title: A randomised comparison of two intranasal dexmedetomidine doses for premedication in children.
abstract: We compared sedation levels in children following administration of intranasal dexmedetomidine. One hundred and sixteen children aged between 1 and 8 years were enrolled in this prospective, randomised trial. Children were assigned to receive either intranasal dexmedetomidine 1 μg.kg(-1) (Group 1) or 2 μg.kg(-1) (Group 2). Thirty-one (53%) patients from Group 1 and 38 (66%) patients from Group 2 were satisfactorily sedated at the time of anaesthetic induction. Logistic regression showed a significant interaction effect (p=0.049), with the odds ratio between Group 2 over Group 1 estimated as 1.1 (95% CI 0.5-2.7) for the 1-4 year age group, and 10.5 (95% CI 1.4-80.2) for the 5-8 year age group. Both doses produced a similar level of satisfactory sedation in children aged 1-4 years, whereas 2 μg.kg(-1) resulted in a higher proportion of satisfactory sedation in children aged 5-8 years. There were no adverse haemodynamic effects. We conclude that intranasal dexmedetomidine in a premedication dose of 2 μg.kg(-1) resulted in excellent sedation in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China. vtang131@hku.hk
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Yuen
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Irwin
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shahnaz Hasan
authors.forename: I I
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Shariffuddin
mesh_terms: D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D001519:Behavior; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D020927:Dexmedetomidine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011229:Preanesthetic Medication; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D020927:Dexmedetomidine