The following is a summary of “Comparing intensity of pain due to intravenous injection of sodium thiopental, propofol, diazepam, and etomidate during induction of general anesthesia,” published in the December 2022 issue of Primary care by Abdi, et al.

For a study, researchers sought to investigate the pain intensity associated with intravenous injection of different anesthetic drugs, namely sodium thiopental, propofol, diazepam, and etomidate, during the induction of general anesthesia. 

They conducted a non-controlled quasi-experimental double-blinded study on 200 eligible patients referred to the operating room of Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Yasouj. The patients were randomly assigned to four intervention groups using random blocks, with 50 participants in each group. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistical tests, including Chi-square, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and Bonferroni post hoc test in SPSS ver. 24.

The results indicated that the highest pain intensity (8.42) was reported by the diazepam group, which was statistically significant compared to the other groups (P = 0.001). The sodium thiopental group also reported significantly higher pain (6.92) than the propofol and etomidate groups (P = 0.001). On the other hand, the propofol and etomidate groups experienced the lowest pain intensity, with 3.30 and 3.26, respectively.

The study suggested that diazepam and sodium thiopental use during the induction of general anesthesia may lead to greater pain intensity and less hemodynamic stability. Therefore, propofol and etomidate were recommended over diazepam and sodium thiopental in abdominal and gastrointestinal surgeries, considering their lower pain intensity and fewer hemodynamic changes. The findings could assist healthcare professionals in selecting the most appropriate anesthetic drug for their patients, potentially improving patient outcomes and experiences during surgery.

Reference: journals.lww.com/jfmpc/Fulltext/2022/12000/Comparing_intensity_of_pain_due_to_intravenous.42.aspx