Evaluation of the safety of using propofol for paediatric procedural sedation: A systematic review and meta-analysis

MRI scan with the "feed and wrap" technique and with an optimized anesthesia protocol: a retrospective analysis of a single-center experience

Introduction

MRI examinations in the pediatric population require acquiring motionless images in the safest possible manner. At our institute, we have developed a protocol called "Good Practice" aimed at avoiding anesthesia in newborns and infants through the use of the "feed and wrap" technique, as well as preventing hospitalization for older children requiring anesthesia with an optimized sedation protocol. We evaluated this protocol in terms of patient safety, imaging quality, and parental satisfaction.

Materials and methods

Patient data were collected retrospectively. In the feed and wrap group, image quality and the necessity of repeating the examination were evaluated. In the optimized anesthesiologic protocol group, various parameters were analyzed to assess the safety of the protocol. Parental satisfaction was determined through a questionnaire.

Results

A total of 132 patients were included, with 82 undergoing the feed and wrap technique and 50 receiving the optimized anesthesiologic protocol. In the feed and wrap group, images were classified as follows: 4.87% poor, 18.29% sufficient, 37.80% good, and 39.92% excellent. In only 2 cases a new MRI examination was required. In the optimized anesthesiologic protocol group, no adverse effects were observed, and no post-anesthesia hospitalizations were needed. 100% of parents of babies examined with the feed and wrap technique rated it as excellent. Furthermore, 85.6% of parents considered the optimized anesthesiologic protocol excellent, and 13.6% rated it as good.

Conclusion

At our institute, the feed and wrap technique proved to be effective in obtaining high-quality images. Anesthesia using propofol showed no adverse effects and proved to be successful in avoiding hospitalization. Parents expressed relief at the avoidance of anesthesia and hospitalization for their children.

Evaluating the Quality of Systematic Reviews on Pediatric Sedation in Dentistry: An Umbrella Review

Sedation is a depression of a patient's state of consciousness, induced by medications, that can reach different levels of intensity during a medical procedure. Conscious sedation produces a minimally depressed level of consciousness without impairment of the ability to maintain an open airway, of protective reflexes or of responses to verbal and physical stimulation. This umbrella review is aimed at critically assessing the available systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MA) on sedation in children/adolescents. An electronic database search was conducted that included Pubmed-Medline, Web of Science, Cochrane, Scopus, Scielo, Embase, LILACS and TRIP and the scope of which extended until January 2023. The risk of bias (RoB) of SRs was analyzed using the Measurement Tool to Assess SRs criteria 2 (AMSTAR2). Of 998 entries, 37 SRs were included. In terms of methodological quality, eight studies were assessed as having critically low quality, four studies had low quality, nine studies had moderate quality, and sixteen were considered to be of high quality. Based on the current guidelines, the most employed drugs in pediatric dentistry for sedation are nitrous oxide and midazolam; however, the available evidence supporting their use is insufficient and of low/critically low quality. The combined technique is recommended (nitrous oxide (30-50%) + midazolam). The optimal dose of oral midazolam is 0.75 mg/kg. The level of methodological quality of SRs is expected to increase according to the results and future directions of this umbrella review.

Comparison of airway collapsibility following single induction dose ketamine with propofol versus propofol sedation in children undergoing magnetic resonance imaging: A randomised controlled study

Background and Aims

Adequate sedation is essential for children undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) console. Propofol is commonly used for sedation, but it has the drawback of upper airway collapse at higher doses, which may be overcome by ketamine. This study was designed to evaluate the beneficial effect of ketamine on propofol in preventing airway collapse.

Methods

Fifty-eight children undergoing MRI were randomised to Group P (propofol bolus dose followed by infusion or Group KP (bolus dose of ketamine and propofol followed by propofol infusion). The primary aim is to compare the upper airway cross-sectional area (CSA) and diameters (transverse diameter [TD] and anteroposterior diameter [APD]) obtained from MRI during inspiration and expiration.

Results

Upper airway collapse as measured by delta CSA in mean (SD) [95% confidence interval] was statistically more significant between the two groups [at the soft palate level, 16.9 mm2 (19.8) [9.3-24.4] versus 9.0 mm2 (5.50) [6.9-11.1] (P = 0.043); at the base of the tongue level, 15.4 mm2 (11.03) [11.2-19.6] versus 7.48 mm2 (4.83) [5.64-9.32] (P < 0.001); at the epiglottis level, 23.9 (26.05) [14.0-33.8] versus 10.9 mm2 (9.47) [7.35-14.5] (P = 0.014)]. A significant difference was obtained for TD at all levels and for APD at the soft palate and base of tongue level.

Conclusion

Adding a single dose of ketamine to propofol reduced the upper airway collapse significantly, as evidenced by the MRI-based measurements of upper airway dimensions, compared to propofol alone.

Requirement for Discharge in the Care of a Responsible Adult in Procedural Sedation in the Emergency Department: Necessity or Potential Barrier to Health Equity?

BACKGROUND

Procedural sedation is commonly practiced by emergency physicians to facilitate patient care in the emergency department (ED). Although various guidelines have modernized our approach to procedural sedation, many procedural sedation guidelines and practices still often require that patients be discharged into the care of a responsible adult.

DISCUSSION

Such requirement for discharge often cannot be met by underserved and undomiciled patients. Benzodiazepines, opioids, propofol, ketamine, "ketofol," etomidate, and methohexital have all been utilized for procedural sedation in the ED. For patients who may require discharge without the presence of an accompanying responsible adult, ketamine, propofol, methohexital, "ketofol," and etomidate are ideal agents for procedural sedation given rapid onsets, short durations of action, and rapid recovery times in patients without renal or hepatic impairment. Proper pre- and postprocedure protocols should be utilized when performing procedural sedation to ensure patient safety. Through the use of appropriate medications and observation protocols, patients can safely be discharged 2 to 4 h postprocedure.

CONCLUSION

There is no pharmacodynamic or pharmacokinetic basis to require discharge in the care of a responsible adult after procedural sedation. Thoughtful medication selection and the use of evidence-based pre- and postprocedure protocols in the ED can help circumvent this requirement, which likely disproportionally impacts patients who are of low socioeconomic status or undomiciled.

Dexmedetomidine as a sole sedative for procedural sedation in preterm and neonate infants: A retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND

Many different sedation concepts for magnetic resonance imaging have been described for prematurely and term-born infants, ranging from "no sedation" to general anesthesia. Dexmedetomidine is an alpha-2 receptor agonist that is frequently used to sedate older children, because the anesthesiologist can easily adjust sedation depth, the patient maintains spontaneous breathing, and awakens rapidly afterwards.

AIMS

The present study evaluates whether dexmedetomidine could safely be used as the sole sedative for prematurely and term-born infants less than 60 weeks postconceptional age undergoing diagnostic procedures.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective monocentric analysis of n = 39 prematurely and term-born infants (<60 weeks postconceptional age or a body weight <5 kg) who were sedated with dexmedetomidine for an MRI at a German university hospital from August 2016 to November 2018.

RESULTS

Successful imaging was achieved in all cases. The median initial bolus of dexmedetomidine administered over 10 min was 1.39 μg kg^-1 body weight (range 0.34-3.64 μg kg^-1 ), followed with a continuous infusion at a median rate of 1.00 μg kg^-1  h^-1 (range 0.5-3.5 μg kg^-1  h^-1 ); however, 3 patients (7%) needed some additional sedation (ketamine or propofol). All patients, including 10 infants who had previously required respiratory support, underwent the procedure without any relevant desaturation or apnea. Bradycardia was observed in up to 15 out of 39 cases (38.5%), but only four (10.3% in total and 26.7% of bradycardia) required atropine.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that dexmedetomidine can be safely used for procedural sedation in the high-risk cohort of prematurely and term-born infants less than 60 weeks postconceptional age. Apnea during procedural sedation and subsequent stay in the recovery room is avoided, but bradycardia remains a relevant risk that may require treatment.

Body mass index and pharmacodynamics of target-controlled infusion of propofol: A prospective non-randomized controlled study

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE

In our preliminary study, there were large individual variations at sedation levels during propofol target-controlled infusion (TCI). The present study aimed to assess the effects of body mass index (BMI) on the pharmacodynamic index of propofol TCI.

METHODS

This prospective, non-randomized controlled trial evaluated 175 female patients undergoing breast lumpectomy. Anesthesia was induced with propofol using the TCI system embedded Schnider model. The effect compartment concentration was set to 3 μg/ml, and the start time of infusion was recorded. When the target concentration reached 3 μg/ml, the patient could not be awakened (Ramsay sedation score ≥4), and when the Bispectral Index (BIS) was <60, the infusion was discontinued, and the time point was recorded. The observation end-point was set at the Observer's Assessment of Alertness/Sedation (OAA/S) score of <4. The correlation between the BMI and the pharmacodynamic index of propofol was evaluated.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Propofol induction time was significantly correlated with the BMI (p < 0.001). The induction time of the underweight subjects was 10.14 ± 2.19 min, which was remarkably higher than that of normal weight (6.48 ± 3.44 min) and overweight (4.75 ± 2.53 min) individuals (p < 0.001). There were still significant differences after multivariable-adjusted regressions (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in recovery time and sedative effect indicators, such as Ramsay score, BIS value, and effect compartment concentration, between the three groups (p > 0.05 for all).

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION

These results suggest that the BMI is one of the critical factors affecting the pharmacodynamic index of propofol TCI, and the induction time decreased progressively with increasing BMI. The Schnider model might underpredict doses of propofol for underweight individuals.

Nonpharmacological interventions to reduce sedation/general anaesthesia in paediatric patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

BACKGROUND

Magnetic resonance imaging is frequently used in paediatrics and requires the child/adolescent to remain still for 45 min or more. The long and narrow scanner gantry makes loud noises and may cause anxiety. To complete the procedure, children and adolescents are often sedated or receive general anaesthesia. Our primary aim is to determine whether nonpharmacological interventions designed to mentally prepare, support or distract children, and adolescents are effective in reducing the need for sedation and general anaesthesia.

METHODS

We will conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis by searching the following electronic databases: Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase and CENTRAL, as well as databases for ongoing trials. Eligibility criteria are based on the participants, intervention, comparator and outcome (PICO) framework. We will include intervention studies with comparator group(s) with no restriction on date. Two reviewers will independently screen titles/abstracts, and three reviewers will assess the full texts of potentially relevant studies. Data will be extracted, and the methodological quality will be assessed using Cochrane risk of bias tools. If the data allow, we will perform a meta-analysis using a random effects model on the primary outcome, sedation/general anaesthesia. A narrative synthesis will supplement the statistical analysis. Quality of evidence for the primary outcome will be assessed using the grading of recommendations, assessment, development and evaluations (GRADE) approach.

DISCUSSION

Our findings will provide directions for future research and may guide clinicians in terms of which type(s) of intervention(s) to implement to reduce the use of sedation/general anaesthesia during paediatric magnetic resonance imaging.

The relationship between the effect-site concentration of propofol and sedation scale in children: a pharmacodynamic modeling study

Background

Continuous infusion of propofol has been used to achieve sedation in children. However, the relationship between the effect-site concentration (C_e) of propofol and sedation scale has not been previously examined. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the C_e of propofol and the University of Michigan Sedation Scale (UMSS) score in children with population pharmacodynamic modeling.

Methods

A total of 30 patients (aged 3 to 6 years) who underwent surgery under general anesthesia with propofol and remifentanil lasting more than 1 h were enrolled in this study. Sedation levels were evaluated using the UMSS score every 20 s by a 1 μg/mL stepwise increase in the C_e of propofol during the induction of anesthesia. The pharmacodynamic relationship between the C_e of propofol and UMSS score was analyzed by logistic regression with nonlinear mixed-effect modeling.

Results

The estimated C_e50 (95% confidence interval) of propofol to yield UMSS scores equal to or greater than n were 1.84 (1.54–2.14), 2.64 (2.20–3.08), 3.98 (3.66–4.30), and 4.78 (4.53–5.03) μg/mL for n = 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The slope steepness for the relationship of the C_e versus sedative response to propofol (95% confidence interval) was 5.76 (4.00–7.52).

Conclusions

We quantified the pharmacodynamic relationship between the C_e of propofol and UMSS score, and this finding may be helpful to predict the sedation score at the target C_e of propofol in children.

Trial registration

http://www.clinicaltrials.gov (No.: NCT03195686, Date of registration: 22/06/2017).

Propofol Suppresses Cell Progression by Inhibiting CCL18 Expression in Hepatoblastoma

Background

Propofol is an anesthetic commonly used clinically and has been found to have antitumor activity in various cancers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of propofol in hepatoblastoma (HB).

Methods

CCK-8 and transwell were used to measure cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in HB cells. Cell apoptosis rate was measured by FCM. The expression of CCL18 in HB tissues and cells was detected by RT-qPCR. Western blotting was used to explore the protein expression of CCK18- and PI3K/AKT-related proteins.

Results

The expression of CCL18 in HB tissues and cells was overexpressed compared with control groups. CCL18 knockdown was found to notably block cell proliferation and progression, while enhancing cell apoptosis in HuH-6 and HepT1 cells. Furthermore, propofol suppressed the proliferation of HB cells in a dose-dependent manner. According to the results, we chose 5 μg/mL of propofol-treated cells for 48 hours as the subsequent experimental conditions. We found that propofol (5 μg/mL, 48 h) significantly blocked cell migration and invasion, but induced cell apoptosis in HuH-6 and HepT1 cells. In addition, CCK18 overexpression facilitated cell progression in HB cells, while propofol dramatically suppressed the effect of CCK18. Besides that, propofol suppressed the PI3K/AKT pathway.

Conclusion

Propofol suppressed the development of HB cells by inhibiting CCK18 expression and the PI3K/AKT pathway. Therefore, we infer that propofol plays a role in the treatment of HB.

Reducing Pediatric Patient Anxiety: Implementing a Nonpharmacologic Intervention to Aid Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy

Pharmacologic interventions are often used to assist with immobilization and decrease anxiety in pediatric patients undergoing radiation therapy. For these patients, distraction can be an alternative to using pharmacologic measures to address anxiety. As a distraction technique, this pilot project placed pediatric patients aged 3 to 6 years in a remote-controlled ride-on car (RC-ROC) to enter and exit the radiation therapy treatment room. Evaluation of the effectiveness of this distraction technique included patient propofol dosing, time sedated, and time in the treatment room, as well as staff satisfaction with the technique.

Effects of propofol on intracranial pressure and prognosis in patients with severe brain diseases undergoing endotracheal suctioning

BACKGROUND

To investigate whether the administration of intravenous propofol before endotracheal suctioning (ES) in patients with severe brain disease can reduce the sputum suction response, improve prognosis, and accelerate recovery.

METHODS

A total of 208 severe brain disease patients after craniocerebral surgery were enrolled in the study. The subjects were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n = 104) and the control group (n = 104). The experimental group was given intravenous propofol (10 ml propofol with 1 ml 2% lidocaine), 0.5-1 mg/kg, before ES, while the control group was subjected to ES only. Changes in vital signs, sputum suction effect, the fluctuation range of intracranial pressure (ICP) before and after ES, choking cough response, short-term complications, length of stay, and hospitalization cost were evaluated. Additionally, the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) prognosis score was obtained at 6 months after the operation.

RESULTS

At the baseline, the characteristics of the two groups were comparable (P > 0.05). The increase of systolic blood pressure after ES was higher in the control group than in the experimental group (P < 0.05). The average peak value of ICP in the experimental group during the suctioning (15.57 ± 12.31 mmHg) was lower than in the control group (18.24 ± 8.99 mmHg; P < 0.05). The percentage of patients experiencing cough reaction- during suctioning in the experimental group was lower than in the control group (P < 0.05), and the fluctuation range of ICP was increased (P < 0.0001). The effect of ES was achieved in both groups. The incidence of short-term complications in the two groups was comparable (P > 0.05). At 6 months after the surgery, the GOS scores were significantly higher in the experimental than in the control group (4-5 points, 51.54% vs. 32.64%; 1-3 points, 48.46% vs. 67.36%; P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the length of stay and hospitalization cost between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Propofol sedation before ES could reduce choking cough response and intracranial hypertension response. The use of propofol was safe and improved the long-term prognosis. The study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry on May 16, 2015 (ChiCTR-IOR-15006441).