RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of hydroxyzine as a premedication agent for the acceptance of facial mask during induction of general anaesthesia in children. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective randomized single-blind study including ASA 1 and 2 children, aged between 1 and 9 years and undergoing outpatient surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were randomly allocated to receive orally either 1mg/kg hydroxyzine (G1) or water 0.1 ml/kg (G2) one hour before induction of standardized inhalational anaesthesia. Tolerance of facial mask was assessed with a 3-points scale (good, moderate or poor). Chi-square and Student's t-test were used in statistical analysis; p values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: One hundred patients were included (G1 = 49, G2 = 51). Demographic data were similar in both groups. Acceptance of facial mask was significantly better in G1 than in G2 (p = 0,002). CONCLUSION: Hydroxyzine provided better acceptance of facial mask than placebo during induction of general anaesthesia in children.