Anticholinergic premedication-induced fever in paediatric ambulatory ketamine anaesthesia

OBJECTIVE: A randomized, double-blind, prospective study to evaluate the effect of anticholinergic drugs on thermoregulation in paediatric patients undergoing ambulatory anaesthesia with ketamine. METHODS: Patients were randomized to receive either 0.005 mg/kg glycopyrrolate or the equivalent volume of normal saline (placebo) at 30 min before ketamine anaesthesia. Body temperature was measured tympanically at baseline and at 0, 30, 60 and 90 min postoperatively. The quantity of saliva prodiced during surgery and incidence of fever were recorded. RESULTS: Body temperature was significantly higher in the glycopyrrolate group (n = 42) than the placebo group (n = 42) at 30, 60 and 90 min after surgery, and higher than baseline at 0, 30, 60 and 90 min after surgery. In the placebo group, body temperature was significantly higher than baseline at 0 and 30 min after surgery. Saliva secretion was significantly lower in the glycopyrrolate group than the placebo group. CONCLUSION: Routine premedication with adjunctive anticholinergics should not be considered in paediatric patients receiving ketamine sedation due to the increased risk of fever. Trial registration number, Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02430272