Effect of sufentanil on bispectral index in the elderly

T.de Valence; N. Elia; C. Czarnetzki; L. Dumont; M.R.Tramèr; C. Lysakowski

Anaesthesia, Volume 73, Issue 2, February 2018, Pages 216-222. DOI: 10.1111/anae.14102

First published: 03 November 2017

Summary

We examined the impact of adding sufentanil during anaesthesia induction with propofol on bispectral index values in elderly patients (≥ 65 years).

Patients were randomly assigned to receive a target‐controlled sufentanil infusion (effect‐site concentration of 0.3 ng.ml−1) or matching placebo, followed by a target‐controlled propofol induction (initial effect‐site concentration of 0.5 μg.ml−1; step‐wise increase of 0.5 μg.ml−1) until loss of consciousness defined as an Observer's Assessment of Alertness/Sedation score < 2.

Seventy‐one patients (sufentanil 35, placebo 36) completed the study. Mean (SD) age was 72.3 (5.8) years; 41% were women. At loss of consciousness, mean (SD) bispectral index value was 75.0 (8.6) with sufentanil and 70.0 (8.0) with placebo; mean difference −5.0 (95% confidence interval −8.9 to −1.1), p = 0.013. Post‐hoc analyses suggest that the difference was significant in men only (mean difference −7.3 (−11.8 to −2.6), p = 0.003).

Sufentanil co‐induction with propofol results in higher bispectral index values at loss of consciousness in elderly patients. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT 02831101