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Prevention and Therapy of Pediatric Emergence Delirium: A National Survey

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Abstract

Introduction

Although pediatric emergence delirium (ED) is common, preventive and therapeutic pharmacological treatment is the matter of an international controversial discussion and evidence on different options is partially vague.

Objective

We therefore examined clinical routine in prevention strategies and postoperative therapy of ED with respect to clinical experience in pediatric anesthesia.

Methods

A web-based survey was developed investigating routine management (prevention and treatment) of ED, facility structure, and patient population. The link was sent to all enlisted members of the German Society of Anesthesiology.

Results

We analyzed 1229 questionnaires. Overall, 88% reported ED as a relevant clinical problem; however, only 5% applied assessment scores to define ED. Oral midazolam was reported as standard premedication by 84% of respondents, the second largest group was ‘no premedication’ (5%). The first choice prevention strategy was to perform total intravenous (propofol) anesthesia (63%). The first choice therapeutic pharmacological treatment depended on clinical experience. Therapeutic propofol was preferentially chosen by more experienced anesthesiologists (5 to >20 patients per week, n = 538), while lesser experienced colleagues (<5 patients per week, n = 676) preferentially applied opioids. Dexmedetomidine (1%) and non-pharmacological (2%) therapy were rarely stated. The highest satisfaction levels for pharmacological therapy of ED were attributed to propofol.

Conclusions

Propofol is the preferred choice for pharmacological prevention and treatment of ED among German anesthesiologists. Further therapy options as well as alternatives to a midazolam-centered premedication procedure are underrepresented.

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Acknowledgements

We thank all members of the DGAI and BDA who participated in this survey, Victoria Lehmann for establishing the survey within ‘soscisurvey.de’, and Mr Sorgatz for forwarding the emails in the name of the DGAI.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Bonn University Hospital, Sigmund Freud Str. 25, 53105, Bonn, Germany

    Christopher Huett, Torsten Baehner, Felix Erdfelder, Christian Bode, Andreas Hoeft & Richard K. Ellerkmann

  2. Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Leipzig University Hospital, Leipzig, Germany

    Claudia Hoehne

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  1. Christopher Huett
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  2. Torsten Baehner
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Correspondence to Richard K. Ellerkmann.

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Conflict of interest

Authors CH, TB, FE, CHo, CB, AH, RKE declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Funding

No funding was received for the survey or the manuscript.

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Huett, C., Baehner, T., Erdfelder, F. et al. Prevention and Therapy of Pediatric Emergence Delirium: A National Survey. Pediatr Drugs 19, 147–153 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40272-017-0212-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40272-017-0212-x

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