Effect of a priming dose of propofol immediately before induction on fentanyl-induced cough: A prospective clinical study

Context: It is not uncommon for fentanyl to induce cough at the time of induction. Aims: To evaluate the effect of subhypnotic dose of propofol on the incidence of occurrence and intensity of fentanyl-induced cough (FIC). Settings and Design: This is a prospective, randomized controlled study. Subjects and Methods: A total of 150 patients of the American Society of Anesthesiologists Classes I and II were assigned to one of the two groups: Group A received normal saline as placebo and Group B received low dose propofol (20 mg) before fentanyl given at a dose of 1.5 μg/kg through a peripheral intravenous catheter. The incidence of occurrence and intensity of cough were observed for the two groups. Statistical Analysis Used: One-way ANOVA, Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and Mann–Whitney U-test were used for statistical analysis. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The incidence of occurrence of FIC was 29.3% and 6.6%, respectively, for placebo and propofol groups (P = 0.0000). Further, there was statistically significant difference between the groups for different grades of intensity (P = 0.032). There were 21% of patients who suffered desaturation and 1.3% chest wall rigidity in placebo group while no such cases were recorded for the propofol group. Conclusions: Subhypnotic dose of propofol can effectively attenuate FIC. It reduces not only the incidence of occurrence but also the intensity of the cough.