Perioperative diabetes regulation with the help of a standard protocol.

According to a standard protocol 115 patients (96 type 2 DM, 19 type 1 DM) were treated with a 3 litre glucose 5%/day infusion, KCl and insulin, with the aim of obtaining near-normoglycaemia perioperatively. Blood glucoses of 6.7-10.0 mmol/l were scored as ideal, 3.5-15.0 mmol/l as acceptable, and the remaining values as unacceptable. In 32 patients (28%) the protocol was followed in all aspects, whereas in 45 patients (39%) the protocol was followed in therapeutic aspects (total n = 77.67%, Group 1). In the remaining 38 patients (33%) protocol violations occurred (Group 2). In 48 patients (62%) of Group 1 ideal or acceptable control was obtained perioperatively versus 11 patients (29%) of Group 2 (p < 0.05). In patients with good preoperative long-term regulation (HbA1 < or = 8.0%; n = 81) ideal or acceptable perioperative control was achieved in 58% (n = 47) versus 13% (n = 4) of those (n = 31) with preoperative HbA1 > 8.0% (p < 0.05). Stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative long-term regulation (HbA1; p < 0.001) and adherence to the protocol (p = 0.022) were the only independent variables with prognostic significance for perioperative blood glucose control. In 17 patients (15%) minor electrolyte disturbances occurred. No patient had frank ketosis. Duration of disease, presence of complications, type of anaesthesia and operation did not affect perioperative diabetes control.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Pharmacokinetics of lidocaine and bupivacaine following subarachnoid administration in surgical patients: simultaneous investigation of absorption and disposition kinetics using stable isotopes.

The pharmacokinetics of lidocaine and bupivacaine following subarachnoid administration were studied in 12 surgical patients using a stable isotope method. After subarachnoid administration of the agent to be evaluated, a deuterium-labelled analogue was administered intravenously. Blood samples were collected for 24 h. Plasma concentrations of the unlabelled and the deuterium-labelled local anesthetics were determined using a combination of capillary gas chromatography and mass fragmentography. Bi-exponential functions were fitted to the plasma concentration-time data of the deuterium-labelled local anesthetics. The progression of the absorption was evaluated using deconvolution. Mono- and bi-exponential functions were then fitted to the fraction absorbed versus time data. The distribution and elimination half-lives of the deuterium-labelled analogues were 25 +/- 13 min (mean +/- SD) and 121 +/- 31 min for lidocaine and 19 +/- 10 min and 131 +/- 33 min for bupivacaine. The volumes of the central compartment and steady-state volumes of distribution were: lidocaine 57 +/- 10 l and 105 +/- 25 l, bupivacaine 25 +/- 6 l and 63 +/- 22 l. Total plasma clearance values averaged 0.97 +/- 0.21 l/min for lidocaine and 0.56 +/- 0.14 l/min for bupivacaine. The absorption of lidocaine could be described by a single first order absorption process, characterized by a half-life of 71 +/- 17 min in five out of six patients. The absorption of bupivacaine could be described adequately assuming two parallel first order absorption processes in all six patients. The half-lives, characterizing the fast and slow absorption processes of bupivacaine, were 50 +/- 27 min and 408 +/- 275 min, respectively. The fractions of the dose, absorbed in the fast and slow processes, were 0.35 +/- 0.17 and 0.61 +/- 0.16, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Epidural anesthesia with lidocaine and bupivacaine: effects of epinephrine on the plasma concentration profiles.

The effects of epinephrine on the plasma concentrations and derived pharmacokinetic parameters were studied after epidural administration of lidocaine and bupivacaine. Addition of epinephrine to the local anesthetic solutions reduced the mean peak plasma concentrations of lidocaine and bupivacaine from 2.2 to 1.7 micrograms/ml (23%) and from 0.73 to 0.53 microgram/ml (28%), respectively, but did not alter the times at which the peak concentrations were reached. Epinephrine also did not alter the terminal half-lives or the total plasma clearances. The results suggest that addition of epinephrine to minimize plasma concentrations is as relevant with bupivacaine as it is with lidocaine.