Study	Reason for exclusion
Batra 2010	No newborns included.
Delous 2010	Spinal administration of clonidine. RCT in 47 preterm and 63 term newborns. Infants were randomised to either clonidine 1 μg/kg or saline. Both groups received spinal anaesthesia with bupivacaine 1 mg/kg. Spinal anaesthesia was prolonged in the clonidine group in both preterm and term infants. Incidence and severity of apnoea did not differ between clonidine and control. Available as an abstract only.
Rochette 2004	Spinal administration of clonidine. RCT in 75 neonates, including 50% of former preterm infants, undergoing elective inguinal herniorrhaphy. Used clonidine 0.25 μg/kg, 0.5 μg/kg, 1 μg/kg, or 2 μg/kg, or no intervention. Both groups received spinal anaesthesia with bupivacaine 1 mg/kg. Infants receiving clonidine 1 μg/kg doubled the duration of spinal block compared to the control group. Infants receiving the highest dose of clonidine (2 μg/kg) were affected more often with transient hypotension and need for caffeine administration.

RCT: randomised controlled trial.