Influence of Physostigmine on Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA) in Postoperative Intensive Care Patients — ANA06103  

Pain Clinical Trial

Official title: Influence of Physostigmine on Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA) in Postoperative Intensive Care Patients, Considering Pain Score, Opioid Consumption, Hemodynamics and Cognitive Function

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The study is to evaluate the influence of physostigmine in the postoperative period in intensive care patients considering pain quality, opioid consumption, hemodynamics and mobilisation.

Clinical Trial Description

Pain management is of major concern in the postoperative period, mostly based on opioids. In numerous experimental and clinical trials cholinergic mechanisms have been demonstrated to play an important antinociceptive role. Physostigmine, a central cholineresterase inhibitor, has been shown to produce analgesia and enhance opiate analgesia after systemic injection. This action is not based on µ-receptor (opioid) activity, but can be mostly explained by stimulation of serotonine (5-HT-3) receptors. The major withdrawal of utilizating physostigmine in postoperative care, is due to its short duration of action.

In the present study, we examined the effect of a continuous intavenous physostigmine application during a patient-controlled analgesia with piritramide for 48 hours compared to a placebo infusion with NaCl.

Major concern was set for consumption of analgesics, VAS-pain scale, hemodynamics, mobilisation and side effects. ;

Study Design

Time Perspective: Prospective

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Pain

• NCT number: NCT00608621
• Study type: Observational
• Source: Klinikum Ludwigshafen
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: January 2007
• Completion date: October 2007