A Study to Compare the Long-term Outcomes After Two Different Anaesthetics
Status:
Recruiting
Trial end date:
2022-06-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
There is considerable evidence that most general anaesthetics modulate brain development in
animal studies. The impact is greater with longer durations of exposure and in younger
animals. There is great controversy over whether or not these animal data are relevant to
human clinical scenarios.
The changes seen in preclinical studies are greatest with GABA agonists and NMDA antagonists
such as volatile anaesthetics (eg sevoflurane), propofol, midazolam, ketamine, and nitrous
oxide. There is less evidence for an effect with opioid (such as remifentanil) or with alpha
2 agonists (such as dexmedetomidine).
Some, but not all, human cohort studies show an association between exposure to anaesthesia
in infancy or early childhood and later changes in cognitive tests, school performance or
risk of developing neurodevelopmental disorders. The evidence is weak due to possible
confounding.
A recent well designed cohort study (the PANDA study) comparing young children that had
hernia repair to their siblings found no evidence for a difference in a range of detailed
neuropsychological tests. In that study most children were exposed to up to two hours of
anaesthesia. The only trial (the GAS trial) has compared children having hernia repair under
regional or general anesthesia and has found no evidence for a difference in neurodevelopment
when tested at two years of age. The GAS and PANDA studies confirm the animal data that short
exposure is unlikely to cause any neurodevelopmental impact.
The impact of longer exposures is still unknown. In humans the strongest evidence for an
association between surgery and poor neurodevelopmental outcome is in infants having major
surgery. However, this is also the group where confounding is most likely.
The aim of our study is to see if a new combination of anaesthetic drugs results in a better
long-term developmental outcome than the current standard of care for children having
anaesthesia expected to last 2 hours or longer.
Children will be randomised to receive either a low dose
sevoflurane/remifentanil/dexmedetomidine or standard dose sevoflurane anaesthetic.
They will receive a neurodevelopmental assessment at 3 years of age to assess global
cognitive function.
Phase:
Phase 3
Details
Lead Sponsor:
Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
Collaborators:
Baylor College of Medicine Boston Children's Hospital Boston Children’s Hospital Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Erasmus Medical Center Flinders Medical Centre Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy John Hunter Hospital Oregon Health and Science University Perth Children's Hospital Princess Margaret Hospital for Children Queensland Children's Hospital Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne Starship Children's Health Sydney Children's Hospitals Network Sydney Children's Network Texas Medical Center The Cleveland Clinic University Hospital, Geneva University Medical Center Groningen University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas University of Toronto Uppsala University Hospital Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide