title: A comparison of the incidence of pruritus following epidural opioid administration in the parturient.
abstract: Epidural morphine is associated with a high incidence of pruritus when used for pain control in the post-Caesarean section population. The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of pruritus associated with epidural morphine, fentanyl, buprenorphine and butorphanol. Sixty healthy Caesarean section patients were studied in a double-blind randomized fashion. Patients were questioned at 1, 3, 12 and 24 hours postpartum for the incidence of pruritus. This study demonstrated that the incidence of pruritus was significantly higher following the use of epidural morphine and fentanyl. Even though epidural butorphanol and buprenorphine exhibited a low incidence of pruritus, their duration of analgesia was not long enough to make either attractive for single-dose administration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Ohio 45267-0531.
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Ackerman
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Juneja
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Kaczorowski
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Colclough
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002047:Buprenorphine / Q000009:adverse effects; D002077:Butorphanol / Q000009:adverse effects; D002585:Cesarean Section; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D009020:Morphine / Q000009:adverse effects; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011537:Pruritus / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D002047:Buprenorphine; D009020:Morphine; D002077:Butorphanol; D005283:Fentanyl