Comparison of chloral hydrate and midazolam for sedation of neonates for neuroimaging studies

• Published in: The Journal of pediatrics Vol. 128; no. 4; pp. 573 - 576
• Main Authors: McCarver-May, D.Gail, Kang, Jun, Aouthmany, Moustafa, Elton, Rhonda, Mowery, Joy L., Slovis, Thomas L., Kauffman, Ralph
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Mosby, Inc 01-04-1996; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Chloral Hydrate - pharmacology; Conscious Sedation; Cross-Over Studies; Humans; Hypnotics and Sedatives - pharmacology; Hypnotics. Sedatives; Infant, Newborn; Medical sciences; Midazolam - pharmacology; Neuropharmacology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopharmacology; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; MAP; Sa O 2; Human; Toxicity; Central nervous system; General anesthesia; Hypnotic; Chemotherapy; Newborn; General anesthetic; Efficiency; Benzodiazepine derivatives; Medical imagery; Sedative; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0022-3476; 1097-6833
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-3476(96)70375-X

In a crossover study of seven term neonates who had neuroimaging studies, chloral hydrate (75 mg/kg administered orally) was more efficacious (
p<0.05) but similar with regard to toxic effects than midazolam (0.2 mg/kg administered intravenously). Thus newer drugs are not necessarily better, and monitoring is essential even after a single oral sedative dose. (J P
EDIATR 1996;128:573-6)