The Annals of Pharmacotherapy: Vol. 37, No. 4, pp. 594. DOI 10.1345/aph.1A321a
© 2003 Harvey Whitney Books Company.
Comment: propofol infusion syndrome in critically ill patients
AH Pulsford, BSc (Hons) MRCPath (Tox)
Global Director, Anaesthesia AstraZeneca Alderley House Alderley Park
Macclesfield, Cheshire SK10 4TF England FAX 44-1625-515682 E-mail
hugh.pulsford{at}astrazeneca.com
Published Online, February 20, 2003. www.theannals.com, DOI 10.1345/aph.1A321a
TO THE EDITOR: AstraZeneca, manufacturers and suppliers of
Diprivan, has never supported the hypothesis that a so-called "propofol
infusion syndrome" exists in children or adults. Throughout the evidence
reiterated in the paper by
Kang,1 it is
of note that, in each so-called set of case histories, even the original
authors always concluded that there is no direct causal link of the use of
propofol with these adverse clinical events, and yet Kang still states that an
association exists. This has never been medically proven, even in children,
let alone adults.
AstraZeneca's detailed reviews of individual case histories have always
shown that either the prevailing clinical condition and/or the significant
concomitant medication could just as likely have resulted in the outcomes
noted, even in cases where the dose of propofol being used was far in excess
of the recommended prescribing information. Propofol has now been used in over
500 million patients worldwide. If such a syndrome existed, there would be far
more evidence of patient numbers available, and this quite simply is not the
case.
References
- Kang TM. Propofol infusion syndrome in critically ill patients.Ann Pharmacother
2002;36:1453-6.[Abstract]
Related articles in The Annals:
- Authors' Reply
- Tep M Kang
The Annals 2003 37: 594-595.
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