Masahiko Egusa

The influence of oral VPA on the required dose of propofol for sedation during dental treatment in patients with mental retardation: A prospective observer-blinded cohort study

In sedation of dental patients with moderate or severe mental retardation, it is difficult to identify the optimum sedation level and to maintain it appropriately. Moreover, many patients have concomitant epilepsy and are medicated with oral antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), which influence the drug‐metabolizing enzymes. In particular, valproate (VPA) has been demonstrated to inhibit propofol metabolism in vitro. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to investigate the clinical influence of oral VPA on the required dose of propofol for sedation, with use of a prospective cohort study design. We studied 45 patients with moderate or severe mental retardation who underwent dental treatment under sedation. Propofol was infused, and sedation was maintained at the same level in all patients using a bispectral index (BIS) monitor. After the completion of treatment for the scheduled patients, patients were divided into those with oral VPA treatment (VPA group: 20 patients) and without any oral antiepileptic treatment (control group: 25 patients). The propofol dose required for sedation and times to the recovery of the eyelash reflex and spontaneous eye opening were evaluated. The median required propofol doses in the VPA and control groups were 4.15 (range 1.97–5.88) and 5.67 (2.92–7.17) mg/kg/h, respectively. We observed a statistically significant difference between the two patient groups with respect to median VPA dose (p < 0.01). However, no statistically significant differences were noted in the time until eyelash reflex recovery or spontaneous eye opening between the two groups. The results suggest that oral VPA reduces the dose of propofol required for sedation during dental treatment in patients with moderate or severe mental retardation.

Accumulated oropharyngeal water increases coughing during dental treatment with intravenous sedation.

In dental procedures performed under intravenous sedation in patients with intellectual disabilities, procedures are sometimes interrupted by the cough reflex, which may be triggered by intraoral use of water and/or increased secretion stimulating the pharyngeal/laryngeal mucosa, or by those irritating the tracheal mucosa directly through anesthetics-induced impairment of the laryngeal closure reflex. We investigated relationships between frequency of coughing episodes and intraoral use of water, water remaining in the oropharyngeal space, and mean infusion rate of propofol during dental treatments performed under intravenous sedation with midazolam and propofol. Twenty-one intellectually disabled patients were enrolled. After induction, a 14 Fr. suction catheter was inserted nasally, which was fixed where oropharyngeal suction could be done most effectively. Patients were divided into three groups according to the amount of intraoral use of water, amount of oropharyngeal suction and mean infusion rate of propofol. The amount of oropharyngeal suction significantly correlated with intraoral use of water. Frequency of coughing episodes significantly correlated with amount of oropharyngeal suction per minute. However, coughing episodes correlated neither with intraoral use of water nor with infusion rate of propofol. These findings suggested that accumulation of water in the oropharynx increased vulnerability to the cough reflex in dental treatments performed under intravenous sedation.

Midazolam is associated with delay in recovery and agitation after ambulatory general anesthesia for dental treatment in patients with disabilities: a retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE Some patients with intellectual disabilities (IDs) who undergo total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) have complications associated with the anesthesia such as prolonged recovery. The purposes of this study were to estimate the frequency of TIVA complications among patients with IDs and to identify factors associated with TIVA complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study was designed as a retrospective cohort study. Study samples were selected from the clinical records of patients with IDs who underwent ambulatory general anesthesia in a special dental clinic at the Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, Japan. Predictor variables were patient background, anesthesia-related variables, and dental treatment. Outcome variables were delayed recovery and the complication of agitation. Factors affecting delayed recovery and complications were examined with multivariable analysis. RESULTS We enrolled 106 cases (81 male and 25 female patients) in this study. The mean age was 23.9 years. Serious complications were not observed in any cases. The amount of intravenous midazolam was an independent determinant of delayed recovery. Oral midazolam contributed to delayed recovery, although it is very useful for induction in patients with a high level of fear. Oral midazolam and a younger age were independent predictors of agitation. CONCLUSIONS Intravenous midazolam may not have an advantage in ambulatory general anesthesia. Oral midazolam contributes to delayed recovery and is an independent predictor of agitation.

Low Bone Mass Is a Risk Factor in Periodontal Disease-Related Tooth Loss in Patients with Intellectual Disability

Teeth are fundamental to maintaining good quality of life, but are often lost prematurely in individuals with intellectual disability. Furthermore, since bone mass decreases in menopausal women, women with intellectual disability have an augmented risk of losing their teeth. However, the relationship between periodontal disease-related tooth loss and bone mass has never been studied specifically in patients with intellectual disability. This study evaluated this relationship in a retrospective cohort study. Participants were female dental patients aged between 20 and 50 years and with an intellectual disability, who were treated in the Special Needs Dentistry unit of the Okayama University Hospital from January 2009 to March 2010. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze which factors affect periodontal disease-related tooth loss. Information relating to 12 predictor variables, including age and bone mass level, was derived from medical records. The 27 subjects had a total of 704 teeth at the time of initial examination, but 20 teeth (2.8%) had been lost owing to periodontal disease by the time bone mass measurements were recorded. Results of the multinomial logistic regression analysis indicated a significant odds ratio for three items: number of missing teeth at the time of initial examination, bone mass, and living environment. This result suggests that low bone mass is an independent risk factor in tooth loss secondary to periodontal disease in patients with intellectual disability. Dentists should thus take account of this heightened risk of tooth loss when caring for post-menopausal women with intellectual disability.

Independent Factors Affecting Recovery Time After Sedation in Patients with Intellectual Disabilities

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to identify independent factors associated with prolonged recovery time after intravenous sedation for dental treatment in patients with intellectual disabilities. Methods : This study was designed as a prospective cohort study. Participants were patients with intellectual disabilities, for whom sedation for dental treatment was planned in Okayama University Hospital. The outcome variable was recovery time. The predictor variables were patient background, antiepileptic and psychotropic drugs, and anesthesia-related variables. Factors affecting the outcome were examined with multiple regression analysis. Results : We enrolled 260 cases in this study. Oral midazolam was a strong independent determinant in prolonged recovery time. Teeth extraction, short treatment time and lower body mass index were significant independent predictors of prolonged recovery time. Conclusion : Oral midazolam is a clear independent determinant of prolonged recovery time after sedation, while psychotropic drugs and antiepileptic drugs were not independent determinants in this study.

Clinical analysis of analgesics and steroids use for extraction of teeth in patients with intellectual disability under general anesthesia

Background: The extraction of lower wisdom teeth is often performed under general anesthesia in patients with intellectual disabilities. However, the choice of analgesics has not yet been investigated. Objective: To analyze the use of analgesics during general anesthesia for extraction including lower wisdom teeth in patients with intellectual disabilities. Methods: This research is a retrospective observational study. The study population was composed of all patients presenting for extraction of lower wisdom teeth under ambulatory general anesthesia in the clinic of Special Needs Dentistry in Okayama University Hospital from April 2011 to March 2016. The distribution of the combination of analgesics and the relationship between the use of analgesics and the type of extraction were investigated. Results: One hundred and twelve cases were enrolled in this study. Intravenous injections of flurbiprofen, acetaminophen and betamethasone were used in 96 (85.7%), 12 (10.7%) and 26 cases (23.2%), respectively. Flurbiprofen is a non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Acetaminophen is an old analgesic, but an injection of acetaminophen is new, which was released in 2013 in Japan. And betamethasone is not an analgesic, but a steroid. Betamethasone was used in combination with other analgesics, and was used at a higher dose in a case in which four wisdom teeth were extracted. Conclusion: Flurbiprofen was the main analgesic used for extraction of wisdom teeth under general anesthesia in patients with intellectual disabilities. Betamethasone was used to support flurbiprofen or acetaminophen for extractions of multiple wisdom teeth, with the aim of controlling swelling rather than relieving pain.