Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Delivery In-Hospital Mortality or Maternal End-Organ Injury: A Multistate Analysis, 2007-2020.

Background: In the United States, Black maternal mortality is 2-4 × higher than that of White maternal mortality, with differences also present in severe maternal morbidity and other measures. However, limited research has comprehensively studied multilevel social determinants of health, and their confounding and effect modification on obstetrical outcomes. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective multistate analysis of adult inpatient delivery hospitalizations (Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Washington) between 2007 and 2020. Multilevel multivariable models were used to test the confounder-adjusted association for race/ethnicity and the binary outcomes (1) in-hospital mortality or maternal end-organ injury and (2) in-hospital mortality only. Stratified analyses were performed to test effect modification. Results: The confounder-adjusted odds ratio showed that Black (1.33, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.30-1.36) and Hispanic (1.14, 95% CI: 1.11-1.18) as compared with White patients were more likely to die in-hospital or experience maternal end-organ injury. For Black and Hispanic patients, stratified analysis showed that findings remained significant in almost all homogeneous strata. After statistical adjustment, Black as compared with White patients were more likely to die in-hospital (1.49, 95% CI: 1.21-1.82). Conclusions: Black and Hispanic patients had higher adjusted odds of in-patient mortality and end-organ damage after birth than White patients. Race and ethnicity serve as strong predictors of health care inequality, and differences in outcomes may reflect broader structural racism and individual implicit bias. Proposed solutions require immense and multifaceted active efforts to restructure how obstetrical care is provided on the societal, hospital, and patient level.

Baseline Intraoperative Left Ventricular Diastolic Function Is Associated with Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation after Cardiac Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Detailed understanding of the association between intraoperative left atrial and left ventricular diastolic function and postoperative atrial fibrillation is lacking. In this post hoc analysis of the Posterior Left Pericardiotomy for the Prevention of Atrial Fibrillation after Cardiac Surgery (PALACS) trial, we aimed to evaluate the association of intraoperative left atrial and left ventricular diastolic function as assessed by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) with postoperative atrial fibrillation. METHODS: PALACS patients with available intraoperative TEE data (n = 402 of 420; 95.7%) were included in this cohort study. We tested the hypotheses that preoperative left atrial size and function, left ventricular diastolic function, and their intraoperative changes were associated with postoperative atrial fibrillation. Normal left ventricular diastolic function was graded as 0 and with lateral e' velocity 10 cm/s or greater. Diastolic dysfunction was defined as lateral e' less than 10 cm/s using E/e' cutoffs of grade 1, E/e' 8 or less; grade, 2 E/e' 9 to 12; and grade 3, E/e' 13 or greater, along with two criteria based on mitral inflow and pulmonary wave flow velocities. RESULTS: A total of 230 of 402 patients (57.2%) had intraoperative diastolic dysfunction. Posterior pericardiotomy intervention was not significantly different between the two groups. A total of 99 of 402 patients (24.6%) developed postoperative atrial fibrillation. Patients who developed postoperative atrial fibrillation more frequently had abnormal left ventricular diastolic function compared to patients who did not develop postoperative atrial fibrillation (75.0% [n = 161 of 303] vs. 57.5% [n = 69 of 99]; P = 0.004). Of the left atrial size and function parameters, only delta left atrial area, defined as presternotomy minus post-chest closure measurement, was significantly different in the no postoperative atrial fibrillation versus postoperative atrial fibrillation groups on univariate analysis (-2.1 cm2 [interquartile range, -5.1 to 1.0] vs. 0.1 [interquartile range, -4.0 to 4.8]; P = 0.028). At multivariable analysis, baseline abnormal left ventricular diastolic function (odds ratio, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.15 to 3.63; P = 0.016) and pericardiotomy intervention (odds ratio, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.27 to 0.78, P = 0.004) were the only covariates independently associated with postoperative atrial fibrillation. CONCLUSIONS: Baseline preoperative left ventricular diastolic dysfunction on TEE, not left atrial size or function, is independently associated with postoperative atrial fibrillation. Further studies are needed to test if interventions aimed at optimizing intraoperative left ventricular diastolic function during cardiac surgery may reduce the risk of postoperative atrial fibrillation.

Benzodiazepines and postoperative delirium: should we be as cautious as we are?

A recent systematic review and meta-analysis by Wang and colleagues in the British Journal of Anaesthesia calls into question the concept that perioperative benzodiazepine administration is associated with development of postoperative delirium in older individuals after anaesthesia and surgery. This editorial focuses on potential bias within the systematic review and addresses major concerns surrounding benzodiazepine use in the older perioperative population.

Antiemetic Administration and Its Association with Race: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Anesthesiologists' contribution to perioperative healthcare disparities remains unclear because patient and surgeon preferences can influence care choices. Postoperative nausea and vomiting is a patient- centered outcome measure and a main driver of unplanned admissions. Antiemetic administration is under the sole domain of anesthesiologists. In a U.S. sample, Medicaid insured versus commercially insured patients and those with lower versus higher median income had reduced antiemetic administration, but not all risk factors were controlled for. This study examined whether a patient's race is associated with perioperative antiemetic administration and hypothesized that Black versus White race is associated with reduced receipt of antiemetics. METHODS: An analysis was performed of 2004 to 2018 Multicenter Perioperative Outcomes Group data. The primary outcome of interest was administration of either ondansetron or dexamethasone; secondary outcomes were administration of each drug individually or both drugs together. The confounder-adjusted analysis included relevant patient demographics (Apfel postoperative nausea and vomiting risk factors: sex, smoking history, postoperative nausea and vomiting or motion sickness history, and postoperative opioid use; as well as age) and included institutions as random effects. RESULTS: The Multicenter Perioperative Outcomes Group data contained 5.1 million anesthetic cases from 39 institutions located in the United States and The Netherlands. Multivariable regression demonstrates that Black patients were less likely to receive antiemetic administration with either ondansetron or dexamethasone than White patients (290,208 of 496,456 [58.5%] vs. 2.24 million of 3.49 million [64.1%]; adjusted odds ratio, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.81 to 0.82; P < 0.001). Black as compared to White patients were less likely to receive any dexamethasone (140,642 of 496,456 [28.3%] vs. 1.29 million of 3.49 million [37.0%]; adjusted odds ratio, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.77 to 0.78; P < 0.001), any ondansetron (262,086 of 496,456 [52.8%] vs. 1.96 million of 3.49 million [56.1%]; adjusted odds ratio, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.84 to 0.85; P < 0.001), and dexamethasone and ondansetron together (112,520 of 496,456 [22.7%] vs. 1.0 million of 3.49 million [28.9%]; adjusted odds ratio, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.77 to 0.79; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In a perioperative registry data set, Black versus White patient race was associated with less antiemetic administration, after controlling for all accepted postoperative nausea and vomiting risk factors.

Postoperative pericardial effusion, pericardiotomy, and atrial fibrillation: An explanatory analysis of the PALACS trial.

BACKGROUND: In the Posterior left pericardiotomy for the prevention of atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery (PALACS) trial, posterior pericardiotomy was associated with a significant reduction in postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after cardiac surgery. We aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying this effect. METHODS: We included PALACS patients with available echocardiographic data (n = 387/420, 92%). We tested the hypotheses that the reduction in POAF with the intervention was associated with 1) a reduction in postoperative pericardial effusion and/or 2) an effect on left atrial size and function. Spline and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used. RESULTS: Most patients (n = 307, 79%) had postoperative pericardial effusions (anterior 68%, postero-lateral 51.9%). The incidence of postero-lateral effusion was significantly lower in patients undergoing pericardiotomy (37% vs 67%; P < .001). The median size of anterior effusion was comparable between patients with and without POAF (5.0 [IQR 3.0-7.0] vs 5.0 [IQR 3.0-7.5] mm; P = .42), but there was a nonsignificant trend towards larger postero-lateral effusion in the POAF group (5.0 [IQR 3.0-9.0] vs 4.0 [IQR 3.0-6.4] mm; P = .06). There was a non-linear association between postero-lateral effusion and POAF at a cut-off at 10 mm (OR 2.70; 95% CI 1.13, 6.47; P = .03) that was confirmed in multivariable analysis (OR 3.5, 95% CI 1.17, 10.58; P = 0.02). Left atrial dimension and function did not change significantly after posterior pericardiotomy. CONCLUSIONS: Reduction in postero-lateral pericardial effusion is a plausible mechanism for the effect of posterior pericardiotomy in reducing POAF. Measures to reduce postoperative pericardial effusion are a promising approach to prevent POAF.

Resident Physicians as Clinical Educators in Anesthesiology: A Narrative Review.

The importance of resident physicians as clinical educators is widely acknowledged in many clinical specialties and by national accreditation organizations for medical education. Within anesthesiology training programs, there is growing attention to the role of trainees as clinical educators. This narrative review describes the theoretical and demonstrated benefits of clinical teaching by residents in anesthesiology and other medical fields, summarizes current efforts to support and promote residents as educators, and suggests ways in which anesthesiology training programs can further assess and develop the role of residents as clinical educators.

Connected consciousness after tracheal intubation in young adults: an international multicentre cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Connected consciousness, assessed by response to command, occurs in at least 5% of general anaesthetic procedures and perhaps more often in young people. Our primary objective was to establish the incidence of connected consciousness after tracheal intubation in young people aged 18-40 yr. The secondary objectives were to assess the nature of these responses, identify relevant risk factors, and determine their relationship to postoperative outcomes. METHODS: This was an international, multicentre prospective cohort study using the isolated forearm technique to assess connected consciousness shortly after tracheal intubation. RESULTS: Of 344 enrolled subjects, 338 completed the study (mean age, 30 [standard deviation, 6.3] yr; 232 [69%] female). Responses after intubation occurred in 37/338 subjects (11%). Females (13%, 31/232) responded more often than males (6%, 6/106). In logistic regression, the risk of responsiveness was increased with female sex (odds ratio [ORadjusted]=2.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-7.6; P=0.022) and was decreased with continuous anaesthesia before laryngoscopy (ORadjusted=0.43; 95% CI, 0.20-0.96; P=0.041). Responses were more likely to occur after a command to respond (and not to nonsense, 13 subjects) than after a nonsense statement (and not to command, four subjects, P=0.049). CONCLUSIONS: Connected consciousness occured after intubation in 11% of young adults, with females at increased risk. Continuous exposure to anaesthesia between induction of anaesthesia and tracheal intubation should be considered to reduce the incidence of connected consciousness. Further research is required to understand sex-related differences in the risk of connected consciousness.

Anesthesia and the neurobiology of fear and posttraumatic stress disorder.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Dysfunction of fear memory systems underlie a cluster of clinically important and highly prevalent psychological morbidities seen in perioperative and critical care patients, most archetypally posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Several sedative-hypnotics and analgesics are known to modulate fear systems, and it is theoretically plausible that clinical decisions of the anesthesiologist could impact psychological outcomes. This review aims to provide a focused synthesis of relevant literature from multiple fields of research. RECENT FINDINGS: There is evidence in some contexts that unconscious fear memory systems are less sensitive to anesthetics than are conscious memory systems. Opiates may suppress the activation of fear systems and have benefit in the prevention of PTSD following trauma. There is inconsistent evidence that the use of propofol and benzodiazepines for sedation following trauma may potentiate the development of PTSD relative to other drugs. The benefits of ketamine seen in the treatment of major depression are not clearly replicated in PTSD-cluster psychopathologies, and its effects on fear processes are complex. SUMMARY: There are multiple theoretical mechanisms by which anesthetic drugs can modulate fear systems and clinically important fear-based psychopathologies. The current state of research provides some evidence to support further hypothesis investigation. However, the absence of effectiveness studies and the inconsistent signals from smaller studies provide insufficient evidence to currently offer firm clinical guidance.

Patient care in rapid-expansion intensive care units during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic highlighted the unfortunate reality that many hospitals have insufficient intensive care unit (ICU) capacity to meet massive, unanticipated increases in demand. To drastically increase ICU capacity, NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center modified its existing operating rooms and post-anaesthesia care units during the initial expansion phase to accommodate the surge of critically ill patients. METHODS: This retrospective chart review examined patient care in non-standard Expansion ICUs as compared to standard ICUs. We compared clinical data between the two settings to determine whether the expeditious development and deployment of critical care resources during an evolving medical crisis could provide appropriate care. RESULTS: Sixty-six patients were admitted to Expansion ICUs from March 1st to April 30th, 2020 and 343 were admitted to standard ICUs. Most patients were male (70%), White (30%), 45-64 years old (35%), non-smokers (73%), had hypertension (58%), and were hospitalized for a median of 40 days. For patients that died, there was no difference in treatment management, but the Expansion cohort had a higher median ICU length of stay (q = 0.037) and ventilatory length (q = 0.015). The cohorts had similar rates of discharge to home, but the Expansion ICU cohort had higher rates of discharge to a rehabilitation facility and overall lower mortality. CONCLUSIONS: We found no significantly worse outcomes for the Expansion ICU cohort compared to the standard ICU cohort at our institution during the COVID-19 pandemic, which demonstrates the feasibility of providing safe and effective care for patients in an Expansion ICU.

Evaluating the Association between Anesthesia Type and Postoperative Complications for Patients Receiving Total Ankle Arthroplasty.

Background: Total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) is performed for ankle arthritis and there has been interest investigating which anesthetic method is the best choice in order to optimize perioperative outcomes. In this study, we compared postoperative complications after TAA for patients receiving either 1) general anesthesia alone or 2) general anesthesia plus regional anesthesia. Methods: Patients undergoing primary TAA from 2007 to 2018 were identified in a national database. Patients were stratified into 2 cohorts: general anesthesia and general anesthesia combined with regional anesthesia. In this analysis, 30-day wound, cardiac, pulmonary, renal, thromboembolic, and sepsis complications, as well mortality, postoperative transfusion, urinary tract infection, extended length of stay, and reoperation were assessed. Bivariate analyses and multivariable logistical regression were performed. Results: Of 1,084 total patients undergoing TAA, 878 patients (81.0%) had general anesthesia and 206 (19.0%) had general anesthesia combined with regional anesthesia. Following adjustment, there were no increased risk of postoperative complications in the combined general and regional anesthesia group compared to those who only underwent general anesthesia. Conclusion: Compared to general anesthesia alone, the addition of regional anesthesia to general anesthesia for TAA is not associated with increased risk of complications in the perioperative period. Level of Evidence: III.

Anaesthetic depth and delirium after major surgery: a randomised clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative delirium is a serious complication of surgery associated with prolonged hospitalisation, long-term cognitive decline, and mortality. This study aimed to determine whether targeting bispectral index (BIS) readings of 50 (light anaesthesia) was associated with a lower incidence of POD than targeting BIS readings of 35 (deep anaesthesia). METHODS: This multicentre randomised clinical trial of 655 at-risk patients undergoing major surgery from eight centres in three countries assessed delirium for 5 days postoperatively using the 3 min confusion assessment method (3D-CAM) or CAM-ICU, and cognitive screening using the Mini-Mental State Examination at baseline and discharge and the Abbreviated Mental Test score (AMTS) at 30 days and 1 yr. Patients were assigned to light or deep anaesthesia. The primary outcome was the presence of postoperative delirium on any of the first 5 postoperative days. Secondary outcomes included mortality at 1 yr, cognitive decline at discharge, cognitive impairment at 30 days and 1 yr, unplanned ICU admission, length of stay, and time in electroencephalographic burst suppression. RESULTS: The incidence of postoperative delirium in the BIS 50 group was 19% and in the BIS 35 group was 28% (odds ratio 0.58 [95% confidence interval: 0.38-0.88]; P=0.010). At 1 yr, those in the BIS 50 group demonstrated significantly better cognitive function than those in the BIS 35 group (9% with AMTS ≤6 vs 20%; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients undergoing major surgery, targeting light anaesthesia reduced the risk of postoperative delirium and cognitive impairment at 1 yr. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ACTRN12612000632897.

Validity of comorbidity adjustment scores in estimating in-hospital mortality in individual subgroups of race/ethnicity.

Aim: To examine the validity of race/ethnicity-specific comorbidity adjustment scores in estimating in-hospital mortality. Materials & methods: Using 2007-2014 data from the State Inpatient Databases (SID), we compared the performance of derived race/ethnicity-specific composite scores to the existing scores and binary Elixhauser comorbidity measures at estimating in-hospital mortality. Results: In the overall validation sample (N = 9,564,277), our index (c = 0.80; 95% CI: 0.79-0.80) discriminated better than the van Walraven score (c = 0.79; 95% CI: 0.79-0.79), SID 29 (c = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.78-0.79) and SID 30 (c = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.78-0.78), but was not superior to the binary indicators (c = 0.80; 95% CI: 0.80-0.80). Similar findings were observed in individual populations of White and Black patients. All models showed weak calibration. Conclusion: Race/ethnicity-specific indexes discriminated slightly better than existing composite measures at modeling in-hospital mortality in individual subgroups of race/ethnicity.

Adoption of video laryngoscopy by a major academic anesthesia department.

Aim: To describe the adoption patterns of intubating devices used at a major teaching and research facility. Materials & methods: Retrospective analysis of 2012-2019 data on frequency and trends in airway management devices collected from our anesthesia information management system. Results: Use of direct laryngoscopy was more frequent, but there was a downward trend in use over time (p < 0.008) in favor of video laryngoscopy (VL), which increased significantly (p < 0.008). The largest growth among devices was the McGrath VL, which increased from 0.2% in 2012 to 36.2% of cases in 2019. Conclusion: Our study shows a clear increase in VL usage which has implications in quality of care and medical education.

Post-operative outcomes and anesthesia type in total hip arthroplasty in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: A retrospective analysis of the State Inpatient Databases.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To investigate postoperative outcomes following total hip arthroplasty (THA) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). To evaluate trends in the use of regional anesthesia (RA) versus general anesthesia (GA) following the publication of practical guidelines. To compare postoperative outcomes according to anesthesia type. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis. SETTING: Operating room. PATIENTS: 349,008 patients who underwent elective THA in Florida, New York, Maryland, and Kentucky between 2007 and 2014 were extracted from the State Inpatient Databases (SID), Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, including 18,063 patients with OSA (5.2%). INTERVENTIONS: No intervention. MEASUREMENTS: The effect of OSA on postoperative outcomes was investigated using bivariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression models. Outcomes studied included in-hospital mortality, postoperative complications, length of stay (LOS), and post-discharge readmissions. In a population from New York only, (n = 105,838 with 5306 patients with OSA [5.0%]), we investigated the outcomes in the OSA population according to the anesthesia type. Analysis was performed overall and for each individual year. MAIN RESULTS: The OSA prevalence increased from 1.7% in 2007 to 7.1% in 2014. In multivariable analysis, there was no effect of OSA on in-hospital mortality (aOR:0.57; 0.31-1.04). Postoperative complications, LOS, and readmission rates were all higher in patients with OSA. In patients with OSA receiving GA than those receiving RA, we found a higher rate of complications overall and pulmonary complications specifically in men and higher rate of 90-day readmission in women. Over the study period, the rate of GA use in patients with OSA increased. CONCLUSIONS: The OSA prevalence in patients undergoing THA increased fourfold over the study period. OSA was associated with increased overall postoperative complications, LOS, and readmission, but not with in-hospital mortality. Despite the publication of guidelines favoring RA over GA, the use of GA increased over the study period.