Table 2.

Characteristics of Anesthesia

	DPE Group (n=48)	CSE Group (n=50)	EA Group (n=47)	P value
Time to achieve sensory block at T5 dermatome (min)	16 [14–18]*	10.5 [9–13]†	19 [15.5–21]	< 0.001
Number of supplementary epidural top-ups required	0 [0–1]	0 [0–0]	1 [0.5–2]‡	< 0.001
Highest dermatomal level of sensory block	T4 [T3 – T4]	T4 [T3 – T4]	T4 [T3 – T4]	0.19
Bromage score at 15 min	1 [0.25–2]	3 [3–3]§	1 [0–1]	< 0.001
Apgar score at 1 min	10 [9–10]	10 [9–10]	10 [9.75–10]	0.154
Apgar score at 5 min	10 [10–10]	10 [10–10]	10 [10–10]	0.623
Satisfaction with anesthesia
By patient	9 [9–10]¶	9 [8–10]	8 [8–9.5]	0.005
By surgeon	9 [9–10]**	9 [8–10]††	9 [8–9]	0.002
Pain VAS score (6 hours after surgery)	1 [0–1]	1 [0–1]	1 [0–1]	0.781
Pain VAS score (24 hours after surgery)	3 [2–4]	3 [3–3.25]	3 [3–3]	0.302
Time to remove the urinary catheter (hours after surgery)	18.22 (3.12)	19.28 (3.28)	19.49 (2.87)	0.12
Time of Bromage score return to 0	2 [1–3]	2 [2–3]	2 [2–3]	0.216

Notes: Values are median [interquartile range]. Data were compared using the Kruskal–Wallis test with post-hoc pairwise comparisons using Dunn’s test. *Significant difference versus EA group (adjusted P < 0.001). ^†Significant difference versus DPE and EA groups (both adjusted P < 0.001). ^‡Significant difference versus DPE and CSE groups (both adjusted P < 0.001). ^§Significant difference versus DPE and EA groups (both adjusted P < 0.001). ^¶Significant difference versus EA group (adjusted P = 0.004). **Significant difference versus EA group (adjusted P = 0.007). ^††Significant differences versus EA group (adjusted P = 0.004).

Abbreviations: DPE, dural puncture epidural; CSE, combined spinal-epidural; EA, epidural.