COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF SEVOFLURANE AND HALOTHANE ON THE QUALITYOF ANESTHESIA AND SERUM GLUTATHIONE TRANSFERASE-ALPHA AND FLUORIDE INPEDIATRIC-PATIENTS

We have compared sevoflurane and halothane anaesthesia in paediatric p atients with reference to induction and recovery. We also assessed hep atocellular integrity by measurement of serum glutathione transferase alpha (GSTA) concentration and sevoflurane metabolism by serum fluorid e concentration. Fifty unpremedicated 5-12-yr-old children were alloca ted randomly to induction of anaesthesia via a face mask with 66% nitr ous oxide in oxygen and sevoflurane (up to 7%) or halothane (up to 3.5 %). Anaesthesia was maintained for 1.8 h at 1-1.2 MAC of the volatile agent. Children receiving sevoflurane had significantly faster inducti on and recovery variables than those receiving halothane. There was a small postanaesthetic increase in GSTA in both groups, suggesting that halothane and sevoflurane may disturb hepatocellular integrity. Serum concentrations of fluoride were significantly greater after sevoflura ne than after halothane anaesthesia. There were no clinical signs or s ymptoms of hepatic or renal disturbance. Children tolerated sevofluran e better than halothane, which may have been because of the nonpungenc y of sevoflurane and the rapid psychomotor recovery after anaesthesia.