Remifentanil concentration during target-controlled infusion of propofol

Abstract

After institutional approval and with written informed consent, eight surgical patients were infused intravenously with remifentanil at 250 ng.kg lean body mass (LBM)-1.min-1 for 30 min. Cardiovascular and respiratory parameters were recorded and arterial blood samples were taken at regular intervals. In each patient, the same protocol was repeated 40 min later during propofol infused to a target concentration of 3.0 μg.ml-1. Blood concentrations of remifentanil and propofol were assayed using capillary gas chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography techniques respectively. The number of subjects enrolled was determined by testing the successive areas under the remifentanil ti..