• Patrick A Ross, Christopher J L Newth, Cindy A C Hugen, John K Maher, and Timothy W Deakers.
• Division of Critical Care, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA.
• Pediatr Crit Care Me. 2014 Nov 1;15(9):e389-92.

ObjectiveTo determine if inhaled albuterol (salbutamol) increases oxygen consumption (V'O2) in children and, if so, the duration of this effect.DesignOxygen consumption was measured by indirect calorimetry using the Argon dilution technique with a respiratory mass spectrometer. After measurement of baseline values, albuterol was administered and subsequent measurements were performed at 10 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, and 4 hours.SettingMultidisciplinary PICU in a university teaching hospital.PatientsEleven intubated infants and children (five girls, six boys) with a mean age of 20 months (range, 1 mo to 8 yr) and a mean weight of 10.7 kg (range, 3.1-23 kg) who required therapeutic albuterol inhalations.InterventionNine hundred micrograms of albuterol (10 puffs) was administered by a metered-dose inhaler into a spacer through the inspiratory arm of the ventilator circuit near to the patient, during 10 mechanically assisted breaths.Measurements And Main ResultsAll children showed an increase in V'O2 within 10 minutes (mean increase 48.6%). The increased V'O2 was still elevated (42.3% above baseline) at 1 hour, but 3 hours after albuterol inhalation, the V'O2 was back to baseline in all patients. Heart rate increased significantly at 10 minutes, 1 hour, and 2 hours after inhalation.ConclusionThere is a large increase in V'O2 after albuterol inhalation. This effect lasts up to 3 hours.

26 keywords...

hide…