Pharmacologic Management of Sialorrhea in Neonatal and Pediatric Patients

Abstract

Sialorrhea, defined as an excess flow of saliva or excessive secretions, is common in patients with cerebral palsy and other neurologic disorders and is associated with clinical complications such as increased risk of local skin reactions, infections, aspiration, pneumonia, and dehydration. Upon failure of non-pharmacologic measures, clinicians have several noninvasive pharmacologic options available to manage sialorrhea. This review of the literature provides detailed descriptions of medications used, efficacy, safety, and practical considerations for use of non-injectable pharmacologic agents. The literature search included published ­human studies in the English language in PubMed and Google Scholar from 1997 to 2022. Relevant citations within articles were also screened. A total of 15 studies representing 719 pediatric patients were included. Glycopyrrolate, atropine, scopolamine, and trihexyphenidyl all have a potential role for sialorrhea management in children; however, glycopyrrolate remains the most studied option with 374 (n = 52.0%) of the 719 patients included in the systematic review receiving this medication. Overall, glycopyrrolate showed similar efficacy but higher tolerability than its comparators in 2 comparative studies and is often considered the first-line agent. Patient-specific (age, route of administration) and medication-specific (dosage formulation, medication strength) considerations must be weighed when initiating a new therapy or switching to another medication upon treatment failure. Owing to the high propensity of adverse events with all agents, clinicians should consider initiating doses at the lower end of the dosage range, as previous studies have noted a dose-dependent relationship.