[The behavior of plasma histamine levels following peridural morphine administration].

Abstract

One of the frequently reported side effects following epidural morphine administration in clinical trials is a generalized pruritus of several hours duration. Since histamine can elicit pruritus we investigated the plasma histamine levels following epidurally applied morphine (0.05 mg/kg) in 10 urological patients. Plasma histamine levels were determined as an indicator of histamine release. Indeed, in 2 of 10 patients plasma histamine concentrations rose to 2 ng/ml. 5 of 6 criteria for establishing histamine release were fulfilled in both cases. Minor clinical symptoms appeared only in one patient (one single wheal of 1 cm diameter, metallic taste), but no symptoms at all in the other. Considering the low dose of the analgesic and the relatively high incidence of histamine release (2/10) the result of this prospective study seems worth to be emphasisized and followed-up in further studies. Pruritus did not occur in any of the patients, the role of histamine in its pathogenesis is now becoming more doubtful.

• Authors: S Berg-Seiter, B Kossmann, W Dick, W Lorenz
• Journal: Der Anaesthesist (Anaesthesist) Vol. 34 Issue 8 Pg. 388-91 (Aug 1985) ISSN: 0003-2417 [Print] Germany
• Vernacular Title: Untersuchungen zum Verhalten der Plasmahistaminspiegel nach periduraler Morphinapplikation.
• PMID: 4051166 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Morphine
• Histamine

Topics

• Aged
• Anesthesia, Epidural
• Blood Pressure (drug effects)
• Heart Rate (drug effects)
• Histamine (blood)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Morphine (adverse effects)
• Time Factors