Blood propofol concentration and psychomotor effects on driving skills

• Published in: British journal of anaesthesia : BJA Vol. 85; no. 3; pp. 396 - 400
• Main Authors: Grant, S.A., Murdoch, J., Millar, K., Kenny, G.N.C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2000; Oxford University Press; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Adult; anaesthetics i.v; anaesthetics i.v., propofol; Anesthesia Recovery Period; Anesthetics, Intravenous - blood; Anesthetics, Intravenous - pharmacology; Anesthetics. Neuromuscular blocking agents; Automobile Driving; Biological and medical sciences; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Memory - drug effects; Neuropharmacology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; propofol; Propofol - blood; Propofol - pharmacology; Prospective Studies; Psychomotor Performance - drug effects; Reaction Time - drug effects; Recognition (Psychology) - drug effects; recovery; anaesthetics i.v., propofol; recovery; recovery; anaesthetics i.v., propofol; Human; General anesthetic; Healthy subject; Activity concentration relation; Memory; Cognition; Propofol; Psychomotricity
• ISSN: 0007-0912; 1471-6771
• DOI: 10.1093/bja/85.3.396

We studied psychomotor performance in 10 healthy volunteers during recovery after a target-controlled infusion of propofol. Choice reaction time, dual task tracking with secondary reaction time and a within-list recognition task were assessed at target blood propofol concentrations of 0.8, 0.4 and 0.2 μg ml−1. Performance was impaired most at the highest blood propofol concentration (choice reaction time increased by a mean of 247 ms and secondary reaction time by a mean of 178 ms). Choice reaction time and dual task tracking with secondary reaction time were the most sensitive and reliable methods of assessment (significant difference from baseline (P<0.05) at a propofol concentration of 0.2 μg ml−1 with choice and secondary reaction time testing). Within-list recognition assessment of memory was not sufficiently sensitive at very low propofol concentrations. The impairment in choice and secondary reaction time with a blood propofol concentration of 0.2 μg ml−1 was less than that observed with a blood alcohol concentration of 50 mg 100 ml−1 and no greater than that observed with a blood alcohol concentration of 20 mg 100 ml−1 in a previous study involving healthy volunteers.