The Pain Control Efficacy of Zolpidem versus Melatonin after Intervertebral Disc Herniation Surgery under General Anaesthesia: A Randomised Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pain management has been linked with multiple clinically relevant complications such as thromboembolism, myocardial ischaemia, and cardiac arrhythmias. OBJECTIVES: The present study moves towards an evidence-based approach to the therapeutic efficacy of zolpidem and melatonin in a better clinically meaningful pain relief following intervertebral disc herniation surgery under general anaesthesia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Undertaking a randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, clinical trial, 60 patients meeting eligibility (mean age ≈ 39, 50% female and 50% men) were offered intervertebral disc surgery at the Arak-based Valiasr Hospital and stratified into two interventional arms by block randomisation. Data including (i) pain (visual analog scale) and sedation (Ramsay sedation scale) scores during recovery and at all five initial 24-h time points (two, four, six, 12, 24); (ii) adverse events inclusive of mild nausea and dizziness, pethidine consumption; and (iii) ongoing haemodynamic parameters, including heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation were collected. Data were analysed at a significance level of P = 0.05 (SPSS 20.0, IBM Corp). RESULTS: Our results showed no perceived statistically significant between-arm difference in three functional haemodynamic parameters, duration of surgery, and adverse events, as well as in sedation and pain scores (P < 0.05). Our results showed no between-arm difference in analgesia and sedation, haemodynamic changes, and postoperative adverse events. CONCLUSION: The findings taken together lent a strong support for the highly encouraging efficacy of both drugs in affording adequate analgesia at 24 postoperative hours without any adverse events needing to be thought of. Therefore, both zolpidem and melatonin were promising postoperative pain relievers, while no drug is demonstrably superior to the other.