Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Intratracheal Instillation of Stem Cells in Term Neonatal Rats
Published on: May 4, 2020
Sedative use in infants with grade 3 bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and associations with neurodevelopmental
Thomas J Davis1, Gangaram Akangire2, Brianna K Brei3
1Department of General Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Background/Objectives:
To characterize sedative and analgesic use in NICU patients with grade 3 bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in relation to respiratory support and neurodevelopmental therapies.
Subjects/Methods:
Point-prevalence survey across 22 NICUs of infants <24 months corrected age with grade 3 BPD who had never been discharged. Exclusions included recent sepsis, tracheostomy, or major surgery. Data were analyzed descriptively.
Results:
Among 141 infants, 97 (69%) received ≥1 sedative within 48 hours; 73 (75%) received multiple (mean 2.8 ± 1.6). Alpha-agonizts (n=67) and benzodiazepines (n=65) were most common, with 27 infants receiving an alpha-agonist, opioid, and benzodiazepine combination. Sedative exposure and medication count correlated with higher respiratory support (p<0.001) and FiO₂ (r=0.28, p<0.01). Sedation was associated with fewer completed therapy sessions (z=3.3, p<0.001).
Conclusion:
Sedation and polypharmacy were frequent among infants with severe BPD and linked to reduced therapy participation, highlighting the need to assess prescribing rationale and neurodevelopmental impacts.
Related Concept Videos
CNS Depressants: Barbiturates and Benzodiazepines
Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Therapeutic Uses
Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview
Anxiolytic Drugs: Benzodiazepines and Buspirone
Antiasthma Drugs: β2-Adrenoceptor Agonists
One class of bronchodilators includes β2-adrenoceptor agonists. These agents target the β2-adrenoceptors located on bronchial smooth muscle cells. By stimulating these receptors, β2-agonists induce relaxation in these...
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines work by enhancing the effects of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. They bind to the GABAA receptor, increasing its affinity for GABA, which opens chloride...