Propofol infusion syndrome, characterized by cardiac arrhythmia, metabolic acidosis, and cardiac failure, can occur and be fatal in adult trauma patients.
Highlights fatal propofol infusion syndrome risk in adult trauma; hypothesis-generating, requiring larger studies before practice implications.
OBJECTIVE: To report an adult trauma patient fatality related to propofol administration. DESIGN: Retrospective case review. SETTING: Trauma intensive care unit (ICU) in a level one trauma center. PATIENT: An 18-yr-old man involved in a motor vehicle crash. INTERVENTIONS: Treatment for multiple trauma injuries and propofol sedation. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Posttrauma ICU monitoring was performed. The patient developed cardiac arrhythmia, metabolic acidosis, and cardiac failure, which resulted in death. CONCLUSION: Death related to propofol infusion can occur in adults as well as in pediatric patients.
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Perrier et al. (2000) studied this question.