EC50 and EC95 of Remifentanil for Inhibiting Bronchoscopy Responses in Elderly Patients During Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy Under Ciprofol Sedation: An Up-and-Down Sequential Allocation Trial

Drug Des Devel Ther. 2024 Dec 31:18:6487-6497. doi: 10.2147/DDDT.S490907. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Background: Opioids are used to suppress cough during fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB). However, evidence regarding the optimal dose of remifentanil during FOB under ciprofol sedation is limited. This study aimed to investigate the effective concentration (EC) of remifentanil required to suppress bronchoscopy responses during FOB under ciprofol sedation in elderly patients.

Materials and methods: Elderly patients aged 60 to 90 years with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-III, scheduled for FOB, were enrolled. Patients were assigned to either the male or the female group. Remifentanil was administered intravenously prior to ciprofol administration. The endpoints included responses to FOB, such as vocal cords movement, coughing, and body movement. The EC50 and EC95 values of remifentanil required to alleviate the responses to FOB were calculated using Dixon's up-and-down method for both male and female groups. Probit analysis was used to generate a dose-response curve.

Results: Thirty-nine patients (19 males and 20 females) were enrolled. The EC50 values (plasma concentration) of remifentanil for blunting FOB responses under ciprofol sedation were 3.25 (2.75 to 3.26) ng/mL and 2.25 (1.75 to 2.25) ng/mL in males and females, respectively (p = 0.0023). Probit analysis indicated that the EC50 of remifentanil required to suppress responses to FOB under ciprofol sedation was 3.102 [95% confidence interval (CI):2.694 to 3.749] ng/mL and 2.052 [95% CI: 1.345 to 2.750] ng/mL in males and females, respectively. The EC95 of remifentanil required to suppress responses to FOB under ciprofol sedation was 3.741 [95% CI: 3.366 to 7.699] ng/mL and 2.943 [95% CI: 2.456 to 9.533] ng/mL in males and females, respectively.

Conclusion: The results indicate differences between males and females in the EC50 and EC95 of remifentanil needed to suppress responses to FOB under ciprofol sedation while preserving spontaneous breathing in elderly patients.

Trial registration: The study was registered with chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR2300077720; 17 th November 2023).

Keywords: anesthesia; bronchoscopy; ciprofol; effective concentration; remifentanil.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Bronchoscopy*
  • Cyclopropanes
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug*
  • Female
  • Fiber Optic Technology
  • Humans
  • Hypnotics and Sedatives / administration & dosage
  • Hypnotics and Sedatives / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Remifentanil* / administration & dosage
  • Remifentanil* / pharmacology

Substances

  • Remifentanil
  • Hypnotics and Sedatives
  • (2-(1R)-1-cyclopropyl)ethyl-6-isopropyl-phenol
  • Cyclopropanes

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Health Commission’s Self Fund Research Project on Western Medicine (Z-A20230492), the Clinical Research “Climbing” Program of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University (YYZS2022005), the Traditional Chinese medicine appropriate technology development and promotion project of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (GZSY22-59), and the Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (2022GXNSFAA035628, 2024GXNSFAA010222).