Intraoperative dexmedetomidine administration and acute kidney injury in patients undergoing unilateral partial nephrectomy: a retrospective study.

Partial nephrectomies are associated with an increased risk of acute kidney injury (AKI), but dexmedetomidine administration may improve renal outcomes. We hypothesized that intraoperative dexmedetomidine administration would be associated with a decrease in AKI development in patients undergoing unilateral partial nephrectomy. In this retrospective study, adult patients who underwent unilateral partial nephrectomy from April 2016 to October 2023 were included. Exclusion criteria were a history of end-stage renal disease, ineligible procedures (i.e., aborted procedure, conversion to radical nephrectomy, surgery on a horseshoe kidney), and reoperation within three days of the initial nephrectomy. Patients were categorized according to whether they received intraoperative dexmedetomidine. The primary outcome was AKI incidence within three days of surgery; AKI was defined according to the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes definition. Propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted to account for potential confounders (age, body mass index, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, final surgical approach, clamping-related ischemia for >15 min). We included 1,632 patients; 214 received dexmedetomidine and 1,418 did not. Before PSM, the AKI rate was 31.2% in patients who received dexmedetomidine and 25.7% in patients who did not (p = 0.081). After PSM, the AKI rate was 31.3% in patients who received dexmedetomidine and 27.6% in those who did not (p = 0.396). The post-PSM odds ratio for AKI following dexmedetomidine administration during unilateral partial nephrectomy was 0.910 (95% CI: 0.585-1.142; p = 0.677). Intraoperative dexmedetomidine was not associated with a reduction in postoperative AKI incidence or severity after unilateral partial nephrectomy.

Effects of Head and Neck Cancer Radiotherapy on Cricothyroid Membrane Related Dimensions.

Background: Radiation treatment can modify soft tissue dynamics depending on the extent and location of irradiation. We hypothesized that head and neck radiotherapy caused alterations in cricothyroid membrane (CTM) related dimensions. Objectives: Primary objective was to evaluate changes in the cricothyroid membrane height (CTMH) and skin-to-CTM distance (STCD) in patients who underwent radiation treatment for head and neck cancers. Methods: Pre- and post-head-and-neck cancer-radiated computed tomography (CT) scans were analyzed retrospectively. The patients' demographics (age, sex, body mass index, cancer location), radiation dose and laterality, time from radiation initiation to CT scan assessments were summarized. CTMH and STCD were measured from pre-and post-radiation CT scans. Pre- and post-radiation comparisons were conducted using a paired t-test, or Wilcoxon signed-rank test if more appropriate. Chi-squared or Fisher's Exact test were used for categorical variables. Results: Among 231 study patients, who underwent head and neck radiotherapy in our institution 73.2% were males, and the median age of total population was 66 years (31-93). The median BMI was 25.2 kg/m2 (13.8-47.2). The median time from first radiation dose to CT scan assessment was 29.5 months (2-115).The median pre- and post-radiation CTMH were 8.7 mm (3-16.2) and 7.5 mm (3.1-14.3) respectively. The median pre- and post-radiation STCD were 11.7 mm (2.9-71.1) and 10.2 mm (3.9-38) respectively. Conclusion: In summary our patient population had significant reduction of cricothyroid membrane related dimensions following head-and-neck radiotherapy, which can limit the localization of the cricothyroid membrane. Level of evidence III: Retrospective cohort study.

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting Care.

BACKGROUND: Racial and ethnic differences in health care may result in significant morbidity. The objective of this study was to determine whether there was an association between a patient's race or ethnicity and the receipt of an antiemetic agent preoperatively, during surgery, and in the recovery room. METHODS: A single-institution retrospective study of adult patients (>18 years) who had undergone cancer-related operating room procedures under anesthesia between March 2016 and August 2021 was conducted. A multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to estimate the effects of covariates on antiemetic administration. RESULTS: Of the 60,595 patients included in the study, 3053 (5.0%) self-identified as Asian, 5376 (8.9%) as Black, 8431 (13.9%) as Hispanic or Latino, 42,533 (70.2%) as White, and 1202 (2.0%) as belonging to another racial or ethnic group. Multivariable analyses showed significant associations between a patient's race or ethnicity and the receipt of antiemetics in the preoperative holding area, operating room, and recovery room (all P < .001). In the preoperative holding area, White patients (8962 of 42,533 [21.1%]; odds ratio [OR], 1.188; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.100-1.283; P < .001) had higher odds of receiving an antiemetic than Black patients (1006 of 5376 [18.7%]). Intraoperatively, the odds were significantly greater for Hispanic or Latino (7323 of 8431 [86.9%]; OR, 1.175; 95% CI, 1.065-1.297; P = .001) and patients who identified as belonging to another race (1078 of 1202 [89.7%]; OR, 1.582; 95% CI, 1.290-1.941; P < .001) than for Black patients (4468 of 5376 [83.1%]). In the recovery room, Asian (499 of 3053 [16.3%]; OR, 1.328; 95% CI: 1.127-1.561; P < .001), Hispanic or Latino (1335 of 8431 [15.8%]; OR, 1.208; 95% CI, 1.060-1.377; P < .005), and White patients (6533 of 42,533 [15.4%]; OR, 1.276; 95% CI, 1.140-1.427; P < .001) had significantly higher odds of receiving antiemetics than Black patients (646 of 5376 [12%]). CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective study suggests significant differences between the administrations of antiemetics to patients of different races or ethnicities, with Black patients often being less likely to receive an antiemetic than patients belonging to all other races or ethnicities.

The Role of Belimumab in Systemic Lupus Erythematosis: A Systematic Review.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease involving multiple systems with a range of clinical presentations caused by the production of antibodies, activation of complements, and deposition of immune complexes. The exact cause of SLE is still unknown. The effectiveness of traditional treatment methods for SLE is very little. Nowadays, resistance to conventional therapy, steroids, and immunosuppressants is common among SLE patients. Patients with refractory disease and nephritis generally have severe drug-induced toxicity which contributes to organ dysfunction, despite available therapies. Different biologic agents and therapeutic antibodies have become an alternative and have been under experiment in clinical trials, enrolling patients whose disease is inadequately controlled by conventional treatment. Belimumab is the only targeted therapy approved for SLE treatment. This systematic review discusses one such biological agent for treating systemic lupus erythematosus, namely, belimumab. The systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies included randomized clinical trials (RCTs) from 2005 to 2021 on adult SLE. patients treated with monoclonal antibodies to assess the efficacy and safety. Methodological quality was assessed using PubMed, PMC, the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool, and the QUality In Prognosis Studies Tool (QUIPS) for RCTs. Two independent reviewers performed an electronic search on MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, SCIELO, Scopus, and ResearchGate. Based on a systematic review of articles we found that belimumab appears to be efficacious and generally well-tolerated in the treatment of SLE as compared to other drugs. The long-term use of belimumab combined with standard therapy showed a low incidence of organ damage. A lower incidence of organ damage was seen after initiating treatment in patients with a high risk for organ dysfunction. Patients who test for antinuclear antibody or anti-dsDNA-positive SLE, with moderate symptoms in the skin and musculoskeletal systems despite immunosuppressants, are treated with belimumab as an adjunct therapy. Patients with severe lupus nephritis or active CNS lupus cannot be treated with belimumab. Belimumab is effective in most races, as a clinical trial done in North-East Asia showed improvement in SLE symptoms and decreased dependence on prednisone. Belimumab also decreased disease activity and severe flares. Belimumab had greater efficacy in children.

An Alternate Venous Access in COVID-19 Patients Needing Dialysis.

The current rapidly rising pandemic scenario due to the SARS COVID-19 infection is known to cause acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in severely ill patients. Meanwhile, many patients get to suffer multiple comorbidities like septicemia and acute kidney injury (AKI). Most of the critically ill mechanical ventilated patients are nowadays being given trials of prone ventilation for at least one-third duration of a day. These patients may require central venous catheter for various purposes such as fluid resuscitation, vasopressor administration, hemodialysis owing to the fact that many critically ill COVID-19 patients are going for AKI. Central venous access has a major role in accelerating the impending septicemia due to ARDS, by causing catheter-related bloodstream infection, thereby having a synergistic effect in causing sepsis. By using the unconventional methods which are used to give venous access, apart from the regularly used traditional methods of Internal Jugular, subclavian as well as femoral sites, this impending septicemia can be prevented or at least be hampered. This in turn will have major impact in the overall critically ill COVID-19-positive patient's outcome and will have a reduced mortality. How to cite this article: Muthukumar A. An Alternate Venous Access in COVID-19 Patients Needing Dialysis. Indian J Crit Care Med 2020;24(9):888-889.