Too Jae Min

Effect of ketamine on intravenous patient-controlled analgesia using hydromorphone and ketorolac after the Nuss surgery in pediatric patients

Background Nuss surgery is preferred in pectus excavatum repair because this procedure produces excellent cosmetic results and prevents postoperative distressed pulmonary function. However, the procedure causes severe pain due to thoracic expansion. This study was designed to investigate the analgesic effect of small doses of ketamine on an intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) using hydromorphone and ketorolac for pain control after Nuss surgery. Methods Forty-four patients undergoing elective Nuss surgery were randomly assigned to receive hydromorphone 3 µg/kg/hr, ketorolac 0.05 mg/kg/hr and ondansetron 0.1 mg/kg/day (Group HO, n = 22) or hydromorphone 3 µg/kg/hr, ketorolac 0.05 mg/kg/hr, ondansetron 0.1 mg/kg/day and ketamine 0.15 mg/kg/hr (Group HK, n = 22) via an IV-PCA pump after surgery. A blind observer evaluated each patient using the Modified Childrens Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale (CHEOPS) for the assessment of pain control. The total administered PCA volume, side effects and parents satisfaction with pain control were assessed at postoperative 1, 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 hours. Results There were no significant differences in Modified CHEOPS between the groups during postoperative 48 hours. The total PCA volume in group HK was significantly lower than that in group HO (P < 0.05). The side effects in both groups did not significantly differ except for pruritus. The levels of satisfaction from the parents were not significantly different between the groups. Conclusions A small dose of ketamine on IV-PCA reduced the total administered dose of IV-PCA with hydromorphone and ketorolac and reduced the incidence of pruritus after the Nuss procedure in pediatric patients.

Intrathecal hydromorphone added to hyperbaric bupivacaine for postoperative pain relief after knee arthroscopic surgery: a prospective, randomised, controlled trial.

Background and objective Adding opioid to spinal anaesthetic provides additional analgesia during the postoperative period. The purpose of this study was to determine the dose of intrathecal hydromorphone necessary to achieve postoperative pain relief after arthroscopic knee surgery. Methods In a prospective, double-blinded parallel, placebo-controlled manner, 60 patients who were undergoing unilateral knee arthroscopy randomly received unilateral spinal anaesthesia with 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine 6 mg combined with 0.0, 2.5, 5.0 or 10.0 &mgr;g per 0.05 ml hydromorphone. Fifteen patients were assigned to receive each dose. The visual analogue pain scores (VAPSs) were measured at 30 min and 2, 4, 6, 12 and 24 h postoperatively, and the side-effects of hydromorphone were recorded. Results The postoperative VAPSs at 4, 6 and 12 h for the 5 and 10 &mgr;g hydromorphone groups were significantly decreased, compared to the control group. The 2.5 &mgr;g hydromorphone group had lower VAPS only at 4 and 6 h postoperatively. Nausea was significantly increased in the 10 &mgr;g hydromorphone group (46.6%). Conclusion The analgesic effects of 5 and 10 &mgr;g intrathecal hydromorphone provided satisfactory pain relief for 12 h postoperatively and nausea increased significantly in a dose-dependent manner. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov. ID: NCT01172782.

Effects of cranial electrotherapy stimulation on preoperative anxiety, pain and endocrine response

Objectives Cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) is used as a treatment for depression and anxiety, and as an adjunctive intervention for pain management. This prospective study investigated whether CES could decrease preoperative anxiety, the injection pain of rocuronium, postoperative pain and stress hormone levels. Methods Female patients undergoing thyroidectomy were randomly assigned to two groups, to receive either no pretreatment (control group) or CES pretreatment. Anxiety score, withdrawal response on rocuronium injection, and pain scores at 1, 4, 12 and 24 h post surgery were evaluated. Adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), cortisol and glucose levels were measured. Patients were blinded to the treatment condition. Results Fifty patients entered the study (n = 25 per group). Anxiety score and withdrawal responses during rocuronium injection were significantly reduced in the CES group compared with the control group. Pain score was significantly lower in the CES group than in the control group, 1 h and 4 h post surgery. There were no significant differences in ACTH, cortisol and glucose levels. Conclusions CES pretreatment appears to reduce the level of preoperative anxiety, injection pain of rocuronium and postoperative pain. However, CES pretreatment did not affect stress hormone responses.

Morphine attenuates endothelial cell adhesion molecules induced by the supernatant of LPS-stimulated colon cancer cells.

A large reservoir of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is available in the colon and this could promote colon cancer metastasis by enhancing tumor cell adhesion, intravasation, and extravasation. Furthermore, adhesion molecules like ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and E-selectin play important roles in the adhesion of tumor cells to endothelium. This study was designed to determine whether morphine can attenuate the expressions of adhesion molecules up-regulated by the supernatant of LPS-stimulated HCT 116 colon cancer cells (LPS-Sup). In this study, we divided to three groups by cell-growth medium of human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs): the control group was incubated in growth factor-free endothelial medium, the Sup group was incubated in the supernatant of HCT 116 cells (Sup), and the LPS-Sup group was incubated in LPS-Sup. To observe effect of morphine to the adhesion molecules expressions in the LPS-Sup group, we co-treated morphine with LPS or added it to LPS-Sup. Adhesion molecule expressions on HUVECs in all three groups were measured during incubation period. Consquentially, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and E-selectin expressions on HUVECs were significantly lower when morphine was co-treated with LPS than not co-treated. Thus, we suggest that morphine affects the expressions of adhesion molecules primarily by attenuating LPS stimuli on tumor cells.

Gap junction remodelling by chronic pressure overload is related to the increased susceptibility to atrial fibrillation in rat heart

AIMS Left atrial (LA) fibrosis caused by various pathological stimuli is a common finding. However, the difference of atrial remodelling via haemodynamic change in diverse cardiomyopathy has not been elucidated. METHODS AND RESULTS Male Sprague-Dawley rats (6-8 weeks, n = 180) were randomly assigned to three groups and corresponding sham control groups: (i) ischaemic cardiomyopathy, (ii) left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), and (iii) dilated cardiomyopathy. At 12 weeks after operation, atrial fibrillation (AF) inducibility and duration were assessed by in vivo burst transoesophageal pacing. Using the Langendorff apparatus, left ventricular (LV) function and pressure were measured. The expression of connexin-43 (Cx43) and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in atrial tissues was assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical staining. Fibrosis was analysed by Massons trichrome staining. Compared with controls, the LA weight/heart weight ratio was increased in the LVH group alone, and was significantly correlated with AF duration (P < 0.001, R = 0.388). Atrial fibrillation inducibility and duration were higher and longer only in the LVH group (P = 0.002, 0.079, respectively), and isolated LV diastolic dysfunction and elevated LV pressure were observed. Although α-SMA expression and fibrosis were increased in all three cardiomyopathy models, down-regulation of Cx43 expression in the LA was observed in the LVH group alone. CONCLUSION Chronic pressure overload in the absence of LV systolic dysfunction resulted in LA hypertrophy and increased susceptibility to AF, which might be related to conduction abnormality via decreased expression and lateral distribution of Cx43 as well as interstitial fibrosis.

Effects of an internal medicine floor interdisciplinary team on hospital and clinical outcomes of seniors with acute medical illness.

To examine whether an internal medicine interdisciplinary floor team enhances the hospital and clinical outcomes for seniors with acute medical illness.

Factors Associated With Remaining in a Skilled Nursing Facility for Over 90 Days from Admission: Residents' Participation in Therapy and Desire to Return to the Community

BACKGROUND To identify the factors associated with stay in a skilled nursing facility (SNF) among new enrollees who did not fully participate in therapy sessions. METHODS Data (n = 36,133) were obtained from the Minimum Data Set version 2.0 in the state of Michigan in 2009. Study participants were new SNF enrollees (n = 699) who did not fully participate in therapy sessions despite their desire to return to the community. Multivariate logistic regressions were performed to identify factors contributing to remaining in a nursing home for 91 days or longer. RESULTS New SNF enrollees were more likely to remain in nursing home when they were depressed (odds ratio [OR] = 1.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-2.08; P = .01), experiencing delirium (OR = 3.20; 95% CI, 1.48-5.92; P < .001), were not in pain (OR = 0.83; 95% CI, 0.60-0.95; P = .03), or in less complex care (OR = 0.57; 95% CI, 0.44-0.81; P < .01). CONCLUSIONS A higher number of new SNF enrollees than previously reported were likely to stay in nursing homes (28.0%). Depression and delirium were associated with stay in an SNF, while pain and higher complexity of care were associated with returning to the community.

Effects of health insurance on racial disparity in osteoporosis medication adherence

OBJECTIVE To explore whether racial disparity in osteoporosis drug therapy maintenance varies by health insurance coverage status. DESIGN Longitudinal observation study. SETTING Cleveland Clinic Health System (Cleveland, OH) from January 2006 to December 2009. PATIENTS 3,901 black and white female Medicare beneficiaries starting osteoporosis drug therapy. INTERVENTION Analysis of the health systems integrated electronic medical records. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Drug therapy adherence (medication possession ratio ≥80%) for more than 12 of 15 surveillance units and occurrence of extended nonadherence gaps for at least two surveillance units in a row. RESULTS Among patients with supplementary health insurance (n = 2,278), no difference was observed for drug therapy adherence ( P = 0.17) and extended nonadherence gaps ( P = 0.53) between black and white participants. When patients did not have supplementary health insurance (n = 1,623), blacks (36% [95% CI 28-47]) were less likely to adhere to drug therapy than whites (47% [38-57]; odds ratio [OR] 0.34 [95% CI 0.09-0.92], P = 0.004). Blacks (25% [19-32]) also were more likely to have an extended nonadherence gap episode than whites (18% [11-26]; OR 2.42 [1.13-3.50], P = 0.03). CONCLUSION Similar to previous research on racial disparity in health services, racial disparity in osteoporosis drug therapy maintenance between black and white female older patients existed when supplementary health insurance was not affordable.

Anesthetic management of hypertensive crisis in a three-year-old patient with undiagnosed severe renal artery stenosis -a case report-

Pediatric hypertensive crisis is a potentially life threatening medical emergency, usually secondary to an underlying disease. Hypertension commonly occurs during general anesthesia, and is usually promptly and appropriately treated by anesthesiologists. However in children with severe, unexplained, or refractory hypertension, it has the potential to cause morbidity and even mortality in susceptible patients. We report an anesthetic management of an unexpected hypertensive crisis that developed during general anesthesia in a three-year-old girl with undiagnosed severe left renal artery stenosis.

Correlation between regional tissue perfusion saturation and lactate level during cardiopulmonary bypass

Background Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) can cause systemic hypoperfusion, which remains undetected by routine monitoring of physiological parameters. Noninvasive tissue perfusion monitoring offers a clinical benefit by detecting low systemic perfusion. In this study, we tried to evaluate whether regional tissue perfusion saturation reflects systemic hypoperfusion during CPB. Methods This retrospective study included 29 patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status II–III, who required cardiac surgery with CPB. We evaluated the correlations of serum lactate and delivery oxygen with organ perfusion values of peripheral tissue oxygen saturation and cerebral oxygen saturation. Data were recorded at different stages of CPB: T1 (pre-CPB), T2 (cooling), T3 (hypothermia), T4 (rewarming), and T5 (post-CPB). Results Lactate levels were elevated after CPB and up to weaning (P < 0.05). The levels of peripheral and tissue oxygen saturation decreased after the start of CPB (P < 0.05). Lactate levels were negatively correlated with peripheral tissue oxygen saturation levels at T4 (R = −0.384) and T5 (R = −0.370) and positively correlated with cerebral oxygen saturation at T3 (R = 0.445). Additionally, delivery oxygen was positively correlated with peripheral tissue oxygen saturation at T4 (R = 0.466). Conclusions In this study, we demonstrated that peripheral tissue oxygen saturation can be a reliable tool for monitoring systemic hypoperfusion during CPB period. We also believe that peripheral tissue oxygen saturation is a valuable marker for detecting early stages of hypoperfusion during cardiac surgery.