British journal of anaesthesia
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Observational Study
Grief reactions and coping strategies of trainee doctors working in paediatric intensive care.
The death of a child can have significant emotional effects on doctors responsible for their care. Trainee doctors working in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) may be particularly vulnerable. The aim of this study was to examine the emotional impact of, and grief reactions to, a child's death in PICU trainee doctors, along with coping strategies they used. ⋯ Paediatric deaths evoke significant grief and emotional reactions in a subset of PICU trainee doctors. Trainee PICU doctors highlighted a lack of professional support and tailored debriefs.
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Around 10-15% of the in-patient population carry unsubstantiated 'penicillin allergy' labels, the majority incorrect when tested. These labels are associated with harm from use of broad-spectrum non-penicillin antibiotics. Current testing guidelines incorporate both skin and challenge tests; this is prohibitively expensive and time-consuming to deliver on a large scale. We aimed to establish the feasibility of a rapid access de-labelling pathway for surgical patients, using direct oral challenge. ⋯ ClinicalTrials.gov: AN17/92982.
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Xenon is a noble gas with neuroprotective properties that can improve short and long-term outcomes in young adult mice after controlled cortical impact. This follow-up study investigates the effects of xenon on very long-term outcomes and survival. ⋯ Xenon treatment after TBI results in very long-term improvements in clinically relevant outcomes and survival. Our findings support the idea that xenon treatment shortly after TBI may have long-term benefits in the treatment of brain trauma patients.
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Following diagnosis of neuromuscular blocking agent (NMBA) anaphylaxis, identifying safe alternatives for subsequent anaesthesia is critical. A patient with anaphylaxis to one NMBA can also have an allergic reaction to other NMBAs (cross-reactivity). Whilst drug provocation testing is standard for identifying or excluding allergy, there is significant risk. In vitro, after an allergen activates basophils, basophils express surface activation markers that can be measured by basophil activation testing (BAT). We compared cross-reactivity between NMBAs assessed by BAT against that by skin testing. ⋯ The utility of BAT in identifying safe NMBAs for subsequent anaesthesia needs further evaluation. BAT detects a different cross-reactivity profile to skin tests. Negative skin testing and BAT might increase confidence in performing drug provocation testing, but this and follow-up of subsequent anaesthesia in our cohort is necessary to determine the clinical significance of BAT sensitisation.
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Standardising nomenclature facilitates diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms, improves comparisons of data in scientific research and reduces misunderstanding. Here, we propose a nomenclature for suspected perioperative allergic reactions.