Temazepam and trimeprazine compared with placebo as premedication in children. An investigation extended into the first 2 weeks at home.

Temazepam, trimeprazine and placebo were compared as premedication in 85 children undergoing routine otolaryngological operations. Premedication with trimeprazine caused significantly more sedation than temazepam or placebo in patients on arrival in the anaesthetic room (P less than 0.02). Recovery time was significantly longer after trimeprazine than temazepam or placebo (P less than 0.012). Significantly more children (P less than 0.05) failed to recall a picture shown immediately before induction after trimeprazine and temazepam than with placebo. Fewer patients vomited after operation with trimeprazine than with temazepam or placebo (P less than 0.01). The majority of children exhibited some behavioural problem during the first 2 weeks at home, although this rarely lasted for more than a few days. More children exhibited apathetic/withdrawn behaviour after receiving placebo (P less than 0.05), although the significance of this should be interpreted with caution.