The efficacy of dexmedetomidine-remifentanil versus dexmedetomidine-propofol in children undergoing flexible bronchoscopy: A retrospective trial

Flexible bronchoscopy has been more and more used for diagnosis and management diseases of respiratory system in pediatrics. Previous studies have reported that remifentanil (RF) and propofol are safe and effective for flexible bronchoscopy in adults, however, there have no trials evaluate the efficacy of DEX-RF versus dexmedetomidine-propofol in children undergoing flexible bronchoscopy. We divided 123 children undergoing flexible bronchoscopy with DEX-RF or dexmedetomidine-propofol into 2 groups: Group DR (n = 63, DEX infusion at 1.0 μg kg(−1) for 10 minutes, then adjusted to 0.5–0.7 μg kg(−1) h(−1); RF infusion at 1.0 μg kg(−1) for 5 minutes, then adjusted to 0.05–0.2 μg kg(−1) min(−1)), Group DP (n = 60, DEX infusion at 1.0 μg kg(−1) for 10 minutes, then adjusted to 0.5–0.7 μg kg(−1) h(−1); propofol infusion at 10 μg kg(−1) for 5 minutes, then adjusted to 0.05–0.1 μg kg(−1) min(−1)). Ramsay sedation scale of the 2 groups was maintained at 3. Anesthesia onset time; total number of intraoperative patient movements; hemodynamics; total cumulative dose of DEX; amount of and time to first-dose rescue midazolam and lidocaine; postoperative recovery time; adverse events; and bronchoscopist satisfaction score were recorded. Anesthesia onset time was significantly shorter in DP (8.22 ± 2.48 vs 12.25 ± 6.43 minutes, respectively, for DP, DR, P = 0.015). The perioperative hemodynamic profile was more stable in DR than DP group. More children moved during flexible bronchoscopy in DP group (P = 0.009). Total dose of rescue midazolam and lidocaine was significantly higher in DR than in DP (P < 0.001). Similarly, the time to first dose of rescue midazolam and lidocaine was significantly longer in DP than in DR (P < 0.001). Total cumulative dose of DEX was more in DR than DP group (P < 0.001). The time to recovery for discharge from the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) was significantly shorter in DP than in DR group (P < 0.001). The bronchoscopist-satisfaction scores were higher for DR than DP (P = 0.036). There were significant differences between the 2 groups in terms of the overall incidence of hypertension, tachycardia, and hypoxemia (P < 0.05). Although underwent longer recovery time and more incidence of rescue scheme, DEX-RF resulted in more stable hemodynamic profiles and bronchoscopist-satisfaction scores, lesser patient movements, and can hence be more effectively used in children undergoing flexible bronchoscopy than dexmedetomidine-propofol.