Table 3 Time to and variability around individual neurological assessment

Remifentanil

n = 64

n = 58

n = 33

n = 26

n = 21

n = 20

   Mean time to neurological assessment,^a h

0.41

0.35

0.45

0.46

0.78

0.81

   Between-patient variability

0.44

0.35

0.47

1.35

0.30

0.42

Fentanyl

n = 32

n = 32

n = 13

n = 11

n = 7

n = 8

   Mean time to neurological assessment,^a h

0.71

0.69

0.67

0.92

1.63

1.83

Mean ratio (95% CI)

1.74 (1.26, 2.41)

1.98 (1.44, 2.72)

1.48 (0.73, 3.01)

2.01 (0.93, 4.33)

2.09 (1.33, 3.30)

2.27 (1.39, 3.73)

Remifentanil versus fentanyl

P = 0.001

P < 0.001

P = 0.274

P = 0.074

P = 0.003

P = 0.002

   Between-patient variability

0.86

0.86

3.01

0.51

0.13

0.10

Ratio of variability (95% CI)

1.96 (1.01, 3.45)

2.45 (1.37, 4.79)

6.41 (2.83, 19.9)

0.38 (0.15, 1.34)

0.45 (0.16, 2.61)

0.24 (0.08, 1.16)

Remifentanil versus fentanyl

P = 0.024

P = 0.003

P < 0.001

P = 0.109

P = 0.333

P = 0.059

Morphine

n = 34

n = 31

n = 20

n = 10

n = 3

n = 2

   Mean time to neurological assessment^a, h

0.82

0.79

0.70

1.01

1.28

1.86

Mean ratio (95% CI)

2.01 (1.44, 2.81)

2.25 (1.60, 3.15)

1.53 (0.93, 2.52)

2.19 (0.98, 4.86)

1.65 (0.84, 3.25)

2.31 (0.87, 6.13)

Remifentanil versus morphine

P < 0.001

P < 0.001

P = 0.091

P = 0.055

P = 0.139

P = 0.088

   Between-patient variability

0.98

1.03

1.27

0.48

0.12

0.02

Ratio of variability (95% CI)

2.24 (1.28, 4.28)

2.93 (1.63, 5.80)

2.71 (1.27, 6.58)

0.35 (0.14, 1.37)

0.41 (0.13, 23.0)

0.06 (0.02, 112.6)

Remifentanil versus morphine

P = 0.006

P = 0.001

P = 0.012

P = 0.108

P = 0.659

P = 0.381