Oral steroids for acute radiculopathy due to a herniated lumbar disk: a randomized clinical trial.

IMPORTANCE: Oral steroids are commonly used to treat acute sciatica due to a herniated disk but have not been evaluated in an appropriately powered clinical trial. OBJECTIVE: To determine if oral prednisone is more effective than placebo in improving function and pain among patients with acute sciatica. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted from 2008 to 2013 in a large integrated health care delivery system in Northern California. Adults (n=269) with radicular pain for 3 months or less, an Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score of 30 or higher (range, 0-100; higher scores indicate greater dysfunction), and a herniated disk confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging were eligible. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to receive a tapering 15-day course of oral prednisone (5 days each of 60 mg, 40 mg, and 20 mg; total cumulative dose = 600 mg; n = 181) or matching placebo (n = 88). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was ODI change at 3 weeks; secondary outcomes were ODI change at 1 year, change in lower extremity pain (measured on a 0-10 scale; higher scores indicate more pain), spine surgery, and Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores (0-100 scale; higher scores better). RESULTS: Observed baseline and 3-week mean ODI scores were 51.2 and 32.2 for the prednisone group and 51.1 and 37.5 for the placebo group, respectively. The prednisone-treated group showed an adjusted mean 6.4-point (95% CI, 1.9-10.9; P = .006) greater improvement in ODI scores at 3 weeks than the placebo group and a mean 7.4-point (95% CI, 2.2-12.5; P = .005) greater improvement at 52 weeks. Compared with the placebo group, the prednisone group showed an adjusted mean 0.3-point (95% CI, -0.4 to 1.0; P = .34) greater reduction in pain at 3 weeks and a mean 0.6-point (95% CI, -0.2 to 1.3; P = .15) greater reduction at 52 weeks. The prednisone group showed an adjusted mean 3.3-point (95% CI, 1.3-5.2; P = .001) greater improvement in the SF-36 PCS score at 3 weeks, no difference in the SF-36 PCS score at 52 weeks (mean, 2.5; 95% CI, -0.3 to 5.4; P = .08), no change in the SF-36 MCS score at 3 weeks (mean, 2.2; 95% CI, -0.4 to 4.8; P = .10), and an adjusted 3.6-point (95% CI, 0.6-6.7; P = .02) greater improvement in the SF-36 MCS score at 52 weeks. There were no differences in surgery rates at 52-week follow-up. Having 1 or more adverse events at 3-week follow-up was more common in the prednisone group than in the placebo group (49.2% vs 23.9%; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Among patients with acute radiculopathy due to a herniated lumbar disk, a short course of oral steroids, compared with placebo, resulted in modestly improved function and no improvement in pain. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00668434.

Analgesia and Sedation in the Prehospital Setting A Critical Care Viewpoint.

Pain is one of the most common complaints of battlefield casualties, and unique considerations apply in the tactical environment when managing the pain of wounded service members. The resource constraints commonly experienced in an operational setting, plus the likelihood of prolonged casualty care by medics or corpsmen on future battlefields, necessitates a review of analgesia and sedation in the prehospital setting. Four clinical scenarios highlight the spectrum of analgesia and sedation that may be necessary in this prehospital and/or austere environment.

Erector Spinae Plane Blocks for Traumatic Rib Fractures: A Prospective, Interventional Study.

BACKGROUND: Rib fractures are present in 10% of all trauma patients and 30% of patients with significant chest trauma. Pain from rib fractures results in decreased respiratory effort which can lead to atelectasis and potentially pneumonia and death. Pain control is therefore of utmost importance in preventing the complications of rib fractures by improving respiratory function. Erector spinae plane blocks (ESPB) have been effectively used in elective surgery with subjective and objective improvements in pain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We sought to evaluate subjective pain and objective evaluation of respiratory effort by way of incentive spirometry levels after administration of an ESPB for patients with rib fractures. Our trauma service applied ESPB over 2 years in patients with rib fractures. Ultrasound guidance was used to administer 50cc of a long-acting local anesthetic at the transverse process underneath the erector spinae muscle group. Evaluation of pain scores and incentive spirometry levels were measured prior to and after the ESPB. RESULTS: In total, we obtained data from 45 patients. Mean pre-pain scores were 7.93 with post-pain scores of 4.47 (p < 0.001). Mean pre-block incentive spirometry volumes were 1160 cc with post-block IS of 1495cc (p 0.035). There were no associated complications. DISCUSSION: ESPBs are safe and significantly reduce pain scores and increased incentive spirometry volumes after administration. They are easy to perform and can be done by the trauma service, including trainees. ESPB has the potential to reduce pulmonary complications of rib fractures, as well as subjectively improving pain experienced by our trauma patients. Based on our results, we recommend this block as an adjunct to multimodal analgesia for patients with rib fractures.

Efficacy of disinfecting solutions in removing biofilms from polyvinyl chloride tracheostomy tubes.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Bacterial biofilms are prevalent in pediatric tracheostomy tubes (TTs) and are not completely cleared by standard cleaning with gauze and household detergents. We aimed to examine the effectiveness of different disinfecting solutions to remove Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and Pseudomonas aerginosa (PA) biofilms from TTs. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, controlled, in vitro microbiologic study. METHODS: Uniform coupons obtained from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pediatric TTs were briefly exposed to human plasma. The samples were incubated in growth media with either PA or SA for 7 days, and total bacterial growth was monitored by media turbidity. Five sets of 18 coupons each were exposed for 5 minutes to one of five different solutions: 2% aqueous chlorhexidine gluconate solution, 0.3% aqueous sodium hypochlorite, Polident denture cleanser, 3% hydrogen peroxide, or preservative-free phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) as a negative control. Biofilm presence was measured with bacterial counts, and surface integrity was assessed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). RESULTS: All treatments significantly reduced mean SA counts (P = <.001). Sodium hypochlorite and chlorhexidine were more effective than peroxide and Polident. Chlorhexidine, sodium hypochlorite, and peroxide reduced PA counts (P = .001, .001, and .002, respectively), but Polident tabs had no significant effect. SEM revealed preserved TT surface integrity after exposure to all solutions. CONCLUSIONS: Disinfection with sodium hypochlorite or chlorhexidine solutions significantly reduces SA and PA biofilms on PVC TTs. Standard home care of reusable pediatric TTs may be improved by use of these readily available solutions.

A high-throughput method for isolation of salicylic acid metabolic mutants.

BACKGROUND: Salicylic acid (SA) is a key defense signal molecule against biotrophic pathogens in plants. Quantification of SA levels in plants is critical for dissecting the SA-mediated immune response. Although HPLC and GC/MS are routinely used to determine SA concentrations, they are expensive and time-consuming. We recently described a rapid method for a bacterial biosensor Acinetobacter sp. ADPWH_lux-based SA quantification, which enables high-throughput analysis. In this study we describe an improved method for fast sample preparation, and present a high-throughput strategy for isolation of SA metabolic mutants. RESULTS: On the basis of the previously described biosensor-based method, we simplified the tissue collection and the SA extraction procedure. Leaf discs were collected and boiled in Luria-Bertani (LB), and then the released SA was measured with the biosensor. The time-consuming steps of weighing samples, grinding tissues and centrifugation were avoided. The direct boiling protocol detected similar differences in SA levels among pathogen-infected wild-type, npr1 (nonexpressor of pathogenesis-related genes), and sid2 (SA induction-deficient) plants as did the previously described biosensor-based method and an HPLC-based approach, demonstrating the efficacy of the protocol presented here. We adapted this protocol to a high-throughput format and identified six npr1 suppressors that accumulated lower levels of SA than npr1 upon pathogen infection. Two of the suppressors were found to be allelic to the previously identified eds5 mutant. The other four are more susceptible than npr1 to the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. maculicola ES4326 and their identity merits further investigation. CONCLUSIONS: The rapid SA extraction method by direct boiling of leaf discs further reduced the cost and time required for the biosensor Acinetobacter sp. ADPWH_lux-based SA estimation, and allowed the screening for npr1 suppressors that accumulated less SA than npr1 after pathogen infection in a high-throughput manner. The highly efficacious SA estimation protocol can be applied in genetic screen for SA metabolic mutants and characterization of enzymes involved in SA metabolism. The mutants isolated in this study may help identify new components in the SA-related signaling pathways.

Myotonic dystrophy presenting as new-onset hand weakness and recurrent pneumonia in a patient with paraplegia: a case report.

We describe a previously independent T11 paraplegic patient who had delayed-onset hand weakness and recurrent pneumonia caused by myotonic dystrophy. A man in his late thirties suffered a thoracic spinal cord injury (SCI) from a gunshot wound at the age of 17 years, with resultant T11 American Spinal Injury Association class A paraplegia. He lived independently until the age of 36 years when he was hospitalized multiple times for pneumonia. During a rehabilitation stay after one of the acute hospitalizations, the patient's hand weakness and diffuse muscular atrophy were noted. Electrodiagnostic testing was performed, which showed myotonic discharges. Genetic testing was consistent with myotonic dystrophy. This case shows the importance of considering causes of weakness that affect the population as a whole when evaluating a patient with SCI who presents with delayed-onset weakness.