title: Clonidine treatment for agitation in children after sevoflurane anesthesia.
abstract: Clonidine is effective in treating sevoflurane-induced postanesthesia agitation in children. We conducted a study on 169 children to quantify the risk reduction of clonidine agitation in patients admitted to our day-surgery pediatric clinic. Children were randomly allocated to receive clonidine 2 mug/kg or placebo before general anesthesia with sevoflurane that was also supplemented with a regional or central block. An observer blinded to the anesthetic technique assessed recovery variables and the presence of agitation. Pain and discomfort scores were significantly decreased in the clonidine group; the incidence of agitation was reduced by 57% (P = 0.029) and the incidence of severe agitation by 67% (P = 0.064). Relative risks for developing agitation and severe agitation were 0.43 (95% confidence interval, 0.24-0.78) and 0.32 (0.09-1.17), respectively. Clonidine produces a substantial reduction in the risk of postsevoflurane agitation in children.
authors.affiliation: Section of Anesthesia, Analgesia and Intensive Care, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tesoro
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mezzetti
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marchesini
authors.forename: Vito Aldo
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Peduto
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003000:Clonidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008738:Methyl Ethers / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2 / Q000502:physiology; D000077149:Sevoflurane
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D008738:Methyl Ethers; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2; D000077149:Sevoflurane; D003000:Clonidine