Need For Sedation Research Articles

Involuntary sedation of patients in the emergency department for mental health: A retrospective cohort study

BackgroundInvoluntary sedation of agitated mental health patients in the Emergency Department (ED) is standard practice to obtain accurate medical assessments and maintain safety. However, the rate of this practice and what factors are associated with the use of involuntary sedation is unknown. The purpose of this study was to obtain baseline data on involuntary sedation in our EDs. MethodsRetrospective chart review of patients with ED visits for mental health care in 2020–2021. Patients >12 years old who received both a psychiatry consultation and involuntary sedation were included. Data variables included demographics, medical and mental health diagnoses, sedatives given, substance use, ED length of stay, and disposition. The primary outcome was repeated involuntary sedation. ResultsInvoluntary sedation was used in 18.8% of the mental health patients screened for study inclusion. 334 patients were included in the study cohort and 31.6% (n = 106) required repeated involuntary sedation. Their average age was 35.5 ± 13.5 years with 58.4% men, 40.1% women, and 1.2% transgender persons. Most (90.0%, n = 299) had prior mental health diagnoses with the most common being substance use disorder (38.9%, n = 130), bipolar disorder (34.1%, n = 114), depressive disorder (29.0%, n = 97), and schizophrenia (24.3%, n = 81). Two-thirds (65.9%, n = 220) had current substance use and 41.9% (n = 142) reported current use with a chemical associated with aggression. Hospital security was called for 73.1% (n = 244). Current cocaine, methamphetamines, or alcohol use was associated with decreased odds of repeated sedation (0.52 OR, 95% CI 0.32–0.85). Prior mental health diagnosis and non-white race were associated with increased odds of repeated sedation. In the multivariable regression, the effect of race was more significant. ConclusionsInvoluntary sedation was used in 18.8% of ED patients for mental health care and almost a third were repeatedly sedated, with race being a potential risk factor for repeated sedation. ED care could benefit from evidence-based interventions to reduce the need for involuntary sedation.

Safety and efficacy of remimazolam tosilate combined with low-dose fentanyl for procedural sedation in obese patients undergoing gastroscopy: study protocol for a single-centre, double-blind, randomised controlled trial

IntroductionObese patients are susceptible to hypoxaemia during procedural sedation. Propofol combined with low-dose opioids is commonly used as a sedation strategy, but it can exacerbate hypoxaemia by causing cardiopulmonary depression...

Testing a Home Solution for Preparing Young Children for an Awake MRI: A Promising Smartphone Application.

Thanks to its non-invasive nature and high-resolution imaging capabilities, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a valuable diagnostic tool for pediatric patients. However, the fear and anxiety experienced by young children during MRI scans often result in suboptimal image quality and the need for sedation/anesthesia. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a smartphone application called COSMO@home to prepare children for MRI scans to reduce the need for sedation or general anesthesia. The COSMO@home app was developed incorporating mini-games and an engaging storyline to prepare children for learning goals related to the MRI procedure. A multicenter study was conducted involving four hospitals in Belgium. Eligible children aged 4-10 years were prepared with the COSMO@home app at home. Baseline, pre-scan, and post-scan questionnaires measured anxiety evolution in two age groups (4-6 years and 7-10 years). Eighty-two children participated in the study, with 95% obtaining high-quality MRI images. The app was well-received by children and parents, with minimal technical difficulties reported. In the 4-6-year-old group (N = 33), there was a significant difference between baseline and pre-scan parent-reported anxiety scores, indicating an increase in anxiety levels prior to the scan. In the 7-10-year-old group (N = 49), no significant differences were observed between baseline and pre-scan parent-reported anxiety scores. Overall, the COSMO@home app proved to be useful in preparing children for MRI scans, with high satisfaction rates and successful image outcomes across different hospitals. The app, combined with minimal face-to-face guidance on the day of the scan, showed the potential to replace or assist traditional face-to-face training methods. This innovative approach has the potential to reduce the need for sedation or general anesthesia during pediatric MRI scans and its associated risks and improve patient experience.

Multicenter Pilot Trial of Intrathecal Liposomal Cytarabine Combined with FAB Chemoimmunotherapy with Reduced Doxorubicin in CAYA with Mature De-Novo B-NHL

Background: Children, adolescents, and young adults (C-AYA) with newly diagnosed advanced Mature B Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (MB-NHL), specifically Burkitt Lymphoma (BL) and Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), have achieved ≥ 90% overall survival with multi-agent chemotherapy and intrathecal chemotherapy (IT) without central nervous system (CNS) radiation (Cairo et al., Blood 2007; Goldman/Cairo et al., BJH 2014; Frazier/Cairo, et al., BJH 2014; Minard-Colin, et al., NEJM 2020). Standard therapy includes short but intensive courses of multiagent chemotherapy including CNS-penetrating high dose methotrexate and cytarabine for CNS penetration as well as vincristine, prednisone, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide with or without etoposide. Patients also receive 9, 10 and 13 IT doses of intrathecal chemotherapy when treated according to FAB Group B, FAB Group C (CNS -) and FAB Group C (CNS +) protocols, respectively. While this approach has effectively eliminated need for CNS radiation for disease control, the need for sedation of patients during these procedures results in the need for repeated episodes of patient fasting, increased healthcare costs, and most importantly, general anesthesia is associated with long-term late effects in cognitive development (Banerjee et al., JAMA Oncol, 2019). Liposomal cytarabine (LC) is a formulation of cytarabine encapsulated in spherical multivesicular, biodegradable particles known as DepoCyt® which has a maximum-tolerated intrathecal dose of 35 mg in patients between the ages of 3 and 21 years (Bomgaars et al., JCO, 2004). This liposomal formulation has a half-life of 100-263 hours compared with only 3.4 hours of standard cytarabine. As an s-phase specific agent, prolonged exposure may increase its efficacy in controlling CNS disease while decreasing the total number of intraventricular doses required for treatment. Objective: To determine the safety and efficacy of reduction of IT therapy and substitution of LC within modified FAB group B and C backbones of systemic immunochemotherapy. Methods: LC was incorporated into the multiagent chemotherapy regimen in a unique manner to mitigate the risk of possible CNS toxicity. A total of 2 doses of LC were administered as part of the prophylaxis IT therapy for Group B and CNS negative group C patients. A total of 4 doses of LC were administered as part of the treatment of Group C CNS + patients (Table 1). The LC was given only in phases of therapy in which no systemic cytarabine was administered. When Methotrexate was given, the LC was only given after clearance. Dexamethasone replaced prednisone for all patients to mitigate potential CNS toxicities from LC. Results: This trial enrolled 33 patients with newly diagnosed MB-NHL (25 Group B, 8 Group C with 7 CNS+). Median age was 12 (Range 3-25). Males comprised 64% of patients and 52% had Burkitt Lymphoma/Leukemia. The CNS was involved in 21% of patients, and a total of 78 doses of LC was given. Twenty-six patients received 2 prophylactic doses (25 Group B and 1 Group C CNS negative). Six of seven CNS + patients received all 4 planned doses of LC. The median days from the start of the induction cycles until LC administration (post methotrexate clearance) was 3 days. Of the 33 patients, only 1 (3%) had a transient Grade 3 adverse event (facial nerve palsy). With dexamethasone prophylaxis, there were minimal adverse events and no toxic deaths reported. There were no other serious adverse events, such as seizure, headaches, nausea, vomiting, fever, somnolence, confusion, or asthenia that have been previously reported. The 2-year EFS and OS of LC when added to an FAB backbone for MB-NHL, was 94.5% and 97.2%, respectively (Figure 1). Conclusions: By utilizing dexamethasone prophylaxis and waiting for systemic methotrexate clearance, we were able to demonstrate that IT LC in C-AYAs with MB-NHL who received FAB chemoimmunotherapy with HD MTX was feasible, safe, and did not compromise event free and overall survival. We were also able to reduce the total number of IT injections without apparent compromise to CNS prophylaxis and treatment.

Pediatric Transplant Interventions

The field of pediatric organ transplantation has grown significantly in recent decades, with interventional radiology (IR) playing an essential role in managing pre- and post-transplant complications. Pediatric transplant patients face unique challenges compared to adults, including donor-recipient size mismatch, and complications of a growing child with changing physiology. Interventional radiologists play a major role in pediatric renal and liver transplant. IR interventions begin early in the child's pre-transplant journey, with diagnostic procedures such as biopsies, angiograms, and cholangiograms. These procedures are essential for understanding the etiology of organ failure and identifying potential transplant candidates. Minimally invasive therapeutic procedures may serve as bridges to transplant and may include vascular access optimization for hemodialysis, TIPS shunt creation, and tumor embolization or ablation. After transplant, image-guided biopsies for the surveillance of graft rejection and treatment of vascular or luminal stenoses, pseudoaneurysms, and anastomotic leaks can maintain the function and longevity of the transplant organ. Careful consideration must be given to patient size and evolving anatomy, radiation exposure, and the need for deeper sedation for pediatric patients. Despite these challenges, the integration of IR in pediatric transplant care has proven beneficial, offering minimally invasive alternatives to surgery, faster recovery times, and improved outcomes.

An Abbreviated Non-Contrast MRI Protocol for Osteomyelitis May Reduce the Need for Sedation in Young Children.

Lengthy MRI examinations in young children often requires sedation. When sedation is unavailable, critical imaging may be delayed. Abbreviating the imaging protocol to a few essential sequences may reduce the need for sedation and prevent delays in patient care. We retrospectively evaluated an abbreviated noncontrast MRI protocol to diagnose lower extremity osteomyelitis in the pediatric population. The IRB approved this study. The radiology information system was searched for lower extremity MRI examinations for osteomyelitis in patients <20 years old from August 2020 to August 2021. Three noncontrast sequences (long axis T1 without fat saturation (FS), long axis STIR, and axial T2 with FS) were independently reviewed by 2 pediatric radiologists. The accuracy of the reviewers was compared to the clinical radiology report based on the unabridged contrast-enhanced standard department protocol. The search yielded 80 exams, mean age was 7 years old, 59% (47/80) were male, and 41% (33/80) were female. The accuracies of reviewer A and reviewer B were 95% and 89%, respectively. The reviewer inter-observer agreement for the diagnosis of osteomyelitis was strong (k=0.79). The accuracy of an abbreviated noncontrast MRI protocol to evaluate lower extremity osteomyelitis in children approaches that of the unabridged protocol and has the potential to decrease the need for sedation in young children.

Costoclavicular Brachial Plexus Block Facilitates Painless Upper Extremity Reduction: A Case Report.

The costoclavicular brachial plexus block (CCBPB) has emerged as a more effective approach to regional anesthesia of the upper extremity. The costoclavicular space is the anterior portion of the superior thoracic aperture, located between the clavicle and first rib. The brachial plexus cords traverse this space clustered together in a superficial location lateral to the axillary artery and share a consistent topographical relationship to one another. By targeting the brachial plexus at this specific anatomical location, the CCBPB offers a powerful, single-shot, sensorimotor block of the upper extremity below the shoulder. We present a novel application of the CCBPB to facilitate emergency department (ED) analgesia and closed reduction of an upper extremity fracture. A 25-year-old male presented to the ED with a traumatic Colles fracture sustained during a high-speed motor vehicle collision. Despite multimodal analgesia, the patient reported intractable severe pain with intolerance of radial manipulation. An ultrasound-guided CCBPB was performed to augment pain control and avoid procedural sedation, resulting in dense, surgical anesthesia of the upper extremity, and painless fracture reduction. Regional anesthesia is an effective component of multimodal pain management and another tool in the emergency physician's analgesic armamentarium. In acute orthopedic traumas necessitating emergent reduction, regional blocks serve as rescue pain control and can obviate the need for procedural sedation. In terms of targeted upper extremity analgesia, the CCBPB offers effective, single-shot, sensorimotor blockade below the shoulder, mitigating use of opioids and their deleterious side effects, while simultaneously avoiding incomplete blockade or phrenic nerve palsy associated with other approaches to brachial plexus blockade.

Cerebral Vasculopathy in Children with Neurofibromatosis Type 1.

Cerebrovascular abnormalities are a severe and often underrecognized complication of childhood neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). There are no prospective studies of cerebral vasculopathy in NF1; thus, the estimated frequency of vasculopathy varies between studies. The data is difficult to interpret due to the retrospective data collection and variability in whether imaging is done based on screening/surveillance or due to acute neurologic symptoms. The prevalent NF1-associated cerebral vasculopathy is moyamoya syndrome (MMS). Vascular changes can present without symptoms or with acute TIA or stroke-like symptoms or a range of progressive neurologic deficits. Advanced imaging may enhance sensitivity of neuroimaging in children. Medical and/or surgical interventions may prevent short- and long-term complications. Challenges for establishment of a screening protocol for cerebral vasculopathy in children with NF1 include the relatively large number of patients with NF1, the potential need for sedation to achieve quality imaging and the broad age range at time of detection for cerebral vascular changes. The goal of this review is to present the epidemiology, clinical presentation, imaging features and medical/surgical management of cerebral arteriopathies in children with NF1.

Intranasal Dexmedetomidine With Intravenous Midazolam: A Safe and Effective Alternative in the Paediatric MRI Sedation.

Background and aims MRI sedation in paediatrics includes challenges like respiratory depression, maintaining haemodynamic stability and use of neuroprotective drugs, since MRI is performed in remote places outside the operating room with a lack of support staff and nonavailability of choice of medications and equipments. Theprimary aim was to use a combination of the drugs to encounter the above challenges and look for its efficacy. The secondary aim of the study was to determine the rate of successful completion of MRIin children using a combination of intranasal dexmedetomidine and intravenous midazolam - without the need for rescue sedatives. Methods This isan observational study involving 60 children in the age group between two months and six years undergoing an MRI. Children belonging to the American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) 1 and 2 were given intranasal dexmedetomidine3µg/kg, time to onset of sedation was noted and injection of midazolam 0.1 mg/kg was given intravenously. MRI was started once the child was asleep. Children who woke up during the MRI were supplemented with inj. propofol 0.5-1mg/kg and were documented. Results The median time duration for MRI was 38.7 min and the onset of sedation after intranasal dexmedetomidine was 18.7 min. The scan was successfully completed with a combination of intranasal dexmedetomidine and intravenous midazolam in 86.7% and only 13.3% of the children woke up either at the start or in between the scan and required the addition of propofol. Conclusion Drugs used for sedation during MRI should not cause respiratory depression and be safe for the developing brain.The above study has shown that a combination of intranasal dexmedetomidine and intravenous midazolam is effective and safe in performing MRIs in paediatrics.

Shortening-The-Line: Reducing the Need for Sedation and General Anesthesia for Dental Care for People with Disabilities

Shortening-The-Line: Reducing the Need for Sedation and General Anesthesia for Dental Care for People with Disabilities

Costoclavicular Brachial Plexus Block Facilitates Painless Upper Extremity Reduction: A Case Report

Introduction: The costoclavicular brachial plexus block (CCBPB) has emerged as a more effective approach to regional anesthesia of the upper extremity. The costoclavicular space is the anterior portion of the superior thoracic aperture, located between the clavicle and first rib. The brachial plexus cords traverse this space clustered together in a superficial location lateral to the axillary artery and share a consistent topographical relationship to one another. By targeting the brachial plexus at this specific anatomical location, the CCBPB offers a powerful, single-shot, sensorimotor block of the upper extremity below the shoulder. We present a novel application of the CCBPB to facilitate emergency department (ED) analgesia and closed reduction of an upper extremity fracture.Case Report: A 25-year-old male presented to the ED with a traumatic Colles fracture sustained during a high-speed motor vehicle collision. Despite multimodal analgesia, the patient reported intractable severe pain with intolerance of radial manipulation. An ultrasound-guided CCBPB was performed to augment pain control and avoid procedural sedation, resulting in dense, surgical anesthesia of the upper extremity, and painless fracture reduction.Conclusion: Regional anesthesia is an effective component of multimodal pain management and another tool in the emergency physician’s analgesic armamentarium. In acute orthopedic traumas necessitating emergent reduction, regional blocks serve as rescue pain control and can obviate the need for procedural sedation. In terms of targeted upper extremity analgesia, the CCBPB offers effective, single-shot, sensorimotor blockade below the shoulder, mitigating use of opioids and their deleterious side effects, while simultaneously avoiding incomplete blockade or phrenic nerve palsy associated with other approaches to brachial plexus blockade.

Analysis of the Use of Non-Invasive Lung Ventilation Support in Newborns and Young Children after Cardiac Surgery

Background. Non-invasive ventilatory support for artificial lung ventilation (ALV) in infants with congenital heart disease after cardiac surgery helps to reduce the duration of invasive ALV, reduce the number of mechanical and infectious complications, and reduce or eliminate the need for sedation.&#x0D; The aim. To analyze the experience of using non-invasive ventilatory support after surgical correction of congenital heart disease in infants and compare its effectiveness with invasive mechanical ventilation.&#x0D; Materials and methods. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the use of non-invasive ALV and its effectiveness compared to invasive mechanical ventilation in children under 1 year of age after cardiac surgery from 2020 to 2022 at the Department of Cardiac Arrest in Newborns and Young Children of the National Amosov Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine. During this period, 134 patients were operated on (38 children under 1 month old, 96 children under 1 year old). In the postoperative period, 85 children (55.9%) needed prolonged mechanical ventilation (more than 24 hours), of which non-invasive ventilation support was used in 32 patients (37.6%) and invasive ventilation in 53 (62.3%) patients.&#x0D; Results. The patients on non-invasive ALV (n = 32) had lower weight (p = 0.23), shorter ventilation time (p = 0.56), and the time spent at the intensive care unit (p = 0.61), required less sedation (p = 0.29), and had lower mortality (p = 0.42) compared to the group of children who received only invasive ventilatory support (n = 53), but this difference was not statistically significant. The need for non-invasive ventilation was higher in 9 (28.12%) infants than in 8 (15.09%) other infants and was statistically significant (p &lt; 0.001).&#x0D; Conclusions. Our study showed that the use of non-invasive ALV can shorten the length of stay at the intensive care unit and the time spent on ventilation, reduce or avoid the use of sedation, and prevent pulmonary complications (infectious and mechanical) with long-term treatment. However, there was no significant difference between non-invasive and invasive ventilation in terms of mortality.

Nonpharmacological Interventions to Reduce Sedation and General Anesthesia in Pediatric MRI: A Meta-analysis.

Nonpharmacological strategies are increasingly used in pediatric procedures, but in pediatric MRI, sedation and general anesthesia are still commonly required. To evaluate the effectiveness of nonpharmacological interventions in reducing use of sedation and general anesthesia in pediatric patients undergoing MRI, and to investigate effects on scan time, image quality, and anxiety. We searched Ovid Medline, CINAHL, Embase, and CENTRAL from inception through October 10, 2022. We included randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental designs comparing the effect of a nonpharmacological intervention with standard care on use of sedation or general anesthesia, scan time, image quality, or child and parental anxiety among infants (<2 years), children, and adolescents (2-18 years) undergoing MRI. Standardized instruments were used to extract data and assess study quality. Forty-six studies were eligible for the systematic review. Limited to studies on children and adolescents, the meta-analysis included 20 studies with 33 873 patients. Intervention versus comparator analysis showed that nonpharmacological interventions were associated with reduced need for sedation and general anesthesia in the randomized control trials (risk ratio, 0.68; 95% confidence interval, 0.48-0.95; l2 = 35%) and nonrandomized studies (risk ratio, 0.58; 95% confidence interval, 0.51-0.66; l2 = 91%). The effect was largest among children aged 3 to 10 years when compared with older children and adolescents aged 11 to 18 years. There was substantial heterogeneity among nonrandomized studies. Nonpharmacological interventions must be considered as standard procedure in infants, children, and adolescents undergoing MRI.

Point-of-Care Intestinal Ultrasound in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Intestinal ultrasound (IUS) is an emerging non-invasive point-of-care tool utilized by pediatric gastroenterologists for accurately detecting and monitoring inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) activity. In this article, we reviewed the evidence supporting and technique to perform IUS for children with IBD. IUS technique can visualize the colon from the distal sigmoid until the cecum and the terminal ileum without the need for bowel preparation, fasting, or sedation in children with IBD. IUS has been shown to be accurate to endoscopy in children with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. IUS may be the most accurate biomarker to follow as a marker of treatment response that is predictive of endoscopic outcomes in children with IBD. Multiple studies have demonstrated that IUS can be performed at the point-of-care for IBD activity assessment in children. Recent studies have demonstrated the accuracy of IUS to endoscopy and magnetic resonance enterography with an ability to be repeated as a monitor of treatment response for tight control monitoring.

Non-Invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation or Standard Oxygen Therapy as Initial Treatment of Acute Cardiogenic Pulmonary Edema in ICU Patients

Abstract Background Continuous positive airway pressure ventilation (CPAP) through face mask has been widely used especially in North America, Europe and Australasia to alleviate signs and symptoms of respiratory distress due to cardiogenic pulmonary edema. Continuous positive airway pressure ventilation (CPAP) is ventilatory support that is given without establishing endotracheal intubation. CPAP avoid complication of endotracheal tube and invasive mechanical ventilation, preserving the patient’s ability to speak, eat, and cough reflex, reduces the need for sedation, potential airway trauma, and the risk of ventilator associated pneumonia. Objective: Patients and Methods In our study, 62 patients admitted at critical care unit of the Ain Shams University Hospitals with acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema. Patients divided into two groups. Group I: included 31 patients with acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema receive CPAP with (PS 10 cm h2o, PEEP 5 cm h2o). Group II: included 31 patients with acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema receive Oxygen therapy by face mask. Both groups are compared regarding the following parameter: Pao2, Pco2, respiratory rate and Spo2 on admission, 1-hour and 2-hours, post intervention and after discontinuation of treatment. Both groups were compared regarding the rate of endotracheal intubation, ICU length of stay and hospital mortality. Results Our study showed that the respiratory distress was markedly improved in CPAP group compared to oxygen therapy group by face mask as shown in respiratory rate after institution of CPAP (48.31±4.29, 35.84±5.30). In our study, as regarding to ICU length of stay, there was reduction in the intensive care unit length of stay in patient received CPAP compared to length of stay in standard oxygen treatment received group (2.48 ± 0.51 vs. 4.03± 0.65). Our study show that there is reduction in rate of intubation in group I with CPAP compared with group II with oxygen therapy by face mask. Conclusion Continuous positive air way pressure CPAP is widely used in North America, Europe and Australasia for patients with severe ACPE. There are clear mechanistic reasons why these interventions work in acute pulmonary edema. In conclusion, patients with acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema, CPAP safely provides earlier improvement of dyspnea, respiratory distress and oxygen saturation, and decrease ICU length of stay, improved endotracheal intubation and survival rate than does oxygen therapy.

Should we all die asleep? The problem of the normalization of palliative sedation.

Palliative sedation is a medical intervention to manage distress in dying patients, by reducing consciousness when symptom-directed therapies fail. Continuous deep sedation is ethically sensitive because it may shorten life and completely prevents communication. But sedation short of this is also common. There has been a steady increase in the use of sedation over recent decades. Sedation may have become a means to die while sleeping, rather than a method of last resort to alleviate suffering. Sedation may be requested or expected by patients, families or staff. The need for sedation may be being interpreted more loosely. The acceptance of a 'tolerable amount of discomfort' may have lost ground to a desire to get the final phase over with quickly. Sedation is not always a bad thing. Medical care is otherwise unable to completely control all distressing symptoms in every patient. Sedation may result from other necessary symptom control drugs. Dying when sedated can be seen by as 'peaceful'. We feel it is necessary, however, to highlight three caveats: the need to manage expectations, the cost in terms of loss of communication, and the grey area between continuous deep sedation and euthanasia. We conclude that there may be good grounds for sedation in palliative care, and in some cases, continuous deep sedation may be used as a last resort. But the criteria of necessary and proportionate drug treatment should remain. The normalisation of sedation into dying while sleeping should be resisted.

Effects of opioid-free total intravenous anesthesia on postoperative nausea and vomiting after treatments of lower extremity wounds: protocol for a randomized double-blind crossover trial

BackgroundPostoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) are common after general anesthesia and surgery. This study aims to compare the effects of total intravenous opioid-free anesthesia (OFA) with conventional opioid-based anesthesia (OBA) on PONV in patients following treatments for wounds of lower extremities.MethodsThis randomized, double-blind, crossover trial will include a total of 72 adult patients scheduled for at least two separate surgical treatments of lower extremity wounds under general anesthesia. Patients will be randomized to 1 of 2 anesthesia sequences of OFA and OBA. Patients in sequence 1 will receive OFA in the first treatment procedure and OBA in the second procedure, while patients in sequence 2 will receive the two anesthesia regimens in the reverse order. The washout period is at least 5 days. OFA will be delivered with intravenous esketamine, lidocaine, dexmedetomidine, and propofol. OBA will be delivered with intravenous sufentanil and propofol. The primary endpoint is the incidence of PONV within the first 48 h postoperatively. The secondary endpoints are the severity of PONV, antiemetic rescue therapy, postoperative pain scores, the worst pain, need for rescue analgesia, postoperative sedation, hypotension, bradycardia, hypertension, tachycardia, hypoxemia, psychotomimetic or dissociative effects, time to extubation, and length of postanesthesia care unit stay. Patients who complete two surgical procedures with designated anesthesia regimens will be included in the final analyses.DiscussionThis crossover trial will determine whether total intravenous OFA reduces PONV in patients following treatments for lower extremity wounds. The results of this trial will also represent an important step to understand the benefits and possible risks of OFA in surgical patients.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200061511).

The Impact of COVID-19 on Psychotropic Medication Prescriptions in Adolescents: Analysis of a Federated Research Network

Background: COVID-19 pandemic restrictions resulted in psychosocial stress and increased potential for psychiatric disorders in the adolescent population. Adolescent psychiatric disorders are increasingly managed with psychotropic medications. We aimed to evaluate the first-time prescription rates of psychotropic medications—antidepressants, antipsychotics, hypnotics, sedatives, mood stabilizers, and psychostimulants—in adolescent patients during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the years immediately prior. Methods: We utilized electronic health records, claims data, and pharmaceutical data generated from 68 healthcare organizations stored within the TriNetX Research Network to conduct a retrospective matched cohort study. Adolescent patients aged 10-19 years presenting for outpatient evaluation were placed into two cohorts: 1) outpatient evaluation before (2017-2019) and 2) during (2020-2022) the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients with prior history of psychiatric disorders and/or prior use of psychotropic medications were excluded. The main outcome was first-time psychotropic medication prescription within 90 days of outpatient evaluation. We used propensity score matching with logistic regression to build cohorts of equal size based on covariates of interest. Results: A total of 1,612,283 adolescents presenting before the COVID-19 pandemic and 1,008,161 adolescents presenting during the COVID-19 pandemic were identified. After matching on age, race/ethnicity, smoking status, and obesity status, a total of 1,005,408 adolescents were included in each cohort, each with an average age of 14.7 ± 2.84 years and 52% female and 48% male. The standardized differences between propensity scores were less than 0.1, suggesting a minimal difference between the two groups. Prescription rates for antipsychotics and benzodiazepines were increased for adolescents presenting during the pandemic (Risk Ratio (RR): 1.58, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.48-1.69). However, this group had decreased prescription rates for antidepressants (RR: 0.6, 95% CI 0.57-0.63), anxiolytics (RR: 0.78, 95% CI 0.75-0.81), psychostimulants (RR: 0.26, 95% CI 0.25-0.27), and mood stabilizers (RR: 0.44, 95% CI 0.39-0.49). Conclusion: Adolescents presenting for outpatient evaluation during the COVID-19 pandemic were prescribed antipsychotics and benzodiazepines at an increased rate relative to the years immediately prior, suggesting an increased need for sedation in this patient population. Given reduced access to care during the COVID-19 pandemic, the decreased prescription rate observed for other psychotropic medication classes does not necessarily reflect a decreased incidence of the associated psychiatric disorders.

Combined lumbar plexus sciatic nerve block for hip fracture: a case series with 442 patients

Introduction: Hip fractures are a global health problem in the elderly population. The mortality and morbidity after anesthesia are high in the elderly population with hip fractures due to numerous comorbidities. In recent years, the combined lumbar sciatic block (CLSB) method is safely applied in high-risk hip fracture surgeries. This study aims to examine 442 cases of hip fracture surgery in our clinic. Method: 442 high-risk patients operated in Istanbul University Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology between 2004 and 2016 are included in this retrospective study. Neurostimulation technique combined with lumbar plexus and sciatic nerve block applied in all cases. The Lumber plexus block consists of bupivacaine 15 cc 0.5 % and prilocaine 15 cc 2%. Sciatic nerve block consists of bupivacaine 10 cc 0.5 % and prilocaine 10 cc 2%. Cases are evaluated for anesthesia quality and complication rate. Results: There was no need for any sedation or analgesia in 199 cases. Sedation was required in 147 cases. In 82 cases, the need for sedation combined with analgesia occurred. The conversion to general anesthesia was required in 14 cases. Complication wise, the epidural spread was observed in 5 cases and 3 cases got convulsions. Conclusion: It is concluded that CLSB is a safe alternative technique to use in high-risk hip fracture surgery.

ORIENTATE: automated machine learning classifiers for oral health prediction and research

BackgroundThe application of data-driven methods is expected to play an increasingly important role in healthcare. However, a lack of personnel with the necessary skills to develop these models and interpret its output is preventing a wider adoption of these methods. To address this gap, we introduce and describe ORIENTATE, a software for automated application of machine learning classification algorithms by clinical practitioners lacking specific technical skills. ORIENTATE allows the selection of features and the target variable, then automatically generates a number of classification models and cross-validates them, finding the best model and evaluating it. It also implements a custom feature selection algorithm for systematic searches of the best combination of predictors for a given target variable. Finally, it outputs a comprehensive report with graphs that facilitates the explanation of the classification model results, using global interpretation methods, and an interface for the prediction of new input samples. Feature relevance and interaction plots provided by ORIENTATE allow to use it for statistical inference, which can replace and/or complement classical statistical studies.ResultsIts application to a dataset with healthy and special health care needs (SHCN) children, treated under deep sedation, was discussed as case study. On the example dataset, despite its small size, the feature selection algorithm found a set of features able to predict the need for a second sedation with a f1 score of 0.83 and a ROC (AUC) of 0.92. Eight predictive factors for both populations were found and ordered by the relevance assigned to them by the model. A discussion of how to derive inferences from the relevance and interaction plots and a comparison with a classical study is also provided.ConclusionsORIENTATE automatically finds suitable features and generates accurate classifiers which can be used in preventive tasks. In addition, researchers without specific skills on data methods can use it for the application of machine learning classification and as a complement to classical studies for inferential analysis of features. In the case study, a high prediction accuracy for a second sedation in SHCN children was achieved. The analysis of the relevance of the features showed that the number of teeth with pulpar treatments at the first sedation is a predictive factor for a second sedation.