The anxiolytic effects of the 5-hydroxytryptamine-1A agonist tandospirone before otolaryngologic surgery.
We studied 160 ASA I or II patients undergoing elective otolaryngologic surgery in order to compare the anxiolytic effects of a novel 5-hydroxytryptamine-1A agonist, tandospirone, with diazepam. To monitor preoperative anxiety, the following variables were used: systolic and diastolic arterial pressure, heart rate, and the state anxiety score yielded by the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. We performed pretreatment evaluation on the day before surgery and posttreatment examination immediately after entry into the operating room. In a double-blinded, randomized design, four groups of 40 patients each received one of the following oral medications 90 min before entry into the operating room: 1) tandospirone 10 mg (T10 group); 2) tandospirone 30 mg (T30 group); 3) diazepam 10 mg (D group); or 4) placebo (P group). After premedication, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory state anxiety decreased in the T10 (P < 0.02), T30 (P < 0.02), and D groups (P < 0.001), but it increased in the P group (P < 0.001). Tandospirone, 10 and 30 mg, safely reduced preoperative anxiety to a similar extent as oral diazepam 10 mg in patients undergoing elective otolaryngologic surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Oral tandospirone reduces preoperative anxiety to a similar extent as oral diazepam in patients undergoing elective otolaryngologic surgery. This finding implies that tandospirone can be used as an oral premedicant drug for relieving anxiety before surgery.
Oshima
T
T
Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Gifu University School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan. oshimat@cc.gifu-u.ac.jp
Kasuya
Y
Y
Terazawa
E
E
Nagase
K
K
Saitoh
Y
Y
Dohi
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003975:Diazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D054833:Isoindoles; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013517:Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000502:physiology; D044263:Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT1; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D054833:Isoindoles; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D044263:Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT1; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; C055267:tandospirone; D003975:Diazepam