Table 5

Systemic changes during barbiturate coma
Parameter
 Pretreatment
 1st day
 2nd day
 3rd day
 4rd day
Cardiac output (l/minute)a
     Thiopental
 6.8 ± 1.4
 6.4 ± 1.5
 6.0 ± 1.4
 6.7 ± 1.5
 6.6 ± 1.8
     Pentobarbital
 7.4 ± 2.2
 7.1 ± 1.9
 6.5 ± 2.0
 7 ± 1.4
 6.1 ± 1.3
Cardiac index (l/minute per m2)
     Thiopental
 3.6 ± 0.6
 3.4 ± 0.6
 3.1 ± 0.6
 3.6 ± 1.6
 3.5 ± 0.9
     Pentobarbital
 3.8 ± 1.2
 3.8 ± 0.8
 3.4 ± 0.8
 3.6 ± 0.7
 3.2 ± 0.6
Peripheral venous resistance (dines/m2)
     Thiopental
 1,015 ± 325
 1,022 ± 347
 1,140 ± 429
 1,089 ± 289
 1,029 ± 253
     Pentobarbital
 952 ± 257
 893 ± 210
 1,003 ± 322
 939 ± 261
 914 ± 188
Pulmonary artery wedge pressure (mmHg)
     Thiopental
 10.4 ± 4.5
 9.6 ± 3.6
 10.1 ± 4.1*
 10.9 ± 4.6*
 11.4 ± 3.5*
     Pentobarbital
 11.6 ± 4.0
 11.4 ± 3.1
 12.8 ± 3.1
 13.2 ± 2.1
 13.9 ± 3.1
mBP (mmHg)b
     Thiopental
 92 ± 11
 75 ± 7
 76 ± 9*
 76 ± 6*
 76 ± 8
     Pentobarbital
 94 ± 10
 74 ± 1
 68 ± 10
 70 ± 1
 70 ± 10
NAD (μg/kg per minute)c
     Thiopental
 0.18 ± 0.33
 0.28 ± 0.27
 0.37 ± 0.3*
 0.46 ± 0.39
 0.56 ± 0.63
     Pentobarbital
 0.19 ± 0.18
 0.55 ± 0.68
 0.73 ± 0.69
 0.60 ± 0.44
 0.96 ± 0.79
PO2/FiO2d
     Thiopental
 284 ± 130
 300 ± 139
 293 ± 132
 285 ± 138
 254 ± 119
     Pentobarbital
 317 ± 127
 304 ± 116
 262 ± 125
 211 ± 77
 184 ± 92
Haemoglobin
     Thiopental
 10.9 ± 1.6
 10.7 ± 1.3
 11 ± 1.2
 10.8 ± 0.9
 10.7 ± 1.4
     Pentobarbital
 10.6 ± 1.2
 10.1 ± 1.0
 10.4 ± 1.1
 10.5 ± 1.1
 10.2 ± 1.2
Temperature (°C)e
     Thiopental
 35.8 ± 0.5
 34.6 ± 1.3
 34.6 ± 3.4
 34.9 ± 1.0
 34.9 ± 1.0
     Pentobarbital
 35.7 ± 1.0
 34.6 ± 1.2
 34.3 ± 1.3
 34.4 ± 1.3
 34.2 ± 1.1

aCardiac output, cardiac index, peripheral venous resistance and pulmonary artery wedge pressure: the values are the mean values over 24 hours. bmBP: minimum value of the medium blood pressure during the day. cNAD: maximum dose of Noradrenaline bitartrate during the day. dPO2/FisO2: ratio of partial oxygen tension to inspired fractional oxygen tension at 8:00 am. eTemperature: value of the minimum central temperature. *P < 0.05.

Pérez-Bárcena et al. Critical Care 2008 12:R112   doi:10.1186/cc6999