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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2021; 11(10); doi: 10.3390/ani11102922

Effect of Fentanyl Infusion on Heart Rate Variability and Anaesthetic Requirements in Isoflurane-Anaesthetized Horses.

Abstract: Controversy continues to surround the use of opioids in equine anaesthesia, with variable effects reported. This blinded clinical study aimed to investigate the influence of a low-dose fentanyl continuous rate infusion (CRI) on isoflurane requirements, parasympathetic tone activity (PTA), and anaesthetic parameters in horses during general anaesthesia. All of the twenty-two horses included in the research underwent a standard anaesthetic protocol. Eleven horses in the fentanyl group (Group F) received a loading dose of fentanyl at 6 µg/kg, followed by a CRI of 0.1 µg/kg/min during anaesthesia. A further 11 horses in the control group (Group C) received equivalent volumes of normal saline. Anaesthetic parameters and PTA index were recorded during anaesthesia. The achieved mean fentanyl plasma concentration was 6.2 ± 0.83 ng/mL. No statistically significant differences between groups were found in isoflurane requirements, MAP values, and mean dobutamine requirements. However, horses in Group F required a significantly lower dose of additional ketamine to maintain a sufficient depth of anaesthesia. Significantly higher PTA values were found in the fentanyl group. Further research is warranted to determine the limitations of PTA monitoring, and the influence of various anaesthetics on its values.
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Publication Date: 2021-10-09 PubMed ID: 34679943PubMed Central: PMC8532720DOI: 10.3390/ani11102922Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study explores the impact of low-dose fentanyl administration on isoflurane needs, parasympathetic activity, and general anaesthetic parameters in horses. While the use of opioids in equine anaesthesia remains debated, the researchers found no significant changes in isoflurane or dobutamine needs. However, horses receiving fentanyl needed less additional ketamine and presented increased parasympathetic activity.

Methodology

  • The study involved 22 horses subjected to a standard anaesthetic protocol.
  • These horses were divided into two groups: the fentanyl group (Group F) and the control group (Group C), with 11 horses in each group.
  • The horses in Group F were given a loading dosage of fentanyl at 6 µg/kg, followed by continuous rate infusion (CRI) of 0.1 µg/kg/min during the anaesthesia.
  • The horses in Group C were administered equivalent volumes of normal saline.
  • All anaesthetic parameters and the Parasympathetic Tone Activity (PTA) index were recorded during the anaesthesia.

Results

  • The average fentanyl plasma concentration achieved was 6.2 ± 0.83 ng/mL.
  • No significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of isoflurane requirements, MAP values, and mean dobutamine requirements.
  • However, the horses in Group F needed a significantly reduced dose of additional ketamine to maintain an appropriate depth of anaesthesia.
  • The PTA values were significantly higher in the fentanyl group (Group F).

Conclusion

  • Despite the ongoing debate surrounding the use of opioids in equine anaesthesia, the study shows that a low-dose fentanyl infusion could be beneficial.
  • While isoflurane and dobutamine needs remained largely unchanged between both groups, the fentanyl group had a noticeable lower requirement for additional ketamine, suggesting that fentanyl may improve anaesthesia depth and stability.
  • The increase in parasympathetic activity found in the fentanyl group also suggests that the opioid might have beneficial effects on nervous system functioning during anaesthesia.
  • The study concludes that more research needs to be conducted to clarify the limitations of PTA monitoring and the impacts of various anaesthetics on its values.

Cite This Article

APA
Dmitrović P, Vanaga J, Dupont J, Franck T, Gougnard A, Detilleux J, Kovalcuka L, Salciccia A, Serteyn D, Sandersen C. (2021). Effect of Fentanyl Infusion on Heart Rate Variability and Anaesthetic Requirements in Isoflurane-Anaesthetized Horses. Animals (Basel), 11(10). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11102922

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 11
Issue: 10

Researcher Affiliations

Dmitrović, Petra
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
Vanaga, Jana
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, LV-3004 Jelgava, Latvia.
Dupont, Julien
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
Franck, Thierry
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
Gougnard, Alexandra
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
Detilleux, Johann
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
Kovalcuka, Liga
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, LV-3004 Jelgava, Latvia.
Salciccia, Alexandra
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
Serteyn, Didier
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
Sandersen, Charlotte
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
  1. Ruíz-López P, Domínguez JM, Morgaz J, Quirós-Carmona S, Navarrete-Calvo R, Gómez-Villamandos RJ, Fernández-Sarmiento JA, Granados MM. Evaluation of the averaged parasympathetic tone activity and its dynamic variation to assess intraoperative nociception in relation to hemodynamic changes in dogs. Vet Q 2023 Dec;43(1):1-9.
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  3. Flores JEM, Terrazas A, Lara Sagahon AV, Aleman M. Parasympathetic tone activity, heart rate, and grimace scale in conscious horses of 3 breeds before, during, and after nociceptive mechanical stimulation. J Vet Intern Med 2024 Sep-Oct;38(5):2739-2747.
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