ABSTRACT
To compare the effects of regular intermittent bolus versus continuous infusion for epidural labor analgesia on maternal temperature and serum interleukin-6 [IL-6] level. This randomized trial was performed in Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China between October 2012 and February 2014. Either regular intermittent bolus [RIB, n=66] or continuous infusion [CI, n=66] was used for epidural labor analgesia. A bolus dose [10 ml of 0.08% ropivacaine + 0.4 microg·ml[-1] sufentanil] was manually administrated once an hour in the RIB group, whereas the same solution was continuously infused at a constant rate of 10 ml·h[-1] in the CI group. Maternal tympanic temperature and serum IL-6 level were measured hourly from baseline to one hour post partum. The incidences of fever [>/= 38°C] were calculated. The incidence of maternal fever was similar between the 2 groups. There was a rising trend in mean temperature over time in both groups, but no statistical difference was detected between the groups at respective time points; maternal serum IL-6 showed similar changes. Compared with continuous infusion, regular intermittent bolus presents with the same incidence of maternal fever for epidural labor analgesia. Interleukin-6 elevation could be involved in mean maternal temperature increase