Anaesthesia
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Multicenter Study
Patterns of opioid use after surgical discharge: a multicentre, prospective cohort study in 25 countries.
Excessive opioid prescribing following surgery contributes to the growing opioid crisis. Prescribing practices are modifiable, yet data to guide appropriate prescription of opioids at surgical discharge remain sparse. This study aimed to evaluate factors associated with opioid consumption following discharge from surgery. ⋯ Our data suggest that the current quantities of opioids provided at discharge exceed patient needs and may contribute to increasing community opioid use and circulation.
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Multicenter Study
Association between multimorbidity and postoperative mortality in patients undergoing major surgery: a prospective study in 29 countries across Europe.
Multimorbidity poses a global challenge to healthcare delivery. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of multimorbidity, common disease combinations and outcomes in a contemporary cohort of patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. ⋯ Multimorbidity is common and outcomes are poor among surgical patients across Europe. Addressing multimorbidity in elective and emergency patients requires innovative strategies to account for frailty and disease control. The development of such strategies, that integrate care targeting whole surgical pathways to strengthen current systems, is urgently needed for multimorbid patients. Interventional trials are warranted to determine the effectiveness of targeted management for surgical patients with multimorbidity.