Comparison between alfentanil, pethidine and placebo in the treatment of post-anaesthetic shivering

Abstract

We have compared the effects of pethidine, alfentanil and placebo in the treatment of postanaesthetic shivering. Ninety patients who shivered after routine surgery were allocated randomly to receive normal saline (n = 30), alfentanil 250 μg (n = 30) or pethidine 25 mg (n = 30). After 10 min, 26 patients had stopped shivering in the pethidine group which was significantly more than the incidence in the two other groups (placebo = 7; alfentanil = 12) (P < 0.0002). Alfentanil was not significantly different from normal saline in affecting shivering. We conclude that alfentanil 250 μg was not effective in the treatment of post-anaesthetic shivering.