Oral midazolam for sedation in minor oral operations in children: A retrospective study

Our aim was to find out the optimal dose of oral midazolam to sedate children according to age. Thirty-five patients aged 10 or under who had minor oral operations under sedation with midazolam were enrolled. Correlations between age (X) and dose of midazolam (mg/kg; Y) were analysed by Pearson's correlation coefficient, and relations were fitted by simple regression. Doses of midazolam were significantly reduced as age increased (Y=0.969-0.04X; R=0.48) in the satisfactory group (n=25), whereas those in the overdose group (n= 10) (patients who vomited, became agitated, or took some time to come round) were significantly higher, decreased with age, and showed a better correlation coefficient (Y= 1.375 - 0.65X; R=0.78). These findings suggest that both the requirement and threshold of midazolam decreases with age. (c) 2007 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.