The Use of Dexmedetomidine for Procedural Sedation During EEG in Children Affected by Behavioural Disorders

Compliance during diagnostic or therapeutic procedures is a very frequent challenge in children. Procedural sedation and analgesia represents an effective answer to this problem. Electroencephalogram (EEG) is a procedure which needs stillness for a medium-long period. Whereas the majority of children carry out this procedure without sedation, patients with behavioral problems, who frequently need to rule out the presence of seizures as associated symptoms or different disease, often show an insufficient compliance. Sedative drugs usually interfere with EEG cerebral waves pattern, so they can not be used. Dexmedetomidine is a selective ∝2-adrenergic agonist with prevalent sedative and anxiolytic properties, with a long effect and which does not alter EEG pattern.

The aim of this interventional study is to evaluate effectiveness, safety and feasibility of dexmedetomidine for sedation during EEG in children who are not cooperative.

Children referred to the Pediatric Neurology Department of the Pediatric Hospital of Padova and required sedation to perform EEG were considered in the study.

The protocol establishes to administer dexmedetomidine IV 2 μg/kg in 10 minutes (loading dose) followed by continuous infusion at a rate of 1 μg/kg/h until procedure was complete. The loading dose can be repeated up to two times, if needed, to achieve the targeted level of Pediatric Sedation State Scale (PSSS) of 2 (quiet, asleep or awake, not moving during procedure, and no frown or brow furrow indicating pain or anxiety, no verbalization of any complaint). Vital signs (SatO2, RR, EtCO2, HR, BP) and level of sedation are recorded before, during and after procedure until the complete awake of the patient. The quality of the EEG pattern was also evaluated. Occurrence and type of adverse events are registered during this period. Finally, the caregivers' opinion about the quality of the sedation and the presence of any sleep disturbance at home during the next 12 hours after the procedure were considered.