title: Midazolam does not influence intravenous fentanyl-induced analgesia in healthy volunteers.
abstract: The effects of saline and intravenous midazolam (0.5, 1, and 2 mg per 70 kg) in combination with intravenous fentanyl (0.1 mg/70 kg) were examined on pain induced by a cold pressor test. Healthy volunteers (six females, six males) were enrolled in a prospective, double-blind, randomized, crossover trial in which mood and psychomotor performance were also examined. Five minutes and 135 min postinjection subjects immersed their forearm in ice cold water for 3 min while assessments of pain were recorded. During the first immersion, subjects reported significantly lower pain intensity and bothersomeness ratings after having been injected with fentanyl, relative to the saline condition, but the addition of midazolam neither increased nor decreased pain reports. During the second immersion (approximately 2.5 h postinjection) pain ratings did not differ between the drug and saline conditions. Mood-altering and psychomotor-impairing effects of the drug combination were dose related. We conclude that midazolam at the doses and route of administration tested neither potentiates nor decreases the analgesia produced by fentanyl in a cold-pressor pain assay.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia & Critical Care, University of Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Zacny
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Coalson
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Klafta
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Klock
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alessi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rupani
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Apfelbaum
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D003080:Cold Temperature; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008874:Midazolam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D008874:Midazolam; D005283:Fentanyl