The cardiovascular effects of dobutamine (DOB) combined with methylprednisolone (MP) were studied during thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) in 59 patients undergoing operations on upper abdomen. To establish TEA, 8-10 ml of lidocaine 20 mg.ml-1 was injected into the epidural space through the T8-T9 interspace. The patients was intubated after fentanyl 0.2 mg, thiopental 3 mg.kg-1 and vecuronium 0.2 mg.kg-1. Anesthesia was maintained with 67% N2O, 33% O2 and 0.6% enflurane and DOB was infused at a rate of 5 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 during the surgical operation. Systolic blood pressure and urinary output after TEA did not decrease in the two groups, pretreated with MP 5 mg.kg-1 one hour or immediately before TEA, but decreased in the control group without MP injection. Heart rate showed no significant changes after TEA in all groups. We conclude that MP may potentiate the cardiovascular effects of DOB during TEA.