Plasma inorganic fluoride concentrations after sevoflurane anesthesia in children

Background: Sevoflurane is degraded in vivo in adults yielding plasma concentrations of inorganic fluoride [F-] that, in some patients, approach or exceed the 50-mu M theoretical threshold for nephrotoxicity, To determine whether the plasma concentration of inorganic fluoride [F-] after 1-5 MAC . h sevoflurane approaches a similar concentration in children, the following study in 120 children scheduled for elective surgery was undertaken, Methods: Children were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups before induction of anesthesia: group 1 received sevoflurane in air/oxygen 30% (n = 40), group 2 received sevoflurane in 70% N2O/30% O-2 (n = 40), and group 3 received halothane in 70% N2O/30% O-2 (n = 40), Mapleson D or F circuits with fresh gas flows between 3 and 6 1/min were used. Whole blood was collected at induction and termination of anesthesia and at 1, 4, 6, 12, and 18 or 24 h postoperatively for determination of the [F-]. Plasma urea and creatinine concentrations were determined at induction of anesthesia and 18 or 24 h postoperatively. Results: The mean (+/- SD) duration of sevoflurane anesthesia, 2.7 +/- 1.6 MAC . h (range 1.1-8.9 MAC . h), was similar to that of halothane, 2.5 +/- 1.1 MAC . h. The peak [F-] after sevoflurane was recorded at 1 h after termination of the anesthetic in all but three children (whose peak values were recorded between 4 and 6 h postanesthesia), The mean peak [F-] after sevoflurane was 15.8 +/- 4.6 mu M. The [F-] decreased to <6.2 mu M by 24 h postanesthesia. Both the peak [F-] (r(2) = 0.50) and the area under the plasma concentration of inorganic fluoride-time curve (r(2) = 0.57) increased in parallel with the MAC . h of sevoflurane. The peak [F-] after halothane, 2.0 +/- 1.2 mu M, was significantly less than that after sevoflurane (P < 0.0001) and did not correlate with the duration of halothane anesthesia (MAC . h; r(2) = 0.007). Plasma urea concentrations decreased 24 h after surgery compared with preoperative values for both anesthetics (P < 0.01), whereas plasma creatinine concentra tions did not change significantly with either anesthetic. Conclusions:It was concluded that, during the 24 h after 2.7 +/- 1.6 MAC . h sevoflurane, the peak recorded [F-] is low (15.8 mu M), F- is eliminated rapidly, and children are unlikely to be at risk of nephrotoxicity from high [F-].