A study to evaluate the effects of intranasal dexmedetomidine as a premedicant in paediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgeries

Background
Premedication is defined as the administration of drugs before anaesthesia to allay apprehension, produce sedation and facilitate the administration of anaesthesia to the patient. The current study is a prospective randomized double-blinded trail conducted to evaluate the effects of intranasal dexmedetomidine over placebo (0.9% saline) as a premedicant in paediatric cardiac surgeries.
Patients and methods
A total of 60 children of ASA physical status I and II, between the ages of 2 and 8 years undergoing various cardiac surgeries were assigned randomly into two groups. In group D, patients received intranasal dexmedetomidine (2 μg/kg), and in group P, patients received intranasal saline. At intervals of 10, 20, 30 and 45 min after intranasal administration of the study drug, parameters such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate and SpO (oxygen saturation) were monitored. At 45 min, sedation, the ease of separation and intravenous cannula acceptance were evaluated.
Results
Statistically significant reductions in heart rate and blood pressure were observed from 30 min onwards in group D ( < 0.05) when compared with the placebo group. In the study, the sedation score in group D was 3.23 ± 0.568 when compared with 1.13 ± 0.345 in the placebo group ( = 0.0001). The ease of parental separation was 2.63 ± 0.614 in group D compared with 1.1 ± 0.305 in the saline group ( = 0.0001). The intravenous cannula acceptance score in group D was 2.1 ± 0.547 when compared with 1.06 ± 0.253 in group P ( = 0.0001).
Conclusion
Intranasal dexmedetomidine (2 μg/kg) provided better sedation, parental separation and intravenous cannula acceptance than placebo in children undergoing cardiac surgeries.