Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Changes underlying Halothane-induced Malignant Hyperpyrexia in Landrace Pigs

Abstract

MALIGNANT hyperpyrexia is a rare but often fatal complication of inhalation anaesthesia in man1. The fluorinated hydrocarbon halothane, CF3CHBrCl, is among the many anaesthetic agents which have been implicated2. A similar syndrome has been described in a pure Landrace strain of pig3. The onset of this phenomenon is rapid (10–15 min after administration of halothane) and there is extreme rigidity of skeletal muscles, a rapid rise in body temperature to 42°–45° C, severe acidosis and a fatal outcome in spite of cooling, muscle relaxants and intravenous alkalis. Once initiated, the process seems independent of the tissue concentration of halothane, which appears to act as a trigger. A few animals have recovered after brief exposure to halothane.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Editorial, Brit. Med. J., 3, 69 (1968).

  2. Wilson, R. D., Nichols, R. J., Dent, T. E., and Allen, C. R., Anaesthesiology, 27, 231 (1966).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Harrison, G. G., Biebuyck, J. F., Terblanche, J., Dent, D. M., Hickman, R., and Saunders, S. J., Brit. Med. J., 3, 594 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Snodgrass, P. J., and Piras, M. M., Biochemistry, 5, 1141 (1966).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Siggaard-Anderson, O., Engel, K., Jørgensen, K., and Astrup, P., Scand. J. Clin. Lab. Invest., 12, 172 (1960).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Hohorse, H., in Methods of Enzymatic Analysis (edit. by Bergmeyer, H.), 266 (Academic Press, New York, 1963).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Bucher, T., Czok, R., Lamprecht, W., and Latzko, E., in Methods of Enzymatic Analysis (edit. by Bergmeyer, H.), 253 (Academic Press, New York, 1963).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Pfleiderer, G., in Methods of Enzymatic Analysis (edit. by Bergmeyer, H.), 59 (Academic Press, New York, 1963).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Adam, H., in Methods of Enzymatic Analysis (edit. by Bergmeyer, H.), 539 (Academic Press, New York, 1963).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Einhorn, J., Dimitriadou, A., and Gadhok, R. S. J. Endocrinol., 41, 373 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Brown, A. C., and Brengelmann, G., in Physiology and Biophysics (edit. by Ruch, T. C., and Patton, H. D.), 1046 (Saunders, Philadelphia, 1965).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Huckabee, W. E., Amer. J. Med., 30, 833 (1961).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Frankel, H. M., Ellis, J. P., and Cain, S. M. Amer. J. Physiol., 205, 733 (1963).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Erdos, T., in Studies, Muscular Contraction, Blood Coagulation (edit. by Szent-Györgyi, A.), 3, 52 (Karger, Basel, New York, 1943).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Guyton, A. C., Textbook of Medical Physiology, 979 (Saunders, Philadelphia, 1966).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Mahler, H. R., and Cordes, E. H., Biological Chemistry, 411 (Harper and Row, New York, 1966).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Helmreich, E., Karpatkin, S., and Cori, C. F., in Control of Glycogen Metabolism (edit. by Whelan, W. J.), 224 (Churchill, London, 1964).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

BERMAN, M., HARRISON, G., BULL, A. et al. Changes underlying Halothane-induced Malignant Hyperpyrexia in Landrace Pigs. Nature 225, 653–655 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1038/225653a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/225653a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing