CJA
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a scholarly reply
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by WESTGATE, H. D.
Right arrow Articles by VAN BERGEN, F. H.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by WESTGATE, H. D.
Right arrow Articles by VAN BERGEN, F. H.

Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, Vol 9, 497-503, Copyright © 1962 by Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society

Changes in Histamine Blood Levels Following d-Tubocurarine Administration

H. D. WESTGATE M.D., M.S.1 and F. H. VAN BERGEN M.D., M.S.1

1 University of Minnesota Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minn., U.S.A.

The blood level of histamine was measured in six control patients scheduled for elective surgery. In eleven patients the histamine blood level was measured before and five minutes after the rapid intravenous injection of 0.44 mg. per kg.body weight of d-tubocurarine. There was no change in the histamine blood level of four patients, a rise in the histamine blood level of four patients, and a decrease in the histamine blood levels of three patients. The last group of patients all showed evidence of systolic hypotension, increased airway resistance, and skin erythema.

Histamine may be released from endogenous sources by d-tubocurarine. The significance of this release is determined by the sensitivity of the histamine effector cells and by the state of the histamine binding sites. When these are abnormal, such as in asthmatic or "ectopic" individuals, it is wise to use relaxants other than d-tubocurarine.

Note:

The work was supported by Research Grant No. H-1983 (C7) from the National Heart Institute, U.S. Public Health Service.






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1962 by the Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society.