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Background: Preemptive analgesia is a method of administration of drugs prior to surgery involving blocking noxious stimuli across the perioperative period. It involves blocking the pain pathway preemptively before injury-induced hypersensitivity manifests. Objective: To compare the analgesic efficacy of duloxetine with pregabalin as preemptive analgesic in lumbar spine surgeries. Design: Randomised, double-blinded, prospective study. Methods: Fifty patients of both sexes between 18-55yrs undergoing elective lumbar spine surgery were randomly allocated into two groups, group P and group D of twenty-five patients each. Group P received 75 mg pregabalin once daily for three days, followed by 150 mg pregabalin daily for the next four days till the day of surgery. Group D received 20 mg duloxetine once daily for three days, followed by 40 mg duloxetine twice daily for the next four days till the day of surgery. Outcome Measure: Both the groups were primarily evaluated in terms of time for request of 1st rescue analgesic and total intraoperative analgesic requirement in terms of fentanyl boluses required; among other parameters. Results: The time for request of 1st rescue analgesic postoperatively was significantly longer in the pregabalin group (396 ± 267.77 min) than in the duloxetine group (218.4 ± 96.9 min), P = 0.003. Pregabalin recipients required considerably less rescue analgesics in terms of dosage, P = 0.006. Also, pregabalin exhibited better postoperative pain control than duloxetine as reflected by NRS comparative scores. No statistical difference was appreciated in terms of intraoperative fentanyl requirement, intraoperative hemodynamic control; nausea and sleepiness. Conclusion: Pregabalin is more efficacious as a preemptive analgesic than duloxetine in lumbar spine surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) has taken the world by storm since its detection in China. The pandemic swept across the globe and affected India. The presence or absence of co-morbidities may determine the clinical outcome. Clinical manifestations include cough, fever and dyspnoea mainly. Aim: To elucidate epidemiological findings, clinical features, co-morbidities of COVID-19 disease and clinical outcomes in first 500 COVID-19 patients admitted at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Northern India. Materials and Methods: The retrospective observational study was conducted at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital (JNMCH), Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India, from 21st April to 27th October 2020 on first 500 Reverse Transcription--Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR)/ Rapid Antigen or TruNatBeta positive patients. During January to March 2021 period data was collected and analysed. Data was analysed for epidemiological parameters, Symptoms and Clinical hospital outcomes of patients. Data was analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) VERSION 21.0 IBM and p-value <0.05 was taken as significant. Results: Out of total patients, 284 (56.80%) and 216 (43.20%) were males and females respectively and 11.12% of females were pregnant. Difference in mean ages of males and females was significant (p-value<0.001). The results show that 434 patients (86.80%) recovered fully and were discharged (more males were discharged), whereas 47 (9.40%) patients died. Out of total 500 patients 75.60% patients stayed in the hospital for more than 72 hours and 24.40% stayed for less than 72 hours. The mean age of patients who stayed for less than 72 hours was 48.85± 17.93 as compared (44.23± 17.45) to those who stayed for more than 72 hours and the difference was significant (p-value=0.012). Most common symptom was fever (58%) followed by cough (32%) and dyspnoea (31%). The association between the duration of stay and clinical outcome was significant (p-value<0.001). Conclusion: Gender, advancing age, duration of stay and associated co-morbidities appear to play role in infection and outcome of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case series of five patients suffering with severe post-burn contracture. It mentions that because of the anatomical abnormalities caused by severe contracture around neck region, the assessment of thyromental distance and sternomental distance was difficult. It also mentions that their Cormack and Lehane grading was assessed by performing laryngoscopy with Macintosh blade. It also discusses the uses of the Airtaq optical laryngoscope.