Comparison of Antinociceptive Properties Between Sevoflurane and Desflurane Using Pupillary Dilation Reflex Under Equivalent Minimum Alveolar Concentration: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The pupillary dilation reflex (PDR), the change in pupil size after a nociceptive stimulus, has been used to assess antinociception during anesthesia. The aim of this study was to compare the antinociceptive properties of sevoflurane and desflurane by measuring the PDR amplitude. METHODS: Seventy patients between 20 and 55 years of age were randomly allocated to receive either sevoflurane or desflurane. The PDR amplitude after an electrical standardized noxious stimulation (SNT) was measured using an infrared pupillometer under 1.0 minimum alveolar concentration (MAC). The pupil diameter was measured from 5 seconds before to 5 minutes after the SNT. The mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and bispectral index (BIS) were also measured immediately before and after SNT as well as 1 minute and 5 minutes after SNT. The primary outcome was the maximum percent increase from the prestimulation value of the pupil diameter, and the secondary outcomes were the maximum percent increase from the prestimulation value of the MAP, HR, and BIS after SNT. RESULTS: The maximum percent increase of the pupil diameter after SNT was not different between the 2 groups (median [first quartile to third quartile], 45.1 [29.3-80.3] vs 43.4 [27.0-103.1]; median difference, -0.3 [95% confidence interval, -16.0 to 16.5]; P = .986). Before SNT, the MAP was higher under 1.0 MAC of sevoflurane than desflurane; however, the maximum percent increase of MAP, HR, and BIS was not different between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: The amount of change in the PDR amplitude, MAP, and HR after SNT was not different between sevoflurane and desflurane anesthesia. This result might suggest that sevoflurane and desflurane may not have different antinociceptive properties at equivalent MAC.

Behavioral changes after hospital discharge in preschool children experiencing emergence delirium after general anesthesia: A prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Emergence delirium is well known as early postoperative behavioral change after general anesthesia. However, it is unclear whether children with emergence delirium have negative behavioral changes after hospital discharge. AIM: This observational study investigated the association between emergence delirium and posthospital behavioral changes. METHODS: One-hundred preschoolers aged 2-7 years undergoing elective surgery were enrolled in 2 tertiary university hospitals. Preoperative anxiety level was assessed using modified Yale preoperative anxiety scale. Emergence delirium was defined via pediatric anesthesia emergence delirium score ≥12 at any time in the recovery room. We divided the delirium score into a delirium-specific score (the sum of the first 3 items: eye contact, purposeful movement, and awareness of surrounding) and a pain-related score (the sum of the last 2 items: restlessness and inconsolability). High delirium scores represent severe emergence delirium. Posthospital behavioral changes were assessed by a change in Child Behavior Checklist 1.5-5 scores before and 1 week after surgery. The primary outcome was the total behavior checklist scores 1 week after surgery. Multiple linear regression was performed to identify risk factors for posthospital behavioral changes. RESULTS: Children with emergence delirium (n = 58) had higher postoperative behavior checklist scores than children without emergence delirium (n = 42) [mean (SD), 22.8 (17.5) vs. 14.0 (12.1); mean difference (95% CI), 8.8 (1.5-16.2)]. Increases in preoperative anxiety level [regression coefficient (b) (95% CI) =0.241 (0.126-0.356)] and peak delirium-specific score [b = 0.789 (0.137-1.442)] were associated with an increase in behavior checklist score 1 week after surgery, while pain-related score, type of surgery, premedication, and age were not. CONCLUSION: Children with emergence delirium developed more severe behavior changes 1 week after surgery than those without emergence delirium. High preoperative anxiety level and emergence delirium scores were associated with posthospital behavioral changes.