Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a pharmacogenetic disorder that predisposes to a sometimes fatal hypermetabolic reaction to halogenated anaesthetics. MH is considered to originate from abnormal regulation of skeletal muscle Ca(2+) release. Current diagnosis of MH susceptibility (MHS) relies on in vitro contracture testing (IVCT) of skeletal muscle. The ryanodine receptor (RYR1) encoding the major Ca(2+) release channel in the skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum has been shown to be mutated in a number of MH pedigrees. The large Maori pedigree reported here is the largest MHS pedigree investigated to date and comprises five probands who experienced clinical episodes of MH and 130 members diagnosed by the IVCT. Sequencing of the 15 117 bp RYR1 cDNA in a MHS individual from this pedigree identified a novel C14477T transition that results in a Thr4826 to Ile substitution in the C-terminal region/transmembrane loop of the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor. This is the first mutation in the RyR1 C-terminal region associated solely with MHS. Although linkage analysis showed strong linkage (max LOD, 11.103 at theta = 0.133) between the mutation and MHS in the pedigree using the standardized European IVCT phenotyping protocol, 22 MHS recombinants were observed. The relationship between the IVCT response and genotype was explored and showed that as IVCT diagnostic cut-off points were made increasingly stringent, the number of MHS discordants decreased with complete concordance between the presence or absence of the C14477T mutation and MHS and MH normal phenotypes, respectively, using a cut-off of 1.2 g tension at 2.0 mM caffeine and 1.8 g tension at 2.0% halothane. Many MHS pedigrees investigated have been excluded from linkage to the RYR1 gene on the basis of a small number of recombinants; however, the linkage analysis reported here suggests that other recombinant families excluded from linkage to the RYR1 gene may actually demonstrate linkage as the number of members tested within the pedigrees increases. The high number of discordants observed using the standardized diagnostic cut-off points is likely to reflect the presence of a second MHS susceptibility locus in the pedigree.
Early clinical signs, triggering agents, time to onset of reaction, mortality and methods of treatment were identified in 123 suspected malignant hyperthermia reactions. In vitro contracture test results were compared with clinical signs and the Malignant Hyperthermia Clinical Grading Scale. Increased end-tidal carbon dioxide is the earliest sign when not preceded by masseter spasm. Earlier diagnosis reduces the incidence of rigidity and severe metabolic acidosis. The combination of suxamethonium and a potent volatile anaesthetic agent triggers an earlier reaction compared with a volatile agent alone. There has been zero mortality since 1981, essentially due to a combination of advanced monitoring capability, increased anaesthetist awareness of malignant hyperthermia, and dantrolene availability. DNA analysis has identified nine New Zealand families with ryanodine receptor gene mutations. A positive DNA test indicates malignant hyperthermia susceptibility with "causative" mutations but discordance requires that negative DNA tests are confirmed with in vitro contracture test. This test also demonstrated the shortcomings of the Malignant Hyperthermia Clinical Grading Scale.
In this study we investigated in vitro and in vivo effects of propofol in malignant hyperthermia susceptible (MHS) patients in order to assess the safety of propofol infusion as a non-triggering anaesthetic technique for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. In vitro, human MHS muscle samples were exposed to propofol and changes in (a) baseline tension and (b) contracture tension on exposure to halothane and caffeine were measured. In vivo, (a) anaesthesia was induced in ten muscle biopsy positive MHS patients with propofol 2.5 mg/kg and (b) anaesthesia was produced in five muscle biopsy positive MHS patients with infusions of propofol up to 10 mg/kg/hr. In vitro, human MHS muscle did not develop contractures with propofol alone. Propofol had no significant effect on contracture development in response to halothane and caffeine. In vivo, no evidence of an MH response was detected following induction or maintenance of anaesthesia with propofol. Our results and literature review are in agreement that propofol is a ‘safe’ induction and maintenance agent in MHS patients. Propofol can be used for muscle biopsy anaesthesia because it does not alter the sensitivity of diagnostic muscle biopsy testing.
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