<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec id="j_jvetres-2021-0004_s_005">
<h3>Introduction</h3>
<p>While the current tools to assess canine postoperative pain using physiological and behavioural parameters are reliable, an objective method such as the parasympathetic tone activity (PTA) index could improve postoperative care. The aim of the study was to determine the utility of the PTA index in assessing postoperative analgaesia.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2021-0004_s_006">
<h3>Material and Methods</h3>
<p>Thirty healthy bitches of different breeds were randomly allocated into three groups for analgaesic treatment: the paracetamol group (G<sub>PARAC</sub>, n = 10) received 15 mg/kg b.w., the carprofen group (G<sub>CARP</sub>, n = 10) 4 mg/kg b.w., and the meloxicam group (G<sub>MELOX</sub>, n = 10) 0.2 mg/kg b.w. for 48 h after surgery. G<sub>PARAC</sub> was medicated orally every 8 h, while G<sub>CARP</sub> and G<sub>MELOX</sub> were medicated intravenously every 24 h. The PTA index was used to measure the analgaesia–nociception balance 1 h before surgery (baseline), and at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 36, and 48 h after, at which times evaluation on the University of Melbourne Pain Scale (UMPS) was made.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2021-0004_s_007">
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>The baseline PTA index was 65 ± 8 for G<sub>PARAC</sub>, 65 ± 7 for G<sub>CARP</sub>, and 62 ± 5 for G<sub>MELOX</sub>. Postoperatively, it was 65 ± 9 for G<sub>PARAC</sub>, 63 ± 8 for G<sub>CARP</sub>, and 65 ± 8 for G<sub>MELOX</sub>. No statistically significant difference existed between baseline values or between values directly after treatments (P = 0.99 and P = 0.97, respectively). The PTA index showed a sensitivity of 40%, specificity of 98.46% and a negative predictive value of 99.07%.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2021-0004_s_008">
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Our findings suggest that the PTA index measures comfort and postoperative analgaesia objectively, since it showed a clinical relationship with the UMPS.</p></sec>
</abstract>

Introduction
While the current tools to assess canine postoperative pain using physiological and behavioural parameters are reliable, an objective method such as the parasympathetic tone activity (PTA) index could improve postoperative care. The aim of the study was to determine the utility of the PTA index in assessing postoperative analgaesia.

Material and Methods
Thirty healthy bitches of different breeds were randomly allocated into three groups for analgaesic treatment: the paracetamol group (GPARAC, n = 10) received 15 mg/kg b.w., the carprofen group (GCARP, n = 10) 4 mg/kg b.w., and the meloxicam group (GMELOX, n = 10) 0.2 mg/kg b.w. for 48 h after surgery. GPARAC was medicated orally every 8 h, while GCARP and GMELOX were medicated intravenously every 24 h. The PTA index was used to measure the analgaesia–nociception balance 1 h before surgery (baseline), and at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 36, and 48 h after, at which times evaluation on the University of Melbourne Pain Scale (UMPS) was made.

Results
The baseline PTA index was 65 ± 8 for GPARAC, 65 ± 7 for GCARP, and 62 ± 5 for GMELOX. Postoperatively, it was 65 ± 9 for GPARAC, 63 ± 8 for GCARP, and 65 ± 8 for GMELOX. No statistically significant difference existed between baseline values or between values directly after treatments (P = 0.99 and P = 0.97, respectively). The PTA index showed a sensitivity of 40%, specificity of 98.46% and a negative predictive value of 99.07%.

Conclusion
Our findings suggest that the PTA index measures comfort and postoperative analgaesia objectively, since it showed a clinical relationship with the UMPS.

Clinical use of the parasympathetic tone activity index as a measurement of postoperative analgaesia in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy

Journal of Veterinary Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Introduction
While the current tools to assess canine postoperative pain using physiological and behavioural parameters are reliable, an objective method such...

	Percentage
Sensitivity	40%
Specificity	98.46%
Negative predictive value	99.07%

Postoperative period (hours)
	1	2	4	6	8	12	16	20	24	36	48

G_PARAC	5.5±0.8	4.5±0.8	3.0±0.6	3.0±0.4	2.0±0.4	2.0±0.4	1.5±0.3	1.0±0.3	1.0±0.3	0.0±0.2*	0.0±0.2*

G_CARP	4.5±1.4	4.0±0.6	3.0±0.3	2.0±0.3	2.0±0.3	1.0±0.4	1.0±0.4	0.5±0.4	0.0±0.4*	0.0±0.1*	0.0±0.1*

G_MELOX	5±0.9	3.5±0.8	3.0±0.4	2.5±0.3	1.5±0.5	0.5±0.3	0.5±0.3	0.0±0.1*	0.0±0.1*	0.0±0.0*	0.0±0.0*

Clinical use of the parasympathetic tone activity index as a measurement of postoperative analgaesia in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy

Published Online: Jan 26, 2021

Page range: 117 - 123

Received: Jul 16, 2020

Accepted: Dec 29, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2021-0004

Keywords
analgaesia, dogs, ovariohysterectomy, PTA index

© 2021 I. Hernández-Avalos et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Fig. 1

Intrinsic diagnostic characteristics of the PTA index during the evaluation of postoperative analgaesia

UMPS scores during the postoperative period in GPARAC, GCARP, and GMELOX

Clinical use of the parasympathetic tone activity index as a measurement of postoperative analgaesia in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy

Published Online: Jan 26, 2021

Page range: 117 - 123

Received: Jul 16, 2020

Accepted: Dec 29, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2021-0004

Keywordsanalgaesia, dogs, ovariohysterectomy, PTA index

© 2021 I. Hernández-Avalos et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Fig. 1

Intrinsic diagnostic characteristics of the PTA index during the evaluation of postoperative analgaesia

UMPS scores during the postoperative period in GPARAC, GCARP, and GMELOX

Keywords
analgaesia, dogs, ovariohysterectomy, PTA index