Effects of goal-directed analgesia using the analgesia nociception index in children undergoing surgery for moyamoya disease: A randomised controlled trial.

Background: The potential benefits of Analgesia Nociception Index guided intra-operative analgesia on intra-operative opioid consumption remains to be demonstrated in paediatric anaesthesia.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the effects of Analgesia Nociception Index guided analgesia on sufentanil consumption during anaesthesia and postoperative pain scores in paediatric patients with moyamoya disease.

Design: A prospective randomised controlled study.

Setting: Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Patients: A total of 40 children scheduled for encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis.

Main outcome measures: The primary outcome was total intra-operative sufentanil consumption, and the secondary outcomes included postoperative pain scores and incidence of opioid-related adverse events.

Results: The Analgesia Nociception Index group showed lower intra-operative sufentanil consumption (in μg kg -1  h -1 ) compared with the Standard group (0.30 ± 0.12 and 0.39 ± 0.17, respectively; mean difference, -0.09; 95% confidence interval, -0.19 to 0.00; P  = 0.049). Postoperatively, compared with the Standard group, the Analgesia Nociception Index group reported lower median pain scores at 18 and 24 h and maximum pain within 24 h (1 [0 to 2] vs. 3 [2 to 5]; P  = 0.004, 1 [0 to 2] vs. 3 [1 to 4]; P  = 0.041, and 4 [3 to 5] vs. 5 [4 to 7]; P  = 0.045, respectively), with fewer patients experiencing nausea (3 [15%] vs. 10 [50%], P  = 0.043).

Conclusion: The Analgesia Nociception Index guided analgesic protocol can reduce intra-operative sufentanil consumption and postoperative pain within 24 h with fewer nausea symptoms in paediatric patients with moyamoya disease who undergo encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis.

Trial registration number: NCT05672212.