• B L Li, N Zhang, J X Huang, Q Q Qiu, H Tian, J Ni, X R Song, V M Yuen, and M G Irwin.
• Department of Anaesthesiology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Centre, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
• Anaesthesia. 2016 May 1; 71 (5): 522-8.

AbstractIntranasal dexmedetomidine has been used successfully for sedation in children. A mucosal atomisation device delivers an atomised solution to the nasal mucosa which facilitates rapid and effective delivery of medication to the systemic circulation. We compared intranasal delivery of dexmedetomidine in a dose of 3 μg.kg(-1) by either atomiser or drops from a syringe in children < 3 years old undergoing transthoracic echocardiography. Two hundred and seventy-nine children were randomly assigned to one or other group. One hundred and thirty-seven children received dexmedetomidine by atomiser and 142 by drops. The successful sedation rate was 82.5% (95% CI 75.3-87.9%) and 84.5% (95% CI 77.7-89.5%) for atomiser and drops, respectively (p = 0.569). Sedation tended to be less successful in older children (p = 0.028, OR 0.949, 95% CI 0.916-0.983). There were no significant complications. We conclude that both modes of dexmedetomidine administration are equally effective, although increasing age of the child was associated with a decreased likelihood of successful sedation.© 2016 The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland.

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