There is a significant lack of adequately powered randomized clinical trial (RCT) data to determine the comparative safety and effectiveness of sedative treatments in pediatric patients. In many centres the standard of care for sedation in pediatric critical care unit (PCCU) patients includes the use of benzodiazepines despite the known negative effects of increased patient agitation and delirium, which can contribute to longer PCCU and hospital length of stay (LOS). The use of an alternative sedative, dexmedetomidine may reduce negative effects in this population. As such, the investigators plan to conduct a well designed comparative RCT to determine the most effective and safest sedative in this vulnerable population utilizing clinical assessments of sedation levels and delirium instance, electroencephalography (EEG) analysis and patient important outcomes.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
120
Precedex, dexmedetomidine hydrochloride, IV, 4mcg/mL, infusion duration determined by the clinical care team
Midazolam, IV, 5mg/mL (for patients more than 10kg), 1mg/mL (for patients 2-10kg), infusion duration determined by the clinical care team
Children's Hospital - London Health Sciences Centre
London, Ontario, Canada
RECRUITINGTarget Sedation Range
The percentage of time spent within target sedation range, defined as COMFORT Behaviour Scale score of 11-22, which will be assessed at minimum every 4 hours.
Time frame: Up to 14 days post-randomization
Delirium
Prevalence of delirium using the Cornell Assessment of Pediatric Delirium (CAPD) tool
Time frame: Up to 14 days post-randomization
Delirium
Duration of delirium using the Cornell Assessment of Pediatric Delirium (CAPD) tool
Time frame: Up to 14 days post-randomization
Delirium
Prevalence of delirium using raw and quantitative EEG
Time frame: Up to 14 days post-randomization
Delirium
Duration of delirium using raw and quantitative EEG
Time frame: Up to 14 days post-randomization
Duration of mechanical ventilation
Mechanical ventilation-free days through day 28 will be calculated as 28 minus the duration of mechanical ventilation. Participants who die, are still receiving mechanical ventilation, or are transferred from the PCCU still receiving mechanical ventilation by day 28 will be censored at 28 days and assigned zero mechanical ventilation-free days
Time frame: Up to 28 days post-randomization
PCCU Length of Stay
Length of stay will be calculated from the time of PCCU admission to the time of PCCU discharge.
Time frame: Up to 90 days post-randomization
Hospital Length of Stay
Hospital Length of Stay will be calculated from the time of PCCU admission to the time of physical hospital discharge.
Time frame: Up to 90 days post-randomization
Adverse event (AE) occurrence
Documentation of treatment related adverse events including blood pressure/heart rate changes requiring decreasing or discontinuation of study drug or intervention, delirium requiring medical treatment, any unplanned extubation or line removals, aspirations, ulcerations, etc.determined to result from inadequate sedation
Time frame: Randomization to 90 days post-randomization
Quantification of sleep stages and sleep quality assessment
Visual and automated scoring of sleep stages from EEG recordings Stage 1 sleep: scored when more than 15 seconds of the epoch is made up of theta activity (4to7 Hz) Stage 2 sleep: predominant theta activity (4 to 7 Hz) and occasional quick bursts of faster activity Stage 3/4 sleep: marked by high-amplitude slow waves Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep: characterized by low-amplitude, mixed-frequency theta waves, intermixed with some alpha waves (usually 1 to 2 Hz slower than wake).
Time frame: Up to 14 days post-randomization
Pharmacokinetics - Maximum plasma concentration (Cmax)
Maximum plasma concentration (Cmax)
Time frame: Up to 14 days post-randomization
Pharmacokinetics - Area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC)
Area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC)
Time frame: Up to 14 days post-randomization
Use of open label boluses for sedation - number
Number of boluses (opioid and benzodiazepine) administered during the treatment period
Time frame: Up to 14 days post-randomization
Use of open label boluses for sedation - total dose
Total dose of boluses (opioid and benzodiazepine) administered during the treatment period
Time frame: Up to 14 days post-randomization
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