Effect of daxapram on recovery following total intravenous anesthesia with propofol and remifentanil

Lee, Jun Hwa; Kim, A Reum; Kim, Yoon Hee; Yoon, Seok Hwa

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of doxapram on recovery following propofol-remifentanil anesthesia.
METHODS
Forty patients scheduled for gastrectomy were randomly allocated to receive either doxapram 1 mg/kg or normal saline at the end of surgery under propofol-remifentanil anesthesia. Clinical recovery from anesthesia was assessed by times to spontaneous breathing, eye opening on verbal command, extubation, and discharge from the postanesthetic care unit (PACU). Bispectral index (BIS) values, blood pressure, and heart rate were recorded every 2 min for 16 min after the administration of doxapram or saline. The incidences of side effects were checked in the recovery room.
RESULTS
Spontaneous breathing was recovered after 6.2 +/- 1.1 minutes in the Doxapram group versus 9.2 +/- 1.8 minutes in the normal saline group (P < 0.001). Times to eye and extubation were also shorter in the Doxapram patients than in the normal saline patients (6.9 +/- 1.0 and 8.1 +/- 1.7 min versus 10.4 +/- 2.0 and 12.0 +/- 2.6 min, respectively) (P < 0.001). However, the times to PACU discharge were not different between the two groups (46.9 +/- 4.9 min versus 47.0 +/- 6.0 min, respectively). The patients in the Doxapram group showed higher mean BIS values compared with the normal saline group during emergence, but there were no differences in arterial blood pressure, heart rate and incidences of side effects between the two groups.
CONCLUSIONS
Doxapram 1 mg/kg hastens early recovery from TIVA with propofol and remifentanil, and this emergence effect correlates with higher BIS values. Doxapram, however, does not affect the discharge time from the PACU and incidences of side effects.