Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale Research Articles

Preoperative anxiety in the paediatric population in a tertiary hospital: A descriptive cross-sectional study.

To analyse preoperative paediatric anxiety in a tertiary hospital and influencing factors. This study was designed as a descriptive cross-sectional study. One hundred patients between two and 12 years old who underwent elective surgical intervention were included. All patients received oral or written information about the anaesthetic-surgical process and waited in a playroom before surgery. Preoperative paediatric anxiety was assessed using the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale and its short form. Collaboration during anaesthesia induction was evaluated using the Induction Compliance Checklist and postoperative pain evaluated using Wong-Baker Scale. We performed a descriptive and comparative analysis of the results overall. We found a high incidence of preoperative anxiety, especially during anaesthetic induction. Children aged two to five years, female sex and otorhinolaryngology surgery were associated with a higher incidence of preoperative anxiety. Providing oral and written information and waiting in the playing room before surgery are insufficient measures to prevent preoperative paediatric anxiety.

The efficacy of finger puppets, distraction cards and kaleidoscope for reducing anxiety in children undergoing day surgery

AimThis study was conducted to determine the efficacy of finger puppets, distraction cards and kaleidoscope for reducing anxiety in children aged 6–12 years who undergoing day surgery in Turkey. MethodsThe study was conducted using the “pre-post test unmatched group model”, one of the quasi-experimental methods. The study was conducted between April 2023 and January 2024 with children aged 6–12 years who were admitted to the pediatric clinic of a hospital for day surgery in the Southern Marmara region of Turkey. A total of 85 children (including 20 children in the control group, 22 children in the finger puppet intervention group, 21 children in the distraction cards intervention group, and 22 children in the kaleidoscope intervention group) who were hospitalized in the pediatric clinic. ResultsIt was determined that there was a statistically significant difference between the pre- and post-intervention the Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale Child Form (m-YPAS) sub-dimension and total mean scores of the children in the kaleidoscope, finger puppet and distraction cards groups, while there was no difference in the control group children. ConclusionKaleidoscope, finger puppet and distraction cards interventions were found to be effective in reducing preoperative anxiety in children and contributed to the national and world literature. It is recommended that further studies be conducted on the effectiveness of the three methods and that other variables that may affect the child's anxiety be addressed. Contribution to nursing practiceThis finding can be interpreted as significant and positive in demonstrating that anxiety induced by surgical procedures in children can be effectively managed with non-pharmacological methods.

The effect on perioperative anxiety and emergence delirium of the child or parent's preference for parental accompaniment during anesthesia induction in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy surgery.

Pediatric emergence delirium (ED) occurs in the early postoperative period and is defined as a complex psychiatric disorder. Non-pharmacological methods of treatment, such as perioperative parental presence, have been the focus of many studies, but the impact on preventing ED of which parent accompanies the child during anesthesia induction has not been identified as yet. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether the selection made by children undergoing adenotonsillectomy of which parent will accompany them during anesthesia induction has the effect of reducing postoperative delirium scores and incidence compared to selections made by the parents. The study included 80 children of both genders, aged 5-12 years, who underwent day-case surgery in the otorhinolaryngology clinic. The patients were separated randomly into two groups of 40. In Group 1, the children were asked to choose which of their parents would accompany them during general anesthesia induction, and in Group 2, the parents were asked to decide who would be the accompanying parent. Evaluation of postoperative delirium was made using the Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium (PAED) scale. The anxiety level of the children was evaluated with the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (mYPAS) both in the preoperative waiting area and during the anesthesia induction. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to evaluate the anxiety level of the parents. The mean PAED scores were similar in both groups (mean difference [95% CI]: -0.1 [-2.8 to 0.7]). The incidence of emergence delirium was also similar in both groups (risk ratio 0.9 [0.4 to 1.8]). The mean mYPAS scores during the induction of anesthesia of Group 1 was lower than that of Group 2 (mean difference [95% CI]: -8.4 [-15.2 to -1.6]). The mean mYPAS scores evaluated in the preoperative waiting area were found to be similar in the two groups (mean difference [95% CI]: -1.9 [-7.5 to 3.5]). The mean STAI anxiety scores of the parents were similar in both groups, with higher scores obtained by mothers compared to fathers, at all measurement times. The incidence or severity of ED did not decrease significantly even though lower anxiety scores were obtained during anesthesia induction in children who were allowed to make the decision of accompanying parent. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that postoperative delirium is a more complicated process that can be affected by many other variables rather than just the parent-child general interaction.

Use of an adaptive sensory environment in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the perioperative environment: a parallel, randomized controlled trial

Patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) experience higher rates of perioperative anxiety and are likely to receive premedication. Little is known about nonpharmaceutical interventions which may decrease anxiety. This study aims to evaluate the use of an adaptive sensory environment (ASE) to reduce ASD patient anxiety during the perioperative process. Our feasibility study (ClinicalTrials.govNCT04994613) enrolled 60 patients in two parallel groups randomized to a control (no ASE) or intervention group (ASE). We included all surgical patients aged three to twelve years, with a formal diagnosis of ASD, Asperger's Syndrome, or pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified. Preoperative behaviors were recorded by an unblinded nurse utilizing the validated Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (mYPAS). The difference in score on the mYPAS was the primary outcome, and an intention-to-treat analysis was employed. A generalized estimating equations model was used to compare mYPAS scores controlling for significant independent variables. 58 patients were analyzed after 1:1 randomization of 30 patients to each group. Groups were balanced except the median number of intraoperative pain medications was significantly lower in the ASE group (1 vs. 3, p=0.012). Mean (SD) age for all patients was 7.2 (2.9) years, range 2.6-12.7. 72.4% (42/58) were White and all were Non-Hispanic or Latino. 74% were Male (21/30 ASE and 22/28 Control) and 26% were Female (9/30 ASE and 6/28 Control). No differences were found in mYPAS scores between groups at three time periods (43.5 vs. 42, p=0.88, 47.8 vs. 48.4, p=0.76, and 36.4 vs. 43.8, p=0.15, ASE vs. control group, respectively). The ASE group had a significant within-group decrease in mYPAS scores from nursing intake to transition (p=0.030). An ASE did not significantly reduce perioperative anxiety. However, the promising results deserve further investigation. Dayton Children's Hospital Foundation Robert C. Cohn Memorial Research Grant.

The Effect of Child Preference for Parental Selection on Pediatric Anxiety During Induction in Children Undergoing Elective Day Case Surgery

PurposeThe aim of the study was to determine if children were given the right to prefer one parent to accompany them during the perioperative period would impact their anxiety levels. DesignProspective observational cohort study. MethodsThe study included 80 children of both genders, aged 4 to 12 years, who underwent day-case surgeries in the Ear Nose and Throat Clinic of Karaman Training and Research Hospital. The patients were separated randomly into two groups of 40. In Group 1, children were asked which of their parents would accompany them during general anesthesia induction, and in Group 2, the child’ preference was not asked, and "accompanying parent" was randomly selected by the physician. The anxiety level of the children was evaluated with the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (mYPAS) both in the preoperative waiting area and during the anesthesia induction. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to determine the anxiety level of their parents. FindingsThe mean mYPAS score during the induction of anesthesia of Group 1 was significantly lower than that of Group 2 (38.1 vs 45.2; P = .034). There was no difference between the two groups in the mean mYPAS scores evaluated in the preoperative waiting area (38.0 vs 39.1; P = .761). The mean anxiety scores of the parents evaluated using the STAI were similar in both groups, with higher scores between mothers compared to fathers at all measurement times. No difference was determined between the two groups regarding the mean mYPAS scores according to the gender of the child during the perioperative period (P > .05). There was a significant decrease in the mean STAI scores in the preoperative waiting area with an increase in parent’s education level (P = .011), but the educational level had no effect on the scores during the induction of anesthesia. ConclusionsSignificantly lower anxiety scores were recorded during the induction of anesthesia for the children who had a chance to select their accompanying parent before surgery. Thus, the overall interaction between the child and the parent before the perioperative period may be accepted as an important factor for the reduction of anxiety during anesthesia induction.

Prevalence and risk factors of emergence agitation among pediatric patients undergo ophthalmic and ENT Surgery: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundSome studies reported that pediatric patients undergoing otorhinolaryngology (ENT) and ophthalmic surgeries have higher incidences of emergence agitation (EA). Children with EA tend to carry the risk of self-harm, have longer periods of recovery and delayed hospital discharge. Consequently, EA needs to be monitored and risk factors ought to be emphasized to implement preventative measures. The objective of this study was to describe EA and to identify risk factors after pediatric ophthalmic or ENT surgery.MethodsBetween September 2021 and December 2021, a cross-sectional study was conducted in 100 children aged of 0–12 years who underwent ophthalmic or ENT surgery. The Watcha scale was used to observe and record EA, which was defined at levels of 3 or 4 at any time in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). The pain intensity was graded with the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) Scale after surgery. Patient and surgery-related characteristics, the behavioral criteria of EA, the pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions and recovery outcomes were objectively recorded. A binary logistic regression model was constructed to identify the associated factors of EA.ResultsFrom the 100 analyzed children, 58 were males and 42 were females, and 44 patients received ophthalmic surgery and 56 ENT surgery. The median age was 6 (IQR 4–7) years. The overall incidence of EA among pediatrics was 30% (34.5% for ENT and 24.4% for ophthalmic surgery). High preoperative modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety scale (m-YPAS) grade (OR = 1.19, 95%CI 1.06–1.33, P = 0.003) and high postoperative FLACC score (OR = 3.36, 95%CI 1.88–6.02, P < 0.001) were risk factors for EA.ConclusionsThis study identified that preoperative anxiety and postoperative pain are associated with EA in children after ophthalmic or ENT surgery. Preoperative anxiety assessment and management, and administration of adjunct analgesic treatments should be considered in the routine care.

Parental presence during induction of anesthesia in children undergoing tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy.

To investigate the effect of parental presence during induction of anesthesia (PPIA) in relieving preoperative anxiety of children undergoing tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. One hundred and sixty children undergoing tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy were divided into the control group and the trial group. The control group received routine nursing in the operation room, while anesthesia was induced in the trial group children in the presence of their parents as part of the routine nursing. The differences in heart rate and mean dynamic pressure during pre-operative visit and anesthesia induction between the two groups were observed and recorded. The Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (m-YPAS) and the Induction Compliance Checklist (ICC) were scored. The anxiety status of the children and their family members in the two groups was scored at different times, and the psychological stress of anesthesiologists during anesthesia induction was scored by a visual analogue scale. The differences in each index between the two groups were compared. Operation time and costs in-hospital were also compared. Compared with the control group, the heart rate and blood pressure scores as well as the ICC in the trial group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.01). On comparing the scores of m-YPAS between the two groups, we observed that the scores of the children in the trial group were lower than those in the control group before entering the induction room and anesthesia induction (P < 0.01). There was no statistical difference between the scores of the children in the trial group and the control group on the day of operation and on the way to the operating room (P > 0.05). The nursing satisfaction scores of the family members in the trial group were significantly superior to those in the control group (P < 0.01). The scores of the visual analogue scale for psychological pressure of anesthesiologists during anesthesia induction were higher in the trial group than in the control group (P < 0.05). The operation time and costs in study group were both significantly higher than those of control group (P < 0.05). PPIA can significantly reduce preoperative anxiety and surgical physiological stress response in children undergoing tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, and it is worth being encouraged.

ED95 of remimazolam in nasal administration for attenuating preoperative anxiety in children.

Preoperative anxiety often prevails in children at higher levels than adults, which is a common impediment for surgeons and anesthesiologists. It is of great necessity to explore an appropriate medication to improve this situation. Remimazolam, a type of benzodiazepine drug, has been indicated for the induction and maintenance of procedural sedation in adults since 2020. To date, rare studies were reported to investigate the effect of remimazolam on children. In this study, we investigated the safety and efficacy of intranasal drops of remimazolam and tried to determine the 95% effective dose (ED95) of remimazolam in single intranasal administration in attenuating preoperative anxiety in children. In this study, 114 children were enrolled who underwent laparoscopic high-level inguinal hernia ligation between January 2021 and December 2022 and were divided into an early childhood children group and a pre-school children group. The biased coin design (BCD) was used to determine the target doses. A positive response was defined as the effective relief of preoperative anxiety (modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale, mYPAS < 30). The initial nasal dose of remimazolam was 0.5 mg·kg-1 in the two groups. An increment or decrement of 0.1 mg·kg-1 was applied depending on the sedative responses. Isotonic regression and bootstrapping methods were used to calculate the ED95 and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), respectively. A total of 80 children completed the study, including 40 in the early childhood group and 40 in the pre-school children group. As statistical analysis indicated, the ED95 of a single intranasal infusion of remimazolam for the relief of preoperative anxiety is 1.57 mg·kg-1 (95% CI: 1.45-1.59 mg·kg-1) in early childhood children and 1.09 mg·kg-1 (95% CI: 0.99-1.11 mg·kg-1) in pre-school children, and the CIs did not overlap each other. Remimazolam is an effective medication to relieve preoperative anxiety in children. Moreover, the ED95 of single nasal administration of remimazolam for effective relief of preoperative anxiety was 1.57 and 1.09 mg·kg-1 in early childhood children and pre-school children, respectively.

Incidence of preoperative anxiety and associated features in children undergoing general anesthesia for a surgery in Middle East population

Background: Children usually experience anxiety before undergoing general anesthesia. We did this prospective cross-sectional study to find the incidence of preoperative anxiety in children undergoing surgery in a tertiary care hospital.&#x0D; Methodology: This study was conducted at Security Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We included children aged 2-12 y, who were planned to undergo general anesthesia for surgery. Preoperatively, children’s anxiety level was assessed using mYPAS (Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale) scale. We report the incidence of preoperative anxiety as numbers and percentages. We also report the features of children with preoperative anxiety.&#x0D; Results: A total of 96 children were included in the study. The median anxiety score of children was 26.60 (23.3-41.66). The incidence of preoperative anxiety in pediatric patients was 42.7% (41 cases). The median age of children having preoperative anxiety was lower 55 (44-69.5) months vs 67 (35-90) months in children without anxiety. Sixty-three percent of children with preoperative anxiety underwent ENT and dental surgeries.&#x0D; Conclusion: We found an incidence of 42.7% of preoperative anxiety in children undergoing surgery at our hospital.&#x0D; Key words; Preoperative Anxiety; Anxiety Score; General Anesthesia; PACU&#x0D; Citation: Huda AU, Arif A, Asim Z. Incidence of preoperative anxiety and associated features in children undergoing general anesthesia for a surgery in Middle East population. Anaesth. pain intensive care 2023;27(5):575−578; DOI: 10.35975/apic.v27i5.2314&#x0D; Received: August 05, 2023; Reviewed: August 21, 2023; Accepted: August 26, 2023

Individual cartoon video for alleviating perioperative anxiety and reducing emergence delirium in children: a prospective randomised trial

BackgroundPerioperative anxiety and emergence delirium (ED) in young children may cause a series of adverse events, which are worth investigating. Pharmacological treatments of anxiety and delirium remain uncertain, while non-pharmacological...

A noninferiority trial on information-based video versus self-selected video distraction technique for preoperative anxiety reduction in school children: Prepare trial.

Distraction techniques using smartphones to watch cartoon videos and play videogames have been successfully used to reduce preoperative anxiety in school children. However, the literature about the use of video-based preoperative information technique for anxiety reduction in that age group still remains understudied with conflicting results. We hypothesized that there would be no meaningful difference in anxiety score at induction period between the information-based video versus self-selected video distraction technique. Eighty-two children between 6 and 12 years undergoing surgery were randomized to self-selected video (n = 41) and information-based video (n = 41) distraction group in this prospective, randomized, noninferiority trial. Children in self-selected video group were shown video of their choice using smart phones, while children in the information-based video group were shown video of operation theater (OT) set up and induction procedure. The children were taken inside operating room along with parents watching the respective videos. Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (m-YPAS), just before induction of anesthesia was recorded as the primary outcome. Induction compliance checklist score, anxiety of the parents, and short-term postoperative outcomes in 15 days (telephonically) were recorded as secondary outcomes. The mean difference in the baseline mYPAS score (95% CI) between the two groups was -2.7 (-8.2 to 2.8, p = .33) and -6.39 (-12.74 to -0.44, p = .05) just before the induction period. The upper bound of the 95% CI did not cross the value of 8, which was the noninferiority margin decided prior to study commencement. 70.73% cases had perfect induction in the self-selected video distraction group, compared to 68.29% in the information-based video group. After 15 days of postoperative follow-up, participants in the self-selected video group had a larger proportion of negative outcomes (53.7%) compared to information-based video group (31.7%), p = .044. Information-based technique using smart phone is non inferior to self-selected video-based distraction-based technique in decreasing PA with an additional advantage of decreasing postoperative short-term negative outcomes. CTRI identifier: CTRI/2020/03/023884.

A COMPARISON OF EFFICACY OF INTRANASAL FENTANYL AND INTRANASAL DEXMEDETOMIDINE AS PREMEDICATION IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the effects of intranasal fentanyl compared to intranasal dexmedetomidine, when used for relieving pre-operative anxiety in children on the basis of onset and quality of anxiolysis, parental separation, hemodynamic stability, and cooperation to mask holding. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted in Government Medical college Kottayam for a period of 12 months from December 2021 to December 2022, randomly assigned a total of 40 pediatric patients (the American Society of Anesthesiologists I and II) in the age group 3–6 years, undergoing elective surgeries requiring general anesthesia who received either intranasal fentanyl (group F) or intranasal dexmedetomidine (group D). Onset and quality of anxiolysis was compared using modified Yale pre-operative anxiety scale. Parental separation score, hemodynamic stability, and cooperation to mask holding were compared. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results: Children who received intranasal fentanyl as premedication had better quality and onset of anxiolysis as compared to dexmedetomidine group. In parent-child separation, intranasal fentanyl was found to be better than intranasal dexmedetomidine. Conclusion: We conclude that intranasal fentanyl is superior to intranasal dexmedetomidine in relieving pre-operative anxiety in pediatric population of age 3–6 years.

Preoperative anxiety level is not associated with postoperative negative behavioral changes in premedicated children.

Anesthesia preinduction anxiety in children can according to some studies lead to long-term anxiety and negative behavioral changes (NBC), while other studies have not found this effect. This secondary analysis from a recent premedication trial comparing clonidine and midazolam aimed to test the relation between preoperative anxiety assessed with modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (mYPAS) and postoperative NBCs assessed with Post Hospital Behavior Questionnaire (PHBQ), regardless of premedication type. This is a planned secondary analysis from a published premedication comparison trial in an outpatient surgery cohort, children aged 2-7 years. Participant and preoperative factors, particularly preoperative anxiety as mYPAS scores, were assessed for association with development of postoperative NBCs. Fifty-four of the 115 participants had high preinduction anxiety (mYPAS >30), and 19 of 115 developed >3 postoperative NBCs 1 week after surgery. There was no association between preinduction anxiety level as mYPAS scores and the development of postoperative NBCs at 1 week after surgery (10 of 19 had both, p=.62) nor after 4- or 26-weeks post-surgery. Only lower age was associated with development of NBCs postoperatively. Based on the findings from this cohort, high preinduction anxiety does not appear to be associated with NBCs postoperatively in children premedicated with clonidine or midazolam.

Anxiety of parents and children undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy correlates with sedative doses

Aim: Sedation is a fundamental component of the pediatric gastrointestinal endoscopy (GIE). The dosing of drugs to be used for sedating the child is an important aspect of the efficacy and safety of procedural sedation. Besides, outpatient procedures are stressful situations for pediatric patients and also their families, and therefore, parental anxiety may affect children indirectly. The first aim of the study was to assess the association between parental anxiety and required sedative dose in children undergoing GIE. The second aim was to assess the factors associated with children’s preoperative anxiety. &#x0D; Material and Method: This study was a prospective, observational, and single-center study performed by the same fellowship-trained pediatric gastroenterology specialist and the same anesthesiology specialist. Parental anxiety was evaluated with the State-Trait-Anxiety-Scale (STAI) and children's anxiety was evaluated with the Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (mYPAS). Midazolam, ketamine, propofol, and fentanyl were administered for the children’s sedation. There were 2 comparisons in this study, the anxiety of parents according to mean STAI scores, and anxiety of children according to mYPAS scores. &#x0D; Results: Of 120 children and parents, 87 parents (73%) and 57 children (48%) had high anxiety. Of 120 parents, 111 parents (92%) were mothers of the children. Younger children had higher anxiety levels. Before and the start of the GIE heart rates of children were higher both in the high anxiety group of parents and children. In sedatives, high anxiety parents’ children and high anxiety children were required more ketamine dosages. (p

Virtual reality increases pressure pain threshold and lowers anxiety in children compared with control and non-immersive control-A randomized, crossover trial.

Virtual reality (VR) is a promising non-pharmacological pain intervention because it may not only distract but also modulate pain by immersing the user in a three-dimensional 360° alternate reality. In children, VR has been reported to reduce clinical pain and anxiety during medical procedures. However, the effect of immersive VR on pain and anxiety remains to be investigated in randomized controlled trials (RCT). The aim of the present crossover RCT was to assess the effect of VR on pressure pain threshold (PPT) and anxiety level measured with the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (mYPAS) in children in a controlled experimental setting. Seventy-two children (mean age 10.2 (6-14) years) were randomized to 24 sequences of four interventions (immersive VR Game, immersive VR video, tablet: 2D video and control: small talk). Outcome measures PPT, mYPAS and heart rate were assessed before and after each intervention. PPT increased significantly during VR game (PPTdiff): 136 kPa (CI 112; 161), p < 0.0001 and VR Video (PPTdiff): 122 kPa (CI 91; 153), p < 0.0001. Also, anxiety levels significantly decreased during both VR game (mYPASdiff: -7 points (-8 to -5), p < 0.0001) and VR video (mYPASdiff: -6 points (CI -7; -4), p < 0.0001). VR had a marked beneficial effect on PPT and anxiety compared with the control interventions: 2D video and small talk. Thus, immersive VR had a distinct modulatory effect on pain and anxiety in a well-controlled experimental setting. Immersive VR was effective and feasible in children and can act as a valid tool for non-pharmacological pain and anxiety management. Paediatric immersive VR seems to be beneficial although well-controlled studies are pending. We investigated whether immersive VR can modulate children's threshold for pain and anxiety level in an experimental well-controlled setting. We document a modulatory pain threshold increase and anxiety level decrease compared with extensive control conditions. Paediatric immersive VR is effective, feasible and valid for non-pharmacological pain and anxiety management. All efforts to reach the goal that no child should experience pain or anxiety when exposed to medical procedures.

Is Preoperative Anxiety Affected by Watching Short Videos on Social Media? A Prospective Randomized Study

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of watching short videos in the preoperative waiting room on preoperative anxiety in children. DesignThis study was designed as a prospective, randomized trial including 69 ASA I-II patients aged 5 to 12 years who were scheduled for elective surgery. MethodsThe children were randomly allocated to two groups. The experimental group browsed short videos on a social media platform (eg, YouTube short, TikTok, Instagram reels) for 20 minutes in the preoperative waiting room, but the control group did not. Children's preoperative anxiety was determined by the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (mYPAS) at different time points: on arrival in the preoperative waiting room (T1), right before being taken to the operating room (OR) (T2), on entering the OR (T3), and during anesthesia induction (T4). The primary outcome of the study was children's anxiety scores at T2. FindingsThe mYPAS scores at T1 were similar in both groups (P = .571). The mYPAS scores at T2, T3, and T4 were significantly lower in the video group than in the control group (P < .001). ConclusionsWatching short videos on social media platforms in the preoperative waiting room lowered preoperative anxiety levels in pediatric patients aged 5 to 12.

A Comparative Study on Effectiveness of Parental Presence versus Sedative Premedication for Reducing Anxiety in Children Undergoing General Anesthesia.

Preoperative anxiety is an important, yet often unattended problem in children. Minimizing anxiety and distress at the time of anesthetic induction may reduce adverse psychological and physiological outcomes. Sedative premedication and parental presence during anesthesia induction are among the most commonly employed strategies for reducing child anxiety. The study aimed to compare the effectiveness of a pharmacological intervention (premedication with midazolam) versus behavioral intervention (parental presence) in reducing preoperative anxiety in children undergoing general anesthesia. Sixty patients of age group of 4-12 years, of ASA Grade 1 and 2 and either sex posted for elective surgery under general anesthesia were divided into two groups of 30 each Group M (midazolam group) and Group P (parental presence). Group M received intravenous midazolam 0.03-0.05 mg/kg preoperatively and anxiety was measured in preoperative room, during separation from parents and during introduction of anesthesia mask, whereas in Group P, parents accompanied the child inside the operation theater and anxiety was measured at preoperative room and during introduction of mask. Parental anxiety was measured in both groups at preoperative room and waiting room. Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (mYPAS) and State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) tool was used to measure anxiety in children and parents, respectively. The mean mYPAS score while the introduction of anesthesia mask in Group M was 31.30 ± 12.04 and in Group P was 63.19 ± 25.31, and the difference was found to be statistically significant (P = 0.001). In preoperative room, there was no significant difference in anxiety in the two study groups. The mean STAI score in Group P was 45.63 ± 1.45 and in Group M was 41.10 ± 1.69, and the difference was found to be statistically significant (P = 0.001). In preoperative room, parental anxiety was found to be comparable among the two groups. The mean duration of induction of anesthesia in Group M was 5.53 ± 1.01 min, and in Group P, it was 8.77 ± 2.03 min. The difference was found to be statistically significant (P = 0.001). Both interventions were effective in reducing anxiety in children, but midazolam was more effective compared to parental presence. Parents in Group M were less anxious in the waiting room than Group P. Children in Group M were more compliant during the induction of anesthesia, hence a lesser duration of induction than Group P.

Comparative efficacy of three different doses of intranasal dexmedetomidine for premedication in children

Preoperative emotional distress in children should be addressed properly for better anesthetic experience. The present study was a Prospective randomized double-blind study to evaluate comparative efficacy of three different doses of intranasal dexmedetomidine for premedication in children. Sixty children were then randomly allocated to one of the three groups of 20 each by a computer generated table. The drug was administered 45 minutes prior to induction of anesthesia intra-nasally. Following intra-nasal drug administration, anxiety was assessed at 0 minutes -baseline, 30 minutes, 45 minutes and at parental separation in the preoperative area just before shifting in operation theater using the mYPAS (modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale). At induction, induction compliance was assessed using the induction compliance checklist and heamodynamic response to definitive airway was assessed.It was observed that intranasal dexmedetomidine in lower doses of 0.5 and 1µg/kg was effective in reducing anxiety from baseline values but was not sufficient for providing anxiolysis at the most stressful time - at parental separation and shifting to OR (Operating room). The dosage of 1.5µg/kg was found to be the most effective dose for allaying preoperative anxiety without any adverse effect. However, this dose was insufficient for optimizing induction as it is mainly anxiolytic and higher doses having additional sedative action may be required to make the child more compliant for induction of anesthesia.Based on our findings, we recommend that intranasal dexmedetomidine in the dose of 1.5µg/kg can be used for allaying preoperative anxiety, without any adverse events.• Question: To evaluate and compare the efficacy of three different doses of intranasal dexmedetomidine for premedication in children for preoperative anxiety using the mYPAS scale. • Findings: Dose of 1.5µg/kg can be used for allaying preoperative anxiety, without any adverse events. • Meaning: Optimum dose of intranasal dexmeditomedine which is efficient to allay preoperative anxiety in children.

Development and validation of a prediction model for preoperative anxiety in children aged 2-12 years old.

Children with preoperative anxiety are at risk of perioperative adverse events, such as reflux aspiration, prolonged induction time, wake agitation, and delirium. Identifying children at high risk of severe preoperative anxiety may help anesthesiologists intervene and manage them in advance. The authors hypothesized that the risk of developing serious preoperative anxiety in children is predictable by variables related to basic information about the parent and child. We developed a clinical prediction model to identify patients vulnerable to severe preoperative anxiety among children aged 2-12 years. We enrolled patients aged 2-12 years who underwent elective surgery under general anesthesia and divided them into derivation (n=340, 70.8%) and validation (n=140, 29.2%) groups. Preoperative anxiety was assessed using the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale, and a high level of preoperative anxiety was defined as a score of >30. The following predictors were collected preoperatively: gender, age, weight, children's education level, only child, history of surgery, waiting time in the anesthesia waiting area, parental education level, parental anxiety, whether venous access had been established in the ward, and whether they had received anti-anxiety interventions. A prediction model was built using binary logistic regression analysis; bootstrap was applied for internal validation, and external validation was performed using the validation datasets. The prediction model had good discrimination, with an area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.961 (95% CI=0.943-0.979) and 0.896 (95% CI=0.842-0.950) in the derivation and validation cohorts, respectively. The predictive variables included in the final clinical model were pharmacological intervention (OR=0.008, 95% CI=0.002-0.025), nonpharmacological intervention (OR=0.342, 95% CI=0.104-1.127), parental education level (OR=0.211, 95% CI=0.108-0.411), parental anxiety (OR=6.15, 95% CI=2.396-15.786), only child (OR=2.417, 95% CI=1.065-5.488), history of surgery (OR=3.513, 95% CI=1.137-10.860), and age (OR=0.692, 95% CI=0.500-0.957). In this study, a clinical prediction model was developed and validated for the first time. The proposed clinical prediction model can help doctors identify children most likely to develop a high level of preoperative anxiety. ChiCTR2100054409 (https://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx).

The effect of active distraction compared to midazolam in preschool children in the perioperative setting: A randomized controlled trial

PurposeThe primary purpose of this study was to compare the effect of active distraction to midazolam as a non-pharmacological method of reducing preoperative anxiety in preschool children. A secondary purpose was to compare emergence delirium, sedation/agitation, and length of stay between groups. Design and methodsPreschool children (N = 99) scheduled for elective surgery participated in this 2-group randomized controlled trial: the active distraction (tablet) group (n = 52) had unlimited playtime with a tablet and the midazolam group (n = 47) were medicated approximately 10 min before mask induced anesthesia. Data were collected using the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale, Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium scale, and Richmond Agitation Sedation Score. Length of stay (LOS) was measured in minutes from PACU admission to discharge. Wilcoxon rank sum, Pearson's chi square, and Fischer's exact tests were used in analysis. ResultsPreschool children (3–5 years old), predominantly male (61%) and White (85%) presented for ear, nose, throat, ophthalmology, urology, and general surgery at a pediatric surgical center within a large Midwestern hospital. There was no significant difference in anxiety, emergence delirium, or sedation/agitation scores between midazolam and tablet groups. Children assigned to the tablet group had shorter LOS (p = 0.021). ConclusionActive distraction with a tablet as an anxiolytic was as effective as midazolam for pre-school aged children with no side effects and reduced length of stay. Practice implicationsPreoperatively, non-pharmacological methods such as active distraction with a tablet should be considered for preschool children as an alternative to medication.