Safety and Efficacy of Different Sedation Regimens in Pediatric Diagnostic Gastroscopy: A Retrospective Controlled Study.

To compare the safety and efficacy of propofol monotherapy and midazolam combined with propofol for sedation in pediatric diagnostic gastroscopy, providing evidence for optimizing clinical sedation protocols. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 162 children aged 3 to 14 years who underwent gastroscopy at our Digestive Endoscopy Center between January 2022 and June 2024. Based on the sedation regimen used, patients were categorized into 2 groups: the propofol group (n = 78, sedated with propofol alone) and the combination group (n = 84, sedated with midazolam and propofol). Baseline characteristics, sedation efficacy, recovery parameters, intra-procedural vital signs, incidence of adverse reactions, use of sedative drugs, and procedure-related times were compared between the 2 groups. Propofol monotherapy offers rapid recovery, less impact on vital signs, and improved turnover efficiency, making it a potentially more suitable sedation strategy for pediatric diagnostic gastroscopy in clinical practice.