EFFECT OF ACETAZOLAMIDE ON CEREBRAL BLOOD-FLOW AND TYMPANIC TEMPERATURE IN HEALTHY-SUBJECTS AND PATIENTS WITH SUBACUTE SUBARACHNOID HEMORRHAGE

The influence of the increased cerebral blood flow (CBF) induced by ac etazolamide on tympanic temperature (T-ty) was examined in three healt hy male volunteers and in five patients with subacute subarachnoid hae morrhage (SAH). The CBF was estimated by means of stable xenon-enhance d computed tomography before and after the administration of acetazola mide. The T-ty was recorded continuously in both ears using thermistor thermometers. In all subjects, CBF increased ranging from 11% to 108% after acetazolamide administration. In all the healthy subjects and i n two patients with mild SAH, T-ty was higher than the oesophageal tem perature (T-oes) and T-ty decreased bilaterally, ranging from 0.07 to 0.35 degrees C as CBF increased. Three patients with severe SAH were f ebrile, their T-oes exceeding T-ty, and their T-ty rose by 0.30 to 0.5 3 degrees C with increased CBF. These observations suggest that T-ty f ollows brain temperature which changes with an increase in CBF in euth ermic subjects as well as in febrile subjects.