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Oral transmucosal midazolam premedication for preschool children

U A Pandit1, P J Collier, S Malviya

  • 1Department of Anesthesiology, C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0211, USA. umapand@umich.edu

Insights

Oral transmucosal midazolam effectively reduces pre-surgery anxiety in young children. This study found midazolam (a sedative) administered via strawberry syrup was well-accepted and improved separation from parents, making it an effective premedicant.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Anesthesiology
  • Pharmacology
  • Clinical Trials

Background:

  • Preoperative anxiety is common in pediatric patients undergoing surgery.
  • Effective premedicants are crucial for improving the perioperative experience in children.
  • Oral transmucosal drug delivery offers a non-invasive route for pediatric medication administration.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the acceptance and efficacy of oral transmucosal midazolam as a premedicant in pediatric patients.
  • To evaluate the use of 0.2 mg x kg(-1) of midazolam in infants and preschool children.
  • To compare the effectiveness of midazolam with a placebo in reducing preoperative anxiety.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 44 healthy children aged 8 months to 6 years.
  • Midazolam (0.2 mg x kg(-1)) mixed with strawberry syrup or plain syrup (placebo) was administered orally in small aliquots.
  • Acceptance was measured by willingness to take the medication, and efficacy by ease of separation from parents, assessed by a blinded observer.

Main Results:

  • Medication acceptance was high in both groups, with 95% for midazolam and 96% for placebo.
  • Separation from parents was significantly more successful in the midazolam group (95%) compared to the placebo group (59%) (P = 0.006).

Conclusions:

  • Oral transmucosal midazolam, when administered in strawberry syrup via small aliquots, is well-accepted by infants and preschool children.
  • This method of midazolam administration is an effective premedicant for pediatric patients.
  • Oral midazolam provides a valuable option for managing preoperative anxiety in young surgical patients.
Abstract

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