Effect of low-dose esmolol on vascular pain during anesthesia induction with propofol

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the effect of low- dose esmolol on vascular pain during anesthesia induction with propofol. Methods Eighty patients who underwent general anesthesia between June 2007 and March 2008 were randomly assigned to the control group (group A) or the esmoiol group (group B), with 40 patients in each. Propofol was administrated 2 mg/kg in 20 s i. v. to initiate anesthesia induction in all the patients. In group B, 0.5 mg/kg esmolol was administrated 30 s i. v. before anesthesia induction. Vascular pain with propofol administration was evaluated in both groups using a 4-point scale. Arterial blood pressure and beat rate were measured and compared between two groups before induction, at the end of induction, at the end of intubation and at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 min after intubation, as well as vascular pain during induction. Results The blood pressure and heart rate remained comparable between both groups before anesthesia and across all time spots of anesthesia induction (all P>0.05). Twenty-six patients (65%) in group A and 9 (23%) in group B reported pain during anesthesia induction (P 0.05). Severe pain was reported in 8 patients (20%) in group A compared with 1 (3%) in group B (P<O.05). Conclusion Low-dose esmolol may reduce vasclular pain by propofol injection during anesthesia induction. Key words: Propofol; Pain; Anesthesia; intravenous; Esmolol; Short-acting