[Drug sedation in children and its estimation]

The purpose of the study was to define the depth of a sedative effect during continuous intravenous drug co-administration by BIS monitoring in children in intensive care units. Sixty-eight patients aged 12 to 15 years who had severe purulent abdominal processes and somatic diseases on artificial ventilation were examined. The patients were divided into 4 main groups by the types of a combination of taken drugs: sodium oxybutyrate with promedole, sodium oxybutyrate with fentanyl, sodium thiopental with promedole, and sodium thiopental with fentanyl. Changes in BIS values were studied and sedation was comparatively assessed with the data of clinical scales. Out of the clinical scales, the Ramsey, SAS, and Comfort ones were used. At Stage I before drug administration, all patient groups were observed to have a wakefulness level, where BIS is an initial index. At Stage II during drug co-administration, there was a significant reduction in BIS values in all the groups, which was indicative of a sedative effect. The depth of sedation therapy was estimated during infusion of each type of a combination of the drugs tested in the study. Thus, to eliminate undesirable outcomes of sedation therapy in children during continuous intravenous drug co-administration, it is necessary to monitor the depth of sedation; where possible, BIS may be used to monitor central nervous system performance.