Invited Commentary

Commentary on "Successful Use of Intravenous Dexmedetomidine for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Sedation in Autistic Children"

Authors: Julie C. Lumeng, MD

Abstract

In this issue of the Southern Medical Journal, Ahmed and colleagues present their case-control study examining the effectiveness of intravenous dexmedetomidine for achieving deep sedation for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) among 56 children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared with 107 children in the control group.1 The authors found that children with ASD could be sedated for MRI successfully using dexmedetomidine and found relatively few significant differences in response between the children with ASD and the control group. Overall, the results provide supportive evidence for implementing this approach in clinical practice and may be a useful guide for clinicians.

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References

1. Ahmed SS, Unland T, Slaven JE, et al. Successful use of intravenous dexmedetomidine for magnetic resonance imaging sedation in autistic children. South Med J 2014;107:565-570.
 
2. Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder among children aged 8 years--autism and developmental disabilities monitoring network, 11 sites, United States, 2010. Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network Surveillance Year 2010 Principal Investigators; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). MMWR Surveill Summ 2014;63:1-21.
 
3. Volkmar F, Siegel M, Woodbury-Smith M, et al. Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2014;53:237-257.
 
4. Volkmar FR, Nelson DS. Seizure disorders in autism. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1990;29:127-129.
 
5. Shevell M, Ashwal S, Donley D, et al. Practice parameter: evaluation of the child with global developmental delay: report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the Practice Committee of the Child Neurology Society. Neurology 2003;60:367-380.
 
6. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed, Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing, 2013.