Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Clinical Trial
. 2003 Jun;96(6):1789-1793.
doi: 10.1213/01.ANE.0000066015.21364.7D.

Nalbuphine versus ondansetron for prevention of intrathecal morphine-induced pruritus after cesarean delivery

Somrat Charuluxananan  1 , Oranuch Kyokong, Wanna Somboonviboon, Arunchai Narasethakamol, Pissamai Promlok
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Nalbuphine versus ondansetron for prevention of intrathecal morphine-induced pruritus after cesarean delivery

Somrat Charuluxananan et al. Anesth Analg. 2003 Jun.

Abstract

In this prospective, randomized, double-blinded study, we compared the prophylactic efficacy of nalbuphine and ondansetron for the prevention of intrathecal morphine-induced pruritus after cesarean delivery. Two-hundred-forty parturients were randomly allocated into four groups. The N-4 group, O-4 group, O-8 group, and placebo group received IV 4 mg of nalbuphine, 4 mg of ondansetron, 8 mg of ondansetron, and 4 mL of normal saline, respectively, immediately after the baby was delivered. In the postanesthesia care unit, we found that the severity of pruritus score in the four groups was significantly different (P < 0.001). The prophylactic success rate for pruritus of the N-4, O-4, O-8, and placebo groups was 20%, 13%, 12%, and 6%, respectively (P < 0.001). The pruritus score between N-4 and placebo and O-4 and placebo was significantly different (P < 0.001 and P = 0.006, respectively). Treatment for pruritus was requested by patients in 25%, 47%, 51%, and 72% of patients in the N-4, O-4, O-8, and placebo groups, respectively (P < 0.001). There were no differences among groups in nausea/vomiting score, pain score, sedation score, or shivering score at 4, 8, and 24 h after surgery. Nalbuphine and ondansetron are more effective than placebo for the prevention of intrathecal morphine-induced pruritus after cesarean delivery.

Implications: Nalbuphine and ondansetron are more effective than placebo for the prevention of intrathecal morphine-induced pruritus after cesarean delivery.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

References

    1. Cohen SE, Subak LL, Brose WG, Halpern J. Analgesia after cesarean delivery: patient evaluations and costs of five opioid techniques. Reg Anesth 1991; 16: 141–9.
    1. Fuller JG, McMorland GH, Douglas MJ, Palmer L. Epidural morphine for analgesia after caesarean section: a report of 4880 patients. Can J Anaesth 1990; 37: 636–40.
    1. Abouleish E, Rawal N, Rashad MN. The addition of 0.2 mg subarachnoid morphine to hyperbaric bupivacaine for cesarean delivery: a prospective study of 856 cases. Reg Anesth 1991; 16: 137–40.
    1. Cousins MJ, Mather LE. Intrathecal and epidural administration of opioids. Anesthesiology 1984; 61: 276–310.
    1. Gowan JD, Hurtig JB, Fraser RA. Naloxone infusion after prophylactic epidural morphine: effects on incidence of postoperative side-effects and quality of analgesia. Can J Anaesth 1988; 35: 143–8.

Publication types

MeSH terms