[Effects of different sedation regimens on sedation and inflammatory response in critically ill children with...

To compare the sedation and anti-inflammatory effects of dexmedetomidine and midazolam on critical ill children with multiple trauma.

A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted. Sixty-five critical ill children with multiple trauma admitted to pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of Anhui Province Children's Hospital from January 2014 to September 2016 were enrolled, who were randomly divided into dexmedetomidine group (33 cases) and midazolam group (32 cases). Children of both groups received sufentanil for analgesia. Children in dexmedetomidine group firstly received 1.0 μg/kg intravenous bolus of dexmedetomidine for 10 minutes, then continuous infusion of 0.2-0.7 μg×kg^-1×h^-1, while in midazolam group children received 1-5 μg×kg^-1×min^-1 of midazolam in continuous infusion. The goal of sedation was to maintain a Richmond agitation-sedation scale (RASS) score of -1 to 0. The level of serum interleukin (IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at 24, 48, 72 hours after treatment, and the duration of mechanical ventilation, ratio of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), length of stay in the PICU, ratio of sepsis and multiple organ failure (MOF) and mortality were also recorded.

Compared with midazolam, dexmedetomidine decreased the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increased the level of anti-inflammatory cytokines. At 24 hours after treatment, the levels of serum IL-1β, TNF-α significantly decreased and IL-10 significantly increased [IL-1β (ng/L): 6.48±2.89 vs. 8.07±3.14, TNF-α (μg/L): 11.25±5.21 vs. 15.44±5.97, IL-10 (ng/L): 12.10±5.35 vs. 9.58±4.71, all P < 0.05]. At 48 hours after treatment, the levels of serum IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, TNF-α and CRP significantly decreased and IL-10 significantly increased [IL-6 (ng/L): 209.67±80.49 vs. 336.31±123.94, IL-8 (ng/L): 229.09±80.81 vs. 298.28±90.25, IL-1β (ng/L): 7.31±3.02 vs. 8.74±3.17, TNF-α (μg/L): 12.52±4.79 vs. 16.58±5.98, CRP (g/L): 47.82±24.92 vs. 72.35±31.71, IL-10 (ng/L): 12.90±5.42 vs. 10.01±4.79, all P < 0.05]. At 72 hours after treatment, the levels of serum IL-8 and CRP significantly decreased [IL-8 (ng/L): 234.64±96.24 vs. 290.28±103.97, CRP (g/L): 53.24±29.12 vs. 86.58±38.30, both P < 0.05]. Compared with midazolam, dexmedetomidine could significantly reduce the duration of mechanical ventilation (days: 4.7±1.3 vs. 6.6±2.1), length of PICU stay (days: 9.5±2.7 vs. 12.3±3.9, both P < 0.05), and the ratio of sepsis (33.3% vs. 53.1%, P < 0.05). But there were no significant differences in ratio of CRRT (18.2% vs. 18.8%), MOF (9.1% vs. 18.8%) and mortality (6.1% vs. 12.5%) between two groups (all P > 0.05).

Compared with midazolam, dexmedetomidine had better efficacy in the treatment of severe multiple trauma in children and reduce the level of inflammation.