Dose-effect relationship of adenosine provoked angina pectoris-like pain--a study of the psychophysical power function.

In an analysis of the psychophysical power function of chest pain induced by adenosine, this agent was repeatedly given in increasing doses into a peripheral vein to six healthy volunteers (five men) aged 23-44 years. On the first day the maximum tolerable dose was determined. On the second day seven doses of adenosine (20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80 and 100% of the maximum dose) were given single blind in randomized order followed by another seven doses in reversed order. The heart rate was calculated from electrocardiographic recordings. Chest pain was continuously rated according to the CR-10 scale. Before the adenosine test, the perception of sourness was tested similarly with six concentrations of citric acid (1-100 mM). The psychophysical power functions were similar for the perception of sourness provoked by citric acid and chest pain provoked by adenosine, with exponents of 0.69 +/- 0.21 and 0.60 +/- 0.32, respectively. The two modalities showed the same high goodness of fit to the power function (rxy being 0.965 +/- 0.030 and 0.967 +/- 0.033, respectively). For adenosine the group mean relation was R = 1.66(S-2.36)0.6, rxy = 0.999. No signs of tolerance were observed for the chest pain provoked by adenosine. In conclusion, chest pain provoked by adenosine follows a psychophysical power function as with other sensory modalities.