The electroencephalogram (EEG)and clinical measures of opioid potency: defining the EEG-clinical potency relationship (‘fingerprint’) with application to remifentanil

Background The processed electroencephalogram (EEG) is a useful surrogate effect measure in estimating opioid potency and latency to peak effect. However, the relationship between EEG determined potency and clinical measures of potency is unclear. The aim of this study was to characterize the relationship between EEG potency and clinical therapeutic windows for fentanyl, alfentanil and sufentanil and then apply this relationship to the new opioid remifentanil.