No significant difference between the two methods was found. The GS and the FT may therefore be considered to be equally good when intubating morbidly obese patients.
Background: In Denmark, thousands of infants and children require general anaesthesia annually. Hypotension during general anaesthesia might reduce cerebral blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain. Safe lower limits of blood pressure are ill defined. The Hypotension in Paediatric Populations Observational study objective was to assess blood pressure in Danish children during general anaesthesia. Methods: This study is a prospective observational multicentre study. Primary outcomes were mean arterial blood pressures in children aged 0-12 years. Lowest mean arterial blood pressure, intervention thresholds to increase blood pressure and type of intervention were secondary outcomes. Premature infants and children scheduled for cardio-thoracic surgery were excluded. Blood pressures were measured by oscillometry or invasively. Results: In total, 726 patients were included. In children < 1 year, median arterial pressure was 51 mm Hg, (interquartile range; 43-58) and increased to 58 mm Hg (interquartile range; 52-65) for 12-year-old children. In 32 patients, 49 actions were taken to modulate blood pressure. Pre-induction blood pressures were recorded for 29%. Conclusion: This study presents pragmatic, multicentre, prospectively collected observations of blood pressure in children undergoing general anaesthesia in usual practice. In the youngest infants, variability in blood pressure appears to be large. Measurement of blood pressure is recommended during every general anaesthesia and in children of all ages. Safe ranges of blood pressure remain to be defined.
Background
Clonidine is used off‐label in children but only limited pediatric pharmacokinetic data are available for intravenously administered clonidine.
Objectives
To determine pharmacokinetic parameter estimates of clonidine in healthy children undergoing surgery and to investigate age‐related differences. Furthermore, to investigate possible pharmacokinetic differences of clonidine between this group of children and a cohort with cardiac diseases.
Methods
In a randomized placebo‐controlled trial (The PREVENT AGITATION trial), blood samples for clonidine pharmacokinetic analysis were collected in a proportion of the enrolled patients. Healthy children with ASA score 1‐2 in the age‐groups 1 to <2 years and 2‐5 years were randomized for blood sampling. Clonidine was administered as a single intravenous bolus of 3 µg/kg intraoperatively. Blood samples were drawn at baseline, 5, 10, 15, 30, 60 minutes after dosing and additionally every hour until discharge from the PACU. Clonidine analysis was performed on liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry.
Results
Data form eighteen children were available for pharmacokinetic analysis (ASA I; male/female: 17/1; age: 1‐5 years; weight 8.7‐24 kg). Population parameter estimates for the 2‐compartment model were similar to previous published data for children who underwent cardiac surgery. A pooled analysis including data from 59 children indicated clearance of 14.4 L h−1 70 kg−1 and volume of distribution of 192.6 L 70 kg−1. No age‐related pharmacokinetic differences and no difference in time from administration of study medication to awakening were found. Children 1 to <2 years had a shorter PACU stay than children 2‐5 years (mean difference 17% 95% CI:3%‐34%, P = .02).
Conclusion
Pharmacokinetic parameter estimates were similar for children undergoing general surgery and cardiac surgery given a single dose of intravenous clonidine. These results indicated that no dose reduction is needed in children aged 1 to <2 years compared with those 2‐5 years, which was supported by pharmacodynamic observations.
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