Background: The inotropic effects of halogenated anaesthetics on diaphragmatic muscle remain a matter of debate. Their effects on its relaxation are poorly understood, although diaphragmatic relaxation is recognized as an important physiological process that may interfere with diaphragmatic performance, fatigue and arterial blood flow.
Methods: The effects of halothane and isoflurane (1 or 2 x minimum alveolar concentration [1 or 2 MAC]) on contraction and relaxation of rat diaphragm muscle strips (n = 40) were studied in vitro from force-velocity curves obtained at various loads from isotonic to isometric conditions. From these curves we determined the peak power output and the curvature. Data are mean (SD) percentage of baseline values.
Results: At I MAC, isoflurane and halothane induced no significant inotropic and lusitropic effects. At 2 MAC, isoflurane induced a negative inotropic effect (active force, 93(5)% of baseline). Halothane and isoflurane induced a significant decrease in the peak power output at 2 MAC (88(8) and 86(9)% of baseline; P < 0.05), without significant changes in the curvature of the force-velocity curve. At 2 MAC isoflurane under high loads and halothane under low loads induced moderate negative lusitropic effects.
Conclusion: Halothane and isoflurane induced very moderate inotropic and lusitropic effects, suggesting that the decrease in diaphragm function observed in vivo is not related to a direct effect on diaphragmatic contractility.