A retrospective comparison of dexmedetomidine versus midazolam for pediatric patients with congenital heart disease requiring postoperative sedation

Short-Term Effect of Quetiapine Used to Treat Delirium Symptoms on Opioid and Benzodiazepine Requirements in the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit

Opioids or benzodiazepines use is known to increase the risk of delirium. The prevalence of delirium is high in pediatric cardiac intensive care units (CICUs) with associated morbidity and mortality. We investigate the short-term effects of quetiapine, an atypical antipsychotic medication, on opioid and benzodiazepine requirements, and any associated adverse events as we utilize quetiapine to treat delirium symptoms in this single-center, retrospective study. Twenty-eight patients who received quetiapine between January 2018 and June 2019 in the CICU met inclusion criteria for the analysis. The quetiapine initiation dose was 0.5 mg/kg/dose every 8 h and we allowed 48 h for quetiapine to reach a steady state. Overall opioid and benzodiazepine requirements were compared 72 h before and 72 h after the quetiapine steady state. There was a statistically significant reduction in the total daily opioid (p = 0.001) and benzodiazepine (p = 0.01) amounts following quetiapine initiation. There was also a statistically significant decrease in the total number of daily PRNs requirement for both opioids (p < 0.001) and benzodiazepines (p = 0.03). Nine out of 13 patients were completely weaned off continuous opioid drips following quetiapine initiation (p = 0.01). The presence of steady-state habituation medications, including methadone or lorazepam, did not have any statistically significant effect on weaning continuous opioid (p = 0.18) or benzodiazepine (p = 0.62) drips. There was no statistically significant effect of quetiapine on the QTc interval after quetiapine initiation (p = 0.58) with no clinically significant arrhythmias observed during the study period. Our study demonstrates a statistically significant reduction in opioid and benzodiazepine requirements following quetiapine initiation to treat delirium symptoms without significant adverse effects in patients with congenital heart disease in the short term.

Risk factors and incidence of postoperative delirium after cardiac surgery in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Delirium, a form of acute cerebral dysfunction, is a common complication of postoperative cardiac surgery in children. It is strongly associated with adverse outcomes, including prolonged hospitalization, increased mortality, and cognitive dysfunction. This study aimed to identify risk factors and incidence of delirium after cardiac surgery in children to facilitate early identification of delirium risk and provide a reference for the implementation of effective prevention and management. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, CNKI, Sinomed, and Wanfang for studies published in English or Chinese from the inception of each database to November 2023. The PRISMA guidelines were followed in all phases of this systematic review. The Risk of Bias Assessment for Nonrandomized Studies tool was used to assess methodological quality. A total of twelve studies were included in the analysis, with four studies classified as overall low risk of bias, seven studies as moderate risk of bias, and one study as high risk of bias. The studies reported 39 possible predictors of delirium, categorized into four broad groups: intrinsic and parent-related factors, disease-related factors, surgery and treatment-related factors, and clinical scores and laboratory parameters. By conducting qualitative synthesis and quantitative meta-analysis, we identified two definite factors, four possible factors, and 32 unclear factors related to delirium. Definite risk factors included age and mechanical ventilation duration. Possible factors included developmental delay, cyanotic heart disease, cardiopulmonary bypass time, and pain score. With only a few high-quality studies currently available, well-designed and more extensive prospective studies are still needed to investigate the risk factors affecting delirium and explore delirium prevention strategies in high-risk children.

Risk Factors and Nomogram Model of Postoperative Delirium in Children with Congenital Heart Disease: A Single-Center Prospective Study

Delirium is a common postoperative complication in children with congenital heart disease, which affects their postoperative recovery. The purpose of this study is to explore the risk factors of delirium and construct a nomogram model to provide novel references for the prevention and management of postoperative delirium in children with congenital heart disease. 470 children after congenital heart surgery treated in the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) of Shanghai Children's Medical Center were divided into a model and a validation cohort according to the principle of 7:3 distribution temporally. Then, the delirium-related influencing factors of 330 children in the training cohort were analyzed, and the nomogram model was established by a combination of Lasso regression and logistic regression. The data of 140 children in the validation cohort were used to verify the effectiveness of the model. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that age, disease severity, non-invasive ventilation after extubation, delayed chest closure, phenobarbital dosage, promethazine dosage, mannitol usage, and elevated temperature were independent risk factors for postoperative delirium. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of the nomogram model was 0.864 and the Brier value was 0.121. Regarding the validation of the model's effect, our results showed that 51 cases were predicted by the model and 34 cases actually occurred, including 4 cases of false negative and 21 cases of false positive. The positive predictive value of the model was 58.8%, and its negative predictive value was 95.5%. The nomogram model established in this study showed acceptable performance in predicting postoperative delirium in children with congenital heart disease.

Pediatric Neurocritical Care: Maximizing Neurodevelopmental Outcomes Through Specialty Care

The field of pediatric neurocritical care (PNCC) has expanded and evolved over the last three decades. As mortality from pediatric critical care illness has declined, morbidity from neurodevelopmental disorders has expanded. PNCC clinicians have adopted a multidisciplinary approach to rapidly identify neurological injury, implement neuroprotective therapies, minimize secondary neurological insults, and establish transitions of care, all with the goal of improving neurocognitive outcomes for their patients. Although there are many aspects of PNCC and adult neurocritical care (NCC) medicine that are similar, elemental difference between adult and pediatric medicine has contributed to a divergent evolution of the respective fields. The low incidence of pediatric critical care illness, the heterogeneity of neurological insults, and the limited availability of resources all shape the need for a PNCC clinical care model that is distinct from the established paradigm adopted by the adult neurocritical care community at large. Considerations of neurodevelopment are fundamental in pediatrics. When neurological injury occurs in a child, the neurodevelopmental stage at the time of insult alters the impact of the neurological disease. Developmental variables contribute to a range of outcomes for seemingly similar injuries. Despite the relative infancy of the field of PNCC, early reports have shown that implementation of a specialized PNCC service elevates the quality and safety of care, promotes education and communication, and improves outcomes for children with acute neurological injuries. The multidisciplinary approach of PNCC clinicians and researchers also promotes a culture that emphasizes the importance of quality improvement and education initiatives, as well as development of and adherence to evidence-based guidelines and family-focused care models.

Construction and validation of an early prediction model of delirium in children after congenital heart surgery

BACKGROUND

Delirium often occurs in children with congenital heart disease in the early postoperative period, which is not conducive to the rehabilitation and prognosis. There is little evidence to prove the effectiveness and safety of drug treatment of delirium in children, and the prevention has become an important topic. The purpose of this study is to analyze the early risk factors of delirium in children after congenital heart surgery, establish a nomogram prediction model, and explore the application efficiency of the model, so as to provide reference for early prevention of delirium.

METHODS

A total of 362 children treated in the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) of Shanghai Children's Medical Center after congenital heart surgery from February 15 to April 15, 2021 were enrolled for the construction of the model. Bedside nurses who received unified training used the Cornell Assessment of Pediatric Delirium (CAPD) to evaluate delirium and recorded sixteen preoperative- and intraoperative-related influencing factors. A nomogram prediction model was created using multivariate logistic regression. The prediction effect of the model was evaluated by C-index and Brier value, and 96 children from April 16 to May 15, 2021 were included for effect verification. The model's effectiveness was validated by comparing the occurrence of delirium in children predicted by the model with the actual occurrence.

RESULTS

Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that male gender [odds ratio (OR) =1.786, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.018-3.134, P=0.043], age <6.5 months (OR =0.224, 95% CI: 0.126-0.399, P=0.000), disease severity ≥4 points (OR =6.955, 95% CI: 3.564-13.576, P=0.003), and operation time ≥148 min (OR =2.401, 95%CI: 1.336-4.315, P=0.000) were independent risk factors for delirium in children after cardiac surgery. The C-index of the nomogram prediction model was 0.808, sensitivity was 76.1%, specificity was 70%, and the Brier value was 0.142. The validation of the model showed that the model predicted 20 cases and the actual occurrence was 20 cases, of which 8 cases were false negative and 8 cases were false positive, and the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the model were 60%, 89.5%, and 83.3%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The prediction model constructed in this study could provide early prediction of the occurrence of delirium in children after congenital heart surgery to a certain extent.

2022 Society of Critical Care Medicine Clinical Practice Guidelines on Prevention and Management of Pain, Agitation, Neuromuscular Blockade, and Delirium in Critically Ill Pediatric Patients With Consideration of the ICU Environment and Early Mobility

RATIONALE

A guideline that both evaluates current practice and provides recommendations to address sedation, pain, and delirium management with regard for neuromuscular blockade and withdrawal is not currently available.

OBJECTIVE

To develop comprehensive clinical practice guidelines for critically ill infants and children, with specific attention to seven domains of care including pain, sedation/agitation, iatrogenic withdrawal, neuromuscular blockade, delirium, PICU environment, and early mobility.

DESIGN

The Society of Critical Care Medicine Pediatric Pain, Agitation, Neuromuscular Blockade, and Delirium in critically ill pediatric patients with consideration of the PICU Environment and Early Mobility Guideline Taskforce was comprised of 29 national experts who collaborated from 2009 to 2021 via teleconference and/or e-mail at least monthly for planning, literature review, and guideline development, revision, and approval. The full taskforce gathered annually in-person during the Society of Critical Care Medicine Congress for progress reports and further strategizing with the final face-to-face meeting occurring in February 2020. Throughout this process, the Society of Critical Care Medicine standard operating procedures Manual for Guidelines development was adhered to.

METHODS

Taskforce content experts separated into subgroups addressing pain/analgesia, sedation, tolerance/iatrogenic withdrawal, neuromuscular blockade, delirium, PICU environment (family presence and sleep hygiene), and early mobility. Subgroups created descriptive and actionable Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome questions. An experienced medical information specialist developed search strategies to identify relevant literature between January 1990 and January 2020. Subgroups reviewed literature, determined quality of evidence, and formulated recommendations classified as "strong" with "we recommend" or "conditional" with "we suggest." Good practice statements were used when indirect evidence supported benefit with no or minimal risk. Evidence gaps were noted. Initial recommendations were reviewed by each subgroup and revised as deemed necessary prior to being disseminated for voting by the full taskforce. Individuals who had an overt or potential conflict of interest abstained from relevant votes. Expert opinion alone was not used in substitution for a lack of evidence.

RESULTS

The Pediatric Pain, Agitation, Neuromuscular Blockade, and Delirium in critically ill pediatric patients with consideration of the PICU Environment and Early Mobility taskforce issued 44 recommendations (14 strong and 30 conditional) and five good practice statements.

CONCLUSIONS

The current guidelines represent a comprehensive list of practical clinical recommendations for the assessment, prevention, and management of key aspects for the comprehensive critical care of infants and children. Main areas of focus included 1) need for the routine monitoring of pain, agitation, withdrawal, and delirium using validated tools, 2) enhanced use of protocolized sedation and analgesia, and 3) recognition of the importance of nonpharmacologic interventions for enhancing patient comfort and comprehensive care provision.

Reducing Benzodiazepine Exposure by Instituting a Guideline for Dexmedetomidine Usage in the NICU

BACKGROUND

Midazolam is a benzodiazepine sedative used in NICUs. Because benzodiazepine's effects include respiratory depression and potential detrimental developmental effects, minimizing exposure could benefit neonates. Dexmedetomidine is routinely used for sedation in older pediatric populations. We implemented a quality improvement initiative with the aim of decreasing midazolam infusions by 20% through use of dexmedetomidine.

METHODS

A multidisciplinary committee created a sedation guideline that included standardized dexmedetomidine dosing escalation and weaning. Baseline data collection occurred from January 2015 to February 2018, with intervention from March 2018 to December 2019. Percentage of sedation episodes with dexmedetomidine initiated was followed as a process measure. Outcomes measures were percentage of eligible infants receiving midazolam infusions and midazolam-free days per sedation episode. Bradycardia with dexmedetomidine, unplanned extubation rates, and morphine dosage were monitored as balancing measures.

RESULTS

Our study included 434 episodes of sedation in 386 patients. Dexmedetomidine initiation increased from 18% to 49%. The intervention was associated with a significant reduction in midazolam initiation by 30%, from 95% to 65%, with special cause variation on statistical process control chart analysis. Midazolam-free days per sedation episode increased from 0.3 to 2.2 days, and patients receiving dexmedetomidine had lower midazolam doses (1.3 mg/kg per day versus 2.2 mg/kg per day, P = 5.97 × 10-04). Bradycardia requiring discontinuation of dexmedetomidine, unplanned extubation rates, and morphine doses were unchanged.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of a quality improvement initiative was successful in reducing the percentage of patients receiving midazolam infusions and increased midazolam-free days per sedation episode, revealing an overall reduction in benzodiazepine exposure while maintaining adequate sedation.

Changes in Sedation Practices in Association with Delirium Screening in Infants After Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Sedation in the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) is necessary to keep critically ill infants safe and comfortable. However, long-term use of sedatives may be associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. We aimed to examine sedation practices in the CICU after the implementation of the Cornell Assessment of Pediatric Delirium (CAPD). We hypothesize the use of the CAPD would be associated with a decrease in sedative weans at CICU discharge. This is a single institution, retrospective cohort study. The study inclusion criteria were term infants, birthweight > 2.5 kg, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), and mechanical ventilation (MV) on postoperative day zero. During the study period, 50 and 35 patients respectively, met criteria pre- and post-implementation of CAPD screening. Our results showed a statistically significant increase in the incidence of sedative habituation wean at CICU discharge after CAPD implementation (24% vs. 45.7%, p = 0.036). There was a statistically significant increase in exposure to opiate (56% vs. 88.6%, p = 0.001) and dexmedetomidine infusions (52% vs 80%, p = 0.008), increased likelihood of clonidine use at CICU discharge (OR 9.25, CI 2.39-35.84), and increase in the duration of intravenous sedative infusions (8.1 days vs. 5.1 days, p = 0.04) No statistical difference was found in exposure to fentanyl (42% vs. 58.8%, p = 0.13) or midazolam infusions (22% vs. 25.7%, p = 0.691); and there was no change in benzodiazepine or opiate use at CICU discharge or dosage. The prevalence of delirium in the CAPD cohort was 92%. CAPD implementation in the CICU was associated with changes in sedation practices, specifically an increase in the use of dexmedetomidine, which possibly explains the increased clonidine weans at CICU discharge. This is the first report of the association between CAPD monitoring and changes in sedative practices. Multi-center prospective studies are recommended to evaluate sedative practices, delirium, and its effects on neurodevelopment.

Evaluation of Pediatric Delirium Awareness and Management in Pediatric Intensive Care Units in Turkey

Delirium has been associated with prolonged pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) stay and mechanical ventilation times as well as high hospital costs and mortality rates. This work aimed to examine pediatric delirium awareness and delirium management in Turkey. A total of 19 physicians responsible for their respective PICUs completed the survey. Most of the units (57.9%) did not use any assessment tool. Varying measures were applied in different units to reduce the prevalence of delirium. The number of units that continuously measured noise was very low (15.8%). Eye mask and earpiece usage rates were also very low. In pharmacological treatment, haloperidol, dexmedetomidine, benzodiazepines, and atypical antipsychotics were the most preferred options. Some units have reached a sufficient level of pediatric delirium awareness and management. However, insufficiencies in delirium awareness and management remain in general.

The Effect of Dexmedetomidine on Emergence Agitation or Delirium in Children After Anesthesia-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Studies

Background: We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the clinical effect of dexmedetomidine in preventing pediatric emergence agitation (EA) or delirium (ED) following anesthesia compared with placebo or other sedatives. Methods: The databases of Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched until 8th January 2020. Inclusion criteria were participants with age<18 years and studies of comparison between dexmedetomidine and placebo or other sedatives. Exclusion criteria included adult studies; duplicate publications; management with dexmedetomidine alone; review or meta-analysis; basic research; article published as abstract, letter, case report, editorial, note, method, or protocol; and article presented in non-English language. Results: Fifty-eight randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and five case-control trials (CCTs) including 7,714 patients were included. The results showed that dexmedetomidine significantly decreased the incidence of post-anesthesia EA or ED compared with placebo [OR = 0.22, 95% CI: (0.16, 0.32), I 2 = 75, P < 0.00001], midazolam [OR = 0.36, 95% CI: (0.21, 0.63), I 2 = 57, P = 0.0003], and opioids [OR = 0.55, 95% CI: (0.33, 0.91), I 2 = 0, P = 0.02], whereas the significant difference was not exhibited compared with propofol (or pentobarbital) [OR = 0.56, 95% CI: (0.15, 2.14), I 2 = 58, P = 0.39], ketamine [OR = 0.43, 95% CI: (0.19, 1.00), I 2 = 0, P = 0.05], clonidine [OR = 0.54, 95% CI: (0.20, 1.45), P = 0.22], chloral hydrate [OR = 0.98, 95% CI: (0.26, 3.78), P = 0.98], melatonin [OR = 1.0, 95% CI: (0.13, 7.72), P = 1.00], and ketofol [OR = 0.55, 95% CI: (0.16, 1.93), P = 0.35]. Conclusion: Compared with placebo, midazolam, and opioids, dexmedetomidine significantly decreased the incidence of post-anesthesia EA or ED in pediatric patients. However, dexmedetomidine did not exhibit this superiority compared with propofol and ketamine. With regard to clonidine, chloral hydrate, melatonin, and ketofol, the results needed to be further tested due to the fact that only one trial was included for each control drug.

Dexmedetomidine for Prolonged Sedation in the PICU: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to systematically describe the use of dexmedetomidine as a treatment regimen for prolonged sedation in children and perform a meta-analysis of its safety profile.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and CINAHL were searched from inception to November 30, 2018.

STUDY SELECTION

We included studies involving hospitalized critically ill patients less than or equal to 18 years old receiving dexmedetomidine for prolonged infusion (≥ 24 hr).

DATA EXTRACTION

Data extraction included study characteristics, patient demographics, modality of dexmedetomidine use, associated analgesia and sedation details, comfort and withdrawal evaluation scales, withdrawal symptoms, and side effects.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Literature search identified 32 studies, including a total of 3,267 patients. Most of the studies were monocentric (91%) and retrospective (88%); one was a randomized trial. Minimum and maximum infusion dosages varied from 0.1-0.5 µg/kg/hr to 0.3-2.5 µg/kg/hr, respectively. The mean/median duration range was 25-540 hours. The use of a loading bolus was reported in eight studies (25%) (range, 0.5-1 µg/kg), the mode of weaning in 11 (34%), and the weaning time in six of 11 (55%; range, 9-96 hr). The pooled prevalence of bradycardia was 2.6% (n = 10 studies; 14/387 patients; 95% CI, 0.3-7.3; I = 75%), the pooled prevalence incidence of bradycardia was 2.6% (n = 10 studies; 14/387 patients; 95% CI, 0.3-7.3; I = 75%), the pooled incidence of hypotension was 6.1% (n = 8 studies; 19/304 patients; 95% CI, 0.8-15.9; I = 84%). Three studies (9%) reported side effects' onset time which in all cases was within 12 hours of the infusion starting.

CONCLUSIONS

High-quality data on dexmedetomidine use for prolonged sedation and a consensus on correct dosing and weaning protocols in children are currently missing. Infusion of dexmedetomidine can be considered relatively safe in pediatrics even when longer than 24 hours.

Postoperative analgesia effects of sulfentanyl plus dexmedetomidine in patients received VATS

Background To evaluate sulfentanyl combined with dexmedetomidine hydrochloride on postoperative analgesia in patients who received video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and its effects on serum norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and prostaglandin (PGE2).

Material and Methods Ninety-nine non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who received VATS were included in the study. All the patients received intravenous inhalation compound anesthesia. Of the 99 cases, 49 subjects (control group) received sulfentanyl for patient controlled intravenous analgesia (PICA) and other 50 cases (experiment group) received sulfentanyl combined with dexmedetomidine hydrochloride for PICA after operation of VATS. The analgesic effects of the two groups were evaluated according to Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) and the Bruggrmann Comfort Scale (BCS). The serum pain mediator of NE, DA, 5-HT, and PGE2 were examined and compared between the two groups in the first 24 h post-surgery.

Results The VAS scores for the experiment group were significant lower than that of control group on the time points of 8, 16, and 24 h post-surgery (pall<0.05), and the BCS scores of the experiment group in the time points of 8, 16, and 24 h were significantly higher than that of controls (p<0.05). However, the VAS and BCS scores were not statistical differently in the time point of 1, 2, and 4 h post-surgery (pall>0.05). The mean sulfentanyl dosage was 63.01 ± 5.14 μg and 67.12 ± 6.91 μg for the experiment and control groups respectively with significant statistical difference (p<0.05). The mean analgesic pump pressing times were 4.30 ± 1.31 and 5.31 ± 1.46 for experiment and control groups respectively with significant statistical difference (p<0.05). The serum NE, DA, 5-HT, and PGE2 levels were significantly lower in the experimental group compared to that of control group in the time point of 12 h post-surgery (pall<0.05). The side effects of nausea, vomiting, delirium, rash, and hypotension atrial fibrillation were not statistically different between the two groups (pall>0.05).

Conclusion Patient controlled intravenous analgesia of sulfentanyl combined with dexmedetomidine hydrochloride was effective in reducing the VAS score and serum pain mediators in NSCLC patients who received VAST.

Delirium in hospitalised children

Delirium is a syndrome characterised by an acute and fluctuating alteration in cognition and awareness. It occurs frequently in children with serious medical illness, and is associated with adverse outcomes such as increased length of hospital stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, hospital costs, and mortality. Delirium-especially the hypoactive subtype-is often overlooked by paediatric practitioners, but can be reduced by mitigating risks and effectively managed if detected early. Non-modifiable risk factors of delirium include young age (age <2 years), cognitive or neurological disabilities, need for invasive mechanical ventilation, severe underlying illness and pre-existing chronic conditions, and poor nutritional status. Routine bedside screening using validated tools can enable early detection of delirium. To reduce delirium in hospitalised children, health-care providers should optimise the hospital environment (eg, by reducing sleep disruption and keeping the child stimulated during the day), improve pain management, and decrease sedation (particularly use of benzodiazepines).

Dexmedetomidine improves neurodevelopment and cognitive impairment in infants with congenital heart disease

Aim: Explore if dexmedetomidine (DEX) improves neurodevelopment and cognitive impairment in infants with congenital heart disease. Materials & methods: We retrospectively analyzed 256 pediatric patients aged less than 2 years with heart disease undergoing thoracic surgery. The intelligence quotient and neurodevelopment were tested. Mortality, incidence of postoperation adverse events, duration of mechanical ventilation, and length of stay were recorded and compared. Results: Compared with those not administered DEX, intelligence quotient scores and neurodevelopment evaluation scores increased in patients receiving perioperative DEX. There were no significant differences in mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation or length of stay. Conclusion: The administration of DEX might improve neural development and reduce the adverse effects of general anesthesia in infants with congenital heart disease undergoing surgery and extracorporeal circulation.

Association Between Postoperative Dexmedetomidine Use and Arrhythmias in Infants After Cardiac Surgery

BACKGROUND

Dexmedetomidine has been suggested as an arrhythmia prophylactic agent after surgery for congenital heart disease due to its heart rate lowering effect, though studies are conflicting. We sought to study the effect of dexmedetomidine in infants that are at highest risk for arrhythmias.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort study of infants less than six months of age undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass for congenital heart disease. The arrhythmia incidence in the first 48 hours after surgery in infants receiving dexmedetomidine for sedation was compared to those that did not receive dexmedetomidine.

RESULTS

A total of 309 patients were included, 206 patients who did not receive dexmedetomidine and 103 patients who did. The incidence of tachyarrhythmias was similar between the non-DEX group and the DEX group (19% vs 15%, P = .34). When adjusted for baseline differences, the non-DEX group did not have an increased risk of postoperative tachyarrhythmias (odds ratio [OR]: 1.4, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.5-3.8). The non-DEX group had an increased need for treatment for arrhythmias (18% vs 8%, P = .012). The three lesions with baseline higher risk for arrhythmias (tetralogy of Fallot, transposition of the great arteries, and complete atrioventricular canal) had an increased incidence of tachyarrhythmias in the non-DEX group (34% vs 6%, P = .027). This risk was not significant in multivariate analysis (OR: 2.5, 95% CI: 0.4-15.5).

CONCLUSIONS

High-risk infants had decreased incidence of tachyarrhythmias when receiving dexmedetomidine, though this was not significant after accounting for baseline differences between groups.

The brain protective effect of dexmedetomidine during surgery for paediatric patients with congenital heart disease

Objective

To study the brain protective effect of dexmedetomidine (DEX) during surgery in paediatric patients with congenital heart disease (CHD).

Methods

This randomized single-blind controlled study enrolled paediatric patients aged 0–3 years with CHD who underwent surgery and randomized them into two groups: one group received DEX and the control group received 0.9% NaCl during anaesthesia. Demographic data, heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and central venous pressure (CVP) were recorded. Levels of neuron specific enolase (NES) and S-100β protein were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.

Results

The study enrolled 80 paediatric patients with CHD. Compared with the control group, HR, MAP and CVP were significantly lower in the DEX group at all time-points except for T0. At all time-points except for T0, the levels of jugular venous oxygen saturation in the DEX group were significantly higher compared with the control group. At all time-points except for T0, the levels of arterial venous difference and cerebral extraction of oxygen were significantly lower in the DEX group compared with the control group. Levels of NES and S-100β protein in the DEX group were significantly lower compared with the control group at all time-points except for T0.

Conclusion

DEX treatment during surgery for CHD improved oxygen metabolism in brain tissues and reduced the levels of NES and S-100β protein.

Efficacy of different analgesic or sedative drug therapies in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease undergoing surgery: a network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Surgery is an effective therapy for congenital heart disease (CHD) and the management after surgery poses challenges for the clinical workers. We performed this network meta-analysis to enhance the corresponding evidence with respect to the relative efficacy of different drug treatments applied after the CHD surgery.

METHODS

Embase and PubMed were systematically retrieved to identify all published controlled trials investigating the effectiveness of drugs for patients up to 25 August, 2018. Mean differences (MD), odds ratios and their 95% credible intervals (CrIs) were used to evaluate multi-aspect comparisons. Surface under cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) was used to analyze the relative ranking of different treatments in each endpoint.

RESULTS

Compared to saline, all the drugs achieved better preference under the efficacy endpoints except fentanyl in JET. As for ventilator time, all drugs were more effective than saline while only the difference of dexmedetomidine was statistically obvious (MD = 6.92, 95% CrIs 1.77-12.54). Under the endpoint of ICU time, dexmedetomidine was superior to saline as well (MD = 1.26, 95% CrIs 0.11-2.45). When all the endpoints were taken into consideration and with the help of ranking probabilities and SUCRA values, fentanyl combined with dexmedetomidine was one of the recommended drugs due to its shorter time on ventilator and stay in hospital as well as lower mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, based on the comprehensive consideration of all the endpoints, fentanyl combined with dexmedetomidine was considered to be the best-recommended clinical interventions among all the methods.

Prolonged sedation in critically ill children: is dexmedetomidine a safe option for younger age? An off-label experience

BACKGROUND

Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is an alpha-2-adrenergic agonist, recently approved by Italian-Medicines-Agency for difficult sedation in pediatrics, but few data exist regarding prolonged infusions in critically-ill children, especially in younger ages. Aim of our study was to evaluate DEX use and safety for prolonged sedation in Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs).

METHODS

Patients receiving DEX for ≥24 hours were retrospectively evaluated to analyze DEX indications, dosages, use of analgesics or sedatives, adverse events (AEs), withdrawal syndrome or delirium.

RESULTS

Forty-seven patients (median 0.7years) from nine PICUs were enrolled. Main indications were adjuvant for drugs sparing (59.6%) and for analgosedation weaning (36.2%). Median infusion duration was 82.0 hours (IQR 62.2-126.0), with dosages between 0.4 (IQR 0.2-0.5) and 0.8 mcg/kg/h (IQR 0.6-1.2). Fifty-nine-percent of patients received other sedatives, 83% other analgesics. Twenty-one-percent presented withdrawal syndrome, 4.2% delirium, none of them DEX-related. Forty-six-percent experienced a potentially-DEX-related AE. AEs were all hemodynamic, 14.9% requiring intervention but none DEX interruption. The median minimum and maximum dosages were significantly higher in patients with AEs (0.5 vs. 0.3,P=0.001; 1.0 vs. 0.7,P<0.001), without correlations with the infusion duration. AEs rate was higher in patients receiving benzodiazepines (P=0.020) or more than one analgesic (P=0.003) and in those presenting withdrawal syndrome (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

DEX was confirmed as useful and relatively safe drug for prolonged sedation in critically-ill children, particularly in younger ages. Main AEs were cardiovascular, reversible, related with higher doses, with the concomitant use of benzodiazepines or multiple sedation drugs and with the presence of withdrawal syndrome.

Anticholinergic Medication Burden in Pediatric Prolonged Critical Illness: A Potentially Modifiable Risk Factor for Delirium

OBJECTIVES

It is important to describe and understand the prevalence and risk factors for the syndrome of delirium in critical illness. Since anticholinergic medication may contribute to the development of delirium in the PICU, we have sought to quantify anticholinergic medication exposure in patients with prolonged admission. We have used Anticholinergic Drug Scale scores to quantify the magnitude or extent of this burden.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study, January 2011 to December 2015.

SETTING

Single academic medical center PICU.

PATIENTS

Children under 18 years old with a PICU admission of 15 days or longer, requiring mechanical ventilation.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Daily Anticholinergic Drug Scale scores for the first 15 days of admission, in each of 88 subjects (total of 1,320 PICU days), were collected and assessed in relation to demographic data, severity of illness, and medication use. Median (interquartile range) of daily Anticholinergic Drug Scale score was 5 (interquartile range, 3-7). Anticholinergic Drug Scale score was not associated with age, sex, medical history, presenting Severity of Illness score, PICU length of stay, ventilator hours, or hospital mortality. Medications most frequently associated with high Anticholinergic Drug Scale score were low potency anticholinergic drugs such as morphine, midazolam, vancomycin, steroids, and furosemide, with the exception of ranitidine (Anticholinergic Drug Scale score 2). Patients receiving high doses of midazolam infusion had significantly higher Anticholinergic Drug Scale scores compared with those receiving lower or no midazolam dosing.

CONCLUSIONS

A high number of medications with anticholinergic effects are administered to PICU patients receiving prolonged mechanical ventilation. These exposures are much higher than those reported in adult intensive care patients. Since anticholinergic drug exposure is associated with delirium, further study of this exposure in PICU patients is needed.

Pediatric Cardiac Surgery and Pain Management: After 40 Years in the Desert, Have We Reached the Promised Land?

Pain prevention in the pediatric population is mandatory and an integrative aspect of medical practice. Optimal pain management is the right of all patients and the responsibility of all health professionals. The key to adequate pain management is assessing its presence and severity, identifying those who require intervention, and appreciating treatment efficacy. The population of pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery is unique in both clinical severity and hemodynamic response to painful stimuli, thus making pain management even more challenging. In this review, we will describe the different pain assessment tools as well as intra- and postoperative regimens of pain management.

Endogenous Opiates and Behavior: 2016

This paper is the thirty-ninth consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system. It summarizes papers published during 2016 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior, and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia, stress and social status, tolerance and dependence, learning and memory, eating and drinking, drug abuse and alcohol, sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology, mental illness and mood, seizures and neurologic disorders, electrical-related activity and neurophysiology, general activity and locomotion, gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions, cardiovascular responses, respiration and thermoregulation, and immunological responses.

Phase IV, Open-Label, Safety Study Evaluating the Use of Dexmedetomidine in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Procedure-Type Sedation

Dexmedetomidine (Precedex™) may be used as an alternative sedative in children, maintaining spontaneous breathing, and avoiding tracheal intubation in a non-intubated moderate or deep sedation (NI-MDS) approach. This open-label, single-arm, multicenter study evaluated the safety of dexmedetomidine in a pediatric population receiving NI-MDS in an operating room or a procedure room, with an intensivist or anesthesiologist in attendance, for elective diagnostic or therapeutic procedures expected to take at least 30 min. The primary endpoint was incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). Patients received one of two doses dependent on age: patients aged ≥28 weeks' gestational age to <1 month postnatal received dose level 1 (0.1 μg/kg load; 0.05-0.2 μg/kg/h infusion); those aged 1 month to <17 years received dose level 2 (1 μg/kg load; 0.2-2.0 μg/kg/h infusion). Sedation efficacy was assessed and defined as adequate sedation for at least 80% of the time and successful completion of the procedure without the need for rescue medication. In all, 91 patients were enrolled (dose level 1, n = 1; dose level 2, n = 90); of these, 90 received treatment and 82 completed the study. Eight patients in dose level 2 discontinued treatment for the following reasons: early completion of diagnostic or therapeutic procedure (n = 3); change in medical condition (need for intubation) requiring deeper level of sedation (n = 2); adverse event (AE; hives and emesis), lack of efficacy, and physician decision (patient not sedated enough to complete procedure; n = 1 each). Sixty-seven patients experienced 147 TEAEs. The two most commonly reported AEs were respiratory depression (bradypnea; reported per protocol-defined criteria, based on absolute respiratory rate values for age or relative decrease of 30% from baseline) and hypotension. Four patients received glycopyrrolate for bradycardia and seven patients received intravenous fluids for hypotension. SpO₂ dropped by 10% in two patients, but resolved without need for manual ventilation. All other reported AEs were consistent with the known safety profile of dexmedetomidine. Two of the 78 patients in the efficacy-evaluable population met all sedation efficacy criteria. Dexmedetomidine was well-tolerated in pediatric patients undergoing procedure-type sedation.

Myocardial protective effects of dexmedetomidine in patients undergoing cardiac surgery: A meta-analysis and systematic review

Arrhythmias are the common complications following cardiac surgery and contribute to hemodynamic instability, cognitive impairment, thromboembolic events, and congestive heart failure. Prevention of atrial fibrillation following cardiac surgery reduces morbidity and among the many available preventive approaches dexmedetomidine shows many positive effects on cardiovascular stability. Even though many studies indicated the beneficial effects of dexmedetomidine, the power of the analysis and conclusion of these studies is rather weak due to relatively smaller number of patients in these studies. In the present meta-analysis, we included a large number of patients, both children and adults, undergoing cardiac surgery, to address the efficacy of dexmedetomidine. Several databases were searched to identify clinical studies comparing the efficacy of dexmedetomidine in myocardial protection in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Cardiac function related parameters including heart rate, blood pressure, tachycardia, arrhthmias, and bradycardia were measured. In accordance with the selection criteria, a total of 18 studies published between 2003 and 2016, with a total of 19,225 patients were included in the present meta-analysis. Dosage of dexmedetomidine was in the range of 0.5-1 µg/kg body weight loading followed by continuous infusion at a rate of 0.2-0.7 µg/kg/h. Dexmedetomidine treatment was found to lower heart rate, systolic blood pressure, incidence of tachycardia and arrhythmias in both adult and pediatric patients, but elevated the risk of bradycardia. In conclusion, results of this meta-analysis indicate that dexmedetomidine is an efficacious cardioprotective drug in adults and children undergoing cardiac surgery.

Importance of the use of protocols for the management of analgesia and sedation in pediatric intensive care unit

Summary Introduction: Analgesia and sedation are essential elements in patient care in the intensive care unit (ICU), in order to promote the control of pain, anxiety and agitation, prevent the loss of devices, accidental extubation, and improve the synchrony of the patient with mechanical ventilation. However, excess of these medications leads to rise in morbidity and mortality. The ideal management will depend on the adoption of clinical and pharmacological measures, guided by scales and protocols. Objective: Literature review on the main aspects of analgesia and sedation, abstinence syndrome, and delirium in the pediatric intensive care unit, in order to show the importance of the use of protocols on the management of critically ill patients. Method: Articles published in the past 16 years on PubMed, Lilacs, and the Cochrane Library, with the terms analgesia, sedation, abstinence syndrome, mild sedation, daily interruption, and intensive care unit. Results: Seventy-six articles considered relevant were selected to describe the importance of using a protocol of sedation and analgesia. They recommended mild sedation and the use of assessment scales, daily interruptions, and spontaneous breathing test. These measures shorten the time of mechanical ventilation, as well as length of hospital stay, and help to control abstinence and delirium, without increasing the risk of morbidity and morbidity. Conclusion: Despite the lack of controlled and randomized clinical trials in the pediatric setting, the use of protocols, optimizing mild sedation, leads to decreased morbidity.

Outcomes of dexmedetomidine treatment in pediatric patients undergoing congenital heart disease surgery: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Dexmedetomidine decreases cardiac complications in adults undergoing cardiovascular surgery. This systematic review assessed whether perioperative dexmedetomidine improves congenital heart disease (CHD) surgery outcomes in children.

METHODS

The PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or observational studies that were published until 16 April 2015 and compared dexmedetomidine with placebo or an alternative anesthetic agent during pediatric CHD surgery. The assessed outcomes included hemodynamics, ventilation length, intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stays, blood glucose and serum cortisol levels, postoperative analgesia requirements, and postoperative delirium.

RESULTS

Five RCTs and nine observational studies involving 2229 patients were included. In pooled analyses, dexmedetomidine was associated with shorter length of mechanical ventilation (mean difference: -93.36, 95% CI: -137.45, -49.27), lower postoperative fentanyl (mean difference: -24.11, 95% CI: -36.98, -11.24) and morphine (mean difference: -0.07, 95% CI: -0.14, 0.00) requirements, reduced stress response (i.e., lower blood glucose and serum cortisol levels), and lower risk of delirium (OR: 0.39, 95% CI: 0.21, 0.74). The hemodynamics of dexmedetomidine-treated patients appeared more stable, but there were no significant differences in the ICU or hospital stay durations. Dexmedetomidine may increase the bradycardia and hypotension risk (OR: 3.14, 95% CI: 1.47, 6.69).

CONCLUSIONS

Current evidence indicates that dexmedetomidine improves outcomes in children undergoing CHD surgery. However, this finding largely relies on data from observational studies; high-quality RCTs are warranted because of the potential for subject selection bias.