Minerva anestesiologica
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Minerva anestesiologica · Mar 2015
ReviewManagement of pediatric delirium in critical illness: a practical update.
Pediatric delirium (PD) is an acute state of brain dysfunction and is often seen in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). There is a growing awareness of its clinical interdisciplinary importance. The aim of this article was to describe the three clinical presentations, to evaluate the differential diagnosis and to give a concise and practical update for the pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment of PD at the PICU, based on recent literature and expert opinions. We discuss an interdisciplinary flow chart which helps the reader dealing with the diagnosis and management of any acute emotional and or behavioral disturbance, of which PD is a special case.
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Minerva anestesiologica · Mar 2015
Review Meta AnalysisDexmedetomidine in the pediatric population : A review.
Dexmedetomidine, an alpha-2 agonist approved only for sedation in adult intensive care patients, is increasingly used off-label in- and outside Europe in the pediatric setting for various indications such as to prevent agitation, as premedication in the form of intranasal, buccal and oral solution, as adjunct for elective surgery, as sedative for magnetic resonance imaging, as intraoperative analgesia, for extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, and as adjuvant to ropi- and bupivacaine for nerve blocks. Dexmedetomidine is also used intravenously at different intensive care units with the purpose of sedation of children. In this paper, we assess 51 minor trials in the form of 44 randomized controlled trials and 7 prospective observational studies in an attempt to update the available evidence on dexmedetomidine use in pediatrics. ⋯ Based on the best current evidence dexmedetomidine is found suitable and safe for various indications. However, in order to discover its full potential, indications, dosing and safety profile for various ages and procedures, it should urgently be examined by conducting good quality pediatric trials. Finally, we provide the readers with guidance on how to apply and dose dexmedetomidine for pediatric sedation and for other indications.
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This paper is an overview of the literature concerning the "know how" of the GlideScope® use in adults. We summarized the main evidences of the last 10 years with particular attention to experts' suggestions about clinical practice of the GlideScope®, noticing matters still debated on GlideScope® use. ⋯ All works that made a point worth including were cited in the discussion. Our research confirms the value of GlideScope® use in airway management and highlights the debate about the use of videolaryngoscopes in routine cases and the operators who may use them in clinical practice.
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Minerva anestesiologica · Mar 2015
Comparative StudyComparison of three models for sepsis patient discrimination according to PIRO: predisposition, infection, response and organ dysfunction.
Sepsis remains one of the most challenging burdens of critically ill patients. But for interventional studies significant heterogeneity remains in classifying patients. PIRO (Predisposition, Response, Infection and Organ dysfunction) has been introduced as innovative option for improved patient characterization. Aim of this study was to evaluate precision to predict hospital mortality of three different proposed PIRO classification systems. ⋯ Proposed PIRO classifications demonstrated slight differences between models without prioritization of one approach and all seemed feasible for patient classification. Future PIRO-development is needed to straighten predisposition, infection, and especially the response category.
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β-blockers are widely used to treat cardiovascular diseases and in the peri-operative period in selected patients. The main benefit in terms of morbidity and/or mortality of their use is believed to be linked to specific effects on myocardial oxygen supply/demand balance, to anti-arrhythmic effects and anti-inflammatory effects. Use of β-blockers in severe sepsis is still under debate and if any, their appropriate indications remain unclear. ⋯ However, many questions about effectiveness, safety and cardio-selectivity of the drugs and about the appropriate target population remain partially unanswered. Recently, esmolol, a short-time acting β1-adrenoceptor blocker titrated to decrease heart rate below 95 beats/min was shown to exert beneficial effects in a monocentric randomized clinical trial including selected septic patients. Further large multicenter randomized trials are required to confirm the potential benefit of such a therapy in patients with severe sepsis.