| Methods | Randomized controlled trial | |
| Participants | 3 months‐10 years, ASA I‐II, day case infraumbilical or ENT procedures < 3 hours' surgical time Exclusion criteria: pneumonia in the previous year, anticipated difficult intubation, CVS or CNS disease, congenital cardiac or respiratory anomalies, renal or hepatic insufficiency, family history of muscle disorders (malignant hyperthermia), general anaesthesia in past 2 weeks Recruitment: 39 participants (20 in control group, 19 in intervention group) Location: Spain | |
| Interventions | Intervention group: halothane induction and maintenance Control group: sevoflurane induction and maintenance All participants: midazolam premedication 0.2 mg/kg intranasally, nitrous oxide during induction and maintenance, caudal or ilioinguinal block for infraumbilical procedures, fentanyl 2 mcg/kg IV for ENT procedures, postoperative analgesia with paracetamol 10 mg/kg | |
| Outcomes | Reported emergence agitation rate but no specific scale or definition used Other outcomes: time until awakening, recovery (Aldrete scale) scores, adverse effects during recovery period | |
| Notes | English abstract, full paper in Spanish | |
| Risk of bias | ||
| Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) | Unclear risk | "Randomly assigned," method of random sequence generation not stated |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) | Unclear risk | method of allocation concealment not stated |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes | Low risk | child blinded, anaesthetist not blinded |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes | Unclear risk | not stated |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes | Low risk | no withdrawals |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) | Low risk | report incidence of EA |