I.v. clonidine prevents post-extradural shivering

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Shivering is a common complication following extradural anesthesia.
• Preventing shivering is crucial for patient comfort and surgical outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of intravenous (i.v.) clonidine in preventing post-extradural shivering.
• To assess the safety profile of i.v. clonidine in this context.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 100 patients undergoing knee arthroscopy with extradural block.
• Group I (n=50) received i.v. clonidine (1 microgram/kg), Group II (n=50) received saline placebo before anesthesia.
• Monitoring included systolic arterial pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, temperature, sedation, and shivering incidence for 90 minutes.

Main Results:

• Significantly fewer patients in the clonidine group experienced shivering (3/50) compared to the placebo group (19/50) (P < 0.001).
• Severe shivering was exclusively observed in the placebo group.
• No significant differences in hemodynamic parameters, oxygen saturation, temperature, or sedation levels were noted between groups.

Conclusions:

• Preventive administration of i.v. clonidine at 1 microgram/kg significantly reduces the incidence of post-extradural shivering.
• i.v. clonidine appears to be a safe and effective option for preventing shivering in patients receiving extradural anesthesia for knee arthroscopy.