Anesthesiology
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Interest in developing and using novel biomarkers in critical care and perioperative medicine is increasing. Biomarkers studies are often presented with flaws in the statistical analysis that preclude them from providing a scientifically valid and clinically relevant message for clinicians. To improve scientific rigor, the proper application and reporting of traditional and emerging statistical methods (e.g., machine learning) of biomarker studies is required. This Readers' Toolbox article aims to be a starting point to nonexpert readers and investigators to understand traditional and emerging research methods to assess biomarkers in critical care and perioperative medicine.
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Perioperative arterial cannulation in children is routinely performed. Based on clinical observation of several complications related to femoral arterial lines, the authors performed a larger study to further examine complications. The authors aimed to (1) describe the use patterns and incidence of major short-term complications associated with arterial cannulation for perioperative monitoring in children, and (2) describe the rates of major complications by anatomical site and age category of the patient. ⋯ The overall major complication rate of arterial cannulation for monitoring purposes in children is low (0.2%). All complications occurred in femoral arterial lines in children younger than 5 yr of age, with the greatest complication rates in infants and neonates. There were no complications in distal arterial cannulation sites, including more than 3,000 radial cannulations.