Sedation for gastrointestinal endoscopy. Analysis of tolerance and complications

Objective: to analyse tolerance and complications in patients undergoing a gastrointestinal endoscopy. Patients and methods: one hundred forty three patients were prospectively s tudied: 44.8% underwent a diagnostic upper endoscopy; 13.3%, a therapeutic upper endoscopy; 37%, a diagnostic colonoscopy and 4.9%, a therapeutic colo noscopy. Midazolam or midazolam combined with meperidine were used. Toleran ce, level of sedation and complications were studied. Chis quare and ratio comparison tests were used for the statistical analysis. P-values less than 0.05 were considered as statistically significant. Results: in the diagnostic upper endoscopy group, tolerance was better with midazolam plus meperidine vs midazolam only (83.8% and 59.3% respectively) ; p <0.05. In the therapeutic upper endoscopy group, tolerance was also bet ter when both drugs were combined; p <0.05. In the diagnostic and therapeut ic colonoscopy groups, tolerance was good in 63.5% and 85.7% of patients, r espectively. Men had better tolerance for upper endoscopy; p <0.05. Toleran ce was worse in patients under 40 years of age for upper endoscopy; p <0.05 . Mild desaturation occur in 27.3% of patients, being more severe in therap eutic procedures; p < 0.05. Conclusions: tolerance was good in a high percentage of patients, and bette r in men and in patients older than 40 years of age. The main problem is de saturation, that increases in therapeutic procedures.