Influence of sex on cerebrospinal fluid density in adults

The extent of sensory block during spinal anaesthesia is unpredictable and is influenced by many factors, mainly patient position, site of injection, baricity and the dose of drug injected. Among other factors, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) density has been advocated to affect subarachnoid distribution...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:British journal of anaesthesia : BJA 1999-12, Vol.83 (6), p.943-944
Main Authors: Schiffer, E., van Gessel, E., Gamulin, Z.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
anaesthetic techniques
anaesthetic techniques, subarachnoid
anaesthetics local
Anesthesia
Anesthesia, Spinal - methods
Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy
Anesthetics, Local - pharmacology
Biological and medical sciences
Body Height
Body Weight
cerebrospinal fluid
Cerebrospinal Fluid - physiology
cerebrospinal fluid, density
density
Female
gender factors
Humans
Local anesthesia. Pain (treatment)
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Sex Factors
subarachnoid
Subarachnoid Space
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Summary:The extent of sensory block during spinal anaesthesia is unpredictable and is influenced by many factors, mainly patient position, site of injection, baricity and the dose of drug injected. Among other factors, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) density has been advocated to affect subarachnoid distribution of local anaesthetics. In this study, we have investigated the influence of patient characteristics such as sex, age, weight and height on variations in the density of CSF in more than 46 consecutive patients undergoing spinal anaesthesia. CSF 2 ml was obtained after spinal puncture and before injection of local anaesthetic. Mean CSF density measured at 37°C was mean 1.00054 (SD 0.00017) g ml−1, with significantly lower CSF densities in women (1.00049 (0.00011) g ml−1) than in men (1.00058 (0.00011) g ml−1) (P = 0.024). In contrast, there was no correlation between age, weight or height, and CSF density. These results suggest that sex significantly influenced CSF density and may therefore modify subarachnoid distribution of local anaesthetics.
ISSN:0007-0912
1471-6771
DOI:10.1093/bja/83.6.943