Differences between resident self-assessments and faculty- assessments on Anesthesiology Milestones and associated factors: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Accurate self-assessment is crucial for the professional development of physicians. There has been sparse data on the accuracy of self-assessments on Anesthesiology Milestones. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences between resident self-assessments and faculty-assessments on Anesthesiology Milestones and the associated factors. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a general tertiary university-affiliated hospital. We included anesthesia residents who were enrolled in the standardized residency training program in postgraduate year two and three at the time of the Milestone evaluation. We requested evaluations of competencies from both the Clinical Competency Committee faculty and the anesthesia residents themselves, utilizing the Chinese version of Anesthesiology Milestones in January 2023 and January 2024. The primary outcome was the differences between self- and faculty-assessments, calculated by subtracting the faculty-rated score from the self-rated score on each subcompetency. RESULTS: A total of 46 and 42 residents were evaluated in year 2023 and 2024, respectively. The self-rated sum score was significantly higher than that rated by faculty [mean (standardized deviation): 120.39 (32.41) vs. 114.44 (23.71), P = 0.008 in paired t test] with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.55 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.31 to 0.70]. The Bland-Altman plots revealed significant overestimation in patient care (bias 0.32, 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.60), practice-based learning and improvement (bias 0.45, 95% CI: 0.07 to 0.84), and professionalism (bias 0.37, 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.72). Ratings from residents with master's degrees (mean difference: -1.06, 95% CI: -1.80 to -0.32, P = 0.005) and doctorate degrees (mean difference: -1.14, 95% CI: -1.91 to -0.38, P = 0.003) were closer to the faculty-assessments than residents with bachelor's degrees. Compared with patient care, the differences between self- and faculty- rated scores were smaller in medical knowledge (mean difference: -0.18, 95% CI: -0.35 to -0.02, P = 0.031) and interpersonal and communication skills (mean difference: -0.41, 95% CI: -0.64 to -0.19, P < 0.001) in the generalized estimating equation logistic regression model. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that residents tended to overestimate themselves, emphasizing the need to improve the accuracy of Milestones self-assessment. The differences between self- and faculty-assessments were associated with residents' degrees and domains of competency.

Intraoperative mechanical ventilation and incidence of pneumothorax in lymphangioleiomyomatosis.

Patients with lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) are considered high risk for most surgeries and require specific anesthetic considerations mainly because of the common spontaneous pneumothorax (PTX). To explore whether intraoperative mechanical ventilation could increase the risk of PTX in those patients, we included 12 surgical patients with LAM in this study, of whom four (33.3%) experienced postoperative PTX. According to our results, patients with higher CT grade, poorer pulmonary function, and a history of preoperative PTX might be more likely to develop postoperative PTX. However, intraoperative mechanical ventilation did not show obvious influence, which might help clinicians reconsider the perioperative management of LAM patients.

Comparison of effectiveness and cost of different HCV testing strategies in high-risk populations in China.

High-risk populations are the predominant populations affected by hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and there is an urgent need for efficient and cost-effective HCV testing strategies for high-risk populations to identify potential undiagnosed HCV-infected individuals. This study compared several commonly used testing strategies and conducted effectiveness and cost analysis to select the appropriate testing strategy for diagnosing HCV infection in high-risk populations. Among the 2093 samples from high-risk populations in this study, 1716 were HCV negative, 237 were current HCV infection, 137 were past HCV infection, and three were acute early HCV infection. It was found that out of 237 patients with HCV current infection, Strategy A could detect 225 cases, with a missed detection rate of 5.06%, and the total cost was 33 299 RMB. In addition, Strategy B could detect 237 cases of current HCV infection, and the HCV missed detection rate was 0.00%, and the total cost was 147 221 RMB. While 137 cases of past HCV infection could be distinguished by strategy C, but 14 cases with current HCV infection were missed, with an HCV-positive missed detection rate of 5.91%, and the total cost for Strategy C was 43 059 RMB. In conclusion, in high-risk populations, the HCV positivity rate is typically higher. If feasible, the preferred approach is to directly conduct HCV RNA testing, which effectively minimizes the risk of missing cases. However, in situations with limited resources, it is advisable to initially choose a highly sensitive method for anti-HCV screening, followed by HCV RNA testing on reactive samples.

Analysis of hospital and payer costs of care: aggressive warming versus routine warming in abdominal major surgery.

Background: Hypothermia is common and active warming is recommended in major surgery. The potential effect on hospitals and payer costs of aggressive warming to a core temperature target of 37°C is poorly understood. Methods: In this sub-analysis of the PROTECT trial (clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03111875), we included patients who underwent radical procedures of colorectal cancer and were randomly assigned to aggressive warming or routine warming. Perioperative outcomes, operation room (OR) scheduling process, internal cost accounting data from the China Statistical yearbook (2022), and price lists of medical and health institutions in Beijing were examined. A discrete event simulation (DES) model was established to compare OR efficiency using aggressive warming or routine warming in 3 months. We report base-case net costs and sensitivity analyses of intraoperative aggressive warming compared with routine warming. Costs were calculated in 2022 using US dollars (USD). Results: Data from 309 patients were analyzed. The aggressive warming group comprised 161 patients and the routine warming group comprised 148 patients. Compared to routine warming, there were no differences in the incidence of postoperative complications and total hospitalization costs of patients with aggressive warming. The potential benefit of aggressive warming was in the reduced extubation time (7.96 ± 4.33 min vs. 10.33 ± 5.87 min, p < 0.001), lower incidence of prolonged extubation (5.6% vs. 13.9%, p = 0.017), and decreased staff costs. In the DES model, there is no add-on or cancelation of operations performed within 3 months. The net hospital costs related to aggressive warming were higher than those related to routine warming in one operation (138.11 USD vs. 72.34 USD). Aggressive warming will have an economic benefit when the OR staff cost is higher than 2.37 USD/min/person, or the cost of disposable forced-air warming (FAW) is less than 12.88 USD/piece. Conclusion: Despite improving OR efficiency, the economic benefits of aggressive warming are influenced by staff costs and the cost of FAW, which vary from different regions and countries. Clinical trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov, identifier (NCT03111875).

Effect of active warming on perioperative cardiovascular outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to provide an updated review on the active warming effects on major adverse cardiac events, 30-day all-cause mortality, and myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery. METHOD: We systematically searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science, and Chinese BioMedical Literature Database. We included randomized controlled trials of adult population undergoing noncardiac surgeries that concentrate on the comparison of active warming methods and passive thermal management. Cochrane Collaboration's tool was applied for risk-of-bias assessment. We used trial sequential analysis to evaluate the possibility of false positive or negative results. RESULTS: A total of 13,316 unique records were identified, of which only 19 with reported perioperative cardiovascular outcomes were included in the systematic review and nine of them were included in final meta-analysis. No statistically significant difference between active warming methods and routine care was found in major adverse cardiac events (RR 0.56, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.14-2.21, I2 = 71%, number of events 59 vs. 70), 30-day all-cause mortality (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.43-1.54, I2 = 0%, number of events 17 vs. 21), and myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery (RR 0.61, 95% CI 0.17-2.22, I2 = 79%, number of events 236 vs. 234). Trial sequential analysis suggests that current trials did not reach the minimum information size regarding the major cardiovascular events. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to routine perioperative care, we found that active warming methods are not necessary for cardiovascular prevention in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery.

Association of intraoperative hypotension and postoperative acute kidney injury after adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma: a retrospective cohort analysis.

BACKGROUND: Perioperative acute kidney injury (AKI) has been one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality for surgical patients. Pheochromocytoma is a rare, catecholamine-secreting neuroendocrine neoplasm characterized by typical long-term hypertension that needs surgical resection. Our objective was to determine whether intraoperative mean arterial pressures (MAPs) less than 65 mmHg are associated with postoperative AKI after elective adrenalectomy in patients with pheochromocytoma. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of patients undergoing adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma between 1991 and 2019 at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China. Two intraoperative phases, before and after tumor resection, were recognized based on distinctly different hemodynamic characteristics. The authors evaluated the association between AKI and each blood pressure exposure in these two phases. The association between the time spent under different absolute and relative MAP thresholds and AKI was then evaluated adjusting for potential confounding variables. RESULTS: We enrolled 560 cases with 48 patients who developed AKI postoperatively. The baseline and intraoperative characteristics were similar in both groups. Though time-weighted average MAP was not associated with postoperative AKI during the whole operation (OR 1.38; 95% CI, 0.95-2.00; P = 0.087) and before tumor resection phase (OR 0.83; 95% CI, 0.65-1.05; P = 0.12), both time-weighted MAP and time-weighted percentage changes from baseline were strongly associated with postoperative AKI after tumor resection, with OR 3.50, 95% CI (2.25, 5.46) and 2.03, 95% CI (1.56, 2.66) in the univariable logistic analysis respectively, and with OR 2.36, 95% CI (1.46, 3.80) and 1.63, 95% CI (1.23, 2.17) after adjusting sex, surgical type (open vs. laparoscopic) and estimated blood loss in the multiple logistic analysis. At any thresholds of MAP less than 85, 80, 75, 70, and 65 mmHg, prolonged exposure was associated with increased odds of AKI. CONCLUSIONS: We found a significant association between hypotension and postoperative AKI in patients with pheochromocytoma undergoing adrenalectomy in the period after tumor resection. Optimizing hemodynamics, especially blood pressure after the adrenal vessel ligation and tumor is resected, is crucial for the prevention of postoperative AKI in patient with pheochromocytoma, which could be different from general populations.

Efficacy of continuous intravenous remimazolam versus midazolam in the extraction of impacted wisdom teeth: protocol of a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Benzodiazepines such as midazolam are widely used to moderately sedate patients during impacted wisdom tooth extraction to reduce anxiety in outpatient surgery. This present protocol was designed to determine whether continuous intravenous remimazolam, a new ultrashort-acting benzodiazepine, produces superior postoperative recovery quality to that of midazolam in patients undergoing extraction of impacted wisdom teeth. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study is a multicentre randomised controlled trial conducted at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing Anzhen Hospital and Beijing Shijitan Hospital in China. Approximately 150 participants undergoing extraction of impacted mandibular wisdom teeth will be randomly allocated to two groups (remimazolam and midazolam). The participants will be administered standard interventions to ensure they achieve a sedation level of III on the Ramsay sedation scale during the treatment. Preoperative and anaesthesia management and surgical techniques will be standardised for all participants. The primary outcome is recovery time for complete alertness and the secondary outcomes are anterograde amnesia during and after surgery, and interruption during operation for poor compliance or safety concerns. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study has been approved by the Ethics Review Committee of Peking Union Medical College Hospital (approval number: ZS-3142), Beijing Anzhen Hospital (approval number: KS2022082) and Beijing Shijitan Hospital (approval number: 2023-4). TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05350085.

The protocol for the prehabilitation for thoracic surgery study: a randomized pragmatic trial comparing a short home-based multimodal program to aerobic training in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy.

BACKGROUND: Prehabilitation has been shown to have a positive effect on the postoperative recovery of functional capacity in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy. The optimal way to implement prehabilitation programs, such as the optimal forms of prehabilitation, duration, intensity, and methods to improve compliance, remained to be studied. This Prehabilitation for Thoracic Surgery Study will compare the effectiveness of multimodal and aerobic training-only programs in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy. METHODS: This randomized pragmatic trial will be conducted in Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) and include 100 patients who are eligible to undergo VATS lobectomy. Patients will be randomized to a multimodal or aerobic training group. Prehabilitation training guidance will be provided by a multidisciplinary care team. The patients in the multimodal group will perform aerobic exercises, resistance exercises, breathing exercises, psychological improvement strategies, and nutritional supplementation. Meanwhile, the patients in the aerobic group will conduct only aerobic exercises. The interventions will be home-based and supervised by medical providers. The patients will be followed up until 30 days after surgery to investigate whether the multimodal prehabilitation program differs from the aerobic training program in terms of the magnitude of improvement in functional capability pre- to postoperatively. The primary outcome will be the perioperative 6-min walk distance (6MWD). The secondary outcomes will include the postoperative pulmonary functional recovery status, health-related quality of life score, incidence of postoperative complications, and clinical outcomes. DISCUSSION: Prehabilitation remains a relatively new approach that is not widely performed by thoracic surgery patients. The existing studies mainly focus on unimodal interventions. While multimodal prehabilitation strategies have been shown to be preferable to unimodal strategies in a few studies, the evidence remains scarce for thoracic surgery patients. The results of this study will contribute to the understanding of methods for thoracoscopic lobectomy patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04049942 . Registered on August 8, 2019.

Prediction models for chronic postsurgical pain in patients with breast cancer based on machine learning approaches.

Purpose: This study aimed to develop prediction models for chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) after breast cancer surgery using machine learning approaches and evaluate their performance. Methods: The study was a secondary analysis based on a high-quality dataset from a randomized controlled trial (NCT00418457), including patients with primary breast cancer undergoing mastectomy. The primary outcome was CPSP at 12 months after surgery, defined as modified Brief Pain Inventory > 0. The dataset was randomly split into a training dataset (90%) and a testing dataset (10%). Variables were selected using recursive feature elimination combined with clinical experience, and potential predictors were then incorporated into three machine learning models, including random forest, gradient boosting decision tree and extreme gradient boosting models for outcome prediction, as well as logistic regression. The performances of these four models were tested and compared. Results: 1152 patients were finally included, of which 22.1% developed CPSP at 12 months after breast cancer surgery. The 6 leading predictors were higher numerical rating scale within 2 days after surgery, post-menopausal status, urban medical insurance, history of at least one operation, under fentanyl with sevoflurane general anesthesia, and received axillary lymph node dissection. Compared with the multivariable logistic regression model, machine learning models showed better specificity, positive likelihood ratio and positive predictive value, helping to identify high-risk patients more accurately and create opportunities for early clinical intervention. Conclusions: Our study developed prediction models for CPSP after breast cancer surgery based on machine learning approaches, which may help to identify high-risk patients and improve patients' management after breast cancer.

Ex utero intrapartum therapy in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia: a propensity score matching analysis.

Objective: Previous studies have shown that ex utero intrapartum therapy (EXIT) is safe and feasible for newborns with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). This study reports our experience with EXIT in fetuses with CDH in an attempt to explore the efficacy of EXIT on the survival rate of this population. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 116 children with CDH was conducted. The children were assigned to EXIT and non-EXIT groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) toward clinical data was performed, and the clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared. Taking survival at discharge as the main outcome, logistic regression analysis was carried out to explore the efficacy of EXIT on survival. Results: During the study period, 30 of 116 children received EXIT. After PSM, the survival rates of the EXIT group and the non-EXIT group were 82.76% (24/29) and 48.28% (14/29), respectively (p=0.006). EXIT (OR=0.083, 95% CI=0.013to 0.525, p=0.008), liver herniation (OR=16.955, 95% CI=2.342 to 122.767, p=0.005), and gestational age at diagnosis (OR=0.662, 95% CI=0.497 to 0.881, p=0.005) were independent mortality-related risk factors of all children with CDH. Ninety-nine of 116 children underwent surgery. After PSM, the postoperative survival rates of the EXIT group and non-EXIT group were 84.6% (22/26) and 76.9% (20/26), respectively (p=0.754). Liver herniation (OR=10.451, 95% CI=1.641 to 66.544, p=0.013) and gestational age at diagnosis (OR=0.736, 95% CI=0.577 to 0.938, p=0.013) were independent mortality-related risk factors of children after surgery. Conclusion: EXIT can be performed safely for selected prenatally diagnosed CDH neonates with potentially better survival and does not cause more maternal complications compared with traditional cesarean section.

Factors correlated with neuropathic pain in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.

BACKGROUND: Neuropathic pain in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is common but has always been overlooked. This study was conducted to explore factors correlated with neuropathic pain in NMOSD and to evaluate associations between pain and quality of life. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, NMOSD patients were interviewed face-to-face. The Brief Pain Inventory, Douleur Neuropathique 4, and Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory scales were used to evaluate pain. Patients completed the Beck Depression Inventory-II and Social Functioning-36 tests to evaluate depression and quality of life. RESULTS: A total of 122 NMOSD patients were enrolled. Eighty-one (66.4%; 95% CI, 39.9% to 92.9%) had current pain, of which 35 (28.7%; 95% CI, 20.7% to 36.7%) had neuropathic pain. Forty-nine (40.2%; 95% CI, 31.5% to 48.9%) patients experienced depression, which was moderate to severe in 22 patients. Multinomial logistic regression showed that significantly more patients with neuropathic pain had depression than those with other pain (OR, 4.15; 95% CI, 1.40 to 12.35; P=0.010) or no pain (OR, 5.65; 95% CI, 1.74 to 18.18; P=0.004). Significantly more patients with neuropathic pain had initial spinal cord involvement than those in the no-pain group (OR, 15.78; 95% CI, 1.37 to 182.15; P=0.027). Quality of life was severely affected in NMOSD patients with neuropathic pain. Only 29.6% were treated with analgesics, and none were prescribed antidepressants. CONCLUSION: Depression was correlated with neuropathic pain and was often overlooked. Initial spinal cord involvement might indicate a higher risk for neuropathic pain. Neuropathic pain in NMOSD patients requires scrutiny.

The signal-to-cutoff ratios to predict HCV infection among people who inject drugs.

People who inject drugs (PWIDs) are primarily the high-risk population for HCV infection. This study aims to determine the optimal cut-off values for predicting HCV infection status based on the Signal-to-Cutoff (S/CO) ratio. In this study, a total of 719 PWIDs' samples were collected, and performed for screening test by ELISA assay, and followed by RIBA assay and NAT assay to detect HCV antibody and HCV RNA levels, respectively. The findings revealed that the prevalence of HCV infection among PWIDs was 54.66% (393/719), and the false-positive rate of HCV antibody detection by ELISA assay among PWIDs was only 3.85% (16/416). In addition, when the optimal cut-off value for S/CO ratio was 2.0, the sensitivity and specificity of HCV antibody were 100.00% and 93.55%, respectively. And when the optimal cut-off value for S/CO ratio was 21.36, the sensitivity and specificity of HCV RNA positive were 89.90% and 72.73%, respectively. In conclusion, the status of HCV infection can be predicted based on the S/CO ratios of the ELISA assay, which can improve diagnosis and facilitate timely treatment to effectively prevent the spread of HCV infection.

Incidence and risk factors for myocardial injury after laparoscopic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Pheochromocytoma is a rare catecholamine-secreting tumor. Tumor resection remains a high-risk procedure due to intraoperative hemodynamic instability nowadays, which may lead to myocardial injury. We aimed to determine the incidence and associated risk factors for myocardial injury after laparoscopic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma. Methods: Adult patients (n=350, American Society of Anesthesiology physical status 1-3) who underwent elective laparoscopic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma under general anesthesia between January 31, 2013 and January 31, 2020 were included in this observational, retrospective, single-center, cohort study. Blood troponin I levels were measured before and during the first 2 days after surgery. Myocardial injury was defined as an elevated troponin I level exceeding the 99th percentile upper reference limit due to cardiac ischemic causes. Results: Myocardial injury occurred in 42/350 patients (12.0%, 95% confidence interval: 9.0%-15.9%). In multivariable analysis (adjusted odds ratios [95% confidence intervals]), previous ischemic heart disease or stroke (5.04 [1.40-18.08]; P=0.013), intraoperative heart rate >115 bpm (2.55 [1.06-6.12]; P=0.036), intraoperative systolic blood pressure >210 mmHg (2.38 [1.00-5.66]; P=0.049), and perioperative decrease in hemoglobin level(1.74 [1.15-2.64] per g/dL decrease; P=0.008) were associated with an increased risk of myocardial injury. For the cumulative duration of dichotomized intraoperative hemodynamics, multivariable analysis showed that intraoperative heart rate >115 bpm for >1 minute (2.67 [1.08-6.60]; P=0.034) and systolic blood pressure >210 mmHg for >1 minute (3.78 [1.47-9.73]; P=0.006) were associated with an increased risk of myocardial injury. The risk of myocardial injury progressively increased with a longer cumulative duration of intraoperative tachycardia and hypertension. Conclusions: There is a high incidence of myocardial injury after laparoscopic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma. The identified risk factors may assist physicians in detecting high-risk patients and providing guidance for intraoperative hemodynamics and perioperative hemoglobin management.

Predictors of low cardiac output after isolated pericardiectomy: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: Low cardiac output is the main cause of perioperative death after pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis. We investigated the associated risk factors and consequences. METHODS: We selected constrictive pericarditis patients undergoing isolated pericardiectomy from January 2013 to January 2021. Postoperative low cardiac output was defined as requiring mechanical circulatory support or more than one inotrope to maintain a cardiac index > 2.2 L •min-1 •m-2 without hypoperfusion, despite adequate filling status. Uni- and multivariable analysis were used to identify factors associated with low cardiac output. Cox regression was used to identify factors associated with length of hospital stay. RESULTS: Among 212 patients with complete data, 55 (25.9%) developed low cardiac output within postoperative day 1 (quartiles 1 and 2), which caused seven of the nine perioperative deaths. The rates of atrial arrhythmia, renal dysfunction, hypoalbuminemia, modest-to-severe hyponatremia, and hyperbilirubinemia caused by constrictive pericarditis were 9.4%, 12.3%, 49.1%, 10.4%, and 81.6%. The mean preoperative central venous pressure and cardiac index were 18 ± 5 cmH2O and 1.87 ± 0.45 L•min-1•m-2. Univariable analysis showed that low cardiac output patients had higher rates of atrial arrhythmia (OR 3.32 [1.35, 8.17], P = 0.007), renal dysfunction (OR 4.24 [1.94, 9.25], P < 0.001), hypoalbuminemia (OR 1.99 [1.06, 3.73], P = 0.031) and hyponatremia (OR 6.36 [2.50, 16.20], P < 0.001), greater E peak velocity variation (difference 2.8 [0.7, 5.0], P = 0.011), higher central venous pressure (difference 3 [2,5] cmH2O, P < 0.001) and lower cardiac index (difference - 0.27 [- 0.41, - 0.14] L•min-1•m-2, P < 0.001) than patients without low cardiac output. Multivariable regression showed that atrial arrhythmia (OR 4.04 [1.36, 12.02], P = 0.012), renal dysfunction (OR 2.64 [1.07, 6.50], P = 0.035), hyponatremia (OR 3.49 [1.19, 10.24], P = 0.023), high central venous pressure (OR 1.17 [1.08, 1.27], P < 0.001), and low cardiac index (OR 0.36 [0.14, 0.92], P = 0.032) were associated with low cardiac output (AUC 0.79 [0.72-0.86], P < 0.001). Cox regression analysis showed that hyperbilirubinemia (HR 0.66 [0.46, 0.94], P = 0.022), renal dysfunction (HR 0.51 [0.33, 0.77], P = 0.002), and low cardiac output (HR 0.42 [0.29, 0.59], P < 0.001) were associated with length of hospital stay. CONCLUSIONS: Early recognition and management of hyponatremia, renal dysfunction, fluid retention, and hyperbilirubinemia may benefit constrictive pericarditis patients after pericardiectomy.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on congenital diaphragmatic hernia patients: a single-center retrospective study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the treatment of children with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). METHODS: We retrospectively collected and compared the data of patients with CDH admitted between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021(study group) with the CDH patients admitted before the pandemic between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2019 (control group). RESULTS: During the pandemic, 41 patients with CDH diagnosed prenatally were transferred to our hospital, and 40 underwent surgical repair. The number of patients treated in our hospital increased by 24.2% compared with the 33 patients before the pandemic. During the pandemic, the overall survival rate, postoperative survival rate and recurrence rate were 85.4%, 87.5% and 7.3%, respectively, and there were no significant differences compared with the control group (75.8%, 83.3% and 9.1%, respectively). The average length of hospital stay in patients admitted during the pandemic was longer than that in the control group (31 days vs. 16 days, P < 0.001), and the incidence of nosocomial infection was higher than that in the control group (19.5% vs. 3%, P = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS: CDH patients confirmed to be SARS-CoV-2 infection-free can receive routine treatment. Our data indicate that the implementation of protective measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with appropriate screening and case evaluation, do not have a negative impact on the prognosis of children.

Neurologic Complication Due to Crystallization After Drug Interaction Between Alkalized Lidocaine and Ropivacaine: A Case Report and in vitro Study.

Background: For pregnant women transferred to emergency cesarean section after receiving epidural labor analgesia, there is still a debate over the effective and safe means of rapidly delivering surgical anesthesia. Alkalized lidocaine is often adopted for fast onset time; however, crystallization of the anesthetic may cause severe neurologic symptoms. Case Presentation: We report a case of a pregnant woman who underwent emergency cesarean section with satisfied analgesia but experienced severe weakness and paranaesthesia in the lower limb. After excluding lumbar disc herniation, obstetric nerve injury, and anesthesia technique causes by symptoms signs and magnetic resonance imaging, drug-related injury became the most likely cause. Our in vitro testing confirmed the obvious precipitation of additional anesthetic-concentrated ropivacaine (0.5-1%) with pretreated alkalized lidocaine. With trophic neurotherapy, the parturient attained prompt relief of weakness by day four, but delayed recovery of numbness, which lasted for 4 weeks. Conclusion: To date, this is the first case reporting neurologic complication possibly due to drug crystallization in cesarean section. Our study confirmed the rapid onset of alkalized lidocaine and its safety to pretreated routine labor dose of ropivacaine (0.09%). However, additional anesthetic-concentrated ropivacaine (0.5-1%) to maintain the anesthesia and analgesia level is not suggested.

Propofol Augments Paclitaxel-Induced Cervical Cancer Cell Ferroptosis In Vitro.

Introduction: Cervical cancer is common in women. The present standardized therapies including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are still not enough for treatment. Propofol is the most commonly used intravenous anesthetic agent for induction and maintenance of anesthesia and has been shown to exert anti-malignancy effects on cancer cells, inducing oxidative stress and apoptosis. However, the biological effects of propofol have not yet been systematically assessed. In this study, we examined the ferroptosis-related changes caused by propofol and the chemotherapeutic agent paclitaxel besides apoptosis in vitro. Methods: Cervical cancer cell lines (C-33A and HeLa) were treated with propofol alone (1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 µg/ml) or in combination with paclitaxel (0.5, 1, and 5 µg/ml). The viability was assessed using cell counting kit-8 (CCK8), apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, morphological changes of mitochondria were examined using transmission electron microscope (TEM), cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and intracellular ferrous ions were determined by fluorescence microscope or confocal microscopy. The expression and cellular localization of apoptosis and ferroptosis-related molecules were detected by Western blot and multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC), respectively. Calcusyn software was used to determine whether propofol has a synergistic effect with paclitaxel. Results: Propofol and paclitaxel inhibited C-33A and HeLa cell viability. There were also synergistic effects when propofol and paclitaxel were used in combination at certain concentrations. In addition, propofol promoted paclitaxel-induced cervical cancer cell death via apoptosis. ROS level and Fe2+ concentrations were also influenced by different drug treatments. Furthermore, propofol, propofol injectable emulsion, and paclitaxel induced ferroptosis-related morphological changes of mitochondria in C-33A and HeLa cells. Ferroptosis-related signaling pathways including SLC7A11/GPX4, ubiquinol/CoQ10/FSP1, and YAP/ACSL4/TFRC were found to be changed under drug treatments. Conclusion: Propofol showed synergistic anticancer effects with paclitaxel in cervical cancer cells. Propofol and paclitaxel may induce ferroptosis of cervical cancer cells besides apoptosis.

Propofol Inhibits Proliferation and Augments the Anti-Tumor Effect of Doxorubicin and Paclitaxel Partly Through Promoting Ferroptosis in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells.

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is relatively common in women and is associated with a poor prognosis after surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. Currently, the mechanism underlying the relationship between propofol and breast cancer is controversial and limited to cell apoptosis. Moreover, there are only a few studies on the effect of propofol on the chemotherapeutic sensitivity of TNBC cells. Therefore, this study explored whether propofol and its commonly used clinical formulations affect the proliferation and chemotherapeutic effects on TNBC cells by regulating cell ferroptosis. Methods: We selected MDA-MB-231 cells, and the effects of propofol, propofol injectable emulsion (PIE), or fospropofol disodium, alone or combined with doxorubicin or paclitaxel on cell viability, apoptosis, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, ferroptosis-related morphological changes, intracellular Fe2+ levels, and the expression and localization of ferroptosis-related proteins were investigated. Results: We found that propofol significantly inhibited MDA-MB-231 cell proliferation, and all three propofol formulations augmented the anti-tumor effects of doxorubicin and paclitaxel. The results from the ROS assay, transmission electron microscopy, intracellular Fe2+ assay, western blotting, and multiplex immunohistochemistry revealed that propofol not only induced apoptosis but also triggered ferroptosis-related changes, including morphological changes of mitochondria, increased intracellular ROS levels, and intracellular iron accumulation in MDA-MB-231 cells. The ferroptosis-related p53-SLC7A11-GPX4 pathway was also altered under different treatment propofol, doxorubicin, or paclitaxel regimens. Conclusion: Propofol showed anti-proliferation effects on TNBC cells and could be a potential adjuvant to enhance the chemotherapeutic sensitivity of TNBC cells partly by promoting cell ferroptosis.

Aggressive intraoperative warming versus routine thermal management during non-cardiac surgery (PROTECT): a multicentre, parallel group, superiority trial.

BACKGROUND: Moderate intraoperative hypothermia promotes myocardial injury, surgical site infections, and blood loss. Whether aggressive warming to a truly normothermic temperature near 37°C improves outcomes remains unknown. We aimed to test the hypothesis that aggressive intraoperative warming reduces major perioperative complications. METHODS: In this multicentre, parallel group, superiority trial, patients at 12 sites in China and at the Cleveland Clinic in the USA were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either aggressive warming to a target core temperature of 37°C (aggressively warmed group) or routine thermal management to a target of 35·5°C (routine thermal management group) during non-cardiac surgery. Randomisation was stratified by site, with computer-generated, randomly sized blocks. Eligible patients (aged ≥45 years) had at least one cardiovascular risk factor, were scheduled for inpatient non-cardiac surgery expected to last 2-6 h with general anaesthesia, and were expected to have at least half of the anterior skin surface available for warming. Patients requiring dialysis and those with a body-mass index exceeding 30 kg/m2 were excluded. The primary outcome was a composite of myocardial injury (troponin elevation, apparently of ischaemic origin), non-fatal cardiac arrest, and all-cause mortality within 30 days of surgery, as assessed in the modified intention-to-treat population. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03111875. FINDINGS: Between March 27, 2017, and March 16, 2021, 5056 participants were enrolled, of whom 5013 were included in the intention-to-treat population (2507 in the aggressively warmed group and 2506 in the routine thermal management group). Patients assigned to aggressive warming had a mean final intraoperative core temperature of 37·1°C (SD 0·3) whereas the routine thermal management group averaged 35·6°C (SD 0·3). At least one of the primary outcome components (myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery, cardiac arrest, or mortality) occurred in 246 (9·9%) of 2497 patients in the aggressively warmed group and in 239 (9·6%) of 2490 patients in the routine thermal management group. The common effect relative risk of aggressive versus routine thermal management was an estimated 1·04 (95% CI 0·87-1·24, p=0·69). There were 39 adverse events in patients assigned to aggressive warming (17 of which were serious) and 54 in those assigned to routine thermal management (30 of which were serious). One serious adverse event, in an aggressively warmed patient, was deemed to be possibly related to thermal management. INTERPRETATION: The incidence of a 30-day composite of major cardiovascular outcomes did not differ significantly in patients randomised to 35·5°C and to 37°C. At least over a 1·5°C range from very mild hypothermia to full normothermia, there was no evidence that any substantive outcome varied. Keeping core temperature at least 35·5°C in surgical patients appears sufficient. FUNDING: 3M and the Health and Medical Research Fund, Food and Health Bureau, Hong Kong. TRANSLATION: For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

[Deep Learning-based Risk Prediction Model for Postoperative Healthcare-associated Infections].

Objective To develop a risk prediction model combining pre/intraoperative risk factors and intraoperative vital signs for postoperative healthcare-associated infection(HAI)based on deep learning. Methods We carried out a retrospective study based on two randomized controlled trials(NCT02715076,ChiCTR-IPR-17011099).The patients who underwent elective radical resection of advanced digestive system tumor were included in this study.The primary outcome was HAI within 30 days after surgery.Logistic regression analysis and long short-term memory(LSTM)model based on iteratively occluding sections of the input were used for feature selection.The risk prediction model for postoperative HAI was developed based on deep learning,combining the selected pre/intraoperative risk factors and intraoperative vital signs,and was evaluated by comparison with other models.Finally,we adopted the simulated annealing algorithm to simulatively adjust the vital signs during surgery,trying to explore the adjustment system that can reduce the risk of HAI. Results A total of 839 patients were included in this study,of which 112(13.3%)developed HAI within 30 days after surgery.The selected pre/intraoperative risk factors included neoadjuvant chemotherapy,parenteral nutrition,esophagectomy,gastrectomy,colorectal resection,pancreatoduodenectomy,hepatic resection,intraoperative blood loss>500 ml,and anesthesia time>4 h.The intraoperative vital signs significantly associated with HAI were in an order of heart rate>core body temperature>systolic blood pressure>diastolic blood pressure.Compared with multivariable Logistic regression model,random forest model,and LSTM model including vital signs only,this deep learning-based prediction model performed best(ACC=0.733,F1=0.237,AUC=0.728).The simulation via simulated annealing algorithm reduced the incidence of postoperative HAI.Moreover,the incidence decreased most in the case of reducing the initial annealing temperature and choosing the last 20% of surgery procedure. Conclusions This study developed a risk prediction model for postoperative HAI based on deep learning,which combined pre/intraoperative risk factors and intraoperative basic vital signs.Using simulated annealing algorithm to adjust intraoperative vital signs could reduce the incidence of postoperative HAI to some extent.