COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF SEVOFLURANE AND HALOTHANE ON THE QUALITYOF ANESTHESIA AND SERUM GLUTATHIONE TRANSFERASE-ALPHA AND FLUORIDE INPEDIATRIC-PATIENTS
T. Taivainen et al., COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF SEVOFLURANE AND HALOTHANE ON THE QUALITYOF ANESTHESIA AND SERUM GLUTATHIONE TRANSFERASE-ALPHA AND FLUORIDE INPEDIATRIC-PATIENTS, British Journal of Anaesthesia, 73(5), 1994, pp. 590-595
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.