British journal of anaesthesia
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The IMPROVE study describes a large perioperative quality improvement project with reporting of both compliance with improvement activities and patient outcomes. It highlights the importance of such projects, as well as the challenges in implementing change and proving benefit. Challenges identified include the importance of effective training in practice change, selection of trial design and relevant quality measures, and how the context of quality improvement initiatives may influence outcomes. Quality improvement programmes of this nature, despite the difficulties with implementation and trial design, remain a high priority because of their positive influence on improving clinical practice.
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Quantitative pupillometry is recommended for neuroprognostication after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest 72 h or more after ICU admission, but the feasibility and utility of earlier assessment is unknown. ⋯ Quantitative pupillometry within 6 h of ICU admission after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest may identify patients with a very low chance of neurologically intact survival. Further studies of early quantitative pupillometry in this population are warranted.
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The adverse haemodynamic effects of the intravenous anaesthetic propofol are well known, yet few empirical models have explored the dose-response relationship. Evidence suggests that hypotension during general anaesthesia is associated with postoperative mortality. We developed a mechanism-based model that quantitatively characterises the magnitude of propofol-induced haemodynamic effects during general anaesthesia. ⋯ NCT02043938.