Dreaming during sedation with propofol, midazolam or remifentanyl in women

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects generated ondreaming in female patientsundergoing spinal anesthesia; by three different sedative agents. Methods: Thiswas a prospective and randomized study and it was approved by TurgutOzal University School of Medicine Ethics Committee, and the patients’ informed consent was received. 120 ASA I-III female patients, 18 - 60 years of age, were planned to undergo surgery by spinal anesthesia. All the patients had bispectral index (BIS) monitorization. The patients were randomized into three groups, so that Group P received propofol infusion, Group M; midazolam infusion, and Group R;remifentanil infusion for sedation. The infusion dosages were decreased by 50% when BISwas80, and titrated thereafter to keep BIS between 60-80. The patients’ post-operative sedation levels were evaluated by Assessment of Alertness and Sedation Scale (OAA/S). Following recovery, Brice interview was administered to the patients. Results: The duration of BIS value to be 80 in Group R was significantly longer than those of the other groups. The length of stay in postanesthesia care unit (PACU) in Group P was significantly shorter while the incidence of nausea/vomiting in Group R was significantly higher.The groups did not differ with regard to objectivity/subjectivity of the dreams, vividness and dynamism of the events, relation of story to everyday life, and dream recallability. Conclusion: These results indicate that either propofol, midazolam or remifentanil do not exert significantly dissimilar effects on dreaming, hemodynamic parameters or side effects.