Comparing the Effect of Programmed Labour and Epidural Analgesia on Vas Score before and After Intervention: A Randomized Interventional Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background: The present study was undertaken to compare the effects of programmed labour and epidural analgesia on VAS score before and after intervention. Material and Methods: This randomized Interventional clinical trial was conducted in department of Anaesthesia at Kamla Nehru State Hospital for Mother and Child, Indira Gandhi medical College Shimla in collaboration with Department of Anaesthesia on eighty uncomplicated pregnant women that were divided into two groups of 40 patients each by block randomization. One group received programmed labour protocol (Injection Pentazocine 6 mg + Injection Diazepam 2 mg IV + Injection Tramadol 1-1.5 mg/kg I.M therafter a single dose of injection Drotaverine 40 mg intravenously) while the other group received epidural analgesia. They were monitored for VAS score before and after intervention. Results: The two groups were comparable in terms of patients characteristics (age, parity, period of gestation). Majority of the patients (90%) were in the age group of 20-30 years in both groups. The mean age of the women in the group 1 was 26.5 years as compared to 26.9 year in group 2. VAS Score was studied in both groups before and after intervention. In group 1 before analgesia ,the VAS Score was 9.2 while after giving programmed labour the mean VAS score at 5 min was 8.1 suggestive of mild relief while at 15 minutes ,it improved to 4.5 suggestive of moderate pain relief. In group 2, the VAS score was 2.5 at 15 minutes and 0.00 at 30 minutes after epidural which suggest significantly low level of pain. P value was highly significant when compared with group 1 at 15 minutes and at 30 minutes. Conclusion: Both programmed labour protocol and epidural analgesia provides good pain relief among parturients but excellent results seen in group 2 receiving epidural analgesia. The VAS Score in group 2 was superior and more effective than Group 1 with significant p value.