Can Esketamine injection prevent cough induced due to Sufentanil during anaesthesia?

According to a recent study published in the ‘BMC Anesthesiology’ journal, pretreatment with intravenous administration of Esketamine dosed at 0.15 mg per kg can significantly lower the incidence and intensity of cough during the induction of anaesthesia. However, there were no changes in the hemodynamic status worth mentioning.

Liangliang Gao et al. sought to examine whether a small dose of Esketamine was beneficial for the treatment of Sufentanil-induced cough. Out of 220 patients assessed for eligibility, 200 patients (aged 18-70 years) scheduled for elective surgery, were randomly assigned to two groups. The Esketamine group (group K) received an injection of 0.15 mg/kg Esketamine within 5 seconds before the administration of Sufentanil, whereas the control group (group C) received an equivalent volume of a different substance. The onset of cough and severity were assessed a minute after the Sufentanil injection. Hemodynamic changes and any observed side effects were also noted.

Cough incidence was marked at 5% in group K and 34% control group. Following the injection of Sufentanil, group K exhibited a notably lower incidence and severity of cough compared to the control group. No substantial changes in mean arterial pressure and heart rate between the two groups at 3 different time points were recorded during the induction of general anaesthesia.