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British Journal of Anaesthesia, 2000, Vol. 84, No. 6 794-796
© 2000 Oxford University Press

Short Communication

Intravenous clonidine infusion in critically ill children: dose-dependent sedative effects and cardiovascular stability

C. Ambrose1, S. Sale1, R. Howells1, C. Bevan1, I. Jenkins1, P. Weir1, P. Murphy1 and A. Wolf1

1 Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, Bristol Royal Hospital for Sick Children, St. Michael’s Hill, Bristol BS2 8BJ, UK

Abstract

Clonidine is used for analgesia and sedation in paediatric anaesthesia, but there are no data on its sedative properties and side effects in critically ill children. We studied 30 ventilated children aged 10 yr and under to determine an effective i.v. dosing range and to assess its cardiovascular effects. Twenty non-paralysed, ventilated children were given a background infusion of midazolam 50 µg kg–1 h–1 combined with a variable clonidine infusion (0.1–2 µg kg–1 h–1) to maintain optimal sedation. The effects of clonidine 1 µg kg–1 h–1 on cardiac index were measured in 10 postoperative cardiac patients using a reverse Fick method. Dose-dependent sedation was achievable (713 out of 861 h) without cardiovascular side effects, but an infusion limit of clonidine 1 µg kg–1 h–1 was inadequate in two patients. An increased dose limit of 2 µg kg–1 h–1 combined with midazolam 50 µg kg–1 h–1 achieved satisfactory sedation scores for 602 out of a total of 672 h studied with no failures. Clonidine in combination with midazolam at 1 µg kg–1 h–1 was not associated with significant changes in heart rate arterial pressure or cardiac index.


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