• R A O'Hare, R K Mirakhur, J E Reid, D S Breslin, and A Hayes.
• Department of Anaesthetics and Intensive Care Medicine, The Queen's University of Belfast, UK.
• Br J Anaesth. 2001 Mar 1;86(3):361-5.

AbstractWe have examined the effects on recovery end-points of supplementation of a propofol-based anaesthetic with remifentanil. After induction of anaesthesia with propofol and remifentanil 1.0 microg kg(-1), 15 patients each were randomly allocated to target plasma propofol concentrations of 2, 3, 4 or 5 microg ml(-1) for maintenance of anaesthesia. Remifentanil was administered by infusion for supplementation in doses required for maintenance of adequate anaesthesia. All patients received 50% nitrous oxide in oxygen and ventilation was controlled. The total amount of drugs used and times to different recovery end-points were recorded. Cognitive function was also assessed using a Mini-Mental State questionnaire. The median dose of remifentanil for maintenance of adequate anaesthesia (excluding the initial bolus dose) in the four groups was 0.21, 0.15, 0.11 and 0.13 microg kg(-1) min(-1) respectively (P=0.0026). The median times to eye opening and orientation were shortest in the 2 microg ml(-1) group [6.0 and 6.5 min, 8.5 and 10.8 min, 13.4 and 15.8 min, and 14.2 and 19.5 min respectively in the propofol 2, 3, 4, and 5 microg ml(-1) groups respectively (P<0.001)]. The times to discharge from the recovery ward and the Mini-Mental State scores were not significantly different.

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