Lancet
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Susceptibility to malignant hyperthermia is diagnosed by contracture test, which requires an open muscle biopsy sample. We postulated that intramuscular injection of caffeine increases local carbon dioxide pressure (pCO(2)) in individuals susceptible to malignant hyperthermia but not in those who are non-susceptible or in healthy individuals. ⋯ There were no systemic side-effects. Metabolic monitoring of the highly diffusible CO(2) stimulated by caffeine might allow a minimally invasive test for susceptibility to malignant hyperthermia.