Nasal dexmedetomidine in sedation of electroencephalogram (EEG) in comparison with chloral hydrate as a clinical trial

Background: An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test that measures the brain's electrical activity. Here we decided to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of two drugs, hydrate, and nasal dexmedetomidine, in creating sedation during EEG in children.

Methods: This clinical trial was performed in 2020-2022 on 65 children that were candidates for sedation for EEG with the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT) code IRCT20210614051574N8 (https://www.irct.ir/trial/61860). Pediatrics were randomized into two groups. Children in the first group received intranasal dexmedetomidine at a dose of 2-3 µg/kg 10 minutes before the procedure. The second group received 5% chloral hydrate syrup at a dose of 50-100 mg/kg orally 10 minutes before the procedure. For each patient, sleep onset latency and sleep duration were also measured. It should be noted that the patient's level of consciousness and sleepiness were checked by AVPU (alert, verbal, pain, unresponsive) criteria.

Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding the mean sleep onset latency (P = 0.59), sleep duration (P = 0.12), heart rate (P = 0.30), respiratory rate (P = 0.26), and SPO2 (P = 0.27). Analysis of covariance by adjusting for age and sex in both groups showed that the mean sleep duration (P = 0.04) and heart rate (P = 0.03) in the oral chloral hydrate group were significantly higher than in the nasal dexmedetomidine group. But the mean of other variables was not significantly different between the two groups (P>0.05).

Conclusion: The mean sleep duration and heart rate were significantly lower in the intranasal dexmedetomidine group compared to the oral chloral hydrate group.