title: Oral clonidine premedication reduces postoperative pain in children.
abstract: Clonidine is an effective preanesthetic medication in children, providing a preoperative sedative effect. The analgesic properties of the drug have been well documented in adults. The current study was designed to investigate the effect of oral clonidine given preoperatively on postoperative pain in children undergoing minor surgery. In a prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial, 90 children aged 5-12 yr undergoing elective ophthalmic, urologic, and otologic surgery received placebo (control), clonidine 2 micrograms/kg, or clonidine 4 micrograms/kg. These drugs were administered 105 min before the estimated time of induction of anesthesia and followed by treatment with oral atropine 0.03 mg/kg 60 min before anesthesia. Anesthesia was induced and maintained with halothane and nitrous oxide in oxygen. Postoperative pain was assessed by a blinded observer using an objective pain scale (OPS). Clonidine 4 micrograms/kg provided lower OPS (highest) scores during 12 h after surgery and reduced requirement for postoperative supplementary analgesic (diclofenac suppository) compared with the other two regimens. These data suggest that oral clonidine premedication (4 micrograms/kg) is a possible approach to facilitating postoperative analgesia in children undergoing minor surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Kobe University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mikawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishina
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maekawa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Obara
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000758:Anesthesia; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003000:Clonidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011229:Preanesthetic Medication; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012119:Respiration
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000700:Analgesics; D003000:Clonidine