2 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
Volunteers will receive a weight-based opioid (remifentanil) infusion for 10 minutes. In the first run, serial pupillary measurements (pupillary unrest, pupil diameter) will be taken at baseline, and at 2.5-minute intervals during the infusion and a 25-minute recovery period afterwards. After a washout period, the experiment will be repeated in each subject (second run). The two runs differ only by presence versus absence of verbal interaction.
The aim of this study is to provide data that will assess the role of ventilatory chemosensitivity (respiratory drive) in determining postoperative respiratory depression due to opioids. In a group of patients requiring surgery and admission to hospital, before surgery, ventilatory chemosensitivity will be assessed in the presence or absence of an infusion of remifentanil. Parameters will be correlated with ventilatory depression events after surgery. A secondary aim is to determine whether respiratory depression is more likely during specific phases of sleep.