Spinal anesthesia with glucose-free bupivacaine: effects of age on neural blockade and pharmacokinetics.

Effects of age on spinal anesthesia using glucose-free 0.5% bupivacaine without epinephrine were studied in two groups of patients, one between 20 and 55 yr old, the other older than 55 yr. All patients received 15 mg bupivacaine. The time to onset of analgesia in caudad segments and the time to maximal motor blockade decreased with age. The upper level of analgesia did not change significantly with increasing age. The times to recovery from analgesia at T12 and for the total disappearance of analgesia were longer in the older patient group. Effects of age on duration of motor blockade could not be demonstrated. Peak plasma concentrations of bupivacaine were significantly greater and the total plasma clearance significantly decreased in older patients. Age had no effect on time to peak concentration or the terminal half-life.