SynthesisWorld journal of pediatrics : WJP2022
Dexmedetomidine as an adjunct to peripheral nerve blocks in pediatric patients.
Synthesis in World journal of pediatrics : WJP, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.
- Dexmedetomidine with different concentrations added to local anesthetics in erector spinae plane block: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in medicine · 2024Pooled it
- Ropivacaine combined with dexmedetomidine in ultrasound-guided axillary brachial plexus block in children, a randomized controlled trial.European journal of medical research · 2024Trial
- Adjunct Medications for Single-Injection Pediatric Regional Blocks: Implications for Peripheral Nerve Blocks.Current pain and headache reports · 2026Review
- Postoperative pain management in children.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2026Review
- Optimizing Pediatric Sedation: Evaluating Remimazolam and Dexmedetomidine for Safety and Efficacy in Clinical Practice.Paediatric drugs · 2025Review
- Mapping Theme Trends and Research Frontiers in Dexmedetomidine Over Past Decade: A Bibliometric Analysis.Drug design, development and therapy · 2024Article
- Bilateral Bi-Level Erector Spinae Plane Blocks as a Part of Opioid-Sparing Multimodal Analgesia in Scoliosis Surgery: A Case Series of Six Pediatric Patients.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2023Article
- Pericapsular Nerves Group (PENG) Block in Children under Five Years of Age for Analgesia in Surgery for Hip Dysplasia: Case Report.Journal of personalized medicine · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCombining local anesthetics with dexmedetomidine (DEX) for nerve blocks has been tested and confirmed as an alternative technique to strengthen analgesia in adults, but the evidence supported this proposal in pediatrics was not convincing enough. Thus, we intend to conduct a meta-analysis to make an appraisal of the effects of DEX as a local anesthetic adjuvant on peripheral nerve blocks in children.
methodsThe analysis has been registered on https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/ with the registration number CRD42021254029 on June 10th, 2021. PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane central register were searched for the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that are relevant to child/pain/DEX or block up to April 30, 2021.
resultsEight RCTs were included for data analysis. The pooled results showed a significantly reduced number of patients who required postoperative analgesics within DEX groups [odds ratio = 0.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.03-0.32, P < 0.001]. And DEX significantly prolonged the duration of analgesia of local anesthetics in the meantime [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 4.93, 95% CI 3.02-6.83, P < 0.001]. Nevertheless, adding DEX as an adjunct to local anesthetics would significantly decrease heart rate (SMD = - 0.95, 95% CI - 1.45 to - 0.45, P < 0.001) and increase sedation score (SMD = 1.6, 95% CI 0.53-2.66, P = 0.003) simultaneously.
conclusionsAdding DEX as an adjunct to peripheral nerve blocks can prolong analgesia until postoperative 8 hours in pediatric patients. However, the benefits should be weighed against the increasing risk of bradycardia and sedation in critical children.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.