Pre-treatment with 6% Hydroxyethyl Starch for Reduction of Propofol Injection Pain: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study (Code-T0249)

Background: Propofol is widely used for anesthesia induction; however, its intravenous administration is often associated with pain at the injection site, which can be distressing for patients. Various strategies have been explored to minimize this discomfort, with the use of hydroxyethyl starch (HES) showing potential in reducing pain. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of pre-treatment with 6% hydroxyethyl starch (HES) in reducing propofol injection pain.

Aim and Objective:

Aim: To study effect of 6% hydroxyethyl starch pre-administration for reduction of pain on propofol injection.

Objectives:

• To compare the incidence of pain on propofol injection in patients receiving study drug versus controlled drug.
• To compare severity of propofol injection pain in the 2 group
• To compare hemodynamic effect in both study group.

Methods: A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted on 150 adult patients scheduled for elective surgery under general anesthesia. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups: Group A (pre-treated with 6% hydroxyethyl starch) and Group B (control group, no pre-treatment). Pain severity during propofol injection was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) immediately after administration. The primary outcome was the VAS score for injection pain. Secondary outcomes included the need for additional analgesics and patient satisfaction.

Results: The study found a significant reduction in the VAS scores for pain in the HES pre-treatment group compared to the control group (mean VAS score 2.5 vs 5.0, p < 0.01). Additionally, fewer patients in the HES group required supplemental analgesics (15% vs 40%, p = 0.02). Patient satisfaction was higher in the HES group (85% vs 50%, p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Pre-treatment with 6% hydroxyethyl starch significantly reduces pain associated with propofol injection and improves patient comfort and satisfaction. This simple and effective strategy may be recommended to enhance the patient experience during anesthesia induction.

Keywords: Propofol injection pain, Hydroxyethyl starch, Pain reduction, Anesthesia, Randomized controlled study, Patient satisfaction.