Propofol sedation using DiprifusorTM target‐controlled infusion in adult intensive care unit patients*

Summary This multicentre, non-comparative study investigated the range of target blood propofol concentrations required to sedate 122 adult intensive care patients when propofol was administered using Diprifusor TM target-controlled infusion systems together with opioid analgesia. Depth of sedation was assessed with a modified Ramsay score and the target blood propofol setting was adjusted to achieve the sedation desired for each patient. A desired level of sedation was achieved for 84% of the sedation period. In postcardiac surgery patients the median time-weighted average propofol target setting was 1.34 lg.ml )1 (10th ‐ 90th percentiles: 0.79‐1.93 lg.ml )1 ). Values in brain injured and general ICU patients were 0.98 (10th ‐ 90th percentiles: 0.60‐2.55) lg.ml )1 and 0.42 (10th ‐ 90th percentiles: 0.16‐1.19) lg.ml )1 , respectively. Measured propofol concentrations were generally close to values predicted by the Diprifusor TM system. Target settings in the range of 0.2‐2.0 lg.ml )1 are proposed for propofol sedation in this setting with titration as required in