Anesthesiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Comparative analgesic and mental effects of increasing plasma concentrations of dexmedetomidine and alfentanil in humans.
In animals, systemic and intrathecal administration of the alpha2 -adrenergic receptor agonist dexmedetomidine results in robust antinociceptive effects in models of heat pain. In humans, systemically administered dexmedetomidine is approved for sedating patients in the intensive care unit. However, whether systemic administration of dexmedetomidine in humans produces significant analgesia at doses causing sedation but not unconsciousness remains controversial. ⋯ This study documents that systemic dexmedetomidine lacks analgesic efficacy for heat and electrical pain at doses causing mild to severe sedation. These results provide further evidence suggesting that systemic administration of dexmedetomidine lacks broad analgesic activity in models of acute pain at doses not rendering humans unconscious.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Recruitment maneuvers after a positive end-expiratory pressure trial do not induce sustained effects in early adult respiratory distress syndrome.
Recruitment maneuvers performed in early adult respiratory distress syndrome remain a matter of dispute in patients ventilated with low tidal volumes and high levels of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP). In this prospective, randomized controlled study the authors evaluated the impact of recruitment maneuvers after a PEEP trial on oxygenation and venous admixture (Qs/Qt) in patients with early extrapulmonary adult respiratory distress syndrome. ⋯ In patients with early extrapulmonary adult respiratory distress syndrome who underwent a PEEP trial, recruitment maneuvers failed to induce a sustained improvement of oxygenation and venous admixture.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Effects of short-term fenoldopam infusion on gastric mucosal blood flow in septic shock.
Inadequate splanchnic perfusion in septic shock is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. As result of splanchnic ischemia, mucosal permeability increases. Considering the implication of improved mucosal perfusion in terms of maintenance of mucosal barrier integrity, dopamine-1 receptor stimulation could be helpful in septic shock. The goal of the current study was to determine the effects of fenoldopam on systemic hemodynamic parameters and gastric mucosal perfusion in patients with septic shock. Furthermore, the authors tested the hypothesis that the addition of fenoldopam (0.1 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1)) to a combination of norepinephrine and dobutamine (5 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1)) may improve gastric mucosal perfusion in septic shock. ⋯ The study showed that, for the same mean arterial pressure, short-term fenoldopam infusion increased gastric mucosal perfusion in patients with septic shock.
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Comparative Study
Inhibitory effects of the anesthetics propofol and sevoflurane on spontaneous lymphatic vessel activity in rats.
The effects of propofol and sevoflurane on lymphatic vessel activity are unknown. This study aimed to clarify the effects of these anesthetics on lymphatic vessel activity in rats by the use of a technique for mechanical removal of the endothelium. ⋯ Propofol and sevoflurane seem to have some different effects on endothelial function, which regulates the pacemaking of spontaneous contraction of lymphatic vessels.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A new closed-loop control system for isoflurane using bispectral index outperforms manual control.
Automatic control of depth of hypnosis using the Bispectral Index (BIS) can help to reduce phases of inadequate control. Automated BIS control with propofol or isoflurane administration via an infusion system has recently been described, a comparable study with isoflurane administration via a vaporizer had not been conducted yet. Our hypothesis was that our new model based closed-loop control system can safely be applied clinically and maintains the BIS within a defined target range better than manual control. ⋯ Closed-loop control with BIS using isoflurane can safely be applied clinically and performs significantly better than manual control, even in phases with abrupt changes of stimulation that cannot be foreseen by the control system.