Nociception associated with pain/distress in young children sedated for dental treatment: a clinical study with objective and subjective measures.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the association between children's pain/distress levels and patient characteristics (age, sex, history of dental pain), sedation type (level of sedation, sedative regimen), nociception and pain intensity reported by the parents in sedated children undergoing minimally invasive dental treatment.

METHODS

This clinical study evaluated secondary outcomes of an RCT that evaluated the efficacy of dexmedetomidine sedation with or without ketamine. Only children who had nociception levels recorded using the Analgesia Nociception Index (ANI) were included (0-100; 0 = highest nociception). FLACC scale (Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability) was used to assess children's pain/distress (0-10; 0 = no pain/distress). Parental proxy report of the child's pain intensity during the treatment was performed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS; 0-100; 0 = no pain). The association between ANI, children's age and sex, dental pain history, sedation level, sedative regimen, and VAS with the FLACC was verified using the generalised estimation equation analysis (alpha 0.05).

RESULTS

Participants were 31 children (51.6% boys) and their parents (90.3% mothers). Median FLACC was 3.3 (25th-75th percentiles 1.7-8.2), ANI 80.9 (74.7-85.8), and VAS 10 (1-23). FLACC associated with ANI (OR 0.96; 95% CI 0.93-0.99; p = 0.02), moderate sedation (0.13; 0.03-0.50; p = 0.003), and VAS (1.05; 1.01-1.10; p = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Pain/distress was generally low and more prominent with minimal (versus moderate) sedation and higher nociception.