Comparison of prophylaxis strategy for postoperative nausea and vomiting and its incidence before and after the implementation of 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 in surgical setting: a single-center, retrospective study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the association between adherence to guideline-recommended risk-based postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) prophylaxis, the antiemetics used for PONV prophylaxis, and the incidence of PONV in patients who were underwent general anesthesia before and after 5-HT3 receptor antagonists became available. METHODS: Patients (≥ 20 years old) who were extubated after scheduled surgery and returned to general wards between January 2021 and February 2022 and between June 2022 and July 2023 were included. Risk factors included age < 50, female, motion sickness, nonsmoker, surgical factors, and postoperative opioid use. Two and three or more prophylaxis were recommended for patients with one or two and three or more risk factors, respectively. The primary outcome was the number of patients who received adequate prophylaxis, and the secondary outcomes were antiemetic agents used during anesthesia and the incidence of PONV on postoperative days 0 and 1. PONV was defined as documented PONV or rescue antiemetic administration. RESULTS: From January 2021 to February 2022 and from June 2022 to July 2023, 2342 and 2682 patients were included, respectively. Before ondansetron became available, more D2 receptor antagonists were used (p < 0.001), and after ondansetron became available, both ondansetron (p < 0.001) and propofol (p < 0.001) were given more frequently. Before and after ondansetron became available, the number of patients with adequate prophylaxis was 3.7% and 9.2%, respectively (p < 0.001), and the incidence of PONV on postoperative days 0 and 1 was 44.6% and 44.0%, respectively (p = 0.67). CONCLUSION: The availability of ondansetron increased the number of patients with adequate PONV prophylaxis, but did not decrease the incidence of PONV.

Comparison of remimazolam-based and propofol-based total intravenous anesthesia on hemodynamics during anesthesia induction in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the hemodynamic effects of remimazolam- and propofol-based total intravenous anesthesia in patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement. METHODS: This was a single-center, single-blind, randomized controlled trial set at Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan. We included 36 patients aged ≥ 20 years scheduled to undergo elective transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) under general anesthesia. The participants were randomly assigned to the remimazolam and propofol groups (n = 18 each). Remimazolam- or propofol-based total intravenous anesthesia was initiated at 12 mg/kg/min or 2.5 mcg/mL via target-controlled infusion, respectively, along with remifentanil. After confirming the loss of consciousness, the administration rate was adjusted using electroencephalographic monitoring. The primary outcome was the rate of arterial hypotension, defined as a mean arterial pressure < 60 mmHg, from anesthesia induction until the beginning of the surgical incision. The total doses of ephedrine and phenylephrine were also assessed. RESULTS: During anesthesia induction, the arterial hypotension rates were 11.9% and 21.6% in the remimazolam and propofol groups, respectively (P = 0.01). The total dose of ephedrine was higher in the propofol group (14.4 mg) than in the remimazolam group (1.6 mg) (P < 0.001); however, the total dose of phenylephrine was not significantly different between the two groups (propofol 0.31 mg vs. remimazolam: 0.17 mg, P = 0.10). CONCLUSION: Remimazolam-based total intravenous anesthesia resulted in a lower hypotension rate than propofol-based total intravenous anesthesia during induction in patients undergoing TAVR. Remimazolam-based total intravenous anesthesia can be used safely during anesthetic induction in patients with severe aortic stenosis.

Effect of nociception level-directed analgesic management on opioid usage in robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: a single-center, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: To assess the importance of appropriate opioid administration methods according to nociceptive monitoring. METHODS: We conducted a randomized controlled trial involving 54 patients who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy at our hospital. Patients were randomly allocated to either receive nociception level (NOL)-directed intraoperative opioid management with a minimum flow of remifentanil (NOL group) or conventional intraoperative analgesic management (control group). The primary outcome was the mean intraoperative remifentanil infusion flow rate (intraoperative remifentanil usage [µg]/ideal body weight [kg]/operation time [min]). The main secondary outcomes were plasma concentrations of three perioperative inflammatory biomarkers (interleukin-6, C-reactive protein [CRP], and cortisol levels) and postoperative pain (Numeric Rating Scale [NRS]) scores 2 h postoperatively and on postoperative days 1, 2, 3, and 7. RESULTS: Compared with standard analgesia management, NOL-directed analgesic management reduced remifentanil consumption by 20% ( - 0.038; 95% confidence interval, - 0.059 to - 0.017; p = 0.0007). NOL-directed management did not lead to an increase in IL-6, CRP, or cortisol levels compared with conventional analgesic management. Furthermore, this protocol led to improvements in the NRS scores at rest 2 h postoperatively and upon movement up to postoperative day 3. CONCLUSION: NOL-directed analgesic management reduced remifentanil consumption by 20% and the NRS scores at rest 2 h postoperatively and upon movement up to postoperative day 3 without an increase in inflammatory marker levels. REGISTRY NUMBER: Japan Registry of Clinical Trials, JRCTs052220034.

Effects of preoperative nutritional status on postoperative quality of recovery: a prospective observational study.

Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15) has received attention as a postoperative patient-reported outcome measure. Preoperative nutritional status has negative effects on postoperative outcomes; however, these associations have not yet been investigated. We included inpatients aged ≥ 65 years who underwent elective abdominal cancer surgery under general anaesthesia between 1 June 2021 and 7 April 2022 at our hospital. Preoperative nutritional status was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form (MNA-SF), and patients with an MNA-SF score ≤ 11 were categorised into the poor nutritional group. The outcomes in this study were the QoR-15 scores at 2 d, 4 d and 7 d after surgery, which were compared between groups by unpaired t test. Multiple regression analysis was applied to assess the effects of poor preoperative nutritional status on the QoR-15 score on postoperative day 2 (POD 2). Of the 230 included patients, 33·9 % (78/230) were categorised into the poor nutritional status group. The mean QoR-15 value was significantly lower in the poor nutritional group than in the normal nutritional group at all postoperative time points (POD 2:117 v. 99, P = 0·002; POD 4:124 v. 113, P < 0·001; POD 7:133 v. 115, P < 0·001). Multiple analyses showed that poor preoperative nutritional status was associated with the QoR-15 score on POD 2 (adjusted partial regression coefficient, -7·8; 95 % CI -14·9, -0·72). We conclude that patients with a poor preoperative nutritional status were more likely to have a lower QoR-15 score after abdominal cancer surgery.

Persistent incisional pain at 1 year after craniotomy: a retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: There have been few reports on persistent incisional pain at 1 year after craniotomy. Hence, this study aimed to explore the distribution of pain at 1 year after elective craniotomy and its related factors. METHODS: This retrospective study included data prospectively collected to assess postoperative functional disability. We included patients aged > 55 years at the time of recruitment for our initial study and who had complete data regarding the pain numeric rating scale (NRS) score at 1 year post craniotomy. The primary outcome was the pain NRS score, which was assessed at the postanesthetic clinic as well as at 3 months and 1 year after craniotomy. Multivariable negative binomial regression analysis was performed to analyze the relationship between the pain NRS score at 1 postoperative year and 12 clinically meaningful covariates. These included the Short Form-8 scores for bodily pain and mental health, with higher scores indicating better health. RESULTS: We analyzed data from 102 patients. The mean (95% confidence interval) pain NRS scores at the three measurement points were 2.8 (2.3-3.3), 1.2 (0.8-1.6), and 0.6 (0.3-0.8), respectively. Multivariable analysis revealed that preoperative bodily pain (risk ratio, 0.93; 95% confidence interval, 0.88-0.98) and the pain NRS score at the postanesthetic clinic (risk ratio, 1.32; 95% confidence interval, 1.14-1.52) were associated with the risk of persistent pain at 1 postoperative year. CONCLUSIONS: The pain score at 1 year after elective craniotomy was minor; however, preoperative bodily pain and postoperative pain scores were significantly related factors.

Motor-evoked potentials monitoring with remimazolam during thoracic descending aortic aneurysm surgery: a case report.

Paraplegia remains the most devastating complication following thoracoabdominal aortic surgery. Motor-evoked potential (MEP) monitoring has been widely used to assess intraoperative motor function. MEP amplitude is affected by various factors, including anesthetic agents and measurement time; however, there are no reports regarding MEP monitoring using remimazolam in thoracoabdominal aortic surgery. A 57-year-old woman underwent open repair of a thoracic descending aorta for a chronic dissecting aortic aneurysm under remimazolam and remifentanil anesthesia. The administration rate of remimazolam was adjusted using spectral edge frequency of SedLine®, which ranged from 0.2 to 1.0 mg/kg/h after anesthetic induction with 12 mg/kg/h. Muscle MEPs were obtained using subdermal needle electrodes at the abductor pollicis brevis muscle and abductor hallucis. There were no significant changes, which were defined as a 50% reduction of MEP amplitude from each baseline value, including during split circulation. On postoperative day one, she had no motor deficits nor signs of intraoperative awareness. Remimazolam might be well tolerated for MEP monitoring in patients undergoing thoracic descending aortic aneurysm surgery.

Effects of preoperative nutritional status on disability-free survival after cardiac and thoracic aortic surgery: a prospective observational study.

PURPOSE: Preoperative malnutrition is associated with postoperative complications, prolonged intensive care unit stay, and mortality, leading to functional disability after non-cardiac surgery. However, its effects on cardiac and thoracic aortic surgery outcomes remain unknown. We examined the effects of preoperative malnutrition on disability-free survival after surgery and assessed the perioperative 12-item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS2.0) score based on the preoperative nutritional status. METHODS: We included individuals aged ≥ 55 years who underwent elective cardiac and/or thoracic aortic surgery between April 1, 2016 and December 28, 2018 in a tertiary center. The nutritional status was assessed preoperatively using the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form, with scores < 12 points indicating a poor nutritional status. The JapanSCORE2 was calculated for surgical risk prediction. Our primary outcome was disability-free survival 1 year after surgery (WHODAS2.0 score: < 16%). The odds ratio of poor nutritional status for disability-free survival was calculated using multiple logistic regression analysis after adjusting for age, JapanSCORE2, and duration of surgery. RESULTS: One hundred patients were followed up for 1 year. Preoperatively, 41 of them had a poor nutritional status. The disability-free survival rates 1 year postoperatively were 46.3% (19/41) and 64.4% (38/59) in patients with and without poor preoperative nutritional status, respectively. The adjusted odds ratio of poor nutritional status for disability-free survival at 1 year after surgery was 0.42 (95% confidence interval, 0.17-0.99). CONCLUSION: Patients with a poor preoperative nutritional status had less likely to show disability-free survival 1 year after cardiac and thoracic aortic surgery.

Prevalence of pre-operative undiagnosed cognitive impairment and its association with handgrip strength, oral hygiene, and nutritional status in older elective surgical patients in Japan.

PURPOSE: Preoperative cognitive impairment is a significant factor influencing post-operative delirium. We have been performing routine pre-operative comprehensive assessments, including evaluation of cognitive function, handgrip strength, oral hygiene, and nutritional status, in patients aged ≥ 65 years since April 2021. This study aimed to examine the completion rate of pre-operative comprehensive assessment and assess the prevalence of pre-operative undiagnosed cognitive impairment. METHODS: In this prospective observational study including patients aged ≥ 65 years scheduled for elective surgery with general or regional anesthesia, cognitive impairment was defined as a Mini-Cog score ≤ 2, and its associations with handgrip strength, oral hygiene, and nutritional status were evaluated. Oral hygiene and nutritional status were assessed using an oral frailty self-checklist and the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form, respectively. The incidence of pre-operative undiagnosed cognitive impairment was estimated, and its associated factors were explored with multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: Among 331 eligible patients, the completion rate was 97.7% (305/312). The mean age was 74.8 years, and 13.1% (40/305) (95% confidence interval [CI], 9.7-17.3%) of the patients had pre-operative undiagnosed cognitive impairment. Multiple logistic regression revealed that handgrip strength (odds ratio [OR] = 0.94, 95%CI = 0.89-0.99) and oral frailty self-checklist score (OR = 1.19, 95%CI = 1.02-1.40) were associated with pre-operative undiagnosed cognitive impairment, while the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form score was not significantly associated (OR = 0.97, 95%CI = 0.82-1.14). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative comprehensive assessment was feasible. The prevalence of pre-operative undiagnosed cognitive impairment was 13%, and poor handgrip strength and worse oral hygiene were significantly associated factors.

Respiratory depression following cesarean section with single-shot spinal with 100 µg morphine.

PURPOSE: Little evidence is available regarding bradypnea measured using continuous monitoring following cesarean section. We aimed to evaluate the rate of cumulative bradypnea time (total bradypnea time/total monitoring time) and its related factors in these parturients. METHODS: This prospective observational study included women undergoing cesarean section under single-shot spinal anesthesia of 0.1 mg morphine. The Berlin Questionnaire was used to screen for sleep apnea syndrome preoperatively. Respiratory rate and oxygen saturation (SpO2) were monitored continuously using an adhesive acoustic respiration sensor and pulse oximeter, respectively, at least 6 h after cesarean section. Bradypnea was defined as a respiratory rate < 8 breaths/min lasting at least 25 s (sustained bradypnea) or at least 15 s (immediate bradypnea). Hypoxemia was defined as SpO2 < 92% lasting at least 25 s (sustained hypoxemia) or at least 15 s (immediate hypoxemia). Multiple regression analysis was applied to assess factors related to the rate of cumulative sustained bradypnea. RESULTS: Of 159 patients, the Berlin Questionnaire was positive in 16.3%, and 77 (48.4%) experienced sustained bradypnea. The median rate of cumulative sustained bradypnea time was 0.70% (interquartile range 0.35-1.45%) without any related factors. The incidence of immediate bradypnea and sustained and immediate hypoxemia were 58.5%, 24.5%, and 37.7%, respectively. However, none of the factors were significant. CONCLUSION: After cesarean section was performed with 0.1 mg intrathecal morphine, respiratory depression events were commonly observed. However, the rate of cumulative bradypnea time was very low and there were no related factors.

Persistent postoperative pain at 1 year after orthopedic surgery and its association with functional disability.

PURPOSE: Orthopedic hip, knee, and spinal surgeries have a relatively high incidence of persistent postoperative pain, with the highest risk observed in Asian ethnicity. This study aimed to investigate the distribution of persistent pain at 1 year after surgery and its associated factors and effects on functional disability. METHODS: This secondary analysis of a prospective observational study included 297 patients aged ≥ 55 years who underwent elective total hip arthroplasty, total knee arthroplasty, and spine and spinal cord surgeries under general anesthesia. Data were collected perioperatively and at 3 months and 1 year postoperatively to assess persistent postoperative pain on a numerical rating scale. RESULTS: At 1 year postoperatively, 34.6% (103/297) of patients reported pain, with a score of ≥ 1 and a mean score of 1.2. Multivariable negative binomial regression analysis revealed that less preoperative bodily pain (risk ratio [RR], 0.97; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.94-0.99), preoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) level (RR, 1.19; 95% CI 1.01-1.39), and spine and spinal cord surgeries (RR, 2.48; 95% CI 1.30-4.75) increased the risk of persistent pain at 1 year after surgery, which was a significant factor for predicting the 12-item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 score (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The mean score for persistent pain at 1 year after surgery on the numerical rating scale was 1.2. Worse preoperative bodily pain, higher preoperative serum CRP level, and spine and spinal cord surgeries increased the persistent pain score at 1 year after surgery, which was associated with functional disability CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: This prospective observational study was registered on the University Hospital Medical Information Network (31 December 2015; UMIN000021671).

Correlation between pain catastrophizing in acute herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia: a retrospective analysis.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to examine the association between pain catastrophizing in acute phase herpes zoster and the development of postherpetic neuralgia. METHODS: The medical records of all patients diagnosed with herpes zoster between February 2016 and December 2021 were retrieved. Inclusion criteria were patients aged > 50 years who visited our pain center within 60 days after rash onset and reported a pain intensity of ≥ 3 in a numerical rating scale. Patients with a score of 30 or more in the pain catastrophizing scale at baseline were assigned to the catastrophizer group, and those with a score < 30 were assigned to the non-catastrophizer group. We defined patients with "postherpetic neuralgia" and "severe postherpetic neuralgia" as those with a numerical rating scale score of 3 or more and 7 or more at 3 months after baseline, respectively. RESULTS: Data of 189 patients were available for complete analysis. Age, baseline numerical rating scale, and prevalence of anxiety and depression were significantly higher in the catastrophizer than those in the non-catastrophizer group. Incidence of postherpetic neuralgia did not differ significantly between the groups (p = 0.26). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that age, severe pain at baseline, and immunosuppressive state were the factors which were independently associated with developing postherpetic neuralgia. Severe pain at baseline was the only factor related to developing severe postherpetic neuralgia. CONCLUSION: Pain catastrophizing in the acute phase of herpes zoster may not be related to the development of postherpetic neuralgia.

Factors associated with functional disability or mortality after elective noncardiac surgery: a prospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: Preoperative prediction of functional status after surgery is essential when practicing patient-centered medicine. We aimed to evaluate the incidence and factors associated with postoperative functional disability or all-cause mortality. Secondarily, we sought to describe the trajectory of disability in this population. METHODS: Adults aged ≥ 55 yr who underwent elective noncardiac surgery under general anesthesia in a tertiary care hospital were followed up one year after surgery. Pre- and intraoperative factors associated with a composite outcome of postoperative functional disability or all-cause mortality were assessed using a multiple logistic regression. The sequential changes in the 12-item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) 2.0 score were described and stratified by surgical invasiveness. RESULTS: Of the 2,921 patients included, 293 experienced postoperative functional disability (10.0%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 8.9 to 11.1) and 124 died (4.2%; 95% CI, 3.5 to 5.0). In a multiple regression model, the potentially modifiable risk factors, body mass index ≥ 30 kg·m-2 and poor preoperative nutritional status, were significantly associated with the primary composite outcome, as well as nonmodifiable factors such as age, preoperative comorbidities, and blood loss volume. Changes in the 12-item WHODAS 2.0 disability score varied between different levels of surgical invasiveness and types of surgery. CONCLUSION: Within one year after surgery, one in ten patients experienced postoperative functional disability and one in 20 died. We identified potentially modifiable factors (obesity, poor nutritional status) associated with these adverse outcomes. STUDY REGISTRATION: University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN000021671); registered 31 December 2015.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: La prédiction préopératoire du statut fonctionnel après chirurgie est essentielle dans la pratique d'une médecine centrée sur le patient. Nous avons cherché à évaluer l'incidence et les facteurs associés à l'incapacité fonctionnelle ou à la mortalité toutes causes confondues en postopératoire. En deuxième lieu, nous avons cherché à décrire la trajectoire de l'incapacité dans cette population. MéTHODE: Les adultes âgés de ≥ 55 ans qui ont subi une chirurgie non cardiaque non urgente sous anesthésie générale dans un hôpital de soins tertiaires ont été suivis jusqu'à un an après leur chirurgie. Les facteurs pré- et peropératoires associés à un devenir composite d'incapacité fonctionnelle postopératoire ou de mortalité toutes causes confondues ont été évalués à l'aide d'une régression logistique multiple. Les changements séquentiels dans le score de l'outil d'évaluation de l'invalidité de l'Organisation mondiale de la Santé (WHODAS - World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule) version 2.0 en 12 éléments ont été décrits et stratifiés en fonction du degré invasif de la chirurgie. RéSULTATS: Sur les 2921 patients inclus, 293 ont présenté une incapacité fonctionnelle postopératoire (10,0 %; intervalle de confiance [IC] à 95 %, 8,9 à 11,1) et 124 personnes sont décédées (4,2 %; IC 95 %, 3,5 à 5,0). Dans un modèle de régression multiple, les facteurs de risque potentiellement modifiables, un indice de masse corporelle ≥ 30 kg·m-2 et un mauvais état nutritionnel préopératoire étaient significativement associés au critère d'évaluation composite principal, ainsi qu'à des facteurs non modifiables tels que l'âge, les comorbidités préopératoires et le volume de perte de sang. Les changements dans le score d'incapacité WHODAS 2.0 à 12 éléments variaient entre les différents degrés invasifs de la chirurgie et les types de chirurgie. CONCLUSION: Dans l'année qui a suivi la chirurgie, un patient sur dix a présenté une incapacité fonctionnelle postopératoire et un sur 20 est décédé. Nous avons identifié des facteurs potentiellement modifiables (obésité, mauvais état nutritionnel) associés à ces effets indésirables. ENREGISTREMENT DE L'éTUDE: University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN000021671); enregistré le 31 décembre 2015.

Prevalence of undernutrition in surgical patients and the effect on length of hospital stay.

BACKGROUND: Low nutritional status is common among surgical patients. A low nutrition profile is related to muscle weakness and immune suppression, which may be associated with negative outcomes. In this study, we evaluated the prevalence of low nutrition and assessed the relationship between nutritional status and length of hospital stay in surgical patients. METHODS: The study participants were patients who underwent abdominal surgery between 2016 and 2018 at our hospital. The Mini Nutritional Status Short-Form score and patient demographics, including current medical status, were extracted from the medical records. Data on anesthesia time, blood loss, and use of epidural anesthesia were also recorded. The primary study outcome was the difference in length of hospitalization from the standard duration (hospitalization = actual length of hospitalization-standard length of hospitalization). RESULTS: Eight hundred and thirty five patients met the inclusion criteria. Their nutritional status was classified as normal (59.0%), at risk (29.6%), or malnutrition (11.4%). Linear regression analysis revealed that nutritional status, serum albumin level, and anesthesia time were associated with the length of hospital stay. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that a low nutrition profile before surgery is associated with a prolonged hospital stay.

Feasibility, reliability, and validity of the 12-item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 in patients attending the pain clinic.

PURPOSE: In the cohort of patients attending pain clinic, the primary goal has been shifting from pain reduction to improving activities of daily living and functional status. The 12-item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) is one of the useful tools for assessment of functional status across all psychiatric and medical diseases; however, its feasibility, reliability, and validity have not been assessed in these patients. Thus, in this study, we evaluated the feasibility, reliability, and validity of the 12-item WHODAS 2.0 in patients attending the pain clinic at our university hospital. METHODS: This is a prospective observational study including the patients aged 50 years or older who were attending the pain clinic at Nara Medical University between April 2019 and May 2019. Patient-related outcomes including functional status and activities of daily living were assessed with the 12-item WHODAS 2.0, EuroQol-5 dimension 5 levels, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index. RESULTS: The response rate was 99.7%. The 12-item WHODAS2.0 had a floor effect but no ceiling effect and its Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.909. The correlation coefficients between the 12-item WHODAS 2.0 score and the EuroQol-5 dimension 5 levels and the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index were -0.66 and -0.67, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The 12-item WHODAS 2.0 is a useful measurement tool to assess disability of pain patients with high reliability and validity.

The short-term effect of COVID-19 pandemic on disability, pain intensity, psychological status, and exercise habits in patients with chronic pain.

PURPOSE: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the lives of people worldwide. The first declaration of a state of emergency in Japan, based on the Act on Special Measures for the Prevention and Control of the Novel Coronavirus, was issued from 16 April 2020 to 14 May 2020 to reduce person-to-person contact. Restrictions on going out, participating in community activities, and visiting hospitals were in place. This study investigates the short-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with chronic pain. METHODS: This study included outpatients with chronic pain undergoing treatment at the Pain Center of Nara Medical University Hospital. The patients had completed questionnaires for a disability during the study period, from 1 July to 30 September 2019 (baseline), 1 October to 31 December 2019 (pre-pandemic), and 1 July to 30 September 2020 (during the pandemic). The questionnaire covered changes in disability, pain intensity, health-related quality of life (QOL), anxiety, depression, catastrophic thinking, and the presence/absence of exercise habits at baseline, pre-pandemic, and during the pandemic. RESULTS: Of the 245 eligible patients, there was no significant disability difference between baseline, pre-pandemic, and during the pandemic (p = 0.14). Similarly, pain intensity, health-related QOL, anxiety, depression, and the presence/absence of exercise habits did not significantly differ between baseline, pre-pandemic, and during the pandemic either. The current study observed significant differences in terms of catastrophic thinking (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with chronic pain were not apparent in the short-term. Clinical trail registration: UMIN000043174.

Translation and validation of the Japanese Version of the Quality of Recovery-15 Questionnaire.

PURPOSE: Patient-reported outcomes after surgery and anaesthesia have recently attracted attention. A recent systematic review and a consensus guideline recommend that patients' recovery can be adequately measured using the quality of recovery-15 (QoR-15) during the perioperative period; however, the Japanese version of the QoR-15 (QoR-15J) is not available. We aimed to translate the QoR-15 into Japanese and assess its validity. METHODS: After translating into Japanese, 205 patients who underwent various types of surgery under general anaesthesia were enrolled in the study. QoR-15J was evaluated before surgery and 24 h and 48 h after surgery. Additionally, 30 patients answered the QoR-15J at 25 h after surgery. We assessed the feasibility, reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the QoR-15J. RESULTS: One patient who did not undergo surgery and two patients who were discharged within 24 h were excluded. One hundred and eighty-seven patients answered the QoR-15J at 24 h after surgery (completion rate, 92.6%) and 183 patients with complete data were included in the final analysis. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for internal reliability and Spearman rank correlation coefficient for test-retest reliability were 0.84 and 0.91, respectively. The Cohen effect size for all items was 1.42. CONCLUSIONS: QoR-15 was translated into Japanese and the Japanese version's validity was assessed in patients undergoing various types of surgery under general anaesthesia. Our results suggest that QoR-15J is feasible, reliable, valid, and responsive.

The incidence and reasons for canceled surgical cases in an academic medical center: a retrospective analysis before and after the development of a preoperative anesthesia clinic.

PURPOSE: The development of a preoperative anesthesia clinic (PAC) can reduce the number of surgical cases canceled on the day of surgery. However, there are only a few studies on the details of cancellations in the operating room. This study aimed to assess the incidence and reasons for surgical cases canceled from admission to the operating room to the start of surgery. METHODS: This retrospective study involved patients who underwent anesthesia performed by anesthesiologists between January 2008 and March 2019. We focused on case cancellations occurring from admission to the operating room to the start of surgery. We classified the reasons for cancellation into four categories: insufficient preoperative anesthetic assessment, anesthetic issues/complications, medical problems related to patients' comorbidity, and others. We evaluated and compared the incidence and reasons for cancellation before and after the establishment of a PAC. RESULTS: Among a total of 48,089 scheduled surgery, 18 (0.037%, 95% confidence interval 0.019-0.055) cases were canceled. The total cancellation rate before and after the development of a PAC was not statistically significant (0.051% vs 0.022%, P = 0.10). Before the development of a PAC, the most common reason was insufficient preoperative anesthetic assessment in 46.1%, followed by anesthetic issues/complications (23.0%), medical problems related to patients' comorbidity (15.3%), and others (15.3%). After the development of a PAC, surgeries were canceled for medical problems related to patients' comorbidity (80.0%) and anesthetic issues/complications (20.0%). CONCLUSIONS: The total incidence of surgical case cancellations was 0.037%. Before and after the development of a PAC, cancellation rate was comparable. After the development of a PAC, none case were canceled due to insufficient preoperative anesthetic assessment.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as indicator to severe complication after pancreaticoduodenectomy or distal pancreatectomy.

BACKGROUND: Pancreaticoduodenectomy and distal pancreatectomy are complex procedures with high rates of post-operative complications. We evaluated the factors associated with post-operative complications, focusing on pre-operative hematologic markers such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and prognostic nutritional index. METHODS: Data from patients (≥age 20) who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy or distal pancreatectomy between January 2013 and December 2017 at a Japanese tertiary hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who failed to complete the operation and those who underwent additional procedure were excluded. The primary outcome was reoperation and unplanned intensive care unit admission before first discharge, and secondary outcome was the length of hospital stay. Multivariate analysis was used to identify explanatory factors associated with post-operative complications. The differences in length of hospital stay were compared with the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: Of 238 eligible patients, 208 with a median age of 71 years were included in the analysis. The median values [1st interquartile range, 3rd interquartile range] of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and prognostic nutritional index were 2.65 [1.69, 4.04], 247 [146, 407], and 46.0 [42.0, 49.7], respectively. Eleven patients (5.3%) experienced post-operative complications. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (odds ratio, 1.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.26; P = 0.03) and blood loss volume (odds ratio per 100 mL, 1.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-1.22; P = 0.039) were independently associated with post-operative complications. Post-operative complications contributed to longer hospital stays (19 [15, 28] vs 33 [22, 65] days, P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and blood loss volume were significantly associated with post-operative complications, leading to prolonged hospitalization.

Preoperative sleep disruption and postoperative functional disability in lung surgery patients: a prospective observational study.

PURPOSE: Our aims were to evaluate the prevalence of preoperative acute sleep disruption in the hospital and to assess perioperative sleep quality and the effects of acute sleep disruption on postoperative functional recovery in a surgical setting. METHODS: This prospective observational study included 24 patients aged ≥ 20 years who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical lobectomy for lung cancer under general anesthesia at a tertiary hospital in Japan between October 2016 and May 2017. Actigraphy was performed for 7 days in the hospital, including the night before surgery. We defined acute sleep disturbance as less than 85% preoperative sleep efficiency and analyzed its effect on postoperative functional disability using the 12-item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) and Mann-Whitney U testing. The perioperative change in sleep efficiency was compared using a Dunn analysis. A high score on the WHODAS 2.0 is indicative of impaired function. RESULTS: Nineteen (79.1%) patients had low sleep efficiency in the hospital prior to surgery. Three months after surgery, the 12-item WHODAS 2.0 score was higher in patients with acute sleep disturbance than in those without it (38.8 versus 33.3, p = 0.02, effect size 0.5). Sleep efficiency decreased significantly on the 5th postoperative day in patients with acute sleep disturbance. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed a high prevalence of acute sleep disturbance. Patients with acute sleep disruption had low postoperative sleep efficiency and impaired functional ability three months after surgery.