Determination of the 50% effective dose of sequential method for determining methoxamine with continued pumping and infusion to prevent hypotension during combined spinal epidural anesthesia
Objective:To determine the 50% effective dose(ED50) of methoxamine to prevent spinal-induced hypotension at elective cesarean delivery with constant-speed infusion. Methods:This was a prospective and double-blinded study. Forty-four pregnant women,with single fetus and full term,who were going to have cesarean delivery were included. The combined spinal epidural anesthesia was performed in the interspace of lumbus 3/4(L3~4). When the spinal epidural anesthesia was completed,the methoxamine was infused at a rate of 100 mL/h,and the infusion was stopped after the baby was delivered. The initial concentration of methoxamine was 70 μg/mL and the constant speed was 100 mL/h. The targeted contractive blood pressure was maintained at the basic level and the sequential method was used to determine the drug concentration of next women,with concentration gradient of 1 μg/mL. Systolic blood pressure was lower than the base value was defined as ineffective concentration;systolic blood pressure was maintained the base value was defined as effective concentration. Probit regression was used to analyze the ED50 of methoxamine and 95% confidence index(CI). Twenty pregnant women were collected in accordance with ED50,and the effective value of ED50 was calculated. Results:The ED50 of 100 mL/h methoxamine was 79.38 μg/mL(95%CI=76.59-112.48) and the effective value was 80%. The neonatal umbilical blood pH values were greater than 7.2. All neonatal Apgar scores at 1 min and 5 min were greater than 7. There was no side effects(nausea,vomiting,shivering,bradycardia and so on) in patients with effective blood pressure control. Conclusion:The ED50 of 100 mL/h methox-amine to prevent hypotension under spinal anesthesia during caesarean section is 79.38 μg/mL(95%CI=76.59-112.48).