Treatment of spinal anaesthesia-induced hypotension with cafedrine/theodrenaline versus ephedrine during caesarean section: Results from HYPOTENS, a national, multicentre, prospective, noninterventional study.

BACKGROUND: In Germany, hypotension induced by spinal anaesthesia is commonly treated with a combination of cafedrine hydrochloride (C, 200 mg) and theodrenaline hydrochloride (T, 10 mg) in 2 ml. We compared the effectiveness of C/T with ephedrine. OBJECTIVES: The primary objectives were to assess the speed of onset and the ability to restore blood pressure without an increase in heart rate. Secondary objectives were to evaluate maternal/foetal outcomes and the number of required additional boluses or other additional measures. DESIGN: HYPOTENS was a national, multicentre, prospective, open-label, two-armed, noninterventional study comparing C/T with ephedrine in two prospectively defined cohorts. This study relates to the cohort of patients receiving spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section. SETTING: German hospitals using either C/T or ephedrine in their routine clinical practice. PATIENTS: Women aged at least 18 years receiving spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section. INTERVENTIONS: Bolus administration of C/T or ephedrine at the discretion of the attending anaesthesiologist. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Endpoints within 15 min after initial administration of C/T or ephedrine were area under the curve between the observed SBP and the minimum target SBP; and incidence of newly occurring heart rate of at least 100 beats min-1. RESULTS: Although effective blood pressure stabilisation was achieved with both treatments, this effect was faster and more pronounced with C/T (P < 0.0001). The incidence of tachycardia and changes in heart rate were higher with ephedrine (P < 0.01). Fewer additional boluses (P < 0.01) were required with C/T. Although favourable neonatal outcomes were reported in both groups, base deficit and lactate values were greater with ephedrine (P < 0.01). Physician satisfaction was higher with C/T. CONCLUSIONS: After C/T, tachycardia was not a problem, providing an advantage over ephedrine. Fewer additional boluses were required with C/T, suggesting greater effectiveness. An increased base deficit with ephedrine suggests reduced oxygen supply or increased demands in foetal circulation. TRIALS REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02893241, German Clinical Trials Register: DRKS00010740.

Pre-operative evaluation of adults undergoing elective noncardiac surgery: Updated guideline from the European Society of Anaesthesiology.

: The purpose of this update of the European Society of Anaesthesiology (ESA) guidelines on the pre-operative evaluation of the adult undergoing noncardiac surgery is to present recommendations based on the available relevant clinical evidence. Well performed randomised studies on the topic are limited and therefore many recommendations rely to a large extent on expert opinion and may need to be adapted specifically to the healthcare systems of individual countries. This article aims to provide an overview of current knowledge on the subject with an assessment of the quality of the evidence in order to allow anaesthesiologists all over Europe to integrate - wherever possible - this knowledge into daily patient care. The Guidelines Committee of the ESA formed a task force comprising members of the previous task force, members of ESA scientific subcommittees and an open call for volunteers was made to all individual active members of the ESA and national societies. Electronic databases were searched from July 2010 (end of the literature search of the previous ESA guidelines on pre-operative evaluation) to May 2016 without language restrictions. A total of 34 066 abtracts were screened from which 2536 were included for further analysis. Relevant systematic reviews with meta-analyses, randomised controlled trials, cohort studies, case-control studies and cross-sectional surveys were selected. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system was used to assess the level of evidence and to grade recommendations. The final draft guideline was posted on the ESA website for 4 weeks and the link was sent to all ESA members, individual or national (thus including most European national anaesthesia societies). Comments were collated and the guidelines amended as appropriate. When the final draft was complete, the Guidelines Committee and ESA Board ratified the guidelines.

Therapeutic drug monitoring of linezolid: HPLC-based assays for routine quantification of linezolid in human serum and cerebrospinal fluid.

OBJECTIVE: Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of linezolid can prevent over- and under-dosing in critically ill patients and can be crucial to successful antibiotic treatment. Quick and simple high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assays for the detection of linezolid in human serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were developed in this study. METHODS: The methods used an Atlantis T3 5.0 µm stationary phase. The mobile phase A contained water (99.4% m/m) and formic acid (0.6% m/m) (pH 2.30). The mobile phase B contained acetonitrile (93.6% m/m), water (6% m/m) and formic acid (0.4% m/m). The methods were isocratic, using 23% of mobile phase B and 77% of mobile phase A. Ultraviolet absorbance detection at 252 nm was used. For sample preparation an internal standard was added, and acetonitrile/methanol was added for protein precipitation. RESULTS: The methods were investigated for linearity, specificity, accuracy, and precision. Stability of linezolid and internal standard was assessed. The retention times of linezolid were 8.5 min and 8.1 min, and the single run time was 15 min. Linezolid was quantified from the lower limit of quantification (0.2 mg/L) to the upper limit of quantification (50 mg/L, 75 mg/L, and 100 mg/L). In routine analysis a high variability of serum and CSF levels was observed and the mean CSF/serum ratio was 0.71±0.16. CONCLUSION: The developed assays enable the study of correlations between the applied dosage, serum concentration and CSF concentration. Additionally, studies with a higher number of samples can be performed to investigate the penetration of linezolid into the central nervous system.

A randomized open label, parallel-group study to evaluate the hemodynamic effects of Cafedrine/Theodrenaline vs Noradrenaline in the treatment of intraoperative hypotension after induction of general anesthesia: the "HERO" study design and rationale.

OBJECTIVE: Intraoperative arterial hypotension (IOH) is associated with poor patient outcome. This study aims to compare the hemodynamic effects of Cafedrine/Theodrenaline (C/T) and Noradrenaline (NA) for the treatment of hypotension in patients who develop IOH after anesthesia induction. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This is a national, randomized, parallel-group, multicenter, and open-label study. Adult patients (≥50 years, ASA-classification III-IV) who undergo elective surgery will be included. When IOH (MAP <70 mmHg) develops, C/T or NA will be given as a bolus injection ("bolus phase", 0-20 min after initial application) and subsequently as continuous infusion ("infusion phase", 21-40 min after initial application) to achieve MAP = 90 mmHg. Hemodynamic data are captured in real time by advanced hemodynamic monitoring. RESULTS: Primary endpoints, i.e. the treatment-related difference in average mean arterial pressure (MAP) during the "infusion phase" and the treatment-related difference in average cardiac index during the "bolus phase" are assessed (fixed-sequence method). Non-inferiority of C/T compared to NA in achieving 90 mmHg (MAP) when applied as continuous infusion is hypothesized. In addition, superiority of C/T over NA, applied as bolus injection, in increasing cardiac index is postulated. It is estimated that 172 patients are required to establish statistical significance with a power of 90%. After adjusting for ineligibility and dropout rate, 220 patients will be screened. CONCLUSION: This clinical trial will yield evidence for marketing authorization of C/T applied as continuous infusion. Additionally, the effects of C/T compared to NA on cardiac index will be assessed. First results of the "HERO"-study are expected in 2024. DRKS identifier: DRKS00028589. EudraCT identifier: 2021-001954-76.

[Complications from normal saline in thulium laser enucleation of the prostate]. / Komplikationen von 0,9 %iger NaCl-Spüllösungen bei der Thuliumlaserenukleation der Prostata.

Systemic fluid absorption frequently occurs during endoscopic prostatic surgery. The introduction of lasers allowed the use of normal saline (0.9% sodium chloride). We report 2 patients who developed hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis and isotonic hypervolemia during thulium laser enucleation of the prostate (ThuLEP) and required prolonged ventilation time, catecholamines, intensive care and prolonged hospitalization. A change to balanced electrolyte solutions in urology-as is already established in infusion and volume therapy-would be desirable, especially to avoid hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis.

[Presence and future of emergency medicine in Germany]. / Professionalisierung der klinischen Notfallmedizin - Gegenwart und Zukunft.

Health care policy has changed duties and responsibilities of hospitals in Germany. The transition zone of in- and outpatient care has been recognized as a critical gateway for the success of hospitals, subsequently leading to the appreciation of the value of professionalized emergency departments. Currently, hospital-based emergency medicine in Germany is organized in a very heterogeneous manner. Due to the key function of emergency departments for the medical and economic success of hospitals, professional expertise in clinical emergency medicine has to be strengthened: We discuss possible models of hospital-based emergency care and present first data that professionalisation of hospital-based emergency medicine in Germany improves treatment quality and outcome of patients presenting with chest-pain or community-acquired pneumonia to the emergency department. Furthermore, those strategies are accompanied with the improvement of economic characteristics. Summing up, professionalisation of hospital-based emergency medicine in Germany is urgently needed and may improve medical and economic success of hospital-based patient care.