Upper Airway Collapsibility during Dexmedetomidine and Propofol Sedation in Healthy Volunteers: A Nonblinded Randomized Crossover Study

• Published in: Anesthesiology (Philadelphia) Vol. 131; no. 5; pp. 962 - 973
• Main Authors: Lodenius, Åse, Maddison, Kathleen J, Lawther, Brad K, Scheinin, Mika, Eriksson, Lars I, Eastwood, Peter R, Hillman, David R, Fagerlund, Malin Jonsson, Walsh, Jennifer H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Copyright by , the American Society of Anesthesiologists, Inc. Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc 01.11.2019
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Airway Obstruction - chemically induced; Airway Obstruction - diagnosis; Airway Obstruction - physiopathology; Cross-Over Studies; Dexmedetomidine - administration & dosage; Dexmedetomidine - adverse effects; Female; Healthy Volunteers; Humans; Hypnotics and Sedatives - administration & dosage; Hypnotics and Sedatives - adverse effects; Male; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Middle Aged; Pharynx - drug effects; Pharynx - physiology; Propofol - administration & dosage; Propofol - adverse effects; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0003-3022; 1528-1175; 1528-1175
• DOI: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000002883

BACKGROUND:Dexmedetomidine is a sedative promoted as having minimal impact on ventilatory drive or upper airway muscle activity. However, a trial recently demonstrated impaired ventilatory drive and induction of apneas in sedated volunteers. The present study measured upper airway collapsibility during dexmedetomidine sedation and related it to propofol. METHODS:Twelve volunteers (seven female) entered this nonblinded, randomized crossover study. Upper airway collapsibility (pharyngeal critical pressure) was measured during low and moderate infusion rates of propofol or dexmedetomidine. A bolus dose was followed by low (0.5 μg · kg · h or 42 μg · kg · min) and moderate (1.5 μg · kg · h or 83 μg · kg · min) rates of infusion of dexmedetomidine and propofol, respectively. RESULTS:Complete data sets were obtained from nine volunteers (median age [range], 46 [23 to 66] yr; body mass index, 25.4 [20.3 to 32.4] kg/m). The Bispectral Index score at time of pharyngeal critical pressure measurements was 74 ± 10 and 65 ± 13 (mean difference, 9; 95% CI, 3 to 16; P = 0.011) during low infusion rates versus 57 ± 16 and 39 ± 12 (mean difference, 18; 95% CI, 8 to 28; P = 0.003) during moderate infusion rates of dexmedetomidine and propofol, respectively. A difference in pharyngeal critical pressure during sedation with dexmedetomidine or propofol could not be shown at either the low or moderate infusion rate. Median (interquartile range) pharyngeal critical pressure was −2.0 (less than −15 to 2.3) and 0.9 (less than −15 to 1.5) cm H2O (mean difference, 0.9; 95% CI, −4.7 to 3.1) during low infusion rates (P = 0. 595) versus 0.3 (−9.2 to 1.4) and −0.6 (−7.7 to 1.3) cm H2O (mean difference, 0.0; 95% CI, −2.1 to 2.1; P = 0.980) during moderate infusion of dexmedetomidine and propofol, respectively. A strong linear relationship between pharyngeal critical pressure during dexmedetomidine and propofol sedation was evident at low (r = 0.82; P = 0.007) and moderate (r = 0.90; P < 0.001) infusion rates. CONCLUSIONS:These observations suggest that dexmedetomidine sedation does not inherently protect against upper airway obstruction.