Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Jul 2014
Review Meta AnalysisDexmedetomidine for preventing sevoflurane-related emergence agitation in children: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Emergence agitation (EA) is a common problem after sevoflurane anesthesia in children. Prophylactic dexmedetomidine has been directed at this issue; however, the efficacy remains controversial. We therefore conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the effectiveness of dexmedetomidine on the incidence of sevoflurane-related EA. ⋯ Dexmedetomidine reduced the incidence of sevofurane-related EA (pooled RR = 0.351; 95% CI: 0.275-0.449; P = 0.965; heterogeneity test, I(2) = 0.0%), and it also resulted in a lower incidence of severe EA (pooled RR = 0.119; 95% CI: 0.033-0.422; P = 0.962; heterogeneity test, I(2) = 0.0%). All subgroup analyses for potential sources of heterogeneity showed a lower incidence of sevoflurane-related EA after dexmedetomidine administration. This meta-analysis demonstrated that dexemedetomidine was effective in reducing the incidence of sevoflurane-induced EA in children as compared with placebo.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Jul 2014
ReviewNew oral anticoagulants: clinical indications, monitoring and treatment of acute bleeding complications.
New oral anticoagulants like the direct thrombin inhibitor, dabigatran (Pradaxa®), and factor Xa-inhibitors, rivaroxaban (Xarelto®) and apixaban (Eliquis®) are available for prophylaxis and treatment of thromboembolic disease. They are emerging alternatives to warfarin and provide equal or better clinical outcome together with reduced need for routine monitoring. Methods for measuring drug concentrations are available, although a correlation between plasma drug concentrations and the risk of bleeding has not been firmly established. ⋯ Further challenges regarding patients receiving new oral anticoagulants who presents with major bleeding or need for emergency surgery pose a unique problem. No established agents are clinically available to reverse the anticoagulant effect, although preclinical data report prothrombin complex concentrate as more efficient than fresh frozen plasma or other prohaemostatic agents. This review summaries current knowledge on approved new oral anticoagulants and discusses clinical aspects of monitoring, with particular focus on the management of the bleeding patient.