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This meta-analysis aimed at investigating the impact of oral vitamin C supplementation on the post-procedural recovery of orthopedic patients, including functional outcomes and complex regional pain syndrome type I (CRPS I). Literature search using the Medline, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases from inception till March 2021 identified seven eligible randomized controlled trials with 1,361 participants. Forest plot revealed no significant difference in the functional outcomes at 6–12 months [standardized mean difference (SMD) = −0.00, 95% CI − 0.19 to 0.18, 467 patients], risk of overall complications (RR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.39, 426 patients), and pain severity at 3–6 months (SMD = − 0.18, 95% CI − 0.49 to 0.12, 486 patients) between patients with and without oral vitamin C supplementation. Pooled analysis showed that vitamin C treatment reduced the risk of CRPS I regardless of dosage (RR = 0.46, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.85, 1143 patients). In conclusion, the current meta-analysis demonstrated that oral vitamin C supplementation may reduce the risk of complex regional pain syndrome type I but did not improve the functional outcomes in orthopedic patients. Nevertheless, because of the small number of trials included in the present study, further large-scale clinical studies are warranted to support our findings.

This meta-analysis aimed to assess the impact of cricoid pressure (CP) application on intubation outcomes.Electronic databases (i.e., MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane review) were searched from inception to 2 June 2020 for randomized-controlled trials that assessed the intubation outcomes in adult patients using laryngoscopic approaches with and without the application of CP (i.e., CP vs non-CP group). The primary outcome was the successful first-attempt intubation rate (SFAIR), and the secondary outcomes were intubation time, incidences of poor laryngoscopic views (i.e., Cormack and Lehane grade 3-4), airway complications, and pulmonary aspiration.A total of five trials (published from 2005 to 2018) were included, and all tracheal intubations were performed by anesthesiologists or nurse anesthetists with a video (n = 3) or Macintosh laryngoscope (n = 2) in the operating room. We found no significant difference in SFAIR (risk ratio [RR], 0.98; P = 0.37), incidence of poor laryngoscopic views (RR, 1.49; P = 0.21), and risk of sore throat (RR, 1.17; P = 0.73) between the two groups. Nevertheless, the intubation time on the first successful attempt was slightly longer (weighted mean difference = 4.40 sec, P = 0.002) and risk of hoarseness was higher (RR, 1.70; P = 0.03) in the CP group compared with in the non-CP group. The secondary outcome "pulmonary aspiration" was not analyzed because only one trial was available.The application of CP did not have a negative impact on the SFAIR or laryngoscopic view. Nevertheless, this maneuver may slightly prolong intubation time and increase the risk of postoperative hoarseness.RéSUMé: OBJECTIF : Cette méta-analyse a pour but d’évaluer l’impact de l’application d’une pression cricoïdienne (PC) sur les résultats de l’intubation. SOURCE : Les bases de données électroniques (c.-à-d., MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, et Cochrane review) ont été examinées de leur création jusqu’au 2 juin 2020 pour en tirer les études randomisées contrôlées évaluant les résultats d’intubation chez les patients adultes utilisant des approches laryngoscopiques avec ou sans application de PC (soit groupe PC et non-PC). Le critère d’évaluation principal était le taux d’intubations réussies à la première tentative, et les critères secondaires incluaient le temps d’intubation, l’incidence de mauvaises vues laryngoscopies (grades 3-4 de Cormack et Lehane), les complications au niveau des voies aériennes et l’aspiration pulmonaire. CONSTATATIONS PRINCIPALES : Cinq études au total (publiées entre 2005 et 2018) ont été incluses, et toutes les intubations trachéales ont été réalisées par des anesthésiologistes ou infirmiers anesthésistes à l’aide d’un vidéolaryngoscope (n = 3) ou d’une lame de Macintosh (n = 2) en salle d’opération. Nous n’avons trouvé aucune différence significative dans le taux d’intubations réussies à la première tentative (risque relatif [RR], 0,98; P = 0,37), dans l’incidence de mauvaises vues laryngoscopiques (RR, 1,49; P = 0,21) ou dans le risque de maux de gorge (RR, 1,17; P = 0,73) entre les deux groupes. En revanche, le temps d’intubation lors de la première tentative réussie était légèrement plus long (différence moyenne pondérée = 4,40 sec, P = 0,002) et le risque d’enrouement était plus élevé (RR, 1,70; P = 0,03) dans le groupe PC que dans le groupe non-PC. Le critère d’évaluation secondaire « aspiration pulmonaire » n’a pas été analysé parce qu’une seule étude le mesurait. CONCLUSION : L’application de PC n’a pas eu d’impact négatif sur le taux d’intubations réussies à la première tentative ou la vue laryngoscopique. Par contre, cette manœuvre pourrait légèrement prolonger le temps d’intubation et augmenter le risque d’enrouement postopératoire.

Although serum zinc level (Zn) is known to impact renal function in patients with diabetes, their correlation following bariatric surgery remains unknown. This study aimed at assessing the association of Zn with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). One hundred and twenty-nine patients in total (mean age, 38.1 ± 10.8; body mass index, 39.1 ± 5.1 kg/m2) with normal preoperative kidney function undergoing LSG at a single tertiary referral center were reviewed. The primary study endpoint was the relationship between Zn and post-LSG eGFR at 12-month follow-up. The secondary outcomes were the associations of percentage weight loss (%WL) with changes in Zn (△Zn) and eGFR (△eGFR). The incidence of zinc deficiency was 8.5%, 8.1%, and 29.9% at baseline, post-LSG and one- and 12-month follow-up, respectively. At 12-month follow-up, Zn dropped from 104.1 ± 19.2 to 85.3 ± 38.9 μg/dL (p = 0.001), while eGFR levels decreased from 106.6 ± 10.3 to 102.1 ± 19.4 mL/min per 1.73 m2 (p = 0.025). Zn correlated positively with eGFR at 6-month (r = 0.252, p = 0.037) and 12-month (r = 0.41, p = 0.001) follow-ups. Multiple linear regression analyses including baseline variables of age, sex, BMI, %WL, and diabetes identified Zn and %WL as independent predictors of eGFR at 12-month follow-up. There was no evidence of multicollinearity among these variables. Despite positive association between %WL and △eGFR (r = 0.222, p = 0.031), no correlation was noted between %WL and △Zn (r = − 0.129, p = 0.40). The results demonstrated a positive relationship between post-LSG serum zinc levels and preservation of renal function among patients with obesity in a surgical setting. Large-scale studies are warranted to support the findings.

Background The impact of intravenous lidocaine in adults undergoing laparoscopic bariatric surgeries (LBS) remains unclear. Objectives This study aimed at investigating the effect of intravenous lidocaine on postoperative opioid consumption and recovery following LBS. Setting Meta-analysis. Methods We searched databases including MEDLINE, Embase, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Library for randomized controlled trials that evaluated the use of intravenous lidocaine compared to placebo only prior to May 2021. The primary outcome was 24-hour postoperative opioid consumption, while secondary outcomes included pain score, quality of recovery (QOR)-40 score, length of hospital stay (LOS), and postoperative nausea/vomiting (PONV). Results Seven trials (496 participants) were included. Intraoperative intravenous lidocaine significantly reduced 24-hour equivalent morphine consumption (mean difference [MD]: −11.97 mg; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −23.12 to −.83), pain score at 1 to 3 hours (MD: −.77; 95% CI: −1.5 to −.04), and LOS (MD: −8.93 hr; 95% CI: −13.41 to −4.44) without positive impact on 24-hour pain score and PONV. There was also an increase in time to first opioid requirement (MD: 20.23 min; 95% CI: 11.76–28.7) and QOR-40 score (MD: 24.38; 95% CI: 5.57–43.18). However, sensitivity analysis demonstrated evidence supporting the beneficial effect of lidocaine only for time to first opioid requirement and QOR-40. The associations of intraoperative intravenous lidocaine with reductions in morphine consumption, pain score at 1 to 3 hours, and LOS after LBS were also weak. Conclusion Intraoperative intravenous lidocaine during LBS prolonged time to first opioid requirement and improved quality of recovery postoperatively without 24-hour pain or nausea/vomiting benefits. Due to the small number of trials, larger studies are warranted to verify our findings.

Rationale: There is evidence that sugammadex can facilitate extubation post-surgery and attenuate postoperative pulmonary complications resulting from postoperative residual neuromuscular blockade. However, it may induce adverse effects, including bronchospasm, laryngospasm, bradycardia, hypotension, and cardiac arrest. Here, we present a case of sugammadex-induced bradycardia and hypotension. Patient concerns: An 82-year-old female received video-assisted thoracic surgery decortication and wedge resection of the lung for empyema. Post-surgery, she developed bradycardia, hypotension, hypoxia, and weakness. Diagnoses: The patient was suspected to have sugammadex-induced bradycardia, hypotension, hypoxia and weakness. Interventions: The patient received immediate treatment with atropine (0.5 mg) for bradycardia. Glycopyrrolate (0.1 mg) and neostigmine (1 mg) were administered to improve the train-of-four (TOF) ratio. Outcomes: Following initial management, we observed improvement in the hemodynamics of the patient. She was discharged without any sequelae. Lessons: Sugammadex-induced bradycardia or cardiac arrest are rare; however, anesthesiologists must consider the possibility of the occurrence of such events and initiate appropriate management measures. Immediate treatment with atropine and inotropic or vasopressors is warranted if the patient presents with bradycardia.

Preoperative anemia is a risk factor for acute kidney failure after high-risk surgeries. We assessed the impact of preoperative anemia on kidney function in an obese Asian population after laparoscopic bariatric surgery. Patient characteristics, comorbidities, type of surgery, perioperative profiles, eGFR, and micronutrition were retrospectively reviewed in 341 patients with obesity undergoing bariatric surgery. All patients, who had a preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) ≥ 90 mL/min/1.73 m2, were followed for 1 year and assigned to one of two groups: anemia or non-anemia group. Preoperative anemia was determined based on hemoglobin concentration. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient between preoperative body mass index (BMI) and preoperative eGFR of all patients was 0.169 (p = 0.005). Preoperatively, there were no significant differences in age, BMI, and eGFR between the anemia (n = 38) and non-anemia groups (n = 303). Patients in the anemia group had lower hemoglobin concentration at baseline, 1 month, and 12 months after surgery than those in the non-anemia group. Postoperative eGFR levels at 1 month (p = 0.993) and 1 year (p = 0.118) as well as hospital stay (p = 0.941) were comparable between the two groups. However, the percentage weight loss was significantly higher in the non-anemia group than that in the anemia group 1 year after bariatric surgery (30.0 ± 7.3% vs. 27.0 ± 8.1%; p = 0.041). Preoperative anemia did not negatively impact kidney function following laparoscopic bariatric surgery during the 12-month follow-up. Considering the potential adverse impact of anemia on postoperative weight loss, preoperative correction of anemia may be recommended.

Background Whether nonobstetric surgery during gestation is associated with a higher risk of spontaneous abortion or adverse delivery outcomes is still unclear. Methods We performed a retrospective case-control study using a Longitudinal Health Insurance Database (LHID 2000) containing claim-data of 1 million randomly selected beneficiaries. We compared the incidences and estimated the adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for spontaneous abortion, adverse delivery outcomes, cesarean delivery, and prolonged hospital stay to determine the risk of adverse outcomes in women who had nonobstetric surgery during gestation as compared to those who did not have any surgery during gestation. Results After exclusion, we were left with 114,852 delivery and 3999 abortion cases in our study; and 462 (0.39%) of them had nonobstetric surgery under general or regional anesthesia during pregnancy. The leading surgeries were repair of cervical os (33.12%), appendectomy (17.32%), ovarian surgeries (13.64%), and fixation of fractured bone (8.01%).The risk of spontaneous abortion (4.23% vs. 2.43%, aOR:1.53; 95% CI: 1.01–2.31), antepartum hemorrhage (7.14% vs. 2.83%, aOR: 2.51; 95% CI: 1.74–3.61), pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (2.60% vs. 1.01%, aOR: 2.35; 95% CI: 1.30–4.23), gestational diabetes (2.38% vs. 0.69%, aOR: 3.12; 95% CI: 1.69–5.78), prematurity (9.06 vs. 4.90%, aOR: 3.31; 95% CI: 2.54–4.31), cesarean section (43.55% vs. 33.76%, aOR: 1.41; 95% CI: 1.17–1.71), and prolonged hospital stay (1.82% vs. 5.91%, aOR: 3.23; 95% CI: 2.16–4.83) were higher in those women who had nonobstetric surgery after adjusting for age and comorbidities. Conclusions Nonobstetric surgery during gestation were associated with a higher risk of spontaneous abortion, adverse delivery outcomes, cesarean section, and prolonged hospital stay.

The sedation outcomes associated with dexmedetomidine compared with those of propofol during drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) remains unclear. Electronic databases (i.e., the Cochrane controlled trials register, Embase, Medline, and Scopus) were searched from inception to 25 December 2020 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the sedation outcomes with dexmedetomidine or propofol in adult patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) receiving DISE. The primary outcome was the difference in minimum oxygen saturation (mSaO2). Five RCTs (270 participants) published between 2015 and 2020 were included for analysis. Compared with dexmedetomidine, propofol was associated with lower levels of mSaO2 (mean difference (MD) = −7.24, 95% confidence interval (CI) −12.04 to −2.44; 230 participants) and satisfaction among endoscopic performers (standardized MD = −2.43, 95% CI −3.61 to −1.26; 128 participants) as well as a higher risk of hypoxemia (relative ratios = 1.82, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.76; 82 participants). However, propofol provided a shorter time to fall asleep and a lower risk of failed sedation compared with dexmedetomidine. No significant difference was found in other outcomes. Compared with propofol, dexmedetomidine exhibited fewer adverse effects on respiratory function and provided a higher level of satisfaction among endoscopic performers but was associated with an elevated risk of failed sedation.

Background The efficacy of video-stylet versus video-laryngoscope for tracheal intubation in patients with cervical spine immobilisation, which is known to impede the intubation process, remains unclear. Methods We searched electronic databases including EMBASE, MEDLINE, Google scholar, and Cochrane Library for randomised controlled trials comparing video-stylets with video-laryngoscopes in human subjects with cervical spine immobilisation from inception to the 25th of January 2021. The primary outcome was the rate of successful first-attempt intubation, while secondary outcomes included overall intubation success rate, time for successful intubation, and risk of tissue damage. Results Five trials (709 patients) published between 2009 and 2020 met the inclusion criteria. There were four types of video-stylets and three types of video-laryngoscopes examined. Hard cervical collar was applied in four studies, while manual inline stabilisation was used in one study for cervical immobilisation. There was no difference in successful first-attempt intubation rate between the video-stylet and the video-laryngoscope groups [risk ratio (RR) = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.90 to 1.03, p = 0.3; I2 = 47%] (5 trials, 709 patients). The overall success rate (RR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.96 to 1.0, p = 0.05; I2 = 0%), intubation time [mean difference (MD) = 5.24, 95% CI: -8.95 to 19.43, p = 0.47; I2 = 92%], and risk of tissue damage (RR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.26 to 2.85, p = 0.81; I2 = 39%) were also comparable between the two groups. Conclusions This study validates the efficacy of both video-stylets and video-laryngoscopes for tracheal intubation in the situation of cervical spine immobiliz-sation. Further large-scale trials are warranted to support our findings in this clinical setting.

To determine, in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, the associations of pulmonary embolism (PE) with mortality and risk factors for PE as well as the therapeutic benefit of anticoagulant prophylaxis. Embase, PubMed, Cochrane controlled trials register, and Web of Science databases were searched from inception to October 10, 2020. We included all published trials on PE in patients diagnosed with COVID-19 with eligibility of the trials assessed following the PRISMA guidelines. Sixteen clinical trials with 5826 patients were eligible. There were significant associations of PE with the male gender [odd ratio (OR) = 1.59, 95% CI 1.28–1.97], mechanical ventilation (OR = 3.71, 95% CI 2.57–5.36), intensive care unit admission (OR = 2.99, 95% CI 2.11–4.23), circulating D-dimer [mean difference (MD) = 5.04 µg/mL, 95% CI 3.67–6.42) and CRP (MD = 1.97 mg/dL, 95% CI 0.58– 3.35) concentrations without significant correlation between PE and mortality (OR = 1.31, 95% CI 0.82–2.08) as well as other parameters or comorbidities. After omitting one trial with strict patient selection criteria for anticoagulant prophylaxis, significant prophylactic benefit was noted (OR = 0.31, 95% CI 0.1–0.91). Our findings identified the risk factors associated with PE in COVID-19 patients and supported the therapeutic benefit of anticoagulant prophylaxis against PE in this patient population.

Study objective Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) is a common and underreported but significant outcome following surgery. Pharmacological treatment with analgesics, including non-opioids and opioids, is frequently used. It has been debated whether neuraxial anesthesia can reduce persistent analgesic use. We aimed to survey long-term analgesic prescription after different surgeries under general and neuraxial anesthesia, using a nationwide database. Design Retrospective case-control study. Setting This study used data corresponding to the period from 2000 to 2016 from a longitudinal generation tracking database, which includes the claims data of 2 million randomly selected beneficiaries in Taiwan. Patients Patients (n = 110,654) who underwent herniorrhaphy, hip/knee replacement, and lower-limb open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) or amputation were enrolled. Interventions We categorized patients into general or neuraxial anesthesia groups, compared the rates of long-term analgesic prescription between the two groups, and estimated the adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Main results Lower rates of long-term analgesic prescription were noted in patients who underwent herniorrhaphy (3 months post-surgery: aOR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.84–0.93; 6 months post-surgery: aOR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.84–0.96), hip replacement (3 months post-surgery: aOR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.85–0.97), and lower-limb ORIF (3 months post-surgery: aOR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.88–0.94; 6 months post-surgery: aOR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.92–0.99) under neuraxial anesthesia than under general anesthesia. Lesser long-term opioid prescription after herniorrhaphy (3 months post-surgery: aOR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.36–0.75; 6 months post-surgery: aOR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.42–0.81) and lower-limb ORIF (3 months post-surgery: aOR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.47–0.65; 6 months post-surgery: aOR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.56–0.80) was observed under neuraxial anesthesia than under general anesthesia. Conclusions Neuraxial anesthesia may be associated with lower rates of long-term analgesic and opioid prescription after some surgeries, especially herniorrhaphy and lower-limb ORIF.

Assessment of risk before lung resection surgery can provide anesthesiologists with information about whether a patient can be weaned from the ventilator immediately after surgery. However, it is difficult for anesthesiologists to perform a complete integrated risk assessment in a time-limited pre-anesthetic clinic. We retrospectively collected the electronic medical records of 709 patients who underwent lung resection between 1 January 2017 and 31 July 2019. We used the obtained data to construct an artificial intelligence (AI) prediction model with seven supervised machine learning algorithms to predict whether patients could be weaned immediately after lung resection surgery. The AI model with Naïve Bayes Classifier algorithm had the best testing result and was therefore used to develop an application to evaluate risk based on patients’ previous medical data, to assist anesthesiologists, and to predict patient outcomes in pre-anesthetic clinics. The individualization and digitalization characteristics of this AI application could improve the effectiveness of risk explanations and physician–patient communication to achieve better patient comprehension.

Background The explanation of epidural analgesia by anesthesiologist would often begin after the parturient is admitted to the hospital. Because of labor pain, the decision of receiving epidural analgesia would often be made by the family members, instead of the parturient herself. We aimed to test whether earlier prenatal shared decision-making (SDM) interventions increase parturient’s comprehension and satisfaction of epidural labor analgesia, compared to conventional explanation after labor pain begun. Methods During the 28th week of gestation, we provided the SDM parturient health education as well as a leaflet with quick response codes. Scanning the code would link to education videoclips which explained what epidural analgesia is and its advantages and disadvantages. Original routine practice group parturients received explanation of analgesia after admission for delivery. To measure the satisfaction of labor pain service, the accessibility of information, and the communication with medical staff, we designed a questionnaire with reference to (1) Pregnancy and Maternity Care Patients’ Experiences Questionnaire (PreMaPEQ), (2) Preterm Birth Experience and Satisfaction Scale (P-BESS), and (3) Women’s Views of Birth Labor Satisfaction Questionnaire (WOMBLSQ). The questionnaire was amended after a pretest involving 30 parturients who had received epidural analgesia. Scree test analysis and exploratory factor analysis were performed; then, the questionnaire was revised again. A total of 200 valid questionnaires were collected—100 each from the original routine practice group and the SDM group. Results The SDM group reported significantly higher satisfaction with and understanding of epidural analgesia, and a significantly higher satisfaction with the information received, and the quality of pain relief. After SDM intervention, significant increasement of the average satisfaction scores in question “my epidural is effective” (9.10%; mean difference: 0.38; 95% confidence interval, 0.17 ~ 0.59; p p Conclusions An earlier prenatal SDM intervention with sufficient information through videoclips increased parturients’ comprehensions and satisfaction of epidural analgesia service. Trial registration ISRCTN registry, 14,256,563. Registered April 1st, 2020 (10.1186/ISRCTN14256563).

This study aimed at determining the prevalence and predictors of hypovitaminosis D (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D &lt, 30 ng/mL) among office workers in a subtropical region from an electronic hospital database. Totally, 2880 office workers aged 26&ndash, 65 years who received health examinations with vitamin D status and total calcium concentrations at a tertiary referral center were retrospectively reviewed. Subjects were divided into groups according to genders, age (i.e., 26&ndash, 35, 36&ndash, 45, 46&ndash, 55, 56&ndash, 65), body-mass index (BMI) (i.e., obese BMI &ge, 30, overweight 25 &le, BMI &lt, 30, normal 20 &le, 25, and underweight BMI &lt, 20) and seasons (spring/winter vs. summer/autumn) for identifying the predictors of hypovitaminosis D. Corrected total calcium level &lt, 8.4 mg/dL is considered as hypocalcemia. Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated that females (AOR 2.33, (95% CI: 1.75, 3.09)), younger age (4.32 (2.98, 6.24), 2.82 (1.93, 4.12), 1.50 (1.03, 2.17)), and season (winter/spring) (1.55 (1.08, 2.22)) were predictors of hypovitaminosis D, whereas BMI was not in this study. Despite higher incidence of hypocalcemia in office workers with hypovitaminosis D (p &lt, 0.001), there was no association between vitamin D status and corrected total calcium levels. A high prevalence (61.9%) of hypovitaminosis D among office workers in a subtropical region was found, highlighting the importance of this occupational health issue.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to estimate the ability of antimalarial medications to induce local infiltration analgesia. Methods Using a rat model of skin infiltration anaesthesia, the effects of antimalarial medications (primaquine, chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine and amodiaquine) were compared with the application of lidocaine. Key findings At a dose of 3 μmol, primaquine and chloroquine displayed better potency (all P < 0.05) and greater duration (all P < 0.01) of cutaneous analgesia than lidocaine, whereas the other antimalarial medications showed a similar potency and duration of cutaneous analgesia when compared with lidocaine. When a dose of 3 μmol antimalarial medication was used, primaquine was the most potent and had the longest duration of action among four antimalarial medications. The relative potency ranking (ED50, 50% effective dose) has been found to be primaquine [2.10 (1.87 – 2.37) μmol] > lidocaine [6.27 (5.32 –7.39) μmol] (P < 0.01). Infiltration analgesia of skin with primaquine had a greater duration of action than did lidocaine on the equipotent (ED25, ED50, ED75) basis (P < 0.01). Conclusions Primaquine and chloroquine have greater potency and longer lasting skin analgesia when compared with lidocaine, while the other antimalarials display a similar potency in comparison with lidocaine.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of chloroquine and chloroquine in combination with vasoconstrictor epinephrine to act as a local anesthetic in skin analgesia. After subcutaneous injection of drugs in rats, the inhibition of the cutaneous trunci muscle reflex (CTMR) is designed for evaluation of the cutaneous analgesic effect. The analgesic effect of chloroquine was compared with that of bupivacaine or coadministration of chloroquine and epinephrine. Chloroquine produced exactly the same local anesthesia as bupivacaine did in a dose-dependent manner. On the ED50 (50 % effective dose) basis, the analgesic potency was chloroquine (4.81 [4.45–5.20] μmol)

Objective Although inguinal hernia and aortic aneurysm share similar pathogenic mechanisms of collagen and elastin destruction, their clinical association in geriatric patients is inconclusive. We assessed the association between hernia and the subsequent occurrence of aortic aneurysm in geriatric patients. Methods Adult patients with hernias between 2000 and 2012 were identified from a longitudinal claims database of 1 million beneficiaries from Taiwan's National Health Insurance program, and a control group of patients without hernia were matched by propensity score in a ratio of 1:3. Patients previously diagnosed with aortic aneurysms or connective tissue diseases were excluded. Follow-up ended on December 31, 2013. The incidence rate of aortic aneurysm was compared between patients with hernia and those without. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate relative hazards. Results After propensity score matching, there were 16,933 patients with hernia (aged 20-64 years: 10,326; ≥65 years: 6607) and 50,799 patients without hernia (aged 20-64: 30,978; ≥65: 19,821). Patients with hernia had a greater incidence rate and hazard ratio of aortic aneurysm than did patients without hernia (6.4 vs 4.8/10,000 person-years; adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio [sdHR], 1.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.76; P = .03), especially for those aged ≥65 years (15.6 vs 10.4/10,000 person-years; adjusted sdHR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.07-1.94; P = .01) In addition, geriatric patients with hernia were associated with a marginally greater risk of thoracic (adjusted sdHR, 1.66; 95% CI, 0.96-2.86) and abdominal (adjusted sdHR, 1.36; 95% CI, 0.96-1.94) aortic aneurysm rupture. Conclusions Geriatric patients with hernia were associated with a greater incidence of aortic aneurysm than were those without.

Because the analgesic effect of vitamin C against acute pain remains poorly addressed, this meta-analysis aimed at investigating its effectiveness against acute postoperative pain. A total of seven randomized controlled trials with placebo/normal controls were identified from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Medline, Google Scholar, and Embase databases. Pooled analysis showed a lower pain score (standardized mean difference (SMD) = −0.68, 95% CI: −1.01 to −0.36, p < 0.0001; I2 = 57%) and a lower morphine consumption (weighted mean difference (WMD) = −2.44 mg, 95% CI: −4.03 to −0.86, p = 0.003; I2 = 52%) in the vitamin group than that in the placebo group within postoperative 1–2 h. At postoperative 24 h, a lower pain score (SMD = −0.65, 95% CI: −1.11 to −0.19, p = 0.005; I2 = 81%) and lower morphine consumption (WMD = −6.74 mg, 95% CI: −9.63 to −3.84, p < 0.00001; I2 = 85%) were also noted in the vitamin group. Subgroup analyses demonstrated significant reductions in pain severity and morphine requirement immediately (1–2 h) and 24 h after surgery for patients receiving intravenous vitamin C but not in the oral subgroup. These findings showed significant reductions in pain score and opioid requirement up to postoperative 24 h, respectively, suggesting the effectiveness of perioperative vitamin C use. Further large-scale trials are warranted to elucidate its optimal intravenous dosage and effectiveness against chronic pain in the postoperative pain control setting.

Objective: In this retrospective cohort study, we aimed to determine the characteristics and outcomes of patients in the emergency department (ED) and wards who required emergency tracheal intubation by the difficult airway response team (DART). Materials and Methods: All patients between 18 and 80 years old receiving emergency tracheal intubation by the DART at a single tertiary referral hospital from January 2014 to December 2016 were reviewed and divided into ward and ED groups. Patient characteristics, comorbidities, indications for intubation, airway maintenance technique, and survival-to-discharge rates were analyzed and compared. Results: Totally, 192 patients (ward, n = 135; ED, n = 57) were eligible for the current study. Compared with the ward group, patients in the ED group were younger (58.9 ± 13 vs. 51.5 ± 15.6 years, P = 0.001), male-predominant (71.1% vs. 87.7%, P = 0.014), and had a higher incidence of trauma (6.7% vs. 22.8%, P = 0.001). The most common indications for tracheal intubation were respiratory distress (52.6%) and cardiac arrest (17.8%) in the ward group, and respiratory distress (31.6%) and airway protection (28.1%) in the ED group. Patients in the ED group received more fiberoptic intubations (42.1% vs. 17.8%, P = 0.039) and had a higher survival-to-discharge rate (87.7% vs. 44.4%, P < 0.001) than those in the ward group. Conclusions: Better recognition of differences in patient characteristics and indications for intubation in different units of the hospital may enable the DART to customize specialized equipment to improve efficiency and implement appropriate strategies for airway rescue to improve patient outcomes.

Background During pregnancy, the hyperdynamic physiology of circulation can exacerbate many cardiovascular disorders. Congestive heart failure (CHF) usually occurs during late pregnancy, which is significantly associated with a high level of maternal and neonatal morbidities and mortalities. The profile of women who develop peripartum CHF (PCHF) is unknown. We investigated the epidemiological profiles of PCHF. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, PCHF patients were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes in Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database. Risk factors and obstetric outcomes were compared in women with and without PCHF. Results From 2,115,873 birth-mothers in Taiwan between 1997 and 2013, we identified 512 with PCHF (incidence: 24.20/105). More women with than without PCHF were older (≥ 35, 18.16% vs. 9.62%), and had more multifetal gestations (7.42% vs. 1.40%), gestational hypertension (HTN) (19.2% vs. 1.31%), and gestational diabetes mellitus (4.10% vs. 0.67%). After the analysis had been adjusted for confounders, the leading comorbidities associated with PCHF were structural heart diseases (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 67.21; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 54.29–83.22), pulmonary diseases (aOR: 13.12; 95% CI: 10.28–16.75), chronic HTN (aOR: 11.27; 95% CI: 6.94–18.28), thyroid disease (aOR: 9.53; 95% CI: 5.27–17.23), and gestational HTN (aOR: 5.16; 95% CI: 3.89–6.85). PCHF patients also had a higher rate of cesarean sections (66.41% vs. 34.46%; p