Anaesthesia
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Retracted Publication
A multicentre randomised controlled trial of the effect of intra-operative dexmedetomidine on cognitive decline after surgery.
Dexmedetomidine may reduce post-operative delirium and at one month post-operative cognitive decline in elderly patients, associated with changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factor.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
The impact of pre-operative intravenous iron on quality of life after colorectal cancer surgery: outcomes from the intravenous iron in colorectal cancer-associated anaemia (IVICA) trial.
Anaemia is associated with a reduction in quality of life, and is common in patients with colorectal cancer. We recently reported the findings of the intravenous iron in colorectal cancer-associated anaemia (IVICA) trial comparing haemoglobin levels and transfusion requirements following intravenous or oral iron replacement in anaemic colorectal cancer patients undergoing elective surgery. In this follow-up study, we compared the efficacy of intravenous and oral iron at improving quality of life in this patient group. ⋯ The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Anaemia score comprises of subscales related to cancer, fatigue and non-fatigue items relevant to anaemia. Median outpatient scores were higher, and hence favourable, for intravenous iron on the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Anaemia subscale (oral iron 66 (55-72 [23-80]); intravenous iron 71 (66-77 [46-80]); p = 0.002), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Anaemia trial outcome index (oral iron 108 (90-123 [35-135]); intravenous iron 121 (113-124 [81-135]); p = 0.003) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Anaemia total score (oral iron 151 (132-170 [69-183]); intravenous iron 168 (160-174 [125-186]); p = 0.005). These findings indicate that intravenous iron is more efficacious at improving quality of life scores than oral iron in anaemic colorectal cancer patients.
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Multicenter Study
Associations of nadir haemoglobin level and red blood cell transfusion with mortality and length of stay in surgical specialties: a retrospective cohort study.
At nadir haemoglobin above 90 g/L in-hospital, 30-day and 1-year mortality is higher with transfusion.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Reliability of frailty assessment in the critically ill: a multi-centre prospective observational study.
Demand for critical care among older patients is increasing in many countries. Assessment of frailty may inform discussions and decision making, but acute illness and reliance on proxies for history-taking pose particular challenges in patients who are critically ill. Our aim was to investigate the inter-rater reliability of the Clinical Frailty Scale for assessing frailty in patients admitted to critical care. ⋯ However, frailty rating differed by at least one category in 47 (47%) cases. Factors independently associated with higher frailty ratings were: female sex; higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score; higher category of pre-hospital dependence; and the assessor having a medical background. We identified a good level of agreement in frailty assessment using the Clinical Frailty Scale, supporting its use in clinical care, but identified factors independently associated with higher ratings which could indicate personal bias.