Changing patterns of sedation use for routine out‐patient diagnostic gastroscopy between 1989 and 1998

Background: Knowledge of sedation trends for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is important for health service planning, particularly in view of rapidly increasing demands on endoscopy services. However, no data are available on sedation trends in Britain over the past 10 years. Aim: To determine sedation use for routine gastroscopy in a single endoscopy unit between 1989 and 1998. Methods: This was a retrospective study of 9795 consecutive adults (mean age 56 years, range 18–100 years; 4512 females) who had undergone a gastroscopy between 1989 and 1998. Clinical, pharmacological and endoscopic data were retrieved from a computerized database. Results: Over the 10-year study period, the sedation rate remained constant for patients undergoing therapeutic endoscopy (P=0.99) and those undergoing in-patient diagnostic examinations (P=0.63). In contrast, the sedation rate for out-patient diagnostic endoscopy decreased by 54%, from a high of 70% in 1990 to 32% in 1998 (P < 0.0001). Logistic regression analysis showed that the decline in sedation use was greater in females (P < 0.0001) than males and in procedures performed by non-consultant compared to consultant staff (P=0.01). Conclusions: If our results form part of a national trend, they will have important implications for cardiopulmonary monitoring strategies, recovery room practices and for complication rates due to the use of sedation for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.