Clinical Research Directory

Recovery Time With the Application of ALDRETE Score in Patients Undergoing Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Over the past decades, the volume and complexity of gastrointestinal endoscopy (GI) interventions have increased due to the progress in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures along worldwide implementation of colorectal cancer screening and surveillance programs. Nowadays, the first line for procedural sedation is either propofol or midazolam, in combination with opiates when analgesia is required, depending on the country's human resources, service framework, and legislation. Provision of sedation has been shown to decrease patient's anxiety, discomfort and pain improving at the same time procedure efficiency. However, administration of sedative and/or analgesic medications is not risk-free, as a variety of serious adverse effects i.e. respiratory depression, arrhythmia or hypotension may occur. In this regard, optimal discharge management after a procedure with sedation/analgesia, until the patient returns to a fully conscious, clinically stable, and ideally cognitively functional state can be challenging for both endoscopists and nursing personnel\[6\]. In an effort to address this, international endoscopy societies suggest the use of standardized discharge criteria and scoring systems such as the Post Anesthesia Recovery (PAR), or Aldrete, score, Aldrete scoring system and the modified post-anesthesia discharge scoring system (mPADSS), combined with clinical assessment to ensure patient safe discharge and readiness for discharge. Still, data supporting the use of Aldrete score derive mainly from studies evaluating patients discharge post-surgery, while evidence for model use in the setting of GI endoscopic procedures remain scant\[8,9\]. In this context, the investigators conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) aiming to explore the impact of Aldrete scoring system on safe discharge of participants who have undergone GI procedures under analgesia/sedation.