Our objective was to explore the effects of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) on the pharmacokinetics of dexmedetomidine hydrochloride via vitro and in vivo experiments

A single-center animal investigation.

An experimental animal facility in a tertiary hospital.

Eighteen male Landrace pigs.

For the in vitro experiment, ECMO circuits were primed with whole blood solutions of dexmedetomidine at different concentrations and ran ex vivo. The adsorption rates of dexmedetomidine hydrochloride in ECMO circuits and control glass tubes were compared at 60 minutes, 5 hours, and 10 hours after the start of the in vitro experiment. In the in vivo experiment, 12 Landrace pigs were randomly allocated to the venovenous ECMO group or the control group. Dexmedetomidine hydrochloride (1 μg/kg) was administered to both groups. Blood samples were collected at 0 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 2 hours, 3 hours, 5 hours, 7 hours, and 10 hours after administration. The plasma concentrations of dexmedetomidine were measured, and pharmacokinetic analysis was conducted in both groups.

The results revealed no significant difference in adsorption rates of dexmedetomidine hydrochloride in ECMO circuits at 60 minutes and 5 hours, but differences were observed at 10 hours. In vivo experiment, pharmacokinetic analysis revealed no significant difference in the area under the curve (AUC_0-t), AUC_0-∞, distribution half-life, elimination half-life, clearance, apparent volume of distribution, mean residence time or peak drug concentrations between the 2 groups (p > 0.05).

The ECMO circuit had an adsorption effect on dexmedetomidine hydrochloride, but this effect was not sufficient to impact the in vivo pharmacokinetics of dexmedetomidine significantly. The effect of ECMO on the pharmacokinetics of dexmedetomidine hydrochloride was not significant.