• P J Kulka, M Bressem, and M Tryba.
• Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine, and Pain Therapy, Klinikum Kassel, D-46047 Oberhausen, Germany. Peter.Kulka@ruhr-uni-bochum.de
• Anesth. Analg. 2001 Aug 1;93(2):335-8, 2nd contents page.

UnlabelledIn a double-blinded trial, 40 male children (age 2-7 yr) undergoing circumcision were randomly assigned to receive clonidine 2 microg/kg IV or placebo after anesthetic induction. For induction and maintenance of anesthesia, we used sevoflurane as the sole anesthetic. For pain treatment, a penile block was performed before surgery. After surgery the incidence and severity of agitation was measured during an observation period of 2 h. Severe agitation was treated with midazolam. In 16 placebo and 2 clonidine-treated patients agitation was observed (P < 0.001). In 6 patients of the Placebo group, agitation was graded as severe, whereas none of the patients in the Clonidine group developed severe agitation (P = 0.02). During the postoperative period heart rate and blood pressure were significantly decreased in clonidine treated patients (P < 0.05). We conclude that clonidine effectively prevents agitation after sevoflurane anesthesia.ImplicationsThe recovery from sevoflurane anesthesia may be complicated by the presence of agitation in pediatric patients. Clonidine 2 microg/kg IV after anesthetic induction effectively reduces the incidence of agitation without resulting in clinically relevant bradycardia and hypotension.

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