title: Efficacy and safety of chloral hydrate sedation in infants for pulmonary function tests.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the efficacy and safety of chloral hydrate sedation in infants for pulmonary function tests.
  
  
  METHODS
  All sedation attempts for pulmonary function tests in infants carried out between June 2007 and August 2014 were evaluated. Obstructive sleep apnea and heart disease were contraindications to the exams. Anthropometric data, exam indication, used dose, outcomes of sedation and clinical events were recorded and described.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sedation attempts in 277 infants (165 boys) with a median age of 51.5 weeks of life (14 to 182 weeks) were evaluated. The main indication for the tests was recurrent wheezing (56%) and the chloral hydrate dose ranged from 50 to 80mg/kg (orally). Eighteen (6.5%) infants had some type of clinical complication, with the most frequent being cough and/or airway secretion (1.8%); respiratory distress (1.4%) and vomiting (1.1%). A preterm infant had bradycardia for approximately 15 minutes, which was responsive to tactile stimulation. All observed adverse effects were transient and there was no need for resuscitation or use of injectable medications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data demonstrated that chloral hydrate at the employed doses is a safe and effective medicament for sedation during short procedures in infants, such as pulmonary function tests. Because of the possibility of severe adverse events, recommendations on doses and contraindications should be strictly followed and infants should be monitored by trained staff.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Pediatria, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brasil. Electronic address: gfwandalsen@uol.com.br.
authors.forename: Gustavo Falbo
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Wandalsen
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Pediatria, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brasil; Universidade Nove de Julho, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Fernanda de Cordoba
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Lanza
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Pediatria, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Márcia Cristina Pires
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Pediatria, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Dirceu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Solé
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D002697:Chloral Hydrate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016292:Procedural Sedation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D002697:Chloral Hydrate
keywords: Chloral hydrate; Hidrato de cloral; Hipnóticos e sedativos; Hypnotics and sedatives; Infant; Lactente