Click here to subscribe to PAAD.

Opioids and Benzodiazepines in the NICU: Sophie’s Choice
Myron Yaster, MD

Original Article
Puia-Dumitrescu M, Comstock BA, Li S, Heagerty PJ, Perez KM, Law JB, Wood TR, Gogcu S, Mayock DE, Juul SE, Consortium P: Assessment of 2-Year Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Extremely Preterm Infants Receiving Opioids and Benzodiazepines. JAMA Netw Open 2021 Jul 1;4(7):e2115998. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.15998 PMID: 34232302

Original Article
Christopher McPherson, Steven P Miller, Mohamed El-Dib, An N Massaro, Terrie E Inder. The influence of pain, agitation, and their management on the immature brain.  Pediatr Res. 2020 Aug;88(2):168-175. PMID: 31896130

How or should we treat prolonged pain and sedation in the NICU (or PICU)?  On the one hand, pain produces brain injury in the newborn (see Christopher McPherson et al. above), on the other hand, are opioids and benzodiazepines safe, particularly when used for prolonged periods of time?

Food Allergy and Propofol
Myron Yaster, MD

Original Article
Lisa Bagley, Anna Kordun, Sean Sinnott, Kimberly Lobo, Joseph Cravero. Food allergy history and reaction to propofol administration in a large pediatric population. Paediatr Anaesth. 2021 May;31(5):570-577. PMID: 33529424

Is it safe to use propofol in patients with known food allergy to eggs or soy?

Shark!
Myron Yaster, MD, Mary Ellen McCann, MD, and Michael Nemergut, MD

Original Article
David O Warner, Danqing Hu, Michael J Zaccariello, Darrell R Schroeder, Andrew C Hanson, Robert T Wilder, Juraj Sprung, Randall P Flick. Association Between Behavioral and Learning Outcomes and Single Exposures to Procedures Requiring General Anesthesia Before Age 3: Secondary Analysis of Data From Olmsted County, MN. Anesth Analg 2021 Jul 1;133(1):160-167  PMID: 32932391

Is a single anesthetic exposure in the very young associated with learning disabilities?