Article Text
Abstract
Background Paramedics are frequently called to attend seizures in children. High-quality evidence on second-line treatment of benzodiazepine (BZD)-refractory convulsions with parenteral long-acting antiepileptic drugs in children has become available from the ED. In order to address the potential need for an alternative agent, we set out to determine the association of BZD use prehospital and the need for respiratory support.
Methods We conducted a retrospective observational study of state-wide ambulance service data (Ambulance Victoria in Victoria, Australia, population: 6.5 million). Children aged 0–17 years assessed for seizures by paramedics were analysed for demographics, process factors, treatment and airway management. We calculated adjusted ORs (AOR) of the requirement for respiratory support in relation to the number of BZD doses administered.
Results Paramedics attended 5112 children with suspected seizures over 1 year (1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019). Overall, need for respiratory support was low (n=166; 3.2%). Before ambulance arrival, 509 (10.0%) had already received a BZD and 420 (8.2%) were treated with midazolam by paramedics. Of the 846 (16.5%) patients treated with BZD, 597 (70.6%) received 1 BZD dose, 156 (18.4%) 2 doses and 93 (11.0%) >2 doses of BZD. Patients who were administered 1, 2 and >2 doses of BZD received respiratory support in 8.9%, 32.1% (AOR 4.6 vs 1 dose, 95% CI 2.9 to 7.4) and 49.5% (AOR 10.3 vs 1 dose, 95% CI 6.0 to 17.9), respectively.
Conclusions Increasing administration of BZD doses was associated with higher use of respiratory support. Alternative prehospital antiepileptic drugs to minimise respiratory depression should be investigated in future research.
- respiratory
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Footnotes
Handling editor Shammi L Ramlakhan
Correction notice Since this article was first published online, figures 1 and 2 have been replaced to include updated abbreviations.
Contributors Study concept and design: FEB, KS, SRD, CKP. Acquisition of data: KS, SB, FEB, CKP. Analysis and interpretation of data: CKP, KS, SH, FEB. Drafting of the manuscript: CKP, FEB, KS. Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content: CKP, KS, SB, SRD, TG, MK, FEB. Statistical expertise: SH. Acquisition of funding: FEB, KS. FEB is responsible for the overall content as the guarantor and accepts full responsibility for the conduct of the study, had access to the data, and controlled the decision to publish.
Funding The study was in part funded by a grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) (Centre of Research Excellence for Paediatric Emergency Medicine GNT1058560), Canberra, Australia, and supported by the Victorian Government’s Infrastructure Support Program, Melbourne, Australia. FEB’s time was part funded by an NHMRC Practitioner Fellowship, Canberra, Australia, and a Melbourne Campus Clinician Scientist Fellowship, Melbourne, Australia. SRD’s time was part funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC13/556) and Cure Kids New Zealand.
Competing interests None declared.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
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