ED95 of phenylephrine to prevent spinal-induced hypotension and/or nausea at elective cesarean delivery

The purpose of this trial was to determine the 95% effective dose (ED95) of phenylephrine by intermittent i.v. bolus, to prevent spinal-induced hypotension and/or nausea at elective cesarean delivery.

The study was conducted in a double-blinded fashion in 50 patients undergoing elective cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia. The dose of phenylephrine was determined using up-down sequential allocation, modified by a variation of the Narayana rule. Systolic pressure and heart rate were assessed every minute until uterine incision. The first patient was assigned a 40-microg dose, and the dose to subsequent patients varied by 10-microg increments or decrements. An adequate response was defined as absence of hypotension (systolic pressure <80% of baseline) and nausea. The study solution was given immediately after spinal administration, without prior pressure measurement, and thereafter when the systolic pressure was

The ED95 of phenylephrine was estimated as 159 microg (95% confidence interval: 122-371 microg), although the largest dose given in the study was only 120 microg. Hypertension (systolic blood pressure >120% of baseline) was observed in 14 cases, immediately after intrathecal injection and prophylactic phenylephrine administration in all cases.

The ED95 of phenylephrine, administered as intermittent boluses to prevent pre-delivery spinal-induced hypotension and/or nausea at elective cesarean delivery, is at least 122 microg (lower limit of the confidence interval). The safety of this dose warrants further studies.