title: The effects of midazolam on intraocular pressure in children during examination under sedation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To obtain reliable and accurate measurements of the intraocular pressure (IOP) in children often requires sedation or anaesthesia. Therefore, we investigated the effects of oral midazolam on IOP in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective study, IOP was measured in 72 eyes of 36 cooperative children without glaucoma requiring general anaesthesia (mean age 3.5±1.3 years, body weight ≤20 kg) by using a Perkins hand-held tonometer. Measurements of IOP were performed before, and 15 and 30 min after sedation with orally administered midazolam (1 mg/kg) given as preoperative medication, and 5 and 15 min after induction of general anaesthesia. The individual IOP courses were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all of the cooperative children, IOP measurement was possible after sedation with midazolam. Mean IOP was 11.2±0.3 mmHg before sedation, 10.9±0.2 mmHg at 15 min, and 10.7±0.3 mmHg 30 min after administration of midazolam. This small decrease was not statistically significant, whilst the IOP decline at 5 and 15 min after induction of general anaesthesia was statistically significant (p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sedation with midazolam can be assumed to be an applicable, well-tolerated, safe method for IOP measurements in children.
authors.affiliation: University Eye Hospital, Klinikum of the University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, Regensburg 93053, Germany. isabel.velten@klinik.uni-regensburg.de
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Oberacher-Velten
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Prasser
authors.forename: Justine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rochon
authors.forename: Karl-Peter
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Ittner
authors.forename: Horst
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Helbig
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lorenz
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016292:Procedural Sedation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008874:Midazolam / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014065:Tonometry, Ocular
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D008874:Midazolam