Articles: treatment.
-
Review
Predicting time to asystole following withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment: a systematic review.
The planned withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment is a common practice in the intensive care unit for patients where ongoing organ support is recognised to be futile. Predicting the time to asystole following withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment is crucial for setting expectations, resource utilisation and identifying patients suitable for organ donation after circulatory death. This systematic review evaluates the literature for variables associated with, and predictive models for, time to asystole in patients managed on intensive care units. ⋯ This review identifies variables associated with time to asystole following withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment and summarises existing predictive models. Although several predictive models have been developed, their generalisability and performance varied. Further research and validation are needed to improve the accuracy and widespread adoption of predictive models for patients managed in intensive care units who may be eligible to donate organs following their diagnosis of death by circulatory criteria.
-
To determine the influence of structural racism, vis-à-vis neighborhood socioeconomic trajectory, on colorectal and breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. ⋯ Disadvantage stable neighborhoods were associated with late-stage diagnoses of breast and colorectal cancer. "Disadvantage reduced" (gentrified) neighborhoods were associated with racial inequity in CDS. Improved neighborhood socioeconomic conditions may improve timely diagnosis but could contribute to racial inequities in surgical treatment.
-
Opioid and nonopioid analgesics are commonly prescribed to young people to alleviate pain. Even short-term prescriptions increase the risk of persistent use and future misuse of potent analgesics, such as opioids. Childhood trauma exposure has been found to be related to pain conditions and to using more prescription analgesics. ⋯ The more frequent prescriptions of opioid and nonopioid analgesics to participants exposed to childhood trauma suggests a higher symptom load of pain causing them to seek professional help with pain relief. Receiving potent analgesics is not without risk, and the likelihood of misuse may be elevated among trauma-exposed individuals. A trauma-informed approach to pain could be vital for guiding clinicians to the most effective and least harmful treatment for each patient.
-
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a multifaceted, multisystem autoimmune disorder with diverse clinical expressions. While prevalence reports vary widely, pulmonary involvement accounts for significant morbidity and mortality in SLE. ⋯ We discuss diagnostic modalities, treatment strategies, and prognosis for each pulmonary manifestation. With diagnostics remaining a challenge and with the absence of standardized treatment guidelines, we emphasize the need for evidence-based guidelines to optimize patient care and improve outcomes in this complex disease.
-
Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2024
ReviewPerioperative pain optimization in the age of the opioid epidemic.
The opioid epidemic remains a constant and increasing threat to our society with overdoses and overdose deaths rising significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Growing evidence suggests a link between perioperative opioid use, postoperative opioid prescribing, and the development of opioid use disorder (OUD). As a result, strategies to better optimize pain management during the perioperative period are urgently needed. The purpose of this review is to summarize the most recent multimodal analgesia (MMA) recommendations, summarize evidence for efficacy surrounding the increased utilization of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols, and discuss the implications for rising use of buprenorphine for OUD patients who present for surgery. In addition, this review will explore opportunities to expand our treatment of complex patients via transitional pain services. ⋯ Perioperative physicians must be aware of the impact of the opioid epidemic and explore methods like MMA techniques, ERAS protocols, and transitional pain services to improve the perioperative pain experience and decrease the risks of opioid-related harm.