ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Continuous infusions of dexmedetomidine are increasingly used for sedation in critically ill pediatric patients. Emerging data suggest potential benefits when used for sedation in neonates, including reduced sedative requirements and earlier enteral feeds. OBJECTIVE: To describe the use, adverse effects, and signs of withdrawal in a cohort of neonates receiving dexmedetomidine, the majority of whom were receiving concomitant opioids. METHODS: This was a retrospective, descriptive review of 38 neonates receiving dexmedetomidine in a medical surgical neonatal intensive care unit, including data on duration of use, dose, adverse effects, weaning, and signs of withdrawal. RESULTS: Dexmedetomidine was used for a median of 183 hours, at a median maximum dose of 0.5 µg/kg/h. Premature infants were started on dexmedetomidine at a later chronological age than term infants (41 vs 9 days, P = 0.004). Of 18 patients receiving an opioid infusion at the time of dexmedetomidine initiation, 67% had a dose reduction in opioids by 24 hours. The majority (89%) of neonates had at least 1 potentially related adverse effect during the dexmedetomidine infusion, though no discontinuations were needed as a result. In all, 80% of patients had their dexmedetomidine gradually weaned off, and 71% had at least 1 sign of withdrawal. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this cohort, dexmedetomidine was often used in a postsurgical setting, with concomitant opioids, over prolonged periods. These factors appear to affect and likely confound the rates of adverse effects and withdrawal signs from dexmedetomidine. Clinicians considering the use of dexmedetomidine in a similar population can draw guidance from our data.
Subject(s)
Critical Illness/therapy , Dexmedetomidine/administration & dosage , Dexmedetomidine/adverse effects , Infant, Newborn, Diseases/drug therapy , Intensive Care Units, Neonatal , Alberta/epidemiology , British Columbia/epidemiology , Critical Illness/epidemiology , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Drug Administration Schedule , Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions/epidemiology , Female , Gestational Age , Humans , Hypnotics and Sedatives/administration & dosage , Hypnotics and Sedatives/adverse effects , Infant, Newborn , Infant, Newborn, Diseases/epidemiology , Infant, Newborn, Diseases/metabolism , Infant, Premature , Male , Retrospective Studies , Substance Withdrawal Syndrome/epidemiology , Tertiary HealthcareABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Use of dexmedetomidine in critically ill pediatric patients is increasing despite limited data on effects on mechanical ventilation times, use of other sedatives, adverse effects, and withdrawal. OBJECTIVES: To describe the use and tolerability of dexmedetomidine in a large cohort of critically ill children. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients receiving dexmedetomidine in a pediatric intensive care unit. Ethical approval was granted by the local review board. Data on dexmedetomidine administration, ventilatory support, other sedatives, adverse effects, and withdrawal were collected. RESULTS: There were 219 patients included. Dexmedetomidine was a first-line sedative in 47.9% of patients; the median infusion duration was 27 hours. Of patients on other sedatives at dexmedetomidine initiation, 39.5% had a dose reduction in those sedatives by 24 hours. Use of dexmedetomidine in noninvasively ventilated patients was common (19.6%), as was use in patients on no ventilatory support (35.6%). Patients receiving no ventilatory support used dexmedetomidine for shorter durations ( P = 0.001) and were less likely to have received prior sedatives ( P < 0.001). Adverse effects occurred in 42% of patients and were associated with younger age ( P = 0.001) and longer dexmedetomidine duration ( P < 0.001). The majority of patients (65%) were weaned off dexmedetomidine, and 80% of patients had at least one sign of withdrawal. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest substantial use in noninvasively ventilated patients. Adverse effects appeared more common in younger patients and those with prolonged infusions. A high rate of withdrawal effects was seen; no associations with age, dose, or duration were found.
Subject(s)
Dexmedetomidine/therapeutic use , Hypnotics and Sedatives/therapeutic use , Child , Child, Preschool , Critical Illness , Female , Humans , Infant , Intensive Care Units, Pediatric , Male , Respiration, Artificial , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
We report 6 cases of intravenous levofloxacin use to treat multidrug-resistant nosocomial respiratory infections in neonates with a postmenstrual age ranging from 27 to 42 weeks. Because of a lack of neonatal-specific information for levofloxacin, the usual pediatric dosage (10 mg/kg per dose every 12 hours) was used in these patients. Clinical cure occurred in 5 of the 6 patients. Only minimal short-term adverse effects were noted.
