Methods and findings in experimental and clinical pharmacology
-
Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol · Sep 1999
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialComparison of 1% and 2% lidocaine hydrochloride used as single local anesthetic: effect on postoperative pain course after oral soft tissue surgery.
It is known that some local anesthetics may cause pain when the initial local anesthetic effect disappears. The aim of this trial was to compare the postoperative pain intensities after infiltration of plain lidocaine 1% and 2% used in gingivectomies. The trial was done as a controlled, randomized, double-blind, parallel group study involving 117 patients with mean age 48 years (range 29-71 years) allocated to two treatment groups. ⋯ There were more patients experiencing no pain, but more patients reporting higher pain scores in the lidocaine 2% group than in the lidocaine 1% group. These differences were not statistically significant. It can be concluded that there is apparently no difference between lidocaine 1% and 2% with respect to postoperative pain experience when using gingivectomy as a pain model.
-
Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol · Sep 1999
Antinociceptive effect of gabapentin in the formalin test.
Gabapentin is an adjunctive drug for the treatment of resistant partial seizures. The antinociceptive effect of this drug was assessed by using the formalin pain test in rats. Although low dose gabapentin (10 mg/kg s.c.) was unable to alter pain scores, higher doses (30 and 90 mg/kg s.c.) significantly reduced them. Results suggest that gabapentin may modulate the pain perception produced by chemical irritants like formalin in rats.
-
Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol · Nov 1998
Monitoring the onset of neuromuscular blockade with double burst stimulation (DBS).
The present study was undertaken to evaluate the suitability of the DBS mode in the determination of the proper time to perform tracheal intubation following cisatracurium muscle relaxation. The DBS3.3 pattern was administered to the ulnar nerve at the wrist in 45 patients paralyzed with cisatracurium 0.15 mg.kg-1 and tracheal intubation was attempted immediately after the disappearance of both palpable contractions of the adductor pollicis. ⋯ Forty-two patients (93%) exhibited acceptable intubation conditions as soon as both responses to DBS were absent and the estimated apparent onset time, according to the stimulation mode applied, was 114.68 +/- 13.2 sec. Our data suggest that disappearance of both palpable responses to DBS3.3 may be used as an accurate predictor of acceptable intubation conditions, following nondepolarizing relaxants such as cisatracurium.
-
Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol · Oct 1998
Comparison of present pain intensity assessments on horizontally and vertically oriented visual analogue scales.
Contrary results have been reported from studies comparing horizontal and vertical orientations of the visual analogue scale (VAS) in non-dental pain states. The vertical orientation of the VAS has been used in our department for several years while the horizontal orientation is the most commonly used in other acute pain models. The present study investigated whether a horizontally oriented VAS is as sensitive as a vertically oriented VAS in the assessment of present pain after oral surgery. ⋯ No significant differences between the horizontal and the vertical VAS-values were found (p = 0.099). Distributions (Kolmogorov-Smirnov test) and dispersions of data were also similar with the two orientations of the VAS. This study shows that a vertically oriented VAS is equally sensitive as a horizontally oriented VAS in assessing present pain intensity after oral surgery.
-
Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol · Oct 1997
Aortic peak flow velocity as an index of myocardial contractility in the conscious rat.
The present studies were conducted in conscious, instrumented rats to evaluate measurements of aortic peak flow velocity (PFV) as an index of myocardial contractility. Because our previous studies had characterized/verified procedures to determine pressure-derived indices of contractile function in the anesthetized, ventilated, open-chest rat, we first correlated PFV with (a) maximum rate of left ventricular pressure development (max +dP/dt) and (b) a contractility index derived by dividing max +dP/dt by left ventricular pressure at max +dP/dt [(dP/dt)/P] in anesthetized rats (n = 5). The positive inotropic agent, isoproterenol, given by bolus intravenous injection (0.2 microgram), significantly and concurrently increased dP/dt, (dP/dt)/P, and PFV. ⋯ Isoproterenol and propranolol had directionally appropriate, and significant effects on PFV in the conscious rat. When compared with PFV values under control conditions in the anesthetized rat, conscious rat values are approximately double those observed under anesthesia; however, the relative PFV responses to isoproterenol and propranolol were not affected. Therefore, the present studies provide evidence that aortic PFV can be utilized as an estimate of heart contractile performance, i.e., myocardial contractility, in the conscious, instrumented rat.