Appearance of post-induction respiratory apnoea in dogs following slow or fast administration of propofol

PICO question: In healthy dogs undergoing general anaesthesia is rapid infusion of propofol compared to slow infusion of propofol associated with a greater incidence or duration of post-induction apnoea? Category of research: Treatment. Number and type of study designs reviewed: Four prospective, randomised, controlled clinical trials. Strength of evidence: Weak. Outcomes reported: The studies have produced inconsistent findings regarding the relationship between propofol infusion speed and post-induction apnoea appearance in dogs. While two studies have found that increasing the speed of administration increases the incidence or duration of post-induction apnoea, other studies have not found a significant correlation. Conclusion: Based on available evidence, administering propofol at a slow rate is unlikely to lower the incidence or duration of post-induction apnoea compared with faster propofol infusion where the total dose is kept constant. However, administering propofol slowly is recommended when titrating to effect, since slow administration reduces the total dose required to induce anaesthesia, thereby reducing the risk of apnoea.