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Safety of fentanyl for peripherally inserted central catheter in non-intubated infants in the neonatal intensive care unit

Journal of Perinatology volume 38, pages 526–529 (2018)Cite this article

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Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the safety of fentanyl in non-intubated infants undergoing peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) placement.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of PICC placements over a 3 years’ period. We compared the 12h periods before and after fentanyl for clinically significant cardiorespiratory events (spells).

Results

Of the 998 neonates screened, 258 were eligible. The mean standard deviation gestational age was 34.1 (4.3) weeks and the median (inter-quartile range) postnatal age was 4 (7, 11) days. The mean (standard deviation) fentanyl dose was 0.6 (0.2) µg/kg. Respiratory depression occurred only in two infants (prevalence rate = 0.78%, 95% CI (0, 1.85)). No cases of hypotension or chest wall rigidity occurred. There was no evidence of an increase in the number of infants with spells or in the number of spells per infant (p = 0.34 and p = 0.06, respectively).

Conclusion

Fentanyl appears to be associated with only a small risk of respiratory depression in non-intubated infants.

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Acknowledgements

The study has no funding nor any financial support.

Author Contributions:

YK, VS, AT, assisted in all aspects of the study conception, design and organization, data collection and analysis and in writing the manuscript. EY assisted analyzing the data and in writing the manuscript, RB assisted with data analysis, CM assisted in study conception, design and organization.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neonatal Intensive Care unit, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, 9103102, Israel

    Yair Kasirer

  2. Department of Paediatrics, Mount Sinai Hospital, Department of Paediatrics and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto Rm 19-231N, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Vibhuti Shah

  3. Maternal-Infant Care Research Centre, Mount Sinai Hospital, 700 University Ave. Room 8-500, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Eugene W. Yoon

  4. Department of Neonatology, Schneider Children’s Medical Center of Israel, 14 Kaplan St., Petach Tikva, 4920235, Israel

    Ruben Bromiker

  5. Department of Neonatology, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Carol Mcnair

  6. Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, 144 College Street, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Anna Taddio

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  1. Yair Kasirer
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  2. Vibhuti Shah
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  6. Anna Taddio
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yair Kasirer.

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Conflicts of Interest

All authors reviewed the manuscript for important intellectual contents and approved the final version. All authors agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work. None of the authors have any conflicts of interest to declare and have no competing financial interests in relation to the work described.

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Kasirer, Y., Shah, V., Yoon, E.W. et al. Safety of fentanyl for peripherally inserted central catheter in non-intubated infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. J Perinatol 38, 526–529 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-018-0101-3

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