PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Islam M. Massad
AU  - Maysa M. Khadra
AU  - Fawaz A. Alkazaleh
AU  - Ayman M. Qatawneh
AU  - Shawqi S. Saleh
AU  - Sami A. Abu-Halaweh
TI  - Bupivacaine with Meperidine versus Bupivacaine with Fentanyl for continuous epidural labor analgesia
DP  - 2007 Jun 01
TA  - Saudi Medical Journal
PG  - 904--908
VI  - 28
IP  - 6
4099  - http://smj.org.sa/content/28/6/904.short
4100  - http://smj.org.sa/content/28/6/904.full
SO  - Saudi Med J2007 Jun 01; 28
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of bupivacaine-meperidine and bupivacaine-fentanyl mixtures when continuously infused epidurally to relief the labor pain.METHODS: We performed this prospective double-blinded study at Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan between October 2005 and April 2006. Sixty-seven American Society of Anesthesia physical status I parturients were randomly divided into 2 groups, Group M (n=34) received a continuous infusion of 1 mg/ml of bupivacaine mixed with 1 mg/ml meperidine, and Group F (n=33) received a continuous infusion of 1 mg/ml bupivacaine mixed with 2 micrometer/ml fentanyl. Efficacy of analgesia, degree of motor block, hemodynamic variability, incidence of nausea and vomiting, pruritus, sedation, and the neonatal outcome were all compared between the 2 groups. A p value <0.05 was considered to be significant.RESULTS: Highly effective analgesia was achieved in both groups with a similar incidence of motor block, sedation, pruritus, and neonatal outcome. The only significant difference was in the incidence of nausea and vomiting. Group M had 8 parturients with nausea, compared with only 2 parturients in Group F (p=0.003).CONCLUSION: Bupivacaine-meperidine in a continuous epidural infusion is as efficient as bupivacaine-fentanyl for pain relief during labor, but associated with a higher incidence of nausea and vomiting.