MAIN RESULTS: Only one trial was found, in which children were allocated
lorazepam or
diazepam. The main results are as follows. (1) One or two intravenous doses stopped the convulsion in 19 of 27 (70%)
lorazepam and 22 of the 34 (65%) intravenous
diazepam-treated children. The relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was 1.09(95% CI 0.77 to 1.54). A single dose of rectal
lorazepam stopped the convulsion in six of six, compared to six of 19 children treated with rectal
diazepam, RR 3.17(95% CI 1.63 to 6.14). (2) Six of the 27 (22%) intravenous
lorazepam and 12 of the 34 (35%) intravenous
diazepam-treated children respectively, experienced a further convulsion within 24 hours after presentation RR 0.63(95% CI 0.27 to 1.46). (3) Only one of 27 children (4%) who received intravenous
lorazepam compared to five of 34 children (15%) who received intravenous
diazepam required additional
antiepileptic drugs to terminate the presenting seizure RR 0.25(95% CI 0.03 to 2.03). (4) A lower incidence of
respiratory depression occurred in the
lorazepam-treated group: one of 27 (4%) children compared to seven of 34 in the
diazepam-treated group (21%), RR 0.21(95% CI 0.02 to 1.37).
REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: