Clonidine for sedation in infants during therapeutic hypothermia with neonatal encephalopathy: pilot study

Estelle B. Gauda, Raul Chavez-Valdez, Frances J. Northington, Carlton K.K. Lee, Michelle A. Rudek, Beatriz Guglieri-Lopez, Vijay Ivaturi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Objective: To determine a safe dose of clonidine (CLON) to be used in infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) undergoing therapeutic hypothermia (TH). Study design: A pilot prospective study was performed to determine the effect of CLON on autonomic parameters, the pharmacokinetics (PK) of CLON, and the amount of morphine (MOR) given “as needed” for shivering and agitation in a cohort of infants (n = 12) with HIE undergoing TH compared to a historical control group (n = 28). Results: The CLON group received less “as needed” MOR than the MOR-only group for agitation/shivering (p < 0.001), and the CLON vs. MOR-only group spent 92% vs. 79% of cooling time at the target core body temperature (CBT; p = 0.03, CLON vs. MOR). Conclusions: Intravenous CLON (1 mcg/kg Q8h) is well tolerated in infants treated with TH for HIE. CLON stabilizes CBT in the ideal range during cooling, which may be optimal for neuroprotection.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)319-327
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Perinatology
Volume42
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2022

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health

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