Comparative study between oral melatonin and oral pregabalin on preoperative anxiety, perioperative sedation and postoperative analgesia in surgeries done under regional anaesthesia: A randomized control study

Abstract

Preoperative anxiety in patients is a major concern for any anesthetist, more so in patients undergoing regional anaesthesia. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of oral Melatonin (6mg) with oral Pregabalin (300mg) as preoperative anxiolytic, preoperative sedative and for post-operative analgesia in patients undergoing surgery under regional anaesthesia. The study is a randomised controlled trial which included 64 patients under ASA I-II, scheduled for surgery under spinal anesthesia, in the age group of 18-60. Patients were randomized into two groups of 32 patients each with Group 1-receiving oral Melatonin 6mg and Group 2-oral Pregabalin 300mg. The study drug was given 60 minutes prior to taking up for surgery. VAS anxiety score, orientation score, Ramsay sedation score, TMT A and TMT B test were assessed in the study groups before and after giving the study drug. Change in VAS score is significant for both melatonin and pregabalin (p=0.000, p=0.001 respectively).Comparison of TMT-A values were not significant for either melatonin or pregabalin (p=0.4116, p=0.0723), similarly TMT-B value comparisons were not significant (p=0.1333, p=0.1499 respectively). There was no significant difference between both groups in time taken to first analgesia demand(p=0.410). Both melatonin and pregabalin have similar preoperative sedation trends. Melatonin is a better pre medicant as compared to pregabalin to lower preoperative anxiety. There is no significant loss of psychomotor and cognitive functions in either group. There is no significant post-operative analgesic effect in either pregabalin or melatonin.