title: Assessment of clonidine effect as premedicative drug on kidney function.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of oral clonidine as a premedicative drug on 24-hour urine output, urine specific gravity, plasma renin activity as well as serum and urine electrolytes levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study was carried out on 60 women aged 20-40 years old undergoing repair of cystocoele-rectocoele perineorraphy under general anaesthesia in Asali Hospital in 2004 in Khorramabad, Iran. Subjects were randomly divided into two equal groups of 30 each. Group I and group II received clonidine tablet at the dose of 5 microg/kg and placebo tablet, respectively, 90 minutes before induction of general anesthesia. In this study, blood and urine samples were taken for laboratory measurements prior as well as 6 hours after taking the tablets. Differences between the two groups were compared through Mann-Whitney u-test, chi2 test and t-student test. P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant changes before and after receiving tablets in urine and blood Na and K as well as urine specific gravity in group II (P > 0.05). Group I had higher urine Na and K level (P = 0.001), however, no differences had been shown in blood Na and K level (P > 0.05). Urine specific gravity was lower in group I after receiving tablet (P < 0.009). A significant increase in 24-hour urine output (P = 0.001) and a marked decrease in plasma renin activity was seen in group I (P = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that clonidine is a safe premedicative drug in anaesthesia and does not change the serum electrolytes levels.
authors.affiliation: Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Lorestan.
authors.forename: Sepideh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vahabi
authors.forename: Mohamad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heidari
authors.forename: Amir Hooman
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Kazemi
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Birjandi
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Iran-Pour
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000328:Adult; D003000:Clonidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011292:Premedication; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D012083:Renin; D003000:Clonidine