Efficacy of remimazolam combined with alfentanil for gastroscopy in frail elderly patients / 中华麻醉学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of remimazolam combined with alfentanil for gastroscopy in frail elderly patients.Methods:Sixty American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅱ or Ⅲ elderly patients, aged 65-85 yr, with body mass index of 18-30 kg/m 2, of Clinical Frailty Scale score≥5, scheduled for elective painless gastroscopy, were divided into 2 groups ( n=30 each) using a random number table method: remimazolam combined with alfentanil group (group R) and propofol combined with remifentanil group (group P). A combination of alfentanil 10 μg/kg and remimazolam 0.2 mg/kg was intravenously injected until loss of consciousness in group R. Remifentanil 0.5 μg/kg combined with propofol 1.0-2.0 mg/kg was intravenously injected until loss of consciousness in group P. According to the intraoperative conditions, 1/4 of the initial dose of remimazolam was intravenously injected in group R, and 1/4 of the initial dose of propofol was intravenously injected in group P. The time for gastroscopy, requirement for additional remimazolam or propofol, onset time of anesthesia, emergence time and time of post-anesthesia care unit stay were recorded.Physician′s satisfaction scores, patient′s satisfaction scores and Verbal Pain Scale scores were recorded.The occurrence of injection pain, respiratory depression, bradycardia, hypotension and nausea and vomit was recorded. Results:There was no significant difference in the requirement for additional remimazolam or propofol, onset time of anesthesia, time for gastroscopy, physician′s satisfaction scores, and patient′s satisfaction scores, Verbal Pain Scale scores and incidence of nausea and vomit between two groups ( P>0.05). Compared with P group, the emergence time and time of post-anesthesia care unit stay were significantly shortened, and the incidence of injection pain (0 vs.33%), respiratory depression (0 vs.20%), hypotension (3% vs.23%) and bradycardia (3% vs.23%) was decreased in R group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Remimazolam combined with alfentanil is safe and effective, with rapid recovery from anesthesia, and provides better efficacy than the combination of propofol and remifentanil when used for gastroscopy in frail elderly patients.