Intellectual disability is a risk factor for delayed emergence from total intravenous anaesthesia.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that ID influences the depth of general anaesthesia (GA) and delays emergence from GA. In this retrospective cohort study, we investigated whether ID affects the time taken to emerge from GA.

METHODS: We selected dental patients who underwent GA at the Department of Dental Anaesthesiology, Okayama University Hospital, using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, before dividing the selected participants into ID and non-ID (control) groups. Relevant data were collected from electronic anaesthesia records. Emergence time, the time from the discontinuation of propofol and remifentanil to tracheal extubation, was recorded for each patient. We compared the data of the ID group and control group. The association between ID and the emergence time was tested for statistical significance. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to control for confounders.

RESULTS: A total of 97 cases (control = 50, ID = 47) were included in the study. The emergence time was significantly longer in the ID group (ID group: 15.8 ± 6.6 min, control group: 10.8 ± 3.6 min). The ID group included more men and lower propofol and remifentanil infusion rates. The treatment time was longer, and the mean bispectral index was lower in the ID group. Sevoflurane inhalation was used only for anaesthesia induction in the ID group. In the multivariate linear regression analysis, ID was found to be significantly associated with a longer emergence time.

CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that ID is associated with a longer emergence time from GA.