title: Inter-ethnic differences in postoperative pethidine requirements.
abstract: A preliminary study of 24 hours' postoperative analgesia using a patient-controlled analgesia technique was undertaken in eight European and fourteen Asian adult patients. All patients had upper abdominal surgery and received weight-related doses of pethidine postoperatively via a Cardiff Palliator. Both groups had a similar degree of analgesia as assessed by visual analogue score but the Asian patients were more sedated in the postoperative period. The Asian patients made 24% fewer demands for analgesia and had a smaller mean (SD) pethidine consumption, 7.62 (2.04) mg.kg-1, compared with the European patients, 9.97 (2.14) mg.kg-1, (P less than 0.05) during the first 24 hours. Further research is necessary to determine whether the smaller requirement for analgesia in Asian patients is a result of pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic differences.
authors.affiliation: British Military Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: I T
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Houghton
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Aun
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gin
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D044466:Asian People; D005006:Ethnicity; D005060:Europe / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008614:Meperidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000187:drug effects; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D008614:Meperidine