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Investigators retrospectively assessed risk factors for apnea in children <15 years of age transported by paramedics for non-traumatic seizures to one of two Los Angeles County pediatric emergency departments (EDs) during 2010 and 2011. Apnea was defined as hypoventilation resulting in bag-mask ventilation or intubation within 30 minutes of ED arrival.
Of 1584 children (median age, 2 years), 71 (5%) had apnea. A total of 214 (14%) patients were treated with midazolam (0.1 mg/kg) by paramedics. Seizure on ED arrival and field treatment with midazolam were independently associated with apnea (adjusted odds ratios, 15 and 4, respectively); age, developmental delay, and fever were not associated with apnea. Among children who received midazolam,…