Efficacy and Adverse Reactions of Hydromorphone or Fentanyl Combined with Levobupivacaine in Epidural Labor Analgesia

OBJECTIVE To compare the effects of hydromorphone and fentanyl with levobupivacaine for epidural analgesia during labor. METHODS One hundred nulliparous parturients were randomly divided into the two groups(50 in each group). The experimental group received 20 µg·mL^-1 hydromorphone plus 0.1% levobupivacaine, and control group received 2 μg·mL^-1 fentanyl plus 0.1% levobupivacaine for epidural analgesia. The onset of analgesia, pain intensity, labor duration, labor mode, Bromage scores, blood pressure and heart rate were recorded. Apgar scores and side effects of mothers and infants were also recorded. Umbilical arterial blood was drawn to analysis. RESULTS The onset time of analgesia was shorter in experiment group than that in control group(12.8±3.1)min vs (14.5±3.6)min, P<0.05. VAS was lower in experiment group at 3-10 cm of cervical dilatation than that in the control group(P<0.05). There were no significant differences in term of the labor duration, labor modes, blood pressure, heart rate, umbilical arterial blood pH and Apgar score between the groups during labor. The incidence of adverse events was similar between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION Compared with fentanyl, hydromorphone accelerates onset of analgesia and increases analgesic effects, and does not increase the adverse events of mother and baby.