Effect of low dose propofol combined with remifentanil on blood pressure during modified electroconvulsive therapy: a retrospective, single-center study

Abstract

Introduction: Modified electroconvulsive therapy (m-ECT) is mainly used to induce seizures. The use of anesthetic agents during m-ECT should be minimized because they could inhibit the development of seizures. Modifying the method of administration of anesthetic in combination with opioid use is known to help in reduction of the anesthetic dose. However, the effect of this dose reduction on circulatory dynamics during m-ECT has not been studied in detail. Therefore, we conducted this study to investigate the changes in blood pressure associated with anesthetic dose reduction during m-ECT.
Methods: Ninety-one patients who underwent m-ECT eight or more times per course (455 m-ECT procedures in total) were included. The data were extracted retrospectively from anesthesia and electronic medical records from September 2015 to February 2020. The changes in blood pressure during m-ECT were compared between the following groups: propofol and remifentanil (PR group: remifentanil followed by propofol [1 µg/mL] based on target control infusion until loss of consciousness) and propofol alone (P group: propofol [2 µg/mL] based on target control infusion until loss of consciousness).
Results: Of the 455 procedures (91 patients), 325 (65 patients) were performed in the PR group and 130 (26 patients) in the P group. Systolic blood pressure ≥180 mmHg during m-ECT was significantly more in the PR group than in the P group (73/325 vs. 14/130, p＝0.004).
Conclusion: The use of a reduced dose of propofol in combination with remifentanil significantly increased blood pressure and the use of nicardipine than did propofol alone during m-ECT.