Oral Clonidine Premedication Reduces Minimum Alveolar Concentration of Sevoflurane for Tracheal Intubation in Children

Abstract

Background Sevoflurane is a useful anesthetic for inhalational induction in children because of its low solubility in blood and relatively nonpungent odor. Clonidine has sedative and anxiolytic properties and reduces the requirement for inhalation agents. Nitrous oxide (N2O) also decreases the requirement of inhaled anesthetics, but the effect is variable. The minimum alveolar concentration for tracheal intubation (MAC(TI)) of sevoflurane was assessed with and without N2O and clonidine premedication. Methods Seventy-two patients, aged 3-11 yr, were assigned to one of six groups (n = 12 each). They received one of three preanesthetic medications (two groups for each premedication): placebo (control), 2 microg/kg oral clonidine or 4 microg/kg oral clonidine. In one group of each premedication, anesthesia was induced with sevoflurane in oxygen; in the other group, anesthesia was induced with sevoflurane in the presence of 60% N2O. Each concentration of sevoflurane at which tracheal intubation was attempted was predetermined according to Dixon's up-and-down method and held constant for at least 20 min before the trial Results The MAC(TI) of sevoflurane in the absence of N2O (mean +/- SEM) was 3.2 +/- 0.2%, 2.5 +/- 0.1%, and 1.9 +/- 0.2% in the control, 2-microg/kg clonidine, and 4-microg/kg clonidine groups, respectively. Nitrous oxide (60%) decreased the MAC(TI) of sevoflurane by 26%, 24%, and 27% in the control, 2-microg/kg clonidine, and 4-microg/kg clonidine groups. Conclusions Oral clonidine premedication decreased the MAC(TI) of sevoflurane. Nitrous oxide also decreased the MAC(TI). The combination of clonidine and N2O lessened the MAC(TI) of sevoflurane more than did either drug alone.