Reiner K, et al. - Researchers compared the degree of sympathectomy between ropivacaine and levobupivacaine during lumbar epidural analgesia for labor pain. They randomized 60 healthy parturients to the type of local anesthetic–opiod solution delivered in the epidural space: 10 mL of 0.125% ropivacaine + 100 mcg of fentanyl or 10 mL of 0.125% levobupivacaine + 100 mcg of fentanyl. Post- baseline measurement, they recorded photoplethysmography signal from the first toe of the leg at 5, 10 and 20 minutes following the delivery of epidural analgesia. With regard to sympathectomy–mediated side effects of the epidural block for labor analgesia, no difference was evident between 0.125% ropivacaine and 0.125% levobupivacaine. In terms of the degree of sympathectomy, a certain difference between the two local anesthetics was suggested by the photoplethysmography findings.