Pain on injection and venous sequelae following two formulations of etomidate

In forty patients (aged 21-76 years) scheduled for elective surgery, anaesthesia was induced with either etomidate in propylene glycol (n = 20) or etomidate in ethanol (n = 20) injected via a 23-G needle over 30 s. The overall incidence of pain on injection was 60%. No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups. The incidence of venous sequelae was 5%, in both groups.