COMPARISON OF ORAL CLONIDINE AND ORAL MIDAZOLAM AS PRE-MEDICATION FOR PEDIATRIC SURGERY IN CHILDREN

Abstract

Objectives: The objectives of the study are to compare the efficacy and safety of oral midazolam (0.5 mg/kg) and oral clonidine (3 μg/kg) as pre-medicant in pediatric age children undergoing surgical intervention. Methods: The present study was conducted at the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Medicine, Sri Aurobindo Medical College and Postgraduate Institute, Indore (M.P.). We had included 60 children undergoing pediatric surgical intervention during the study period of 1–1/2 years of age 2–10 years. These children were randomized to receive either midazolam or clonidine. After obtaining consent from the parents, these children were included in the study. Pediatric separation anxiety score (PSAP) was used for the assessment of anxiety and mask acceptance scale was used for the assessment of mask acceptance. Comparison of means between the two groups was done using unpaired “t” test, and association between two non-parametric variables was done using Pearson Chi-square test. A p<0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Results: The mean age in midazolam group was 5.50±3.18 years and in clonidine group was 5.56±4.44 years. The mean age was comparable between the two groups (p=0.954). In both groups, there was male predominance. Mask acceptance was also better in clonidine group compared to midazolam group (p=0.001). Sedation was more in clonidine group compared to midazolam group, but it was not statistically significant (p=0.136). Wake-up behaviors of the patients were comparable between the two groups (p=0.777). The hemodynamics were comparable between the two groups at majority of the time intervals (p>0.05). We found clonidine to be better in comparison to midazolam in providing sedation and patients were easily consolable compared to midazolam group patients. Conclusion: We conclude that clonidine as a pre-medicant in patients undergoing pediatric surgical intervention is better as compared to midazolam with slightly higher sedation in clonidine group. We recommend the use of clonidine as a pre-medicant in patients undergoing pediatric surgical intervention.