Tapering of Analgosedation and Occurrence of Withdrawal Syndrome in Paediatric Intensive Care Treatment

Tapering of Analgosedation and Occurrence of Withdrawal Syndrome in Paediatric Intensive Care Treatment

The study is a prospective interventional study with three main aims:

1. Describe the frequency and severity of withdrawal syndrome in a population of paediatric intensive care patients.
2. Test whether implementation of an algorithm for tapering of analgosedation changes the frequency and severity of withdrawal symptoms in the same population.
3. Investigate how the health care providers experience having to adhere to such an algorithm.

Patients < 18 years of age treated in an intensive care unit for 5 days or more with infusion of opioids and/or benzodiazepines, are eligible for inclusion. Patients are included at the time tapering of these drugs is initiated. Part one of the study is observational. Drugs administered, complications, Comfort score and WAT-1 (Withdrawal Assessment Tool-1) score is recorded. Before part two of the study, an algorithm for tapering of analgosedation is implemented, and the data set is obtained as in part one.

For part three of the study, focus group interviews will be used.

Inclusion Criteria:

• < 18 years
• treated in PICU
• Infusion of opioids and/or benzodiazepins for 5 days or more.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Neuromuscular disease
• Cognitive/neurological disturbance caused by a disease
• Multiple disabilities