Clinical efficacy of dexmedetomidine in the diminution of fentanyl dosage in pediatric cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND

This study aims to explore the clinical efficacy of dexmedetomidine (DEX) in the diminution of fentanyl dosage in pediatric cardiac surgery based on some clinical and biochemical parameters.

METHODS

Fifty pediatric patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists II), 1-6 years old, were randomly allocated into two groups: group F (control group), in which patients received normal saline and high dosage of fentanyl (30 μg/kg), and group D, in which patients were given DEX and low dosage of fentanyl (15 μg/kg). Some hemodynamic and clinical parameters of the two groups were recorded. Furthermore, stress hormone (serum cortisol, norepinephrine, blood glucose) levels and cytokine (interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor alpha) levels in the two groups were compared with each other.

RESULTS

Stress hormone levels, cytokine levels, hemodynamic parameters and the consumption of sevoflurane did not differ between the two groups. Meanwhile, the extubation time was significantly shorter in Group D than F (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicated that low dosage of fentanyl supplemented with DEX almost had the same anesthesia effects and inflammation extent compared with high dose of fentanyl, which suggested that infusion DEX might decrease fentanyl consumption in pediatric cardiac surgery.