Intravenous Sedation and Analgesia in a Pediatric Emergency Department: A Retrospective Descriptive Study

TL;DR

This study examines the use of intravenous sedation and analgesia in a pediatric emergency department, finding that ketamine and midazolam are commonly used and generally safe.

Contribution

The study provides real-world data on sedation practices and safety in a pediatric emergency setting over a five-year period.

Findings

Ketamine and midazolam were the most frequently used drugs for sedation in pediatric patients.

Adverse events occurred in 8.1% of cases but were mostly non-severe and resolved without invasive interventions.

Abstract

Background

Painful procedures in the pediatric emergency department often require the use of sedation and analgesia to ensure adequate pain control, a right of children and adolescents. This study aims to describe the procedural sedation and analgesia with intravenous medications performed in a pediatric emergency department.

Methods

This is a retrospective descriptive study of intravenous sedoanalgesia used in a pediatric emergency department of a level II district hospital in the Lisbon metropolitan area from October 2018 to December 2023. The type of intervention, drugs used, and adverse events were analyzed.

Results

A total of 615 patients were included in the study; 65.7% (n=404) were male with a median age of 6 years. The most frequently performed procedures were wound suturing (50.9%, n=313) and fracture reduction (36.3%, n=223). The drugs used for sedation and analgesia were ketamine (99.2%, n=610), midazolam (95.8%, n=589), propofol (1.6%, n=10), and morphine (0.5%, n=3). The majority of patients received midazolam and ketamine in association (93.8%, n=577). A total of 50 adverse events (8.1%) were recorded in 42 patients. The most frequent side effects were transient oxygen desaturation (2%, n=12), vomiting (1.5%, n=9), apnea/bradypnea (1%, n=6), and hallucinations (0.8%, n=5). The occurrence of adverse events was not dose-dependent (p >0.05). Respiratory complications resolved without requiring invasive interventions. Children were sedated by a pediatric intensivist in 68.1% (n=419), by a general pediatrician in 26.7% (n=164), and by a pediatric resident in 2% (n=12).

Conclusions

The results of this study demonstrate that intravenous sedoanalgesia, particularly the combination of ketamine and midazolam, is a safe method for sedation in pediatric patients, with a low rate of adverse events.