Systematic Clonidine for Epidural Analgesia in Labour
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2010-03-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
In a prospective randomised study involving primiparous women in spontaneous uncomplicated
labour with cervical dilatation < 5 cm, epidural analgesia will be given with an initial
volume of 20 mL anaesthetic solution, followed by a standardised algorithm of top-up manual
injections to achieve analgesia, then by a patient-controlled regimen with 5-mL
self-administered boli in addition to a continuous infusion of 5 mL.hr-1. The anaesthetic
solution will be levobupivacaine presented in 100-mL bags from the market (0.0625%), in which
10 mL (50 g) of sufentanil will be added, as well as clonidine (150 µg) in one arm. The final
concentration of clonidine in this arm will be 1.35 mg.mL-1. Parturients and midwifes
assessing pain during labour will be blinded to the design.