The efficacy of benzodiazepines as acute anxiolytics in children: A meta-analysis

Depression and Anxiety
Heide KuangMichael H Bloch

Abstract

Current practice guidelines do not recommend benzodiazepines for acute management of anxiety disorders in pediatric patients. However, in procedural settings, benzodiazepines are commonly used to relieve acute preprocedural stress. This meta-analysis examines the efficacy and tolerability of benzodiazepines as short-term anxiolytics in children. PubMed was searched for randomized controlled trials assessing the efficacy of benzodiazepines as short-term anxiolytics in pediatric patients. Twenty-one trials involving 1,416 participants were included. A fixed effects model was used to examine the standardized mean difference of improvement in anxiety levels compared to control conditions. In stratified subgroup and meta-regression, the effect of the specific agent, dose, timing, and setting of benzodiazepine treatment was examined. A significant benefit was seen for benzodiazepines compared to control (standardized mean difference = 0.71 [95% confidence interval, 0.60-0.82], k = 24, z = 12.7, P < .001). There was also funnel plot asymmetry in this meta-analysis, suggesting some evidence of publication bias. Moderator analyses found that when benzodiazepines were used in dental or nonoperating room procedures, they were more effecti...Continue Reading

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Citations

May 10, 2018·Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology·Amalia Londono TobonMichael H Bloch
Oct 22, 2019·Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology·Zoe A BarczykRoger T Mulder
Jun 6, 2020·Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines·Jeffrey R StrawnJohn T Walkup
Jul 1, 2021·Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy·Avigal SnirStefan G Hofmann

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