Influence of moderate alcohol intake on wakening plasma thiopental concentration.

In an earlier study, an inverse correlation between thiopental-induced sleeping time and alcohol intake in the preceding week was demonstrated in women undergoing termination of pregnancy. In order to investigate the mechanism behind the apparent cross-tolerance, the relationship between alcohol consumption in the week preceding thiopental/nitrous oxide/oxygen anesthesia and wakening plasma thiopental concentration on one hand and sleeping time on the other was examined in 68 women scheduled for termination of pregnancy and in 37 women scheduled for diagnostic uterine dilatation and curettage. In terms of pure alcohol, the weekly intake (mean +/- s.d.) was 1.17 +/- 2.07 ml . kg-1 in the former and 1.49 +/- 1.70 ml . kg-1 in the latter group. A positive correlation between alcohol consumption and wakening plasma thiopental concentration was found in both groups, reaching statistical significance (P less than 0.05) in the group undergoing termination of pregnancy, but not in the other. The inverse correlation found earlier between alcohol intake and sleeping time was not reproduced significantly in any of the groups. The results indicate that moderate alcohol intake may induce cerebral tolerance to thiopental.