Pediatric anesthesia & critical care
Pharmacodynamic Safety Endpoints for Propofol Anesthesia in Children by Age and Sex: A Multicohort Observational Study
Authors' conclusion
Older and female children exhibited narrower therapeutic indices for the margin between LOER and apnea.
Study context
- Population
- Children aged 3 to 18 years undergoing propofol induction of anaesthesia, in six groups by sex and age (3–5, 6–10, 11–18 years)162 females
- Participants
- 318 children
- Exposure
- Effect of sex and age on propofol doses to loss of eyelash reflex (LOER) and apnea
- Outcome
- Propofol dose required to reach pharmacodynamic endpoints: loss of eyelash reflex (LOER) and apnea (absence of end-tidal CO2 for 20 s)
Methodological detailsstratified- and purposive-sampling
- Stratified- and purposive-sampling
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Difference in dose to LOER, mg/kg (95% CI)P value
Male vs Female
−0.10(−0.26 to 0.05)
P = 0.183Estimate (95% CI)P value
Age (per year)
difference in dose to LOER 0.0 mg/kg per year(−0.02 to 0.02)
P = 0.876Age (per year)
difference in dose to apnea −0.14 mg/kg per year(−0.19 to −0.1)
P < 0.001Per year, as printed
- Male vs Female
- difference in dose to apnea +0.67 mg/kg (95% CI 0.30–1.03); P < 0.001
- Mean (SD) propofol dose to LOER, mg/kg
- 2.65 (0.69)
- Mean (SD) propofol dose to apnea, mg/kg
- 6.82 (1.64)
- Apnea not reached (participants)
- 62
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Pharmacodynamic Safety Endpoints for Propofol Anesthesia in Children by Age and Sex: A Multicohort Observational Study. Paediatr Anaesth. Published 11 August 2025. doi:10.
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