Dexmedetomidine, as a sole or combinable sedative, has served in pediatric sedation undergoing MRI. However, clinical effects of dexmedetomidine are still controversial. This meta-analysis was to assess the effects between dexmedetomidine and propofol in children undergoing MRI, especially outcomes and adverse events of patients. Multiple Electronic Database searched including MEDLINE, Embase and the Cochrane library, and updated to April 2015. All statistical analysis utilized review manager to perform, the Cochrane collaboration's software preparation and maintenance of Cochrane systematic reviews. Five trials with a total of 337 patients were included. Compared with propofol group, dexmedetomidine significantly increased the recovery time (WMD: 10.70 min; 95% CI: 4.26-17.13; P = 0.001). The duration of sedation did not appear to decrease for the patients who received dexmedetomidine than for those who received propofol (WMD: 19.96 min; 95% CI: -4.12-44.04; P = 0.1). There were statistically significant increased in the pediatric anesthesia emergence Delirium scores of 5-min after awakening (WMD: 2.40; 95% CI: 1.00 to 3.81; P = 0.0008) and 10-min after awakening (WMD: 3.06; 95% CI: 1.81 to 4.31; P < 0.00001) in patients who were treated with dexmedetomidine than propofol. Improved the prognosis of patients, nonetheless, dexmedetomidine must have an indispensable role to undergoing pediatric MRI scanning. Compared with propofol, however, dexmedetomidine did not induce the duration of sedation and might lead to a longer recovery time.
Keywords: Dexmedetomidine; MRI; children; general anesthetics; meta-analysis; propofol; randomized controlled trials.