Description of the Properties of an Herbal Admixture (BabySed) During Trans‐Thoracic Echocardiography in Children Under Six Years Old, and Comparison to Chloral Hydrate

Background This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of herbal mixture versus chloral hydrate for sedation induction in the pediatric population undergoing echocardiography. Patients and Methods Seventy pediatric patients referred to the echocardiography clinic were randomly allocated to receive either the herbal mixture or chloral hydrate for sedation induction. Sedation adequacy, echocardiography completion, onset and duration of action, and adverse effects were compared between the two groups from April 2022 to July 2022. Results Over a 4‐month period, 70 patients received chloral hydrate (50 mg/kg) or an herbal admixture based on the company leaflet. The mean age of the patients was 20.95 ± 16.63 months, with the majority being male (58.3%). Adequate sedation was similar between the two groups. A Ramsay sedation score of ≥ 4 was achieved in 90% of the patients in the herbal product group and in 96.7% of the patients in the chloral hydrate group (OR: 0.31, relative risk 95% CI: 0.03–3.16, p:0.32). Oxygen desaturation and blood pressure fluctuations were not observed during the procedure or recovery. Chloral hydrate had a shorter onset of action and a longer duration of action ( p = 0.029, p < 0.001), respectively and was associated with higher adverse effects ( p < 0.001). Conclusions The results of our study suggest that an herbal mixture can be effectively used for procedural sedation during echocardiography in children.