title: Newborns should be receiving premedication before elective intubation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intubation is a common neonatal procedure. Premedication is accepted as a standard of care, but its use is not universal and wide variations exist in practice.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate current practices for premedication use prior to elective neonatal intubation in South Africa (SA).
  
  
  METHODS
  We invited 481 clinicians to participate in a cross-sectional web-based survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We received responses from 28.3% of the clinicians surveyed; 54.1% were from the private sector and 45.9% from the state sector. Most respondents worked in medium-sized neonatal units with six to ten beds. Most paediatricians (76.0%) worked in the private sector, and 78.6% of neonatologists in the state sector. Premedication was practised by 71.9% of the respondents, but only 38.5% of neonatal units had a written policy. Sedatives were used for premedication by 63.2% of the respondents. Midazolam (41.5%), morphine (34.0%) and ketamine (20.8%) were most commonly used. Muscle relaxants and atropine were not routinely administered. Suxamethonium was the muscle relaxant of choice. Varied combinations of agents or single agents were used. Midazolam used alone was the preferred option.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This first survey of premedication for neonatal intubation in SA revealed variations in practice, with a minority of clinicians following a written policy. The findings can be used to benchmark practice and inform the design of local collaborative trials aimed at determining optimal premedication prior to neonatal intubation. The survey demonstrates clinicians' reluctance to participate in surveys, suggesting a need for a national collaborative network to obtain representative data.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Raban
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Joolay
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Horn
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Harrison
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000379:methods*; D011292:Premedication / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013019:South Africa