Tramadol for prevention of postanaesthetic shivering: a randomised double-blind comparison with pethidine

The present study was conducted with the aims of comparing intravenous tramadol 1, 2 and 3 mg.kg(-1) with pethidine 0.5 mg.kg(-1) for prophylaxis of postanaesthetic shivering and to find a dose of tramadol that could provide the dual advantage of antishivering and analgesic effect in the postoperative period. The study included 165 patients, randomly allocated to five groups of 33 each. Tramadol in doses of 1, 2 and 3 mg.kg(-1), pethidine 0.5 mg.kg(-1) or normal saline were administered at the time of wound closure. All three doses of tramadol were effective and comparable to pethidine in preventing postanaesthetic shivering. Tramadol 2 mg.kg(-1) had the best combination of antishivering and analgesic efficacy without excessive sedation and thus appeared to be a good choice to be administered at the time of wound closure to provide antishivering effect and analgesia without significant side effects in the postoperative period.