Comparison of intranasal and oral midazolam as premedicant drug in preschool children

Background: Suitable premedication in children reduces both patient and parental anxiety, eases separation from the parents and facilitates smooth induction of anaesthesia. The efficacy of nasal and oral midazolam as premedicant in preschool children are compared in the present study. Patients & Methods: Sixty pediatric patients in the age group of 1-6 yrs (Pre-school children), ASA - class I and II scheduled for elective surgeries were included in the study. Group I patients received oral midazolam 0.5mg/ kg along with oral atropine 0.04mg/kg. Group II patients received nasal midazolam in a dose of 0.3mg /kg along with oral atropine 0.04mg/kg. Results: The mean time for onset of sedation and satisfactory sedation were 14.03minutes and 18.3minutes respectively for the oral midazolam group and 8.63 and 11.3 minutes for nasal midazolam group, with p value of 0.001 which was very highly significant. Conclusion: We conclude that both oral and nasal midazolam are effective as premedicant in preschool children; oral better tolerated than nasal and onset of sedation and satisfactory sedation were faster for nasal route.