Background: The incidences of dystonic reactions to metoclopramide and prochlorperazine have not been well characterized in children.
Methods: Medical record data were reviewed for patients at a tertiary care pediatric hospital who received metoclopramide or prochlorperazine for treatment of headache.
Results: A total of 4588 clinical encounters were identified, 2542 with prochlorperazine and 2046 with metoclopramide. One patient had a dystonic reaction with metoclopramide (0.049%). Eleven patients had a dystonic reaction with prochlorperazine (0.43%). The relative risk of a dystonic reaction with prochlorperazine over metoclopramide is 8.85 (95% confidence interval 1.15 to 68.5). There were differences between groups of patients who received metoclopramide versus prochlorperazine in terms of age, number of doses, and coadministration of diphenhydramine. In a logistic regression, administration of prochlorperazine over metoclopramide (P = 0.019) and greater number of doses (P < 0.001) remained associated with acute dystonic reactions.
Conclusions: Dystonic reactions are rare events among pediatric patients treated for acute headache, but are more common with prochlorperazine than metoclopramide.
Keywords: Dopamine receptor antagonists; Extrapyramidal side effects; Migraine cocktail.
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