Background

Endotracheal intubation (ETI) can cause a cardiovascular response. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of intravenous lidocaine on the hemodynamic response to ETI during sufentanil-based induction of anaesthesia.

Methods

Ninety patients aged 18–65 years were recruited, induction of anaesthesia was initiated by sufentanil, midazolam, cisatracurium, and propofol, the patients were randomized to three groups: Group L1 received 1 mg/kg–1 of lidocaine, Group L1.5 received 1.5 mg kg-1 of lidocaine, Group S received an equal volume of normal saline (NS). Lidocaine or NS was administered in a bolus 2 min before ETI. Systolic arterial pressure (SAP), diastolic arterial pressure (DAP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and heart rate (HR) were recorded at four time points: before anaesthetic induction, 1 min after lidocaine administration, immediately after ETI, 5 min after ETI. The incidences of hypotension, hypertension, bradycardia, and tachycardia were also recorded.

Results

The SAP, DAP, MAP, and HR at baseline were not significantly different among the three groups (P = 0.620, P = 0.575, P = 0.433, P = 0.537, respectively). Immediately after ETI, the SAP in Group L1 was significantly lower than Group S (P = 0.024), while the DAP, MAP, and HR were comparable among the three groups at the same time points (P > 0.05). There were no significant differences in the incidences of hypotension, hypertension, bradycardia and tachycardia among the three groups (P > 0.200).

Conclusions

Intravenous lidocaine could attenuate the increase of blood pressure but not HR after ETI during sufentanil-based induction of anaesthesia without increased incidence of side-effects.