Journal of clinical monitoring and computing
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J Clin Monit Comput · Aug 2008
A measure of confidence in Bland-Altman analysis for the interchangeability of two methods of measurement.
Bland-Altman (B-A) analysis has largely replaced the correlation coefficient as the predominant tool for evaluating the interchangeability of two methods of clinical measurement. However, we contend that B-A analysis might lead to erroneous conclusions when the data range is small. We provide an example to illustrate this and explore a possible analysis technique to address this limitation.
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J Clin Monit Comput · Aug 2008
Postoperative discomfort (other than pain) - a neglected feature of postanesthesia patient care.
Patients may experience various kinds of discomfort other than pain during the immediate period following surgery and anesthesia. These complaints may not be dealt with, especially when they are shadowed by the more pressing need to alleviate pain. The issue of discomfort in the setting of an adult post anesthesia care unit (PACU) has not been adequately addressed. We assessed the extent of unreported distressing or unpleasant events among patients who had undergone general surgery or orthopedic procedures under standard general anesthesia and their recall 24 h afterwards. ⋯ Almost one-fourth of the patients undergoing general surgery and orthopedic procedures under general anesthesia suffered from postoperative discomfort other than pain. Of these, >90% recalled 24 h after surgery having had postoperative discomfort. PACU staff needs to inquire for and attempt reducing such events.