.kg-1 x min-1, 6 mg.kg-1 bolus + 400 micrograms.kg-1 x min-1 and 12 mg.kg-1 bolus + 800 micrograms.kg-1 x min-1. Baroreflex depressor and pressor tests using sodium nitroprusside (5-10 micrograms.kg-1) and phenylephrine (2-4 micrograms.kg-1) were performed before and at 10 min after the start of lidocaine infusion. Plasma lidocaine concentrations determined by HPLC revealed that its steady-state levels were maintained during the baroreflex tests. Baroreflex sensitivity was preserved at clinical concentrations of lidocaine (< 5 micrograms.ml-1). However, baroreflex was significantly attenuated when plasma lidocaine concentrations were above seizure levels (> 10 micrograms.ml-1). This result indicates that hemodynamic derangement observed in the lidocaine-induced CNS toxicity is, at least in part, due to the attenuated arterial baroreflex. In the second study, the author evaluated the effect of respiratory acidosis and alkalosis on the baroreflex with or without lidocaine infusion (2 mg.kg-1 + 100 micrograms.kg-1 x min-1). Respiratory acidosis (PaCO2: 65.6 +/- 3.4) enhanced the baroreflex significantly, but lidocaine infusion abolished this acidosis-induced enhancement. The author concludes that hypercarbia should be avoided in patients receiving intravenous lidocaine infusion.