The Risk of Kidney Injury in Patients With Sickle Cell Disease Treated With Ketorolac for Acute Pain.

Ketorolac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, is used in combination with opioids to manage vaso-occlusive episodes (VOEs). The relationship between ketorolac use and kidney injury in pediatric patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) remains incompletely understood. We hypothesize that ketorolac is associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with SCD presenting with pain. All nonsurgical hospitalizations for VOEs treated with ketorolac between January 2014 and December 2022 were included. We used optimal matching methodology to identify control admissions (2:1 ratio) and used nonparametric tests to compare ketorolac administration between cases and controls. A total of 1319 encounters/253 patients were included in this study. AKI was noted in 1.1% of encounters and 5.5% of patients. Cases had significantly higher initial BUN than controls (9.0 vs. 6.0 mg/dL, P =0.012). In cases versus controls, there was significantly lower serum sodium (136.0 vs. 138.0 mmol/L, P =0.021). There was no association between ketorolac dose and development of AKI among children with SCD. Higher BUN and lower sodium in cases suggest that patients with AKI were more volume depleted on admission than controls. This highlights the need for strict assessment of fluid status upon admission for VOE.

Cold Therapy for Pain Control in Pediatric Appendectomy Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: Topical ice has been shown to reduce pain scores and opioid use in adults with midline abdominal incisions. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of a cold therapy system in children following laparoscopic appendectomy. METHODS: Patients 7 years and older who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy at our institution from December 2021-September 2022 were eligible. Patients were randomized to standard pain therapy (control) or standard plus cold therapy (treatment) utilizing a modified ice machine system with cool abdominal pad postoperatively. Pain scores on the first 3 postoperative days (PODs), postoperative narcotic consumption, and patient satisfaction were analyzed. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients were randomized, 29 to each group. Average survey response rate was 74% in control and 89% in treatment patients. There was no significant difference in median pain scores or narcotic use between groups. Cold therapy contributed to subjective pain improvement in 71%, 74%, and 50% of respondents on PODs 1, 2, and 3 respectively. CONCLUSION: A majority of patients reported cold therapy to be a helpful adjunct in pain control after appendectomy, though it did not reduce postoperative pain scores or narcotic use in our cohort - likely due to this population's naturally expedient recovery and low baseline narcotic requirement. TYPE OF STUDY: Randomized Controlled Trial. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I.

Ketamine use for management of vaso-occlusive pain in pediatric sickle cell disease.

BACKGROUND: Typical sickle cell disease (SCD) vaso-occlusive pain episode (VOE) management includes opioids, which are often inadequate and can be associated with significant side effects. Ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic, is a potentially effective adjunct to VOE management. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to characterize ketamine use for VOE management in pediatric SCD. METHOD: This retrospective case series summarizes a single-center experience regarding the use of ketamine for inpatient management of pediatric VOE in 156 admissions from 2014 to 2020. RESULTS: Continuous low-dose ketamine infusion was most commonly prescribed to adolescents and young adults as an adjunct to opioids (median starting dose 2.0 µg/kg/min; median maximum dose 3.0 µg/kg/min). Ketamine was started a median of 13.7 hours after admission. Median ketamine infusion duration was 3 days. In most encounters, ketamine infusion was discontinued prior to opioid patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) discontinuation. The majority of encounters (79.3%) had a reduction in either PCA dose, continuous opioid infusion, or both while receiving ketamine. Low-dose ketamine infusion was associated with side effects noted in 21.8% (n = 34) of encounters. The most common side effects included dizziness (5.6%), hallucinations (5.1%), dissociation (2.6%), and sedation (1.9%). There were no reports of ketamine withdrawal. Most patients who received ketamine went on to receive it again during a subsequent admission. CONCLUSION: Further study is needed to determine the optimal timing of ketamine initiation and dosing. The variability of ketamine administration highlights the need for standardized protocols for ketamine use in VOE management.

Patient Controlled Analgesia for Vaso-Occlusive Episodes in Children: A Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA) administration in pediatric patients admitted with sickle cell vaso-occlusive episode (VOE). METHODS: This single-center retrospective study included all inpatient hematology admissions for VOE between 2014 and 2020. PCA-ratio was calculated as the ratio of bolus over continuous IV opioids dose, and time to PCA adjustment as time between first PCA order and a subsequent order that increased dosing or changed opioid medication. RESULTS: A total of 866 encounters (172 unique patients) with PCA for VOE were included. The mean age was 15.4 years old (SD = 5.0). On average, after admission (hospital arrival), the first opioid dose was given at 1 hour, PCA started at 3.5 hours, and mean length of stay was 4.3 days (SD = 2.5). The mean initial PCA-ratio was 1.7 (SD = 0.6). There were no significant associations between age, gender, initial pain score, or admission hemoglobin and PCA-ratio (linear regression model P = 0.443). In 24.7% of encounters, the PCA was adjusted within 6 hours. After adjusting by age and gender, lower admission pain scores (OR = 1.15, P = 0.004), lower PCA-ratio (OR = 2.1, P = 0.003), longer time to PCA start (OR = 1.2, P = 0.001), and no adjuvant ketamine (OR = 2.4, P < 0.001) were associated with PCA unadjusted within 6 hours. CONCLUSION: At our institution, patients with VOE received opioids and PCA within the first hours of admission. PCAs were started at a ratio of 1.5-1.8, considered normal continuous. While no specific PCA-ratio was clearly superior for pain control, lower ratios (high continuous infusion) were associated with not requiring PCA adjustments at 6 hours. Prospective studies are needed.

Weaning Dexmedetomidine in Non-ICU Areas: An Implementation Effort.

OBJECTIVES: To develop and implement clinical practice guidelines for safely weaning dexmedetomidine infusions in non-ICU areas. DESIGN: Development, implementation, and analysis of effectiveness of clinical practice guidelines. SETTING: Quaternary care academic free-standing pediatric hospital. PATIENTS: Children, otherwise medically ready for transfer to non-ICU areas, who were undergoing a planned wean of a dexmedetomidine infusion. INTERVENTIONS: Subject matter experts developed evidence-based guidelines for weaning dexmedetomidine in patients whose critical phase of illness had resolved. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Searches identified no prospective studies of dexmedetomidine weaning. We identified two retrospective reviews of withdrawal symptoms and one on the use of clonidine. There were case studies on withdrawal symptoms. Guidelines were piloted on a cohort of 24 patients while in the ICU. The guidelines were then implemented in non-ICU areas for patients undergoing dexmedetomidine weaning after ICU transfer. Over a 2-year period (October 1, 2018, to September 30, 2020), 63 patients (1 mo to 18 yr old) successfully weaned dexmedetomidine in non-ICU areas. The median time to discontinuation of dexmedetomidine after transfer to non-ICU areas was 5.8 days (interquartile range, 4.75-15 d). Fifty-eight percent (n = 41) of all patients were considered high risk for dexmedetomidine withdrawal based on the dose, duration of exposure, and the risk of experiencing physiologic detriment with more than mild withdrawal. Twenty-nine patients (46%) exhibited no signs or symptoms of withdrawal while weaning per guidelines. For those with signs and symptoms of withdrawal, the most common were tachycardia (n = 26, 40%), agitation (n = 9, 14%), and hypertension (n = 9, 11%). CONCLUSIONS: Weaning dexmedetomidine in non-ICU areas is feasible and can be accomplished safely even among pediatric patients at high risk for withdrawal using standardized weaning guidelines. At our institution, implementation was associated with reduced ICU length of stay for patients recovering from critical illness.

Standardizing Opioid Prescribing in a Pediatric Hospital: A Quality Improvement Effort.

BACKGROUND: Opioids are indicated for moderate-to-severe pain caused by trauma, ischemia, surgery, cancer and sickle cell disease, and vaso-occlusive episodes (SCD-VOC). There is only limited evidence regarding the appropriate number of doses to prescribe for specific indications. Therefore, we developed and implemented an opioid prescribing algorithm with dosing guidelines for specific procedures and conditions. We aimed to reach and sustain 90% compliance within 1 year of implementation. METHODS: We conducted this quality improvement effort at a pediatric academic quaternary care institution. In 2018, a multidisciplinary team identified the need for a standard approach to opioid prescribing. The algorithm guides prescribers to evaluate the medical history, physical examination, red flags, pain type, and to initiate opioid-sparing interventions before prescribing opioids. Opioid prescriptions written between January 2015 and September 2020 were included. Examples from 2 hospital departments will be highlighted. Control charts for compliance with guidelines and variability in the doses prescribed are presented for selected procedures and conditions. RESULTS: Over 5 years, 83 037 opioid prescriptions in 53 804 unique patients were entered electronically. The encounters with ≥1 opioid prescription decreased from 48% to 25% between 2015 and 2019. Compliance with the specific guidelines increased to ∼85% for periacetabular osteotomies and SCD-VOC and close to 100% for anterior-cruciate ligament surgery. In all 3 procedures and conditions, variability in the number of doses prescribed decreased significantly. CONCLUSION: We developed an algorithm, guidelines, and a process for improvement. The number of opioid prescriptions and variability in opioid prescribing decreased. Future evaluation of specific initiatives within departments is needed.

Trends in Gabapentin and Pregabalin Prescribing in a Tertiary Pediatric Medical Center.

OBJECTIVES: Analgesic medications are commonly prescribed in pediatrics, with prescribing practices frequently extrapolated from adult trials. Gabapentinoids (gabapentin and pregabalin) are widely used as analgesics but are labeled in pediatrics only for epilepsy. We aim to (1) define trends in pediatric gabapentinoid prescribing (label and off-label) over 7 years, and (2) evaluate use in chronic pain clinic (CPC) patients during 2018. METHODS: Retrospective data from a tertiary-care pediatric hospital were collected between 2013 and 2019. Annual numbers of gabapentinoid prescriptions were stratified by prescriber specialty. Additional information about gabapentinoid prescribing in the CPC was manually collected from initial clinic notes in 2018. RESULTS: There were 15 808 outpatient prescriptions for gabapentinoids among 5172 patients over 7 years. Of these, 93% were gabapentin and 7% were pregabalin. Numbers of patients receiving gabapentin and pregabalin prescriptions increased by 1.4- and 1.3-fold, respectively, between 2013 and 2019. Few prescriptions were done for patients with a previous epilepsy diagnosis (in 2019, 16% for gabapentin and 13% for pregabalin). Approximately 28% of 650 CPC new patients were prescribed gabapentin or pregabalin before referral. Among those, 44% had discontinued the medication because of adverse events (35%), inefficacy (46%), or both (5%). Most side effects reported were mild to moderate. Diagnoses at first visit were diverse, not limited to neuropathic pain conditions, and did not differ between patients receiving or not receiving gabapentinoid prescriptions. CONCLUSIONS: In our hospital, gabapentinoids are commonly prescribed off-label for diverse indications, including chronic pain. Future research is needed to evaluate gabapentinoid efficacy in these indications.

A systematic review of ketamine for the management of vaso-occlusive pain in sickle cell disease.

Vaso-occlusive episodes (VOEs) are a common complication of sickle cell disease (SCD) and a significant cause of morbidity. Managing VOE pain can be difficult and complex. Ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, has been used to manage VOE pain. This systematic literature review synthesizes research published from 2010 to 2020 on the use of ketamine infusion to decrease VOE pain. The review demonstrates that ketamine, a safe and effective treatment for VOE pain, could be considered more widely. However, the significant variability among published clinical studies with regard to dosing, timing of initiation, duration of infusion, and timing of discontinuation highlights the need for standardized ketamine infusion protocols for the management of VOE pain. We conclude with a brief discussion of key components of a potential standardized protocol supported by the literature reviewed as well as areas for future investigation.

Leveraging Parent Pain Perspectives to Improve Pain Practices for Children with Medical Complexity.

PURPOSE: Children with medical complexity (MC) must rely on others to notice and address pain. Parents are aware of child pain behaviors and can serve as reliable proxy reporters. Thus, there is a critical need to understand parent perspectives to improve pain practices. DESIGN: Individual interviews were used as a data collection method in this qualitative study. METHODS: Participants were recruited via mail and social media postings. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcribed documents were imported to NVIVO for qualitative analysis. Conventional and directed approaches to qualitative content analysis were used. RESULTS: From the data analysis, major themes included: pain experiences, confidence in caregivers, parents are partners, proactive communication, and a spontaneous theme, "they can hear us." Emotional pain and challenges identifying the source pain were identified as sub-themes of pain experiences. CONCLUSIONS: Parents in this study shared methods helpful to identifying pain in their children, as well as suggestions for discussing pain with caregivers. Priorities for future research include identifying methods for sharing pain information that are thorough, but do not burden parents or providers. Researchers should also determine how parents and caregivers can partner to identify and address pain in children with MC. Going forward, conversations about pain should be a key part of any admission assessment or first encounter. As pain episodes among children with MC can be complex and may not always be re-created in front of a provider, nurses may advise parents to take photos or videos to share with caregivers.

The Use of Music by Adolescents and Young Adults With Sickle Cell Disease.

Pain is common and often severe in people with sickle cell disease (SCD), occurring as acute intermittent pain episodes called vaso-occlusive episodes (VOEs), as well as chronic pain conditions including bone infarctions, avascular necrosis of joints, and neuropathic pain. Analgesics such as opioids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS), and anticonvulsants for neuropathic pain, although often necessary to manage these types of pain, are associated with side effects. Nonpharmacologic interventions such as to listening to music and music therapy may reduce pain. The objectives of this study were to determine whether the use of music by adolescents and young adults with SCD was helpful, and if so, the types of music that helped, and how music helped them. A convenience sample of nine English-speaking inpatients ages 13 to 21 years, with SCD and at least two prior hospitalizations for VOE, took part in interviews with music therapists. Participants were asked open-ended questions about both pain and music. Participants identified that music was helpful for pain relief as well as for mood regulation, focusing attention during cognitive tasks such as homework, distraction, relaxation, and feeling understood or connected with others. Despite this, while hospitalized, participants reported that they did not tend to use music to help with pain. These findings support the use of both music medicine and music therapy as interventions for pain and distress in adolescents and young adults with SCD.

Initial Validation of GRASP: A Differential Diagnoses Algorithm for Children With Medical Complexity and an Unknown Source of Pain.

OBJECTIVES: Identifying the source of pain for children with medical complexity (MC) is challenging. The purpose of this study was the initial validation of a tool to guide the medical evaluation for identifying the source of pain in children with MC by using differential diagnoses. The tool is entitled Guidelines for Ruling Out and Assessing Source of Pain (GRASP). METHODS: A mixed-methods approach that included expert review, focus groups, Web-based surveys, and a trial of the GRASP was used to determine validity as well as perceived clinical utility. RESULTS: Focus groups were held with 26 inpatient and outpatient clinicians. Participants consistently responded in support of the GRASP. Participants advised several suggestions for tool organization such as designing the tool as a flow diagram. Seven clinicians participated in Web-based surveys and made specific suggestions for making the GRASP more comprehensive. Six participants trialed the GRASP for 14 children with MC and pain of unknown origin. Overall, participants found that the GRASP was a clinically effective tool for guiding medical evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide preliminary evidence that the GRASP has content and face validity in evaluating the source of pain in children with MC. This tool can be used to systematically guide clinicians through a balanced approach to evaluation with a goal of determining the pain source, preventing harm, and relieving suffering without unnecessary tests.

Effect of a Sedation Weaning Protocol on Safety and Medication Use among Hospitalized Children Post Critical Illness.

BACKGROUND: Best practice guidelines for the safe and compassionate care of critically ill children necessitates the use of sedation to ensure adequate ventilation, patient safety and comfort. Prolonged use of sedation can result in tolerance, physical dependence and iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome if medications are weaned too quickly. PROBLEM: In the context of medication errors related to parent administration of outpatient sedation weans, we set out to improve the safety of children weaning from sedatives. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was completed. Quality improvement was guided by using Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles. INTERVENTIONS: An evidence-based post PICU sedation weaning guideline was created and implemented over time with ongoing education, and review of progress with staff members with pre-post evaluation. RESULTS: Post intervention, there were significant differences in the numbers of patients discharged on home weaning from both opioids and benzodiazepines (11%, n = 24/219 pre; 3%, n = 7/233 post; p < 0.005). The number of patients discharged with a methadone wean decreased (7%, n = 16/219 pre; 0%, 0/233 post; p = 0.03). Despite these differences, there were no significant differences in the median hospital length of stay (42 pre; 39 post; p = 0.35). Post implementation more children had mild to moderate symptoms of withdrawal (11% pre; 21% post; p < 0.005) as compared to pre-implementation, however, the percentage of severe symptoms remained consistently low (0.6% pre; 1% post; p = 0.11). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of an evidence-based post PICU weaning guideline significantly reduced the number of patients discharged on potentially dangerous medications with modest increases in mild-moderate symptoms of withdrawal and no significant change in length of stay or the incidence of severe symptoms of withdrawal.

Evaluation of Postnatal Sedation in Full-Term Infants.

Prolonged sedation in infants leads to a high incidence of physical dependence. We inquired: (1) "How long does it take to develop physical dependence to sedation in previously naïve full-term infants without known history of neurologic impairment?" and (2) "What is the relationship between length of sedation to length of weaning and hospital stay?". The retrospective study included full-term patients over a period of one year that were <1 year of age and received opioids and benzodiazepines >72 hours. Quantification of fentanyl, morphine, and midazolam were compared among three time periods: <5 days, 5-30 days, and >30 days using t-test or one-way analysis of variance. Identified full-term infants were categorized into surgical (14/44) or medical (10/44) groups, while those with neurological involvement (20/44) were excluded. Physical dependence in full-term infants occurred following sedation ≥5 days. Infants with surgical disease received escalating doses of morphine and midazolam when administered >30 days. A positive association between length of sedation and weaning period was found for both respiratory (p < 0.01) and surgical disease (p = 0.012) groups, while length of sedation is related to hospital stay for the respiratory (p < 0.01) but not the surgical disease group (p = 0.1). Future pharmacological directions should lead to standardized sedation protocols and evaluate patient neurocognitive outcomes.

Patient- and Nurse-Controlled Analgesia: 22-Year Experience in a Pediatric Hospital.

OBJECTIVES: Pediatric pain management has rapidly changed over the last 2 decades. In this study, we describe the changing practices and adverse events (AEs) related to patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) and/or nurse-controlled analgesia (NCA) over a 22-year period. METHODS: After institutional review board approval, retrospective data from a single tertiary-care pediatric hospital were collected between 1994 and 2016. Subgroup analyses were done for surgical and medical case patients. We reported the number of times that PCA and/or NCA was ordered annually, the median and interquartile ranges for age, PCA and/or NCA duration and length of stay, and AE frequencies. RESULTS: Over 22 years, 32 338 PCAs and/or NCAs were ordered in this institution. Morphine and hydromorphone were used most commonly. Between 1994 and 2006, initial orders for PCA and/or NCA increased 2.5-fold. After 2007, initial orders for PCA and/or NCA rapidly decreased; after 2013, the decrease continued at a slower rate, with a total of 1007 orders in 2016. This decrease occurred despite increased hospital admissions and surgeries. Between 2007 and 2012, peripheral nerve blocks rapidly increased (10-fold). After 2002, 146 AEs were reported (1.0%). Of those, 50.5% were nonintercepted, and 20.6% were intercepted AEs; 5.5% and 6.2% were preventable and nonpreventable AEs, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: PCA and/or NCA usage continues to be common in pediatric patients, although usage has declined and stabilized in the setting of other emerging methods of analgesia and increases in the number of minimally invasive surgical procedures. The overall rate of AEs was extremely low. However, improvements to eliminate all errors are needed, especially with medications with a great risk of harm (such as opioids).

CE: Original Research: Pain in Nonverbal Children with Medical Complexity: A Two-Year Retrospective Study.

: Purpose: Children with medical complexity experience frequent pain. But it can be challenging to recognize unexpected behaviors as pain related, especially in the absence of self-report. Often these children undergo extensive workups aimed at diagnosing the sources of pain. This study had three objectives: to describe the signs and symptoms parents of nonverbal children with medical complexity found worrisome, to describe the sources of pain in these children, and to describe nursing pain assessment practices in this population. DESIGN AND METHODS: Retrospective chart review was used to identify the initial presenting symptoms, sources of pain, and nursing documentation for 46 children with medical complexity who were admitted with a chief concern of pain to a 395-bed pediatric teaching hospital in the northeastern United States. RESULTS: Irritability, pain, feeding intolerance, and "not acting like herself [or himself]" were common parent-reported symptoms that prompted further evaluation. On average, five diagnostic studies were taken to identify a source of pain, and four specialty services were consulted during the admission. Nursing assessments of pain were documented approximately every three hours; the mean pain intensity score documented was 1.1 out of 10. The discharge diagnoses included infection (including urinary tract infection), seizures, constipation, chronic pain, failure to thrive, dehydration, and subdural hematoma. CONCLUSIONS: The discharge diagnoses covered a wide range. A systematic approach to pain evaluation could help to ensure that the diagnostic process is both thorough and efficient. Common childhood ailments such as constipation or urinary tract infection, as well as other causes, must be considered when diagnosing pain in this population. Practice implications include consulting parents regarding changes in a child's behavior.

Nurse Practitioner-Administered Chloroprocaine in Children with Postoperative Pain.

BACKGROUND: Pain is a complex physical and emotional experience. Therefore, assessment of acute pain requires self-report when possible, observations of emotional and behavioral responses and changes in vital signs. Peripheral nerve and epidural catheters often provide postoperative analgesia in children. Administration of chloroprocaine (a short acting local anesthetic) via a peripheral nerve or epidural catheter allows for a comparison of pain scores, observations of emotional and behavioral responses and changes in vital signs to determine catheter function. AIMS: The aims of this study are to describe the use chloroprocaine injections for testing catheters; patient response; and how changes to pain management are guided by the patient response. METHODS: This study describes the use of chloroprocaine injections to manage pain and assess the function of peripheral nerve or epidural catheters in a pediatric population. We examined 128 surgical patients, (0-25 years old), who received chloroprocaine injections for testing peripheral nerve or epidural catheters. Patient outcomes included: blood pressure, respiratory rate, heart rate and pain intensity scores. RESULTS: There were no significant adverse events. The injection guided intervention by determining the function of regional analgesia in the majority (98.5%) of patients. DISCUSSION: Chloroprocaine injections appear to be useful to evaluate functionality of peripheral nerve and epidural catheters after surgery in a pediatric population.

Opioid Use in Children and Adolescents After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair.

Opioid overdose is a leading cause of death from unintentional injury in the United States. When more opioids are prescribed than needed, leftover opioids may be misused if not properly disposed. The purpose of this study is to describe the opioid use of subjects (aged 13-21 years) after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair. After obtaining IRB approval, we obtained consent from 100 subjects (over an 8-month period) undergoing ACL reconstructions performed by five sports medicine surgeons. The mean age of enrolled subjects was 16 years, most were female (60%) and white (72%). While in the hospital, many subjects received the following: a regional anesthetic technique through a single shot femoral nerve block (50%); ketorolac (89%); and acetaminophen (84%). One week after surgery, we interviewed subjects to determine the amount of opioid used (36%) as compared to the amount prescribed.

In Defense of Routine Inpatient Pain Assessment.

Getting rid of the fifth vital sign won't solve the opioid abuse crisis.

Gabapentin for management of recurrent pain in 22 nonverbal children with severe neurological impairment: a retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Children with severe impairment of the central nervous system (CNS) have a high incidence of distressing symptoms, with many experiencing frequent recurrent pain episodes. OBJECTIVE: The study objective was to describe presenting pain behaviors, daily dose, and response to gabapentin for the management of frequent recurrent pain in this population. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed with data from 22 children with severe impairment of the CNS residing at a long-term care facility, treated with gabapentin for recurrent pain behaviors. Response was considered significant if the frequency and severity of symptoms decreased by more than 50% as assessed by nursing staff. RESULTS: Pain behaviors commonly reported included facial grimacing, crying, or moaning. Intermittent increase in muscle tone was identified in 86% (n=19). Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms occurred in 64% (n=14), including pain localized to the GI tract and vomiting. All were assessed for nociceptive pain sources, many with repeated testing. Most were on medications for spasticity (n=20, 91%) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (n=22, 100%) prior to gabapentin use. Of the 22 treated with gabapentin, 21 (91%) had a significant decrease in symptoms. No serious adverse events occurred. The mean gabapentin dose for children five years of age or less (n=11) was 50 mg/kg/day (95% CI 45-56) compared to children older than 11 years (n=11) with a mean dose of 36 mg/kg/day (95% CI 34-38). CONCLUSIONS: Gabapentin appears to be an effective treatment for children with severe impairment of the CNS and recurrent pain behaviors, including intermittent changes in muscle tone. Dosing information can guide treatment trials and future prospective studies.