Fig. 10. Sedation scores during the first hour after control (0 μg · kg⁻¹· h⁻¹) and infusions of 2, 4, and 6 μg · kg⁻¹· h⁻¹dexmedetomidine for 10 min (corresponding to 0.33, 0.66, and 1.0 μg/kg). Transient sedation occurred in children at all three doses of dexmedetomidine, although the small numbers of children and the sedation scale that was used precluded establishing a dose–response relation. Some children recovered from their sedation before the end of the hour and were sedated with propofol or were taken directly to the operating room for surgery. These children were no longer evaluated for dexmedetomidine sedation; hence the number of evaluable children diminished toward the end of the observation period.