Preoperative pulse wave velocity fails to predict hemodynamic responses toanesthesia and to surgical stimulation

Study Objective: To determine whether pulse wave velocity (PWV), which is a useful indicator of cardiovascular disease can predict the hemodynamic res ponses to anesthesia and surgical stimulation in surgical patients. Design: Prospective randomized study. Setting: Operating rooms at a university hospital. Patients: 30 ASA physica l status I and II female patients presenting for elective gynecologic surge ry. Intervention: Patients who received one of the following anesthesia techniq ues we-re studied; isoflurane sevoflurane and sevoflurane with nitrous oxid e (N2O). Measurements and Main Results: Patients underwent preoperative PWV measurem ents using an automatic PWV measurement device. Systolic blood pressure and heart rate levels were recorded at baseline, during anesthesia, and at ski n incision. PWV had no significant correlation with percent changes of syst olic blood pressure or heart rate even after controlling the choice of anes thetic drugs. Conclusions: Preoperative PWV fails to predict hemodynamic responses to ane sthesia and to surgical stimulation, (C) 1999 by Elsevier Science Inc.