A Comparison of the Perioperative Hemodynamic Effects of Remifentanil and Esmolol in Intracranial Surgery

Condition(s) targeted: Tachycardia; Hypertension; Myocardial Ischemia

Intervention: Esmolol (Drug); Remifentanil (Drug)

Phase: Phase 4

Status: Completed

Sponsored by: Diskapi Teaching and Research Hospital

Official(s) and/or principal investigator(s):
Dilek Yazicioglu, Principal Investigator, Affiliation: MD

It was hypothesized that the use of esmolol as an alternative to remifentanil with sevoflurane inhalation anesthesia during intracranial surgery, could provide better hemodynamic conditions and cause lesser side effects in the perioperative period. It was the main objective of this study to compare the effect of esmolol and remifentanil on the incidence of tachycardia and hypertension and the intraoperative fentanyl consumption. The comparison of postoperative troponine I and creatine phosphokinase levels and EKG changes were the secondary objectives.

Official title: A Comparison of the Perioperative Hemodynamic Effects of Remifentanil and Esmolol: a Double Blind Randomized Controlled Study

Study design: Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator), Primary Purpose: Treatment

Primary outcome: It is the main objective of this study to compare the effect of esmolol and remifentanil on the incidence of tachycardia and hypertension

Secondary outcome: the intraoperative fentanyl consumption

Detailed description: During neurosurgical procedures intubation, insertion of the head pins, extubation and the early postoperative period are the time lines in which cerebral autoregulation can be impaired by changes in heart rate and blood pressure. Several anesthetic regimens have been implied to overcome this problem. Remifentanil is used in neurosurgery since it allows early recovery and neurologic evaluation. Esmolol on the other hand is also very short acting, effective to blunt cardiovascular responses during surgery and has no significant effect on intracranial pressure and cerebral blood flow. In addition esmolol is addressed to reduce perioperative ischemia during noncardiac surgery. It was hypothesized that the use of esmolol as an alternative to remifentanil with sevoflurane inhalation anesthesia during intracranial surgery, could provide better hemodynamic conditions and cause lesser side effects in the perioperative period. It was the main objective of this study to compare the effect of esmolol and remifentanil on the incidence of tachycardia and hypertension and the intraoperative fentanyl consumption. The comparison of postoperative troponine I and creatine phosphokinase levels and EKG changes were the secondary objectives.

Minimum age: 19 Years. Maximum age: 80 Years. Gender(s): Both.

Criteria:

Inclusion Criteria:

- Intracranial surgery

Exclusion Criteria:

- heart rate ≤ 50,

- atrioventricular block,

- sick sinus syndrome,

- heart failure,

- history of asthma,

- hypertension,

- impaired renal or hepatic function,

- patients receiving beta blockers or calcium channel blockers,

- emergency surgery.

Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Teaching and Research Hospital, Ankara 06610, Turkey

Related publications:

Heinke W, Zysset S, Hund-Georgiadis M, Olthoff D, von Cramon DY. The effect of esmolol on cerebral blood flow, cerebral vasoreactivity, and cognitive performance: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Anesthesiology. 2005 Jan;102(1):41-50.

Landoni G, Turi S, Biondi-Zoccai G, Bignami E, Testa V, Belloni I, Cornero G, Zangrillo A. Esmolol reduces perioperative ischemia in noncardiac surgery: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2010 Apr;24(2):219-29. doi: 10.1053/j.jvca.2009.07.008. Epub 2009 Oct 2.

Starting date: June 2012
Last updated: February 14, 2015