A retrospective study of dosing weight and outcomes for one pediatric dental sedation regimen

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the use of a dosing scalar for association with the success of procedural sedation in pediatric dentistry. Methods: This cross-sectional, retrospective study assessed healthy two- to 12-year-olds who received an elixir of midazolam (0.3 mg/kg), meperidine (1.5 mg/kg), and hydroxyzine (1.0 mg/kg). The scaled body weight (SBW) for each patient was determined using the 50th percentile weight-for-age from the 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) growth chart. Children under the 50th percentile were dosed at their actual weight. Children weighing over the 50th percentile received a dose that was reduced to the 50th percentile weightfor- age. Statistical analysis evaluated sedation success, measured by the Houpt scale. Lean body weight (LBW) and ideal body weight (IBW) were calculated to compare SBW with other available dosing scalars. Results: The sample consisted of 427 children. The success was 73.8 percent. There was no significant difference in sedation success by dose delivered. The calculated LBW and IBW were significantly greater than the SBW (P<.001, P<.001). Conclusion: Sedation success was not affected by use of a scalar that reduced dosing weight to the 2000 CDC growth chart's 50th percentile weight-for-age.