Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Remifentanil patient-controlled analgesia for labour: optimizing drug delivery regimens.
A pilot study was undertaken to compare the efficacy of two regimens of intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with remifentanil for labour analgesia. ⋯ Although pain and satisfaction scores were similar in both groups, the regimen used in Group A was associated with fewer side effects compared to the Group B dosing regimen. This pilot study suggests that remifentanil intravenous PCA is efficacious for labour analgesia as a bolus of 0.25 microg x kg(-1), with a lockout interval of two minutes and continuous infusion of 0.025-0.1 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1). The potential for respiratory depression mandates close respiratory monitoring. Large-scale trials to evaluate safety issues are warranted.