Anaesthesia and intensive care
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Jun 2004
Modelling thirty-day mortality in the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) in an adult ICU.
Variables predicting thirty-day outcome from Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) were analysed using Cox regression structured for time-varying covariates. Over a three-year period, 1996-1998, consecutive patients with ARDS (bilateral chest X-ray opacities, PaO2/FiO2 ratio of <200 and an acute precipitating event) were identified using a prospective computerized data base in a university teaching hospital ICU. The cohort, 106 mechanically ventilated patients, was of mean (SD) age 63.5 (15.5) years and 37% were female. ⋯ Time-varying effects were evident for PaO2/FiO2 ratio, operative versus non-operative category and ventilator tidal volume assessed as a categorical predictor with a cut-point of 8 ml/kg predicted weight (mean tidal volumes, 7.1 (1.9) vs 10.7 (1.6) ml/kg predicted weight). Thirty-day survival was improved for patients ventilated with lower tidal volumes. Survival predictors in ARDS were multifactorial and related to patient-injury-time interaction and level of mechanical ventilator tidal volume.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Jun 2004
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical TrialIntraoperative patient warming using radiant warming or forced-air warming during long operations.
Forced-air warming is the most commonly used and effective method of active warming. A new radiant warming device (Suntouch, Fisher and Paykel) may provide an alternative when the skin surface available for warming is limited. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to compare the efficacy of the Suntouch radiant warmer and forced-air warming. ⋯ No other patient variables were significantly different. The Suntouch is not as effective as the forced air warming for intraoperative warming during long surgical procedures. The device may be useful when forced-air warming is not possible.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Jun 2004
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialEfficacy of low-dose dexamethasone for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting following strabismus repair in children.
We studied the efficacy of a range of doses of dexamethasone for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting following strabismus repair in children in a hospital-based, prospective, double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Two hundred and ten children were randomized to receive either dexamethasone in one of four dosages: 50 microg/kg (Group 1), 100 microg/kg (Group 2), 200 microg/kg (Group 3) and 250 microg/kg (Group 4) or normal saline (Group 5) prior to corrective surgery for strabismus. Anaesthesia was standardized and included nitrous oxide, pethidine, intubation and the use of muscle relaxant and reversal with neostigmine. ⋯ The lowest dose of 50 microg/kg was as efficacious as the higher dosages of dexamethasone during the 24 hours studied. Of the children who developed postoperative nausea and vomiting those who received dexamethasone had significantly fewer episodes than those in the placebo group. We conclude that dexamethasone 50 microg/kg is effective for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting following strabismus repair in children.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Jun 2004
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialCrystalloid preload versus rapid crystalloid administration after induction of spinal anaesthesia (coload) for elective caesarean section.
Current methods of crystalloid preload administration prior to spinal anaesthesia for elective caesarean section are relatively ineffective in preventing hypotension. This study examined the relevance of the timing of the fluid administered. Fifty women were randomly allocated to receive either 20 ml x kg(-1) of crystalloid solution during 20 minutes prior to induction of spinal anaesthesia (preload), or an equivalent volume by rapid infusion immediately after induction (coload). ⋯ There was no between-group difference in either the total cumulative dose, or in the total number of doses of ephedrine. Neonatal outcomes among the two groups were similar. Rapid crystalloid administration after, rather than over 20 minutes before the induction of spinal anaesthesia for elective caesarean section, may be advantageous in terms of managing maternal blood pressure prior to delivery.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Jun 2004
Small simulators for teaching procedural skills in a difficult airway algorithm.
Difficulty with intubation, ventilation or both is a significant issue for anaesthetists. The American Society of Anesthesiologists' Guidelines for the Management of the Difficult Airway is an algorithm widely used when airway difficulties are encountered. Ideally, anaesthetic trainees should have access to simulators suitable for learning and practising how to manage airway difficulties, but most models have been designed primarily for resuscitation training. ⋯ All elements of the DAA could be used in the Difficult Airway Trainer Deluxe (MPL) and Bill (VBM/Mallinckrodt) but it would be necessary to acquire at least two trainers to achieve "good/very realistic" in all techniques studied. Anaesthetic departments planning to acquire small simulators for airway management training should undertake a training-needs analysis and apply this to the performance characteristics of the simulators. Generally, at least two airway training models will be needed to teach all steps of the DAA effectively.