British journal of anaesthesia
-
Trauma-induced shock is associated with endothelial dysfunction. We examined whether the tyrosine kinase inhibitor bosutinib as an adjunct therapy to a balanced blood component resuscitation strategy reduces trauma-induced endothelial permeability, thereby improving shock reversal and limiting transfusion requirements and organ failure in a rat polytrauma transfusion model. ⋯ Bosutinib as an adjunct therapy to a balanced transfusion strategy reduced resuscitation volume, improved shock reversal, and reduced vascular leak and organ injury in a rat polytrauma model.
-
Structural brain abnormalities in newborn animals after prolonged exposure to all routinely used general anaesthetics have raised substantial concerns for similar effects occurring in millions of children undergoing surgeries annually. Combining a general anaesthetic with non-injurious sedatives may provide a safer anaesthetic technique. We tested dexmedetomidine as a mitigating therapy in a sevoflurane dose-sparing approach. ⋯ A sub-anaesthetic dose of sevoflurane combined with dexmedetomidine achieved a level of anaesthesia comparable with that of sevoflurane 2.5%. Similar levels of anaesthesia caused comparable programmed cell death in several developing brain regions. Depth of anaesthesia may be an important factor when comparing the neurotoxic effects of different anaesthetic regimens.
-
Comparative Study
Offline comparison of processed electroencephalogram monitors for anaesthetic-induced electroencephalogram changes in older adults.
Several devices record and interpret patient brain activity via electroencephalogram (EEG) to aid physician assessment of anaesthetic effect. Few studies have compared EEG monitors on data from the same patient. Here, we describe a set-up to simultaneously compare the performance of three processed EEG monitors using pre-recorded EEG signals from older surgical patients. ⋯ All monitors distinguished EEG changes occurring before anaesthesia administration and during LOR. The PSI and BIS best detected suppressed periods. Our results suggest that the PSI and BIS monitors might be preferable for older patients with risk factors for intraoperative awareness or increased sensitivity to anaesthesia.
-
Novel preventive therapies are needed for postoperative delirium, which especially affects older patients. A mouse model is presented that captures inflammation-associated cortical slow wave activity (SWA) observed in patients, allowing exploration of the mechanistic role of prostaglandin-adenosine signalling. ⋯ Cytokine-SWA correlations during wakefulness are consistent with observations in patients with delirium. Absence of connectivity effects after accounting for movement changes suggests decreased connectivity in patients is a biomarker of hypoactivity. Exaggerated effects in quiescent aged animals are consistent with increased hypoactive delirium in older patients. Prostaglandin-adenosine signalling may link inflammation to neural changes and hence delirium.