The Effect of Oral Pregabalin on Epidural-induced Shivering and Epidural Characteristics in Gynecological Surgeries, a Prospective Randomized Double-blind Study

After obtaining the ethical committee approval of Beni Suef University hospital, in Egypt and an informed consent from the patients, Eighty female patients with an American society of Anesthegiologists physical status (ASA) I-II who were undergoing gynecological surgery (Posterior repair and transobturator transfixation) under epidural anesthesia, were enrolled in this randomized double -blind study in May 2018.

The patients were excluded from the study if ASA class was more than II, anticipated difficult epidural insertion or there was any contraindication to epidural anesthesia, if any patient developed wet or bloody tab, or the patients were under psychotropic or antiepileptic therapy.

The 80 Patients were randomly allocated into one of two groups (using sealed opaque numbered envelopes indicating the group of each patient, carried out by an independent anesthesiologist and given to the ward nurse) [40 patients in each group]:

• Pregabalin group (P), [n=40]: received pregabalin 150 mg capsules (Lyrica®,Pfizer) sixty minutes prior to the epidural insertion.
• Control group (C), [n=40]: received placebo capsules sixty minutes prior to epidural insertion.

Prior to administration of study drugs, mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), oxygen saturation (SpO2), and tympanic temperature (T temp) were taken as [baseline reading]. Upon reaching the operation theater, a second set of readings were taken [preoperative reading], together with sedation score using a 4 points "Modified Wilson" Sedation Scale [1=awake; 2=drowsy but arousable to command; 3= asleep but arousable to mild physical stimulation; and 4= asleep but not arousable to mild physical stimulation].