Two Oral Midazolam Preparations in Pediatric Dental Patients: A Prospective Randomised Clinical Trial

Single dose oral midazolam for minor emergency department procedures in children: a retrospective cohort study

Background

In the pediatric emergency department, patients are commonly treated with a single dose of oral midazolam for minor procedures. We sought to evaluate the effect of this treatment on procedure completion rates.

Methods

We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study of all patients who were treated with pre-procedure oral midazolam between January 2011 and June 2016. The primary outcome was the procedure completion rate.

Results

During the study period, 1,504 patients were treated with oral midazolam as per department protocol; 1,467 received midazolam and 37 declined midazolam. Oral midazolam was used in 14 different types of emergency department procedures. The procedure completion rates in the treatment and non-treatment groups were 1,402/1,467 (95.6%) and 24/37 (64.8%), respectively (difference 30.7%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 17.3%–46.8%); p<0.0001. Treatment group patients had procedure completion rates of 25/33 (75.8%), 165/188 (87.8%%), 1,154/1,187 (97.2%), and 58/59 (98.3%), in the less than 0.3 mg/kg group, 0.3 to less than 0.5 mg/kg group, 0.5 to less than 0.7 mg/kg group, and 0.7 to less than 0.9 mg/kg group, respectively. Multivariate regression did not demonstrate an association between sex, ethnicity, dosage of 0.5 mg/kg or greater, type of procedure, and failure to complete procedure. Severe adverse events were not recorded. A dose of less than 0.3 mg/kg was significantly associated with an increased risk of failure to complete a procedure (adjusted odds ratio 8.34, 95% CI 3.32–20.9; p<0.0001).

Conclusion

The findings suggest that oral midazolam in a single dose of 0.5 mg/kg or greater is associated with successful completion of minor pediatric procedures.

How Do Observational Scales Correlate the Ratings of Children's Behavior during Pediatric Procedural Sedation?

Background. There is little information regarding the ability of observational scales to properly assess children's behavior during procedural sedation. Aim. To evaluate the characteristics of the Houpt scales, the Ohio State University Behavioral Rating Scale (OSUBRS) and the Venham Behavior Rating Scale when applied to preschool children undergoing conscious dental sedation. Design. This study included 27 children, 4–6 years old with early childhood caries that participated in a clinical trial (NCT02284204) that investigated two sedative regimes using oral midazolam/ketamine. Dental appointments were video-recorded; five calibrated observers assessed 1,209 minutes of video recording to score the children's behavior, following the instructions of the investigated scales. Data were analyzed by descriptive analysis and Spearman correlation tests (P < 0.05). Results. The Houpt overall behavior and the Venham scale were highly correlated (rho = −0.87; P < 0.001). OSUBRS scores were better correlated with Houpt overall behavior and Venham ratings, when compared to Houpt scores in the categories for movement and crying. Conclusions. The Houpt overall behavior and the Venham scores are global scales that properly measure children's behavior during dental sedation. Continuous assessment with OSUBRS through videos has a chance to give more precise data, while the Houpt categories can easily demonstrate children's behavior during procedures.