A Sequential Allocation Study to Determine the ED50 of Dexmetedomidine as an Adjuvant to Lidocaine Intravenous Regional Anesthesia

Following a sequential allocation scheme, the dexmedetomidine dose for each patient was determined by the Dixon up-and-down method. The dexmedetomidine dose for the first patient was 0.5 µg/kg. The dose was then adjusted in 0.1 µg/kg increments for the following patients depending on the success of the previous patient's block. If a patient experienced tourniquet pain prior to T0 + 50 minutes the next patient received a higher dose. If a patient did not experience pain at T0 + 50 minutes of tourniquet time the dose for the following patient was decreased. Identical syringes containing the solution mix were prepared by the principal investigator and handed to the blinded anesthesiologist in the room. Stopping rules were set at 6 independent crossovers in the same direction (no pain to pain or pain to no pain), with a minimum number of 20 patients