title: Development and Evaluation of a Guideline for Monitoring Propylene Glycol Toxicity in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Patients Receiving Continuous Infusion Lorazepam.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop and determine the safety of a guideline, by using osmol gap as an indicator of propylene glycol toxicity for pediatric patients receiving continuous infusion lorazepam.
  
  
  METHODS
  From existing adult data, a guideline was developed for the use of continuous infusion lorazepam in pediatric critical care patients with recommendations for using osmol gap as an indicator of propylene glycol toxicity. A retrospective medical chart review was performed of patients receiving continuous infusion lorazepam from February 2012 to September 2012 for whom the guideline was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-one patients received continuous infusion lorazepam for sedation in the pediatric intensive care unit during the 9-month study period for a total of 23 infusions. Eight patients (34.8%) had an osmol gap of ≥ 12 mOsm/kg during lorazepam infusion, and 7 patients (30.4%) did not have an elevated osmol gap at any point during the infusion. Two patients (8.6%) had clinical toxicity as indicated by elevated anion gap or lactate in addition to an osmol gap ≥ 12 mOsm/kg, while no patients experienced clinical toxicity with an osmol gap < 12 mOsm/kg.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A guideline for the use of lorazepam infusion in pediatric critical care patients was developed and evaluated for safety. Lorazepam continuous infusions appeared to be associated with minimal toxicity in pediatric intensive care unit patients when the osmol gap monitoring guideline was used.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Fairview Health Services, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Lizbeth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Sameer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
keywords: intravenous infusion; lorazepam; pediatrics; propylene glycol; toxicity