Effects of propofol and dexmedetomidine on motor coordination and analgesia: a comparative analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare the effects of two drugs on motor performance and analgesic efficacy in a rat model. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Rats were randomly divided into four groups as follows: propofol (600 µg/kg/min), dexmedetomidine (1 µg/kg/min), morphine (83 µg/kg/min) and control. The rats were placed on a rotating rod and tested at the slowest speed (5 rpm) and then at increasing increments from 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 to 40 rpm. The speed was set up again from 1 to 79 rpm within 4 and 10 min for the accelerod test, respectively. Pain reflexes in response to a thermal stimulus were measured at 0, 10, 20 and 60 min after the drug injection using the hot-plate test. RESULTS: Dexmedetomidine injected rats showed an increased length of time compared to the propofol group at 20 rpm, 25 rpm, 35 rpm and 40 rpm speeds during the rotarod test. The latency times for the hot-plate test increased significantly for the propofol, at 0, 10 and 20 min compared to the control. At 10 min the latency times of the propofol group were longer than the dexmedetomidine group. CONCLUSIONS: For long-term analgesic benefit propofol treatment seems to be better than the dexmedetomidine group. Dexmedetomidine may be preferable in day-case surgery and sedation applications in intensive care units as it provided a faster onset of recovery of motor coordination performance.

Effects of 2 different doses of pregabalin on morphine consumption and pain after abdominal hysterectomy: a randomized, double-blind clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Pregabalin has a similar pharmacologic profile to that of its developmental predecessor gabapentin but has shown greater analgesic activity in rodent models of neuropathic pain. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to compare the effects of 2 different doses of pregabalin and placebo on postoperative pain and morphine consumption. METHODS: Ninety patients who underwent abdominal hysterectomy were included in the study and randomly divided into 3 groups in a doubled-blinded manner. They were given 150 mg of pregabalin (group P300, n = 30), 300 mg of pregabalin (group P600, n = 30), or placebo capsules (group C, n = 30) 4 hours before the induction of anesthesia; they received a second dose of the drug 12 hours postoperatively. Morphine consumption, nausea, and vomiting, visual analogue scale-pain intensity (VAS-PI), sedation scores, and dissatisfaction scores were recorded in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) and at 2, 4, 6, and 24 hours after operation. RESULTS: Morphine consumption at 24 hours was 40.80 (3.42) mg, 33.79 (5.77) mg, and 46.97 (6.67) mg in groups P300, P600, and C, respectively (P < 0.001). VAS-PI scores at movement and at rest in the PACU and at 2, 4, and 6 hours decreased in group P600 (P < 0.01). In the PACU and at 2, 4, and 6 hours, the sedation scores were increased in group P600 compared with the scores in group C (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P = 0.01, P = 0.006, respectively). Patient satisfaction was higher in group P600 than in group C for all time points (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P = 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences between the groups for side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and dizziness (P = 0.58). CONCLUSIONS: Pregabalin at a total dose of 600 mg, administered before operation and at 12 hours postoperatively after abdominal hysterectomy, reduced morphine consumption and pain intensity and increased patient satisfaction. No significant differences in side effects were observed between the study groups.