Comparison of hemodynamic effects of intravenous etomidate versus propofol during induction and intubation using entropy guided hypnosis levels

Factors Associated with Postintubation Hypotension Among Patients with Suspected Sepsis in Emergency Department

Purpose

Postintubation hypotension (PIH) is a recognized complication that increases both in-hospital mortality and hospital length of stay. Sepsis is reportedly a factor associated with PIH. However, no study to date has examined which factors, including the intubation method, may be clinical predictors of PIH in patients with sepsis. This study aims to investigate factors associated with the occurrence of PIH in patients with suspected sepsis in emergency department.

Patients and Methods

This retrospective cross-sectional study was performed over a 5-year period (January 2013-December 2017) and involved patients with suspected sepsis who underwent endotracheal intubation in the emergency department of Ramathibodi Hospital. The patients were divided into those with and without PIH, and factors associated with the occurrence of PIH were analyzed. PIH was defined as any recorded systolic blood pressure of <90 mmHg within 60 minutes of intubation.

Results

In total, 394 patients with suspected sepsis were included. PIH occurred in 106 patients (26.9%) and was associated with increased in-hospital mortality (43.00% in the PIH group vs 31.25% in the non-PIH group, P = 0.034). Multivariable logistic regression showed that the factors associated with PIH were an age of ≥61 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.25; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14-4.43; P = 0.019) and initial serum lactate concentration of >4.4 mmol/L (aOR 2.00; 95% CI 1.16-3.46; P = 0.013). Rapid sequence intubation and difference types of induction agents was unrelated to PIH.

Conclusion

Monitoring the development of PIH in patients with sepsis is essential because of its correlation with higher in-hospital mortality. This is particularly critical for older individuals and those with severe infections and high initial lactate concentrations.

Low-dose nalmefene pretreatment reduces etomidate-induced myoclonus: A randomized, double-blind controlled trial

BACKGROUND

This study compared the effectiveness of nalmefene and fentanyl in reducing the incidence and severity of etomidate-induced myoclonus.

METHODS

One hundred fifty patients were randomized to receive 0.25ug/kg of nalmefene, 1ug/kg of fentanyl, or the same volume of normal saline 3 minutes prior to etomidate-induced anesthesia. The primary observational indexes were the severity level and incidence of etomidate-induced myoclonus, and the secondary observational index included blood pressure, heart rate, and the incidence of adverse effects from anesthesia induction to resuscitation, such as cough, chest wall rigidity, dizziness, nausea, pain after awakening, and intraoperative awareness.

RESULTS

The incidence of myoclonus was significantly lower in the nalmefene group (8.0%) than in the fentanyl group (32.0%) (P = .003) and in the normal saline group (72.0%) (P = .000). The severity level of myoclonus in the nalmefene group was significantly lower than the fentanyl group (P = .001) and normal saline group (P = .000). Meanwhile, the incidences of cough and chest wall rigidity during anesthesia induction were significantly lower in the nalmefene group compared with the fentanyl group (P = .003, P = .027). There were no statistically significant differences in heart rate and mean arterial pressure among the 3 gruops (P > .05). There was no difference in the incidence of adverse effects among the 3 groups during recovery from anesthesia (P > .05).

CONCLUSION

Intravenous injection of 0.25ug/kg of nalmefene 3 minutes prior to etomidate is more effective in preventing etomidate-induced myoclonus during general anesthesia than 1ug/kg of fentanyl.

Etomidate-ketamine versus dexmedetomidine-ketamine for entropy-guided procedural sedation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography procedures: A randomized single blind study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The major challenge for the anesthetist in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedures is to provide moderate to deep levels of sedation in prone position with preservation of spontaneous respiratory efforts in shared airway scenario with an endoscopist. These patients have other comorbidities, making them vulnerable to complications during the routinely used sedation with propofol. We compared the entropy-guided efficacy of combination of etomidate-ketamine to dexmedetomidine-ketamine in patients undergoing ERCP.

METHODS

This prospective single blind randomized entropy-guided trial was conducted on 60 patients with etomidate-ketamine in group I (n = 30) and dexmedetomidine-ketamine in group II (n = 30). The purpose was to compare etomidate-ketamine versus dexmedetomidine-ketamine for ERCP in terms of intraprocedural hemodynamics with desaturation, onset of sedation, recovery time and endoscopist's satisfaction.

RESULTS

Hypotension was observed only in six (20%) patients of group II (p < 0.009). Two patients of group I and three in group II desaturated (Spo2 < 90) briefly during the procedure, but none of the patient required intubation (p > 0.05). The mean time in minutes of onset of sedation was 1.15 in group I and 5.6 in group II (p < 0.001). Endoscopists' satisfaction was better in group I (p ≤ 0.001) and length of recovery room stay was shorter in group I as compared to that in group II (p ≤ 0.007).

CONCLUSION

We conclude that entropy-guided intravenous procedural sedation with etomidate-ketamine combination provides faster onset of sedation, stable periprocedural hemodynamics, rapid recovery and fair to excellent endoscopist satisfaction compared to dexmedetomidine-ketamine combination for ERCP.

A randomised controlled trial to study Bispectral guided induction of general anaesthesia using propofol and etomidate infusion

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The present prospective, randomised study was done to evaluate induction characteristics with bispectral (BIS) index guided infusion of propofol and etomidate.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

After institutional ethical committee approval, 70 patients, aged 18-60 years, American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) I and II scheduled for elective surgery were included. Patients were randomly allocated into one of the two groups. In Group E, patients received etomidate infusion at a rate of 0.07 mg kg-1 min-1 and in Group P, received propofol infusion of 0.7 mg kg-1 min-1. Time from start of infusion to loss of palpebral reflex (TP), loss of verbal command (TV), BIS to reach 50 (TBIS50), mean induction dose and incremental dose of each drug required to keep BIS50., haemodynamic parameters and adverse effects like pain, myoclonus, apnoea and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) were also noted.

RESULTS

TP,TV, and TBIS 50 was faster in E as compared to P group and was statistically significant for all parameters. Mean induction dose of drug required till BIS 50 was 2.68 ± 0.56 mg kg-1 and 0.242 ± 0.11 mg kg-1 in group P and E, respectively. There was a significant difference between the groups with group E requiring incremental dose in a significant proportion of patients (P = 0.004). There was a significant decrease in MAP in P group as compared to E. In group P, more number of patients experienced pain and had apnoea episode as compared to group E. (P < 0.001). Myoclonus was observed in group E only (P = 0.016).

CONCLUSION

BIS-guided titration of propofol and etomidate infusion for induction did not result in reduction of the dose, haemodynamic variations and other effects.

The Effect of Propofol on the Success Rate of Transurethral Lithotripsy by Holmium Laser: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Introduction: Urinary stone disease is the third most common affliction of the urinary tract that has been associated with an increasing incidence. Over decades, great advances have been made in the minimally invasive treatment of urinary stones. Recently, transurethral lithotripsy (TUL) by holmium laser was introduced as a possible therapeutic option. This study evaluated the effect of propofol on the success rate of TUL by holmium laser. Methods: A double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted on 180 patients to investigate the effect of propofol on the success and complication rate of TUL by holmium laser. The enrolled patients were divided into two groups: the first group received sodium thiopental (n=89) while the second group received propofol (n=91). The two groups were compared in terms of the fluctuations of systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), operation time, future stone-free rate (SFR), stone migration, post-operative fever, and ureteral complications such as perforation and mucosal damage. Other developed complications were also recorded. After data gathering, statistical analysis was performed with SPSS version 21. Results: the patients' data such as age, sex, stone diameter, stone laterality, duration of stone impaction, primary SBP, DBP and HR were not significantly different between the two groups (P>0.05). TUL and anesthesia duration, first-minute and fifth-minute SBP and DBP, and also changes of HR were significantly lower in the propofol group compared with the sodium thiopental group (P <0.001). Moreover, SFR of TUL was more evident in the propofol group. Ureteral mucosal damage was significantly less in the propofol group. Conclusion: Propofol was associated with a higher reduction in SBP and DBP, decreased duration of TUL, fewer fluctuations in HR, and an increased success rate of stone removal by TUL with holmium laser.

Using Etomidate and Midazolam for Screening Colonoscopies Results in More Stable Hemodynamic Responses in Patients of All Ages

Background/Aims

Recent studies have demonstrated that etomidate is a safe sedative drug with noninferior sedative effects. In our recent study, we revealed that etomidate/midazolam was more hemodynamically stable than propofol/midazolam in elderly patients undergoing colonoscopies. We aimed to investigate whether compared with propofol/midazolam, etomidate/midazolam causes fewer cardiopulmonary adverse events with noninferior efficacy for screening colonoscopies in patients of all ages.

Methods

In this single-center, randomized, double-blind study, we prospectively enrolled 200 patients. The patients were divided into etomidate and propofol groups. The primary outcome was the occurrence of cardiopulmonary adverse events. The secondary outcomes were the proportion of patients with fluctuations in vital signs (oxygen desaturation and transient hypotension), adverse events interrupting the procedure, and sedation-related outcomes.

Results

Adverse cardiopulmonary events were more common in the propofol group than the etomidate group (65.0% vs 51.0%, respectively; p=0.045). Forty-six patients (46.0%) in the propofol group and 29 (29.0%) in the etomidate group experienced fluctuations in their vital signs (p=0.013). The proportions of patients experiencing adverse events that interrupted the procedure, including myoclonus, were not significantly different between the two groups (etomidate: 20.0% vs propofol: 11.0%; p=0.079). Both groups had similar sedation-related outcomes. Multivariate analysis revealed that compared with the propofol groups, the etomidate group had a significantly lower risk of fluctuations in vital signs (odds ratio, 0.427; 95% confidence interval, 0.230 to 0.792; p=0.007).

Conclusions

Compared with using propofol/midazolam, using etomidate/midazolam for screening colonoscopies results in more stable hemodynamic responses in patients of all ages; therefore, we recommend using etomidate/midazolam for colonoscopies in patients with cardiovascular risk factors.

Impact of General Anesthesia Guided by State Entropy (SE) and Response Entropy (RE) on Perioperative Stability in Elective Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Patients-A Prospective Observational Randomized Monocentric Study

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is one of the most frequently performed interventions in general surgery departments. Some of the most important aims in achieving perioperative stability in these patients is diminishing the impact of general anesthesia on the hemodynamic stability and the optimization of anesthetic drug doses based on the individual clinical profile of each patient. The objective of this study is the evaluation of the impact, as monitored through entropy (both state entropy (SE) and response entropy (RE)), that the depth of anesthesia has on the hemodynamic stability, as well as the doses of volatile anesthetic. A prospective, observational, randomized, and monocentric study was carried out between January and December 2019 in the Clinic of Anesthesia and Intensive Care of the “Pius Brînzeu” Emergency County Hospital in Timișoara, Romania. The patients included in the study were divided in two study groups: patients in Group A (target group) received multimodal monitoring, which included monitoring of standard parameters and of entropy (SE and RE); while the patients in Group B (control group) only received standard monitoring. The anesthetic dose in group A was optimized to achieve a target entropy of 40–60. A total of 68 patients met the inclusion criteria and were allocated to one of the two study groups: group A (N = 43) or group B (N = 25). There were no statistically significant differences identified between the two groups for both demographical and clinical characteristics (p > 0.05). Statistically significant differences were identified for the number of hypotensive episodes (p = 0.011, 95% CI: [0.1851, 0.7042]) and for the number of episodes of bradycardia (p < 0.0001, 95% CI: [0.3296, 0.7923]). Moreover, there was a significant difference in the Sevoflurane consumption between the two study groups (p = 0.0498, 95% CI: [−0.3942, 0.9047]). The implementation of the multimodal monitoring protocol, including the standard parameters and the measurement of entropy for determining the depth of anesthesia (SE and RE) led to a considerable improvement in perioperative hemodynamic stability. Furthermore, optimizing the doses of anesthetic drugs based on the individual clinical profile of each patient led to a considerable decrease in drug consumption, as well as to a lower incidence of hemodynamic side-effects.

Efficacy and safety of etomidate-midazolam for screening colonoscopy in the elderly: A prospective double-blinded randomized controlled study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Recent studies have shown that etomidate is associated with fewer serious adverse events than propofol and has a noninferior sedative effect. We investigated whether etomidate-midazolam is associated with fewer cardiopulmonary adverse events and has noninferior efficacy compared to propofol-midazolam for screening colonoscopy in the elderly.

METHODS

A prospective, single-center, double-blinded, randomized controlled trial was performed. Patients aged over 65 years who were scheduled to undergo screening colonoscopy were randomized to receive either etomidate or propofol based on midazolam. The primary outcome was all cardiopulmonary adverse events. The secondary outcomes were vital sign fluctuation (VSF), adverse events disturbing the procedure, and sedation-related outcomes.

RESULTS

The incidence of cardiopulmonary adverse events was higher in the propofol group (72.6%) than in the etomidate group (54.8%) (P = .040). VSF was detected in 17 (27.4%) and 31 (50.0%) patients in the etomidate and propofol groups, respectively (P = .010). The incidence rate of adverse events disturbing the procedure was significantly higher in the etomidate group (25.8%) than in the propofol group (8.1%) (P = .008). Moreover, the incidence rate of myoclonus was significantly higher in the etomidate group (16.1%) than in the propofol group (1.6%) (P = .004). There was no statistical significance between the 2 groups with respect to sedation times and sedation-related outcomes including patients' and endoscopist's satisfaction. In the multivariate analysis, the etomidate group had significantly low odds ratio (OR) associated with VSF (OR: 0.407, confidence interval: 0.179-0.926, P = .032).

CONCLUSIONS

We recommend using etomidate-midazolam in patients with high ASA score or vulnerable to risk factors; propofol-midazolam may be used as a guideline in patients with low ASA score.

A randomized clinical trial comparing hemodynamic responses to ketamine-propofol combination (ketofol) versus etomidate during anesthesia induction in patients with left ventricular dysfunction undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery

INTRODUCTION

Anesthesia induction is often accompanied by a period of hemodynamic instability, which could be a significant problem in patients with compromised ventricular function. The aim of this study is to compare the hemodynamic responses to etomidate versus a combination of ketamine and propofol (ketofol) for anesthetic induction in patients with left ventricular dysfunction undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In a double-blind randomized clinical study, a total of 84 patients with ischemic left ventricular dysfunction (EF < 40%) were randomly assigned to two groups (A and B). Patients in group A received etomidate 0.2 mg/kg and a placebo (normal saline); group B received a combination of ketamine (1 mg/kg) and propofol (1.5 mg/kg) at the induction of anesthesia. Two minutes after induction, hemodynamic variables, including systolic, diastolic, mean arterial pressure (SAP, DAP, MAP) and heart rate (HR), were measured immediately before and after the laryngoscopy, and before intubation and post-intubation at 1, 2, and 3 min.

RESULTS

The decrease in all hemodynamic parameters (SBP, DBP, MAP and HR) from induction time to laryngoscopy was greater in the ketofol group (group B) than in the etomidate group (group A) (p < 0.05). The ephedrine prescription rate due to hemodynamic changes was 24.4% (10 patients) and 5% (2 patients) in group B and group A, respectively (p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

We found that etomidate provides superior hemodynamic stability as compared to ketofol in patients with left ventricular dysfunction undergoing CABG surgery under general anesthesia.

Propofol decreases etomidate-related myoclonus in gastroscopy

OBJECTIVE

Myoclonus, a common complication during intravenous induction with etomidate, is bothersome to both anesthesiologists and patients. This study explored the preventive effect of pretreatment with propofol on etomidate-related myoclonus.

METHODS

This was a prospective, double-blind, clinical, randomized controlled study. Totally, 363 patients who were scheduled for a short-duration, painless gastrointestinal endoscopy were divided into 5 groups. Four groups received 0 mg/kg (E group), 0.25 mg/kg (LPE group), 0.50 mg/kg (MPE group), or 0.75 mg/kg (HPE group) propofol pretreatment before etomidate anesthesia. Another group only received 1 to 2 mg/kg of propofol (P group) as anesthesia. The incidence and severity of myoclonus, patient circulation and respiratory status, and intraoperative and postoperative complications were recorded.

RESULTS

The incidence of myoclonus in the LPE group (26.8%), MPE group (16.4%), HPE group (14.9%), and P group (0) was lower than the E group (48.6%, P < .05). The incidence of grade 1, 2, and 3 of myoclonus in the LPE group, MPE group, HPE group, and P group was significantly lower than the E group, and that in the P group was lower than the LPE group (P < .05). The incidence of hypoxemia in the P group was higher than the E group, and the incidence of adverse events in the HPE group and P group was lower than the E group (P < .05).

DISCUSSION

Pretreatment with propofol was feasible for preventing etomidate-related myoclonus. Furthermore, as propofol dosage increased, its effect on reducing the incidence and severity of myoclonic movements induced by etomidate increased.

Republication: All India Difficult Airway Association 2016 Guidelines for Tracheal Intubation in the Intensive Care Unit

Tracheal intubation (TI) is a routine procedure in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and is often lifesaving. In contrast to the controlled conditions in the operating room, critically ill patients with respiratory failure and shock are physiologically unstable. These factors, along with under evaluation of the airway and suboptimal response to preoxygenation, are responsible for a high incidence of life-threatening complications such as severe hypoxemia and cardiovascular collapse during TI in the ICU. The All India Difficult Airway Association (AIDAA) proposes a stepwise plan for safe management of the airway in critically ill patients. These guidelines have been developed based on available evidence; Wherever, robust evidence was lacking, recommendations were arrived at by consensus opinion of airway experts, incorporating the responses to a questionnaire sent to members of the (AIDAA) and Indian Society of Anaesthesiologists. Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation for preoxygenation provides adequate oxygen stores during TI for patients with respiratory pathology. Nasal insufflation of oxygen at 15 L/min can increase the duration of apnea before hypoxemia sets in. High flow nasal cannula oxygenation at 60-70 L/min may also increase safety during intubation of critically ill patients. Stable hemodynamics and gas exchange must be maintained during rapid sequence induction. It is necessary to implement an intubation protocol during routine airway management in the ICU. Adherence to a plan for difficult airway management incorporating the use of intubation aids and airway rescue devices and strategies is useful.

Effects of etomidate and propofol on immune function in patients with lung adenocarcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of etomidate and propofol on immune function in patients with lung adenocarcinoma.

METHODS

Sixty patients who were scheduled for lung cancer surgery under general anesthesia were studied. The patients were randomly divided into an etomidate total intravenous anesthesia group (group E) and a propofol total intravenous anesthesia group (group P), with 30 cases in each group.

RESULTS

Within group comparison: The percentage of CD4+ in the two groups was significantly reduced at 24 hours post-operation (T₂) compared with the percentage before surgery, whereas the percentage of CD8+ was higher at T₂. Between group comparison: The CD4+ percentage of group E was higher than that of group P (P < 0.05) at T₂, whereas the CD8+ percentage was lower than that of group P (P < 0.05) at T₁.

CONCLUSION

Using etomidate for anesthesia has less of an effect on immune function in patients with lung adenocarcinoma.

The All India Difficult Airway Association 2016 guidelines for tracheal intubation in the Intensive Care Unit

Tracheal intubation (TI) is a routine procedure in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and is often life-saving. In contrast to the controlled conditions in the operating room, critically ill patients with respiratory failure and shock are physiologically unstable. These factors, along with a suboptimal evaluation of the airway and limited oxygen reserves despite adequate pre-oxygenation, are responsible for a high incidence of life-threatening complications such as severe hypoxaemia and cardiovascular collapse during TI in the ICU. The All India Difficult Airway Association (AIDAA) proposes a stepwise plan for safe management of the airway in critically ill patients. These guidelines have been developed based on available evidence; wherever robust evidence was lacking, recommendations were arrived at by consensus opinion of airway experts, incorporating the responses to a questionnaire sent to members of the AIDAA and the Indian Society of Anaesthesiologists. Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation during pre-oxygenation improves oxygen stores in patients with respiratory pathology. Nasal insufflation of oxygen at 15 L/min can increase the duration of apnoea before the occurrence of hypoxaemia. High-flow nasal cannula oxygenation at 60-70 L/min may also increase safety during TI in critically ill patients. Stable haemodynamics and gas exchange must be maintained during rapid sequence induction. It is necessary to implement an intubation protocol during routine airway management in the ICU. Adherence to a plan for difficult airway management incorporating the use of intubation aids and airway rescue devices and strategies is useful.

Pressure-dependent changes in haematocrit and plasma volume during anaesthesia, a randomised clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Induction of general anaesthesia has been shown to cause haemodilution and an increase in plasma volume. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether prevention of hypotension during anaesthesia induction could avoid haemodilution.

METHODS

Twenty-four cardiac surgery patients, 66 ± 10 years, were randomised to receive either norepinephrine in a dose needed to maintain mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) at pre-anaesthesia levels after induction or to a control group that received vasopressor if MAP decreased below 60 mmHg. No fluids were infused. Changes in plasma volume were calculated with standard formula: 100 × (Hct(pre)/Hct(post) - 1)/(1 - Hct(pre)). Arterial blood gas was analysed every 10 minutes and non-invasive continuous haemoglobin (SpHb) was continuously measured.

RESULTS

Pre-anaesthesia MAP was 98 ± 7 mmHg. Ten minutes after anaesthesia induction, the haematocrit decreased by 5.0 ± 2.5% in the control group compared with 1.2 ± 1.4% in the intervention group, which corresponds to increases in plasma volume by 310 ml and 85 ml respectively. MAP decreased to 69 ± 15 mmHg compared to 92 ± 10 mmHg in the intervention group. The difference maintained throughout the 70 min intervention period. The change in haemoglobin level measured by blood gas analysis could not be detected by SpHb measurement. The mean bias between the SpHb and blood gas haemoglobin was 15 g/l.

CONCLUSION

During anaesthesia induction, haematocrit decreases and plasma volume increases early and parallel to a decrease in blood pressure. This autotransfusion is blunted when blood pressure is maintained at pre-induction levels with norepinephrine.