Articles: function.
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Journal of critical care · Oct 2016
The Intensive care unit specialist: Report from the Task Force of World Federation of Societies of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine.
The role of the critical care specialist has been unequivocally established in the management of severely ill patients throughout the world. Data show that the presence of a critical care specialist in the intensive care unit (ICU) environment has reduced morbidity and mortality, improved patient safety, and reduced length of stay and costs. ⋯ The curriculum to ensure appropriate training around the world is diverse but should ideally meet some minimum standards. The World Federation of Societies of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine has set up a task force to address issues concerning the training, functions, roles, and responsibilities of an ICU specialist.
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Crystalloid solutions are used to restore intravascular volume in septic patients, but each solution has limitations. The authors compared the effects of three crystalloid solutions on hemodynamics, organ function, microcirculation, and survival in a sepsis model. ⋯ In this abdominal sepsis model, resuscitation with NS was associated with hyperchloremic acidosis, greater hemodynamic instability, a more altered microcirculation, and more severe organ dysfunction than with balanced fluids. Survival time was shorter than in the LR group.
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Endogenous opioid system dysfunction potentially contributes to chronic pain in fibromyalgia (FM), but it is unknown if this dysfunction is related to established neurobiological markers of hyperalgesia. We previously reported that µ-opioid receptor (MOR) availability was reduced in patients with FM as compared with healthy controls in several pain-processing brain regions. In the present study, we compared pain-evoked functional magnetic resonance imaging with endogenous MOR binding and clinical pain ratings in female opioid-naive patients with FM (n = 18) using whole-brain analyses and regions of interest from our previous research. ⋯ These findings are the first to link endogenous opioid system tone to regional pain-evoked brain activity in a clinical pain population. Our data suggest that dysregulation of the endogenous opioid system in FM could lead to less excitation in antinociceptive brain regions by incoming noxious stimulation, resulting in the hyperalgesia and allodynia commonly observed in this population. We propose a conceptual model of affective pain dysregulation in FM.
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J Hand Surg Eur Vol · Oct 2016
Recovery of upper extremity function following endoscopically assisted contralateral C7 transfer for obstetrical brachial plexus injury.
Transfer of the contralateral C7 nerve for reconstruction of the brachial plexus in infants with obstetrical brachial plexus injury has rarely been reported. We developed a new endoscopy-assisted technique via the prevertebral (retroesophageal) route for the transfer of the contralateral C7 nerve in reconstruction of the brachial plexus. The reconstruction was performed in 20 infants (14 boys and six girls). Motor recovery was assessed using the Gilbert and Raimondi scales. The Narakas Sensory Grading System was used to evaluate hand sensation. The mean follow-up period was 45 months (SD 18.2). Of the 20 children, nine had contralateral C7 transfer to lower nerve roots, two had transfer to upper nerve roots and nine had transfer to both upper and lower roots. The postoperative shoulder and elbow functions were good or satisfactory according to the Gilbert classification in all children whose preoperative scores were poor. All patients with lower roots reconstruction (9) had satisfactory hand function. A total of 15 children had a Narakas score of S3. Our technique enables safe contralateral C7 transfer to the avulsed roots in severe obstetrical brachial plexus injury infants with a satisfactory functional recovery. ⋯ Level IV.
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Although conduction failure has been observed in nociceptive C-fibers, little is known regarding its significance or therapeutic potential. In a previous study, we demonstrated that C-fiber conduction failure, which is regarded as an intrinsic self-inhibition mechanism, was reduced in circumstances of painful diabetic neuropathy. In this study, we extend this finding in the complete Freund's adjuvant model of inflammatory pain and validate that the degree of conduction failure decreased and led to a greater amount of pain signals conveyed to the central nervous system. ⋯ ZD7288 promoted conduction failure by suppressing Ih as a mechanism to reduce the rising slope of the after-hyperpolarization potential. Moreover, perineuronal injection of ZD7288 inhibited abnormal mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia without affecting motor function or heart rate. Our data highlight the analgesic potential of local ZD7288 application and identify conduction failure as a novel target for analgesic therapeutic development.