The Efficacy of Pregabalin as a Premedicant in Attenuating Neuroendocrine Stress Response During General Anaesthesia in Elective Surgeries: A Prospective Randomised Placebo Controlled Study

BACKGROUND stress response to surgery is characterised by increased secretion of pituitary hormones and activation of the sympathetic system. The changes triggered by the stress response are short-lived and well tolerated by normal healthy patients to ASA 1 and 2. In patients with other comorbidities like myocardial ischaemia, renal insufficiency, uncontrolled , liver disease and cerebrovascular diseases, these changes can be life threatening. The recognition of the factors initiate the stress response can be considered for modification in the preoperative period itself. Various anaesthetic and pain management strategies have been put into use to control the stress response. study the rise in serum cortisol levels during surgery after administering oral pregabalin as a premedicant. AND DESIGN Prospective Randomised Placebo Controlled Study. AND METHODS consented patients were aged between 18 and 50 years belonging to ASA 1 & 2 undergoing elective surgical procedures general anaesthesia of duration between 30 minutes and 180 minutes. Group A received oral placebo, Group B oral 150 mg 60-90 minutes before surgery with sips of water. They were randomly allocated to a particular group using generated numbers. The ward staff nurse administered the drug kept in sealed envelopes. Both the patients and the administering anaesthesia were unaware of the group. ANALYSIS results were analysed using SPSS Version 17 software with the help of the statistician. The students’ paired t-test was to compare the mean change in the cortisol levels in the two groups. was a significant [p < 0.01] reduction in the intraoperative cortisol levels after premedication with pregabalin. There was increase in serum cortisol levels after extubation in both the groups which was statistically significant (p < 0.01). in the dose of 150 mg given per orally one hour before elective surgeries can attenuate the neuroendocrine stress due to induction and intubation. Better surgical skills and techniques have got a major role in attenuating stress response more than the conventional anaesthetic interventions.