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This experimental study investigated long-term effectiveness of two educational methods on knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) about palliative care consultation services (PCCS) among nurses, recruited from a medical center located in Northern Taiwan in 2015, using a stratified cluster sampling method, with 88 participants in multimedia (experimental) and 92 in traditional paper education (control) group. Data were collected using KAP-PCCS questionnaire before education, immediately after, and 3rd and 6th month after education. Results showed that both K-PCCSI and P-PCCSI significantly increased immediately after, and at the 3rd month after education for the experimental group; the K-PCCSI remained significantly higher for the experimental group at the 6th month. The highest increase in scores for both K-PCCSI and P-PCCSI was observed at the 3rd month. There was no significant change in A-PCCS in both groups after follow-up periods, when compared before education. Therefore, using multimedia every 3 months to continue strengthening their knowledge may increase the referrals of terminal patients to PCCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During spinal anesthesia, hemodynamic status is routinely monitored, but this may not give an accurate assessment of cerebral oxygenation. Cerebral oximetry, facilitated by using a near-infrared spectroscope, is a way of estimating regional cerebral oxygen saturation (SrO2). We designed this prospective clinical study to determine whether the changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) could predict changes in SrO2 during spinal anesthesia., Methods: The study sample available for analysis included 45 patients, ASA class I to II, who were scheduled for elective ureteroscopic surgery requiring spinal anesthesia. Spinal anesthesia was performed with 12 mg 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine injected intrathecally via L3-4 or L4-5 interspace. MAP, HR, oxygen saturation by pulse oximeter, and SrO2 by near-infrared spectroscope were recorded every 2 min throughout the procedure., Results: SrO2 was tested by the Shapiro-Wilk test and the results departed from the multivariate normal distribution. The method of generalized estimating equations (GEE) was then used to estimate the model. The output of the GEE analysis for the time-lag model showed that there were relationships between SrO2 and two predictors (MAP and HR) with the correction of the baseline values. All the parameters were significant at a level of 5%. The effects of the decreases of MAP and HR on SrO2 lasted continuously for at least 6 min., Conclusions: Based on the time-lag pattern between two predictors (MAP and HR) and SrO2 during spinal anesthesia, we ventured to conclude that a change in MAP or HR caused a significant decrease in SrO2. Since no patient developed any neurologic complication perioperatively, further study must be performed to elucidate the clinical importance of our findings.

Background: The synthesis of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), a necessary cofactor for inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), has been reported to be controlled by guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase I (GTPCH). Previous studies have demonstrated that GTPCH was induced by bacterial toxin. However, in a study using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated murine macrophages model, we found that GTPCH expression was in fact constitutive rather than inducible. To further elucidate the effects of endotoxemia on GTPCH expression, we therefore preformed this LPS-treated rodent endotoxemia study with special focus on lung, liver, and kidney., Methods: Rats randomly received either normal saline (N/S) or LPS injection. At five different time points (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 h after LPS injection in LPS group and comparable time points in N/S group), four rats from each group were sacrificed. Snap frozen tissues were then analyzed using semi-quantitative RT-PCR to determine GTPCH mRNA concentrations., Results: GTPCH mRNA concentrations in lung and liver tissues were similar between groups. On the other hand, GTPCH mRNA concentrations in renal tissues were significantly higher in the LPS group as compared with the N/S group. Our data demonstrated that GTPCH expression in lung and liver tissues was constitutive rather than inducible, whereas renal GTPCH expression was induced by LPS in a time-dependent manner., Conclusions: GTPCH expression is tissue specific. Different tissues react differently to endotoxemia in terms of GTPCH expression. Therefore, efforts aiming at modulating GTPCH expression to limit NO overproduction should adjust accordingly.

Background: Bolus thermodilution cardiac output (BCO) measurement has been considered as the "gold standard" for cardiac output (CO) measurement. However, it requires placement of a pulmonary artery (PA) catheter, and questions have been raised regarding the risk/benefit ratio of this invasive technique. Furthermore, great variations between measurements have been reported. Continuous thermodilution CO (CCO) measurement is reported to be a better alternative, but it still requires the placement of a PA catheter. Esophageal echo-Doppler ultrasonography (ED) provides non-invasive continuous measurement of CO (ED-CO). This study was thus designed to compare the agreement between ED-CO and both thermodilution techniques (BCO and CCO)., Methods: Twenty-four patients undergoing primary coronary artery bypass graft surgery were randomized to have a PA catheter placed for measurement of either BCO or CCO. All patients also had an ED probe placed. In Group I patients (n = 12), BCO measurement was carried out every 15 minutes throughout the surgery except during cardiopulmonary bypass, with concurrent ED-CO reading recorded at the same time point. In Group II patients (n = 12), CCO and ED-CO measurements were recorded at the same designated points of time as in Group I. The agreement between methods (BCO vs. ED-CO or CCO vs. ED-CO) was assessed using Bland-Altman method., Results: The range of measured CO of each method was 2.1 to 9.4 l/min for BCO, 2.4 to 9.2 l/min for CCO and 2.3 to 8.9 l/min for ED-CO. ED-CO and CCO had excellent agreement with a linear regression coefficient (r2 value) of 0.846, and a bias (mean difference) and SD of bias of 0.05 +/- 0.49 l/min. In contrast, the agreement between BCO and ED-CO was poorer; correlation was low (r2 value 0.406) and both the bias and SD of bias were high (0.11 +/- 1.12 l/min). Furthermore, BCO measurements had poor reproducibility, whereas both ED-CO and CCO measurements had good reproducibility., Conclusions: Esophageal echo-Doppler ultrasonography is a satisfactory alternative for cardiac output measurement because it gives a value in good agreement with CCO measurement. With significant between-measurement variations, the accuracy and precision of BCO are uncertain, and it should not be considered as the "gold standard".

Background: Levobupivacaine is the S(-)-enantiomer of the racemic bupivacaine. Data of pharmacological studies suggest that levobupivacaine has a lower potential of toxicity for central nervous and cardiovascular systems than does bupivacaine. The present study was undertaken to compare the safety and efficacy between levobupivacaine and bupivacaine in epidural anesthesia for Cesarean delivery., Methods: A prospective, controlled, double-blinded study was conducted in 45 ASA class I-II Taiwanese obstetric patients undergoing elective Caesarean Section under extradural anesthesia. Patients were randomized to receive either 25 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine or 0.5% levobupivacaine in a double-blinded fashion. The end points of measurements relevant to efficacy included onset, fade-out, and quality of anesthesia. The safety end-point measurements included Apgar scores, maternal ECG, maternal and neonatal blood pH, and adverse events., Results: There was no significant difference between groups in the profile of sensory and motor blockade produced. Comparison of visual analogue pain scores did not show significant differences between groups at the corresponding times. There were no significant differences between groups in muscle relaxation scores assessed by obstetricians as well as the overall assessment of block quality rated by anesthesiologists. Apgar scores, maternal and neonatal blood pH, maternal ECG, and adverse events did not differ between groups. The drug-related adverse events were hypotension and shivering which were equally seen in levobupivacaine and bupivacaine groups. There was no other serious adverse event that happened in both groups., Conclusions: The onset and fade-out of sensory and motor blockade, quality of anesthesia, muscle relaxation and overall quality of anesthesia as assessed were comparable between two groups. No significant maternal or neonatal adverse events were found between the treatment groups. In comparison, levobupivacaine had the efficacy and safety profile equivalent to bupivacaine in epidural anesthesia for Caesarean section.