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Ondansetron oral disintegrating tablets: acceptability and efficacy in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy

Ira Todd Cohen1, Denise Joffe, Kelly Hummer

  • 1Department of Anesthesiology, Children's National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA. icohen@cnmc.org

Anesthesia and Analgesia
|June 25, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Ondansetron oral disintegrating tablets (ODT) effectively reduced postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy. While taste was acceptable, palatability was slightly lower than placebo, but efficacy was significant.

Area of Science:

  • Anesthesiology
  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a common complication in pediatric patients.
  • Intravenous (IV) and oral ondansetron are effective but not always feasible.
  • Ondansetron oral disintegrating tablets (ODT) offer an alternative delivery route.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the acceptability and efficacy of ondansetron ODT for PONV prevention in children.
  • To compare ODT with placebo in a pediatric adenotonsillectomy population.

Main Methods:

  • Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study.
  • 62 pediatric patients (5-11 years) received 4 mg ondansetron ODT or placebo preoperatively.
  • Patient-reported acceptability (taste, sensation) and observer-assessed PONV, pain, and agitation.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences in age, weight, recovery, pain, or agitation between groups.
  • Approximately 90% found ODT palatable; ondansetron tablets were less palatable than placebo.
  • Significantly lower incidence of vomiting in the ondansetron ODT group compared to placebo.

Conclusions:

  • Ondansetron ODT is an acceptable and effective option for preventing PONV in pediatric adenotonsillectomy patients.
  • ODT provides a viable alternative when IV or standard oral routes are unavailable.
  • Further research may explore palatability improvements for pediatric formulations.

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