Single-dose chloral hydrate for benign convulsions with mild gastroenteritis

Purpose: To reveal the efficacy of single-dose treatment with chloral hydrate (CH) for clustering seizures in benign convulsions with mild gastroenteritis. Methods: We retrospectively studied the details of treatment in 33 patients with ages ranging from 7 to 39 months. The time-series records of seizures and processes of drug administrations were investigated. Results: A single-dose therapy with CH was effective in 19 of 22 patients (86%), and diazepam in two of 16 (13%). The doses of CH in patients having a successful treatment with single-dose therapy ranged from 41.7 to 62.5 mg/kg (mean 50.2). In two patients, seizures were resistant to single-dose CH therapy, and their doses of CH were 33.8 and 35.1 mg/kg. Conclusions: An advantage of the single-dose therapy with CH was shown. We recommend treatment with a sufficient dose of not less than 40 mg/kg of CH.