The effect of dexmedetomidine pretreatment on the median effective bolus dose of propofol for facilitating laryngeal mask airway insertion.

BACKGROUND: We designed this study to investigate the effect of dexmedetomidine (1 μg/kg) pretreatment on the median effective dose (ED50) of propofol for facilitating successful laryngeal mask airway (LMA) insertion compared to propofol alone.

METHODS: Forty patients were randomized to either the control group (n = 21) or the dexmedetomidine group (n = 19). After infusion of normal saline or dexmedetomidine 1 µg/kg over 10 min, 1 % lidocaine 0.5 mg/kg, followed by propofol 2.5 mg/kg was administered and the laryngeal mask airway was inserted without muscle relaxants. The ED50 of propofol for successful LMA insertion was determined by the modified Dixon's up-and-down method. The ED50 and ED95 were also calculated using an isotonic regression method, based on the pooled adjacent-violators algorithm-adjusted response rate, and the confidential interval (CI) was estimated using a bootstrap approach.

RESULTS: The ED50 of propofol for smooth insertion of the LMA was significantly higher in the control group than in the dexmedetomidine group (3.1 ± 0.4 vs 1.9 ± 0.3 mg/kg, P < 0.001). From isotonic regression analysis using a bootstrap approach, the ED50 and ED95 of propofol was 2.9 mg/kg (83 % CI 2.5-3.3 mg/kg) and 3.9 mg/kg (95 % CI 3.5-4.0 mg/kg) in the control group, and 1.8 mg/kg (83 % CI 1.8-2.1 mg/kg) and 2.4 mg/kg (95 % CI 2.0-2.5 mg/kg) in the dexmedetomidine groups, respectively. The apnea time was not significantly different between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Pretreatment with dexmedetomidine 1 μg/kg could reduce the propofol requirement by 38 % for facilitating LMA insertion without prolonged respiratory depression and hemodynamic instability.