Differences between the Surgical Pleth Index and the RE-SE difference as measures of nociception monitoring under propofol-remifentanil anesthesia.

Background: To achieve an equilibrium a balance between nociception and antinociception, a suitable depth of anesthesia is essential. The Surgical Pleth Index (SPI) and entropy measurements, which consist of response entropy (RE) and state entropy (SE), serve as tools to assess the level of pain perception during surgical procedures. Research has indicated that the SPI is a more dependable instrument than the RE-SE difference for evaluating pain perception under sevoflurane-remifentanil anesthesia. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of the SPI and RE-SE difference in gauging noxious stimuli under propofol-remifentanil anesthesia is still uncertain. The objective of this study is to compare the sensitivity and dependability of the SPI and RE-SE difference in evaluating noxious stimuli during general anesthesia maintained with propofol and remifentanil.

Methods: Thirty patients were administered incremental remifentanil effect-site concentrations (CeREMIs) of 0, 2, and 4 ng/mL under propofol-remifentanil anesthesia. A standardized noxious stimulus was applied for 30 seconds at each CeREMI level. Data regarding changes in the SPI, RE-SE difference difference, RE, SE, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and mean arterial pressure were collected for each patient both before and during the stimulus. Receiver operating characteristic curves were analyzed to assess the predictive ability of these indicators for nociceptive stimuli.

Results: Under propofol-remifentanil anesthesia, the change in the SPI value gradually decreased in accordance with the CeREMI increase under the same intensity of nociceptive stimulation. Compared with the other indicators, the SPI demonstrated greater reliability in assessing noxious stimulation, exhibiting the highest combination of sensitivity and specificity.

Conclusions: In the context of this study, the SPI proved to be a superior indicator compared to the RE-SE difference for monitoring nociception during propofol-remifentanil anesthesia.