Foreseeing postoperative pain in neurosurgical patients: pupillometry predicts postoperative pain ratings-an observational study.

Pupillary reflex dilation (PRD) is triggered by noxious stimuli and diminished by opioid administration. In the postoperative period, PRD has been shown to be correlated with pain reporting and a useful tool to guide opioid administration. In this study we assessed whether pupillary measurements taken before extubation were related with the patient's reported pain in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). Our objective was to evaluate the correlation of PRD and pupillary variables measured intraoperatively with postoperative pain under the same opioid concentration. This was a prospective observational study of 26 neurosurgical patients undergoing general anesthesia exclusively with propofol and remifentanil. A portable infrared pupillometer was used to provide an objective measure of pupil size and PRD (using the Pupillary Pain Index) before extubation. Pain ratings were obtained from patients after recovery of consciousness, while remifentanil was maintained at 2 ng/mL. A significant correlation was observed between NRS scores and pre-extubation PPI (rS = 0.62; P = 0.002), as well as between NRS scores and pupil diameter before tetanic stimulation PPI (rS = 0.56, P = 0.006). We also found a negative correlation between pupil diameter and age (rS = - 0.42, P = 0.04). The statistically significant correlation between pre-extubation PPI scores and NRS scores, as well as between the pupillary diameter before tetanic stimulation and NRS scores suggest the possibility of titrating analgesia at the end of the intraoperative period based on individual responses. This could allow clinicians to identify the ideal remifentanil concentration for the postoperative period.

Relação entre função cognitiva e capacidade funcional em idosos institucionalizados de Caxias do Sul/RS / Relationship between cognitive function and functional capacity in institutionalized elderly of Caxias do Sul/RS

O envelhecimento normal engloba um declínio gradual nas funções cognitivas, dependentes de processos neurológicos quese alteram com a idade. O declínio que acompanha o idoso tem início e progressão extremamente variáveis, e a perda de memória aparece como uma das funções mais acometidas. O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar uma população de idosos institucionalizados de Caxias do Sul/RS quanto ao seu estado cognitivo, às atividades comuns de vida diária, à mobilidade e à autonomia funcional a fim de identificar possível associação existente entre déficit cognitivo e prejuízo motor decorrentes da institucionalização destes sujeitos e vice-versa. Participaram deste estudo 67 sujeitos (77,59 ± 8 anos),os quais foram submetidos ao teste cognitivo Mini-Exame do Estado Mental (MEEM). Mobilidade para membros superiores e inferiores,e as atividades de vida diária foram avaliadas através do Índice de Katz. Não foi encontrada correlação estatisticamente significativa entre MEEM e idade, gênero, escolaridade e mobilidade de membros inferiores (r = 0,02, p > 0,05, Pearson). Uma associação foi detectada entre o desempenho dos idosos no teste para mobilidade dos membros superiores e o teste cognitivo MEEM (p = 0,01 e r= 0,251 Pearson). Os idosos demonstraram um déficit significativo na realização das tarefas banho, vestuário e transferência através do Índice de Katz. Portanto, podemos concluir através deste estudo que as alterações cognitivas detectadas através do MEEM não tiveram associação com o desempenho dos idosos nos testes de mobilidade para membros inferiores. Entretanto, verificou-se uma associação significativa entre o desempenho dos idosos no teste de capacidade funcional para membros superiores e o teste cognitivo avaliado através do MEEM.

Normal aging involves a gradual decline in cognitive abilitieswhich are dependent on neurological processes that change withage. The decline accompanying the elderly is extremely variable inrelation to initiation and progression, and memory loss is one of themost affected functions. The aim of this study was to characterize a population of institutionalized elderly people of the city of Caxias do Sul/RS concerning their cognitive state, common activitiesof daily living, mobility and functional autonomy, in order toidentify possible association between cognitive deficit and motor impairment as a result of institutionalization of these subjects and vice-versa. Sixty-seven subjects (77.59 ± 8 years old) participated onthis study, and underwent cognitive testing using the Mini-MentalState Examination (MMSE). Mobility of upper and lower limbsand activities of daily life were evaluated using the Katz Index. Nostatistically significant correlation was found between MMSE withage, gender, education and mobility of lower limbs (r = 0.02, p >0.05, Pearson). Association was detected between the performance of the elderly in the mobility test of the upper limbs and cognitivetest MMSE (p = 0.01 e r = 0.251 Pearson). The Katz Index showed that the elderly had a significant deficit in performing the following tasks: bathing, clothing and transfer. Therefore, we conclude thatthe cognitive impairments of these elderly people, detected via theMMSE, did not have any association with their performance in thetest of lower limbs mobility. How ever, it was found a significant association between the performance of the elderly in the upperlimbs functional capacity test and the assessment of cognitive function using the MMSE