About this trial
Emergence agitation is a clinical condition in which the child experiences a variety of behavioural disturbances including crying, thrashing, and disorientation during early awakening from anaesthesia. Emergence agitation is a common challenge in children with a reported incidence of approximately 25% ranging from 10 to 80 %. Clonidine is often used off-label in paediatric anaesthesia e.g. sedation in the intensive care unit, prevention of withdrawal symptoms after long-term sedation, as premedication before induction of anaesthesia or as treatment/prevention of emergence agitation. The study is designed as a randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluating efficacy and safety of a single dose of intraoperative clonidine in children 3-12 months, including pharmacokinetics.
Eligibility criteria
This trial does not accept healthy volunteersQualifiers
Paediatric patients (male and female), aged 3- ≤ 12 months
Scheduled general anaesthesia with sevoflurane and opioid. Induction with propofol is optional
The legally acceptable representative for the study participant provides written informed consent/assent for the trial
Disqualifiers
ASA >2
Cardiac, neuro and trauma surgery
Ex-premature (<37 weeks) • Premedication with clonidine
Intubated prior to scheduled anaesthesia or is expected to require intubation after the procedure
Trial design
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Clonidine
DrugClonidine injection 3 mcg/kg once
Sodium chloride
DrugSodium chloride 0.9 % injection 0.2 mL/kg once
Treatment groups
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
Incidence of emergence agitation during stay in postanaesthetic care unit (PACU)
Participants will be assessed on Watcha scale (1=calm, 4=agitated and thrashing around) every 15 minutes from arrival to PACU till discharge therefrom. Emergence agitation is defined dichotomously as Yes/No, Yes being if any Watcha score \>2.
Compartmental clearance for pharmacokinetic profiling.
Pharmacokinetic sampling will be performed in 1 mL EDTA tubes and analysed for clonidine plasma concentration in migrog/L
Volume of distribution for pharmacokinetic profiling.
Pharmacokinetic sampling will be performed in 1 mL EDTA tubes and analysed for clonidine plasma concentration in migrog/L
T1/2 for pharmacokinetic profiling.
Pharmacokinetic sampling will be performed in 1 mL EDTA tubes and analysed for clonidine plasma concentration in migrog/L
Secondary outcomes
Proportion of participants with postoperative pain
Participants will be assessed on Faces Legs Activity Cry Consolability (FLACC) scale every 15 minutes from arrival to PACU till discharge therefrom. Postoperative pain is defined as any FLACC score \> 3 during PACU stay.
Proportion of participants with Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting (PONV)
Participants will be assessed for PONV every 15 minutes during PACU stay. No validated scale for assessment of PONV exists in this age group and PONV will be assessed by dichotomously as "Yes" or "No". While vomiting is obvious, nausea may be considered if participant refuses to eat and other causes are ruled out.
Safety and tolerability of clonidine in infants 3-12 months of age: proportion of participants with adverse events of clinical interest
Composite outcome combining as assessed by investigator for each participant any clinically relevant hypotension (ie., necessitating intervention), clinically relevant bradycardia (ie., necessitating intervention), clinically relevant apnoea (ie., unexplained cessation of breathing for 20 seconds or longer, or a shorter respiratory pause associated with bradycardia, cyanosis, and/or marked hypotonia).
Mean sedation level in PACU
Participants will be assessed for alertness on the University of Michigan Sedation Scale (UMSS) every 15 minutes during PACU stay.
Sponsors and contacts
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