Effect of acupuncture at Shuitong and Shuijin points on sufentanil-induced cough in general anesthesia induction: a randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: To observe the therapeutic effect of acupuncture at Shuitong and Shuijin points on preventing sufentanil-induced cough and its influence on hemodynamics in general anesthesia induction.

Methods: A total of 80 patients scheduled for elective surgery undergoing general anesthesia were randomly divided into an observation group (40 cases) and a control group (39 cases,1 case eliminated). In the control group, the routine anesthesia was performed,with intravenous injection of 1% sufentanil citrate 0.5 μg/kg, 1% propofol (total amount was calculated according to 2 mg/kg) and cisatracurium besilate 0.2 mg/kg. In the observation group, before routine anesthesia induction, acupuncture was applied to Shuitong and Shuijin points on the right and the needles were retained for 30 min. During anesthesia induction, the complications i.e. cough and chest wall stiffness were observed, and the systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart rate (HR) and pulse oxygen saturation (SpO) were monitored 5 min after the patients entered the operation room (T),at the moment of intravenous injection of sufentanil (T) and 2 min after sufentanil injection (T) , 1 min before and after endotracheal intubation (T,T) of the two groups, respectively.

Results: During anesthesia induction,the condition of mild, moderate and severe cough in the observation group was superior to that of the control group (0.05), the total cases of cough and its total incidence were lower than those of the control group (0.05). Two cases of chest wall stiffness were present in each group, but without statistical difference between the two groups (0.05). In comparison of SBP, HR and SpO at T, T, T, T and T, the differences were not significant statistically between the two groups (0.05). SBP and HR increased at T when compared with those at T in the control group (0.05), but there was no statistical difference in SpO (>0.05); while, the differences in SBP, HR and SpO were not significant at T when compared with those at T in the observation group (>0.05).

Conclusions: Acupuncture at Shuitong and Shuijin points can effectively prevent from sufentanil-induced cough, reduce the severity of cough and stabilize the hemodynamic indicators.