title: Chloral hydrate sedation in neonates and infants--clinical and pharmacologic considerations.
abstract: Chloral hydrate has been used clinically for over 100 years. There is significant paucity of information regarding chloral hydrate metabolism in neonates and infants. Chloral hydrate and its various metabolites were quantitated in 12 neonates and 2 infants at prescribed time intervals. The analysis of the data indicates accumulation of trichloroacetic acid and trichloroethanol in tissue of compromised infants. There is indirect evidence of competition for hepatic glucuronidation for bilirubin with trichloroethanol in ill preterm infants. Multiple dosing of chloral hydrate in preterm infants should be used with caution and frequent monitoring of serum bilirubin concentrations is indicated in such cases. The mechanism of chloral hydrate metabolism is discussed in detail.
authors.affiliation: Perinatal Research Laboratory, College of Pharmacy, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Reimche
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sankaran
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Hindmarsh
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Kasian
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Gorecki
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D001711:Biotransformation; D002697:Chloral Hydrate / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005023:Ethylene Chlorohydrin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D005965:Glucuronates / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005965:Glucuronates; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; C044588:1,1,2-trichloroethanol; D002697:Chloral Hydrate; D005023:Ethylene Chlorohydrin; D001663:Bilirubin