GABAPENTIN
Authors: Boota Brig (Retd) Muhammad , Nasir Sohail , Hyder Imran 
Published: December 2018

Introduction: There have been several methods used to prevent or attenuate the adverse hemodynamic changes following endotracheal intubation, but not many studies have been done for the same purpose in patients undergoing nasotracheal intubation. Deepening of anaesthesia, omitting cholinergic premedication, pre-treatment with vasodilators such as nitroglycerine, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers and opioids are few of the different techniques used when trachea is intubated orally or nasally, to blunt significant swings in hemodynamic parameters. We assessed the effectiveness of oral gabapentin to determine changes in hemodynamic response in normotensive patients following nasotracheal intubationwith or without laryngoscopy for elective maxillofacial surgeries. Study Design: Randomized double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Setting: Department of Anesthesia & Intensive Care, Fauji Foundation Hospital Rawalpindi. Period: 18 months after approval from the ethical committee. Material & Methods: Total 130 patients were included in the study. These patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. In Group-A patients were given 800 mg gabapentin and in Group-B patients were given placebo. Heart rate and mean arterial pressures were recorded just before intubation as base line values, and then average readings were taken at 1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes and 10 minutes after intubation. Bradycardia and hypotension were adequately treated with intravenous atropine and vasopressors. Data entry and analysis was done by using SPSS 17. Results: Total 130 patients who underwent elective surgeries were included in the study and divided into 2 groups each group containing 65 patients each. At 1st minute MAP in Group-A (oral gabapentin) and in Group-B (Placebo) was 86.89±4.36 and 98.70±4.39. At 3rd minute MAP in Group-A, in Group-B was 83.40±4.05 and 92.93±4.79. At 5th minute MAP was 82.50±5.00 and 88.03±4.22 and lastly at 10th minute MAP was 79.81±5.37 in Group-A and 83.18±4.77 in Group-B respectively. P-value at 1st, 3rd, 5th and at 10th minutes showed that statistically MAP was different in both treatment groups at the above mentioned time intervals. 1st minute: p-value=0.042, 3rd minute: p-value=0.000, 5th minute: p-value=0.000 and at 10th minute: p-value=0.000. At 1st minute heart rate in Group-A and Group-B was 87.89±1.39 and 93.47±6.88 respectively. At 3rd minute heart rate in Group-A and Group-B was 83.47±5.47 and 89.70±6.76. At 5th minute heart rate was 82.10±5.01 and 84.60±5.91 and lastly at 10th minute heart rate was 78.09±6.79 in Group-A and 77.27±5.34 in Group-B respectively. P -value at 1st, 3rd and 5th minutes showed that statistically heart rate was different in both treatment groups at the above mentioned time intervals. But at 10th minute heart rate was statistically same in both treatment groups. 1st minute: p-value=0.144, 3rd minute: p-value=0.000, 5th minute: p-value=0.011 and at 10th minute: p-value=0.448. Conclusion: According to the results of this study it was observed that oral gabapentin is effective in modifying hemodynamic response to nasotracheal intubation in normotensive patients undergoing elective maxillofacial surgeries. MAP (10th Minute: Group-A vs. Group-B: 0.000) & Heart Rate (10th Minute: Group-A vs. Group-B:0.448)