METHODS

Design:

randomised controlled trial.

Allocation:

concealed.*

Blinding:

blinded (patients, investigators, {data collectors, outcome assessors, and data analysts}†).*

Follow up period:

up to discharge.

Setting:

emergency department (ED) of a tertiary care paediatric hospital.

Patients:

100 patients 2–18 years of age (mean age 8.7 y, 50% boys) who presented to the ED with a displaced extremity fracture requiring sedation and analgesia for closed reduction. Exclusion criteria included respiratory tract infection, haemodynamic instability, recent head injury, known seizure disorder, heart or lung disease, craniofacial anomaly, adrenocortical dysfunction, pregnancy, allergy to study drugs, consumption of solids <6 hours or liquids <2 hours previously, and inability to obtain …