British journal of anaesthesia
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Review Meta Analysis
Neuroprotection by anaesthetics in rodent models of traumatic brain injury: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.
Anaesthetic neuroprotection in the setting of traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains unproved and is based upon the results in preclinical experiments. Here, we sought to synthesise the results in rodent models of TBI, and to evaluate the effects of publication bias, experimental manipulation, and poor study quality on the effect estimates. ⋯ Anaesthetics do provide neuroprotection in rodent models of TBI. The effect-size estimates do not appear to be exaggerated by selective publication, experimental manipulation, or study design. The main shortcoming of the included studies were small sample sizes leading to low power and imprecision, which precluded the network meta-analysis from providing a meaningful ranking for efficacy amongst the drugs. Reliable preclinical investigations of neuroprotection by anaesthetics will require larger sample sizes.
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Observational Study
Association of preoperative anaemia with postoperative morbidity and mortality: an observational cohort study in low-, middle-, and high-income countries.
Anaemia is associated with poor postoperative outcomes, but few studies have described the impact of preoperative anaemia in low- and middle- (LMICs), and high-income countries (HICs). ⋯ ISRCTN51817007.
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Multicenter Study
Organisational factors and mortality after an emergency laparotomy: multilevel analysis of 39 903 National Emergency Laparotomy Audit patients.
Studies across healthcare systems have demonstrated between-hospital variation in survival after an emergency laparotomy. We postulate that this variation can be explained by differences in perioperative process delivery, underpinning organisational structures, and associated hospital characteristics. ⋯ This multicentre study identified low-technology, readily implementable structures and processes that are associated with improved survival after an emergency laparotomy. Key components of pathways, perioperative medicine input, and specialist units require further investigation.
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Hypotension is common in anaesthetised children, and its impact on cerebral oxygenation is unknown. The goal of the present study was to investigate the effects of moderate systemic arterial hypotension (mHT) and severe hypotension (sHT) on cerebral perfusion and brain tissue oxygenation in piglets. ⋯ Induction of mHT and sHT by hypovolaemia and nitroprusside infusion caused alterations in brain tissue oxygenation in a piglet model, but without detectable changes in brain tissue perfusion and regional oxygen saturation.