Determining the Pharmacogenetic Basis of Non-responsiveness to the Sedative Effects of Dexmedetomidine in Children

Intranasal Dexmedetomidine is one of the sedative drugs of choice commonly used as an anxiolytic premedication for children for diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. However, some children do not achieve the level of sedation expected with the usual dose after an expected timeframe, leading to distress and costly time wasted. In this study, we would try to identify a genetic basis to non-responders of Dexmedetomidine by comparing a chosen gene panel of 250 relevant genes between responders and non-responders to a standardized 3mcg/kg intranasal Dexmedetomidine.