Evaluation of gabapentin in attenuating pressor response to direct laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation

ABSTRACT

Background: To evaluate effect of gabapentin in attenuation of haemodynamic responses to direct laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation. Methods: Hundred patients undergoing elective surgery were randomly allocated to two groups of 50 patients each. Patients in group A received gabapentin 800 mg and patients in group B received placebo capsules the night before and on the morning of surgery. Anaesthesia was induced with propofol and vecuronium. Systolic; diastolic; mean arterial blood pressures (SAP; DAP; MAP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded before and after the induction of anesthesia and 0; 1; 3; 5 and 10 min after tracheal intubation. Results: SAP was significantly lower in the gabapentin as compared to the control group 0; 1; 3; 5 and 10 min after intubation [121 vs 135 ( P0.001); 117 vs 132 (P0.001); 112 vs 124 (P0.001); 110 vs 118 ( P0.05) and 107 vs 112 ( P0.05) respectively]. DAP also was lower in the gabapentin group 0; 1; 3; and 5 min after intubation [77 vs 87 (P0.001); 74 vs 84 (P0.001); 70 vs 78 (P0.001) and 68 vs 74 (P0.05)]. MAP also was lower in the gabapentin group 0; 1; 3; and 5 min after intubation [92 vs 103 (P0.001); 88 vs 100 (P0.001); 84 vs 93 (P0.001) and 82 vs 88 (P0.05)]. HR also was lower in the gabapentin group 0; 1 and 3 min after intubation [90 vs 98 (P0.05); 88 vs 95 (P0.001) and 84 vs 90 (P0.05)]. Conclusion: Gabapentin; under the present study design attenuates the pressor response associated with laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation but tachycardiac response is not completely eliminated