British journal of anaesthesia
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Patients who have survive a burn injury might be at risk of opioid dependence after discharge. This study examined the use of opioids in patients who suffer burn injury and explored factors associated with persistent opioid use after hospital discharge. ⋯ Opioid use is high in those admitted with a burn injury or acute pancreatitis when compared with the general population, increasing further after hospital discharge. Female sex and socioeconomic deprivation are among factors that make increased opioid use more likely, although this phenomenon seems even more pronounced in those with acute pancreatitis compared with burn injuries.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Prevalence and factors associated with high-risk gastric contents in women admitted to the maternity unit for childbirth: a prospective multicentre cohort study on 1003 parturients.
This multicentre prospective observational study sought to determine the prevalence and the factors associated with high-risk gastric contents in women admitted to the maternity unit for childbirth, and to identify the clinical situations in which ultrasound assessment of gastric contents would be most helpful (i.e. when the prevalence of high-risk gastric contents is close to 50%). ⋯ Around two-thirds of parturients had high-risk gastric contents within the first hour after admission to the maternity unit. Our results suggest that gastric emptying for solids continues in labouring women, and that gastric ultrasound would be most helpful when fasting duration is ≥8 h.
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Observational Study
Impact of continuous and wireless monitoring of vital signs on clinical outcomes: a propensity-matched observational study of surgical ward patients.
Continuous and wireless vital sign monitoring is superior to intermittent monitoring in detecting vital sign abnormalities; however, the impact on clinical outcomes has not been established. ⋯ Patients who received continuous ward monitoring were less likely to die or be admitted to ICU than those who received intermittent monitoring. These findings should be confirmed in prospective randomised trials.
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Long-term opioid use after surgery is a crucial healthcare problem in North America. Data from European hospitals are scarce and differentiation of chronic pain has rarely been considered. ⋯ NCT02083835.
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Editorial
Pholcodine and allergy to neuromuscular blocking agents: where are we and how did we get here?
Despite the purported link between pholcodine and neuromuscular blocking agent allergy, screening for prior pholcodine use offers no practical benefit to patients, and anaesthetists should continue to use a neuromuscular blocking agent where this is clinically indicated.