A redistribution of body heat from core to peripheral tissues causes a
rapid decrease in core temperature. The present study tested whether
a dobutamine infusion would facilitate redistribution and induce a fur
ther decrease in core temperature. Volunteers were randomly assigned t
o the control group (n = 8) and the experimental group (n = 8). They w
ere anesthetized with isoflurane at an end-tidal concentration of near
1.2% for 120 min. In the experimental group, dobutamine was infused a
t a rate of 4 mu g . kg(-1) . min(-1). Core temperature, skin temperat
ure, tissue temperature, and laser-Doppler perfusion index were measur
ed. Leg heat content was calculated by morphometric data and observed
temperatures. The decrease in leg heat content was larger in the contr
ol group than in the experimental group 30 min after anesthetic induct
ion (P < 0.05), In contrast, the core temperature decreased further in
the dobutamine group than in the control group 40 min after induction
(P < 0.05). Dobutamine induced further hypothermia, presumably by fac
ilitating heat transfer and by increasing cutaneous heat loss. Hypothe
rmia will be increased when using dobutamine for anesthesia.