Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Feb 2015
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyExcess Costs and Length of Hospital Stay Attributable to Perioperative Respiratory Events in Children.
This prospective matched-cohort study from Thailand found that children experiencing a perioperative respiratory event were subsequently hospitalized twice as long, incurred 30% higher hospital costs, along with 58% higher indirect costs.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Feb 2015
ReviewAn update of the role of Renin Angiotensin in cardiovascular homeostasis.
The renin angiotensin system (RAS) is thought to be the body's main vasoconstrictor system, with physiological effects mediated via the interaction of angiotensin II with angiotensin I receptors (the "classic" RAS model). However, since the discovery of the heptapeptide angiotensin 1-7 and the development of the concept of the "alternate" RAS system, with its ability to reduce arterial blood pressure, our understanding of this physiologic system has changed dramatically. In this review, we focus on the newly discovered functions of the RAS, particularly the potential clinical significance of these developments, especially in the realm of new pharmacologic interventions for treating cardiovascular disease.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Feb 2015
What can the national quality forum tell us about performance measurement in anesthesiology?
Anesthesiologists face increasing pressure to demonstrate the value of the care they provide, whether locally or nationally through public reporting and payor requirements. In this article, we describe the current state of performance measurement in anesthesia care at the national level and highlight gaps and opportunities in performance measurement for anesthesiologists. ⋯ Few NQF performance measures are specific to anesthesia practice, and none of these appears to demonstrate the value of anesthesia care or differentiate high-quality providers. To demonstrate their role in patient-centered, outcome-driven care, anesthesiologists may consider actively partnering in jointly attributable or team-based reporting. Future measures may incorporate surgical procedures not proportionally represented, as well as procedural and sedation care provided in nonoperating room settings.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Feb 2015
The Antihyperalgesic Effects of Intrathecal Bupropion, a Dopamine and Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitor, in a Rat Model of Neuropathic Pain.
Antidepressants are often used for the treatment of neuropathic pain, and their analgesic effects rely on increased noradrenaline and serotonin levels in the spinal cord. Clinical studies have also shown that bupropion, a dopamine and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor, has strong efficacy in neuropathic pain; however, the role of spinal cord dopamine in neuropathic pain is unknown. We hypothesized that bupropion inhibits neuropathic pain by increasing noradrenaline and dopamine in the spinal cord. In the present study, we determined the efficacy and underlying mechanisms of intrathecal administration of bupropion in a rat model of neuropathic pain. ⋯ These findings suggest that plasticity of descending inhibitory pathways such as the noradrenaline and dopamine systems contributes to the maintenance of neuropathic pain and that spinal cord noradrenaline and dopamine both play an inhibitory role in neuropathic pain.