British journal of anaesthesia
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Facial electromyography (FEMG) may have utility in the assessment of nociception during surgery. The difference between state entropy (SE) and response entropy (RE) is an indirect measure of FEMG. This study assesses an automated algorithm for remifentanil administration that is based on maintaining an entropy difference (ED) that is less than an upper boundary condition and greater than a lower boundary condition. ⋯ This feasibility study supports the concept that remifentanil may be delivered using an algorithm that maintains the difference between SE and RE between the upper and lower boundary condition.
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Several physiological scoring systems (PSS) have been proposed for identifying those at risk of deterioration. However, the chosen specific physiological values chosen and the scores allocated have not been prospectively validated. In this study, we investigate the relative contributions of the ventilatory frequency, heart rate, arterial pressure, temperature, oxygen saturation, and conscious level to mortality in order to devise a robust scoring system. All data were collected on admission to the emergency unit. Precise 'intervention-calling scores' could then be derived to trigger interventions. ⋯ A simple validated scoring system to predict mortality in medical patients with precise 'intervention-calling scores' has been developed.
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Neuropathic pain is associated with significant co-morbidity, including anxiety and depression, which impact considerably on the overall patient experience. However, pain co-morbidity symptoms are rarely assessed in animal models of neuropathic pain. To improve the clinical validity of a widely used rodent model of traumatic peripheral neuropathy, we have investigated fear-avoidance- and depression-related behaviours in nerve-injured and sham-operated mice over a 4 week period. ⋯ These data demonstrate that pain behaviour in nerve-injured C57BL/6J mice was not associated with alterations in emotion-related behaviours.