Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · May 2004
The interaction between gamma-aminobutyric acid agonists and diltiazem in visceral antinociception in rats.
To examine whether the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor agonists and L-type voltage-dependent calcium channel blockers potentiate each other on the visceral antinociceptive effects at the spinal cord, we assessed visceral nociception with colorectal distension (CD) test in rats with an intrathecal catheter. The measurements were performed after intrathecal administration of a GABA agonist (muscimol or baclofen), a calcium channel blocker (diltiazem), or the combination of the two. CD threshold did not change after muscimol 0.1 microg, baclofen 0.01 microg, or diltiazem 100 microg, but increased slightly after muscimol 1 microg and baclofen 0.1 microg. When muscimol 0.1 microg or 1 microg was administered with diltiazem, the increase in CD threshold was significantly larger than muscimol alone (at 5 min, 26.2% versus 0.6% MPE (maximum possible effect) or 84.5% versus 19.5%MPE, respectively; P < 0.01). The CD threshold after the combination of baclofen 0.1 microg and diltiazem also showed a significantly larger increase than that seen after baclofen alone (at 5 min, 48.0% versus 14.3% MPE; P < 0.01). Motor paralysis observed with muscimol 1 microg did not increase when muscimol was coadministered with diltiazem. In conclusion, intrathecal diltiazem in combination with a GABA agonist, muscimol or baclofen, potentiated the GABA agonists-induced visceral antinociception without increasing motor paralysis. ⋯ Intrathecal administration of diltiazem in combination with a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonist, muscimol or baclofen, potentiated the GABA agonists-induced visceral antinociception but did not affect motor paralysis. The present results indicate that the coadministration of the two types of drugs may be clinically useful.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · May 2004
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialThe short- and long-term benefit in chronic low back pain through adjuvant electrical versus manual auricular acupuncture.
Acupuncture is an established adjuvant analgesic modality for the treatment of chronic pain. Electrical stimulation of acupuncture points is considered to increase acupuncture analgesia. In this prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled study we tested the hypothesis that auricular electroacupuncture (EA) relieves pain more effectively than conventional manual auricular acupuncture (CO) in chronic low back pain patients with insufficient pain relief (visual analogue scale [VAS] > or = 5) treated with standardized analgesic therapy. Disposable acupuncture needles were inserted in the auricular acupuncture points 29, 40, and 55 of the dominant side and connected to a newly developed battery-powered miniaturized stimulator worn behind the ear. Patients were randomized into group EA (n = 31) with continuous low-frequency auricular EA (1 Hz biphasic constant current of 2 mA) and group CO (n = 30) without electrical stimulation (sham-electroacupuncture). Treatment was performed once weekly for 6 wk, and in each group needles were withdrawn 48 h after insertion. During the study period and a 3-mo follow-up, patients were asked to complete the McGill questionnaire. Psychological well being, activity level, quality of sleep, and pain intensity were assessed by means of VAS; moreover, analgesic drug consumption was documented. Pain relief was significantly better in group EA during the study and the follow-up period as compared with group CO. Similarly, psychological well-being, activity, and sleep were significantly improved in group EA versus group CO, the consumption of analgesic rescue medication was less, and more patients returned to full-time employment. Neuropathic pain in particular improved in patients treated with EA. There were no adverse side effects. These results are the first to demonstrate that continuous EA stimulation of auricular acupuncture points improves the treatment of chronic low back pain in an outpatient population. ⋯ Continuous electrical stimulation of auricular acupuncture points using the new point stimulation device P-stim significantly decreases pain intensity and improves psychological well-being, activity, and sleep in chronic low back pain patients.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · May 2004
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialInteractive music therapy as a treatment for preoperative anxiety in children: a randomized controlled trial.
In this study, we examined whether interactive music therapy is an effective treatment for preinduction anxiety. Children undergoing outpatient surgery were randomized to 3 groups: interactive music therapy (n = 51), oral midazolam (n = 34), or control (n = 38). The primary outcome of the study was children's perioperative anxiety. We found that children who received midazolam were significantly less anxious during the induction of anesthesia than children in the music therapy and control groups (P = 0.015 and P = 0.005, respectively). We found no difference in anxiety during the induction of anesthesia between children in the music therapy group and children in the control group. An analysis controlling for therapist revealed a significant therapist effect; i.e., children treated by one of the therapists were significantly less anxious than children in the other therapist group and the control group on separation to the operating room (OR) (P < 0.05) and on entrance to the OR (P < 0.05), but not on the introduction of the anesthesia mask (P = not significant). Children in the midazolam group were the least anxious even after controlling for therapist effect (P < 0.05). We conclude that music therapy may be helpful on separation and entrance to the OR, depending on the therapist. However, music therapy does not appear to relieve anxiety during the induction of anesthesia. ⋯ Depending on the music therapist, interactive music therapy may relieve anxiety on separation and entrance to the operating room but appears less effective during the induction of anesthesia.