DESIGN AND PATIENTS: Steady-state blood concentrations of propofol were measured in eight ICU patients before (on days D -3, D -2, and D -1) and after (on days D + 1, D + 2, and D + 3) switching from parenteral to enteral feeding (on day DO).  All patients received a continuous intravenous infusion of propofol (4.5 mg x kg(-1) x h(-1)) from several days before the start of the study, continuing throughout the experimental period. Hepatic blood flow was estimated by measuring steady-state D-sorbitol hepatic clearance. RESULTS: Hepatic blood flow was high and was not affected by switching from parenteral to enteral feeding: 33 +/- 8 ml x min(-1) x kg(-1) (mean +/- SD) and 33 +/- 10 ml min(-1) x kg(-1) on D -3 and D -1, respectively, as compared to 37 +/- 11 ml x min(-1) kg(-1) and 34 +/- 8 ml x min(-1) x kg(-1) on days D + 1 and D + 3, respectively. Systemic clearance of propofol was much higher than liver blood flow with average values on the six observation days ranging from 74.0 to 81.2 ml x min(-1) x kg(-1) and was not affected by switching from parenteral to enteral feeding.

CONCLUSIONS: Liver blood flow and systemic clearance of propofol were not affected by switching from parenteral to enteral feeding in the eight ICU patients studied.  Extrahepatic clearance accounted for at least two thirds of the overall systemic clearance of propofol.

PMID: 9757923, UI: 98428890