Comorbidities and COVID-19 status influence the survival rate of geriatric patients in intensive care units: a prospective cohort study from the Indonesian Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy.

BACKGROUND: With the more advanced science in the field of medicine and disease management, the population of geriatric intensive care patients is increasing. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted healthcare management around the globe, especially on critically-ill elderly patients. We aim to analyse the relationship between underlying illnesses, including COVID-19, and the survival rate of elderly patients who are treated in the intensive care setting. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study at 14 teaching hospitals for Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy Education in Indonesia. We selected all subjects with 60 years of age or older in the period between February to May 2021. Variables recorded included subject characteristics, comorbidities, and COVID-19 status. Subjects were followed for 30-day mortality as an outcome. We analysed the data using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. RESULTS: We recruited 982 elderly patients, and 728 subjects were in the final analysis (60.7% male; 68.0 ± 6.6 years old). The 30-day mortality was 38.6%. The top five comorbidities are hypertension (21.1%), diabetes (16.2%), moderate or severe renal disease (10.6%), congestive heart failure (9.2%), and cerebrovascular disease (9.1%). Subjects with Charlson's Comorbidity Index Score > 5 experienced 66% death. Subjects with COVID-19 who died were 57.4%. Subjects with comorbidities and COVID-19 had lower survival time than subjects without those conditions (p < 0.005). Based on linear correlation analysis, the more comorbidities the geriatric patients in the ICU had, the higher chance of mortality in 30 days (p < 0.005, R coefficient 0.22). CONCLUSION: Approximately one in four elderly intensive care patients die, and the number is increasing with comorbidities and COVID-19 status.

The Impact of Frailty on 30-day Post-Elective Surgery Complications in Elderly Patients: a Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: late-life surgery poses a greater risk for complications and a higher mortality rate. Frailty has been noted to predict adverse outcomes after surgery in elderly patients. We aimed to investigate the impact of frailty on 30-day post-elective surgery complications in elderly patients. METHODS: this prospective cohort study was conducted based on data collected from patients undergoing elective surgery in Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Indonesia. Frailty was assessed using the Frailty Index 40 items, and 30-day post-surgery complications were assessed using Clavien-Dindo classification. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determined adjusted relative risk (RR) of the development of 30-day post-surgery complications. RESULTS: a total of 180 subjects were enrolled in the study, with average age of 67.1 (SD 6.06) years old. More than half of the subjects fell into pre-frail category (55.6%), followed by frail (26.7%) and fit (17.7%) respectively. About 21.1% experienced complications within 30 days post-surgery. Frail subjects (41.7%) showed higher incidence of complications compared to the pre-frail (15%) and fit (9.4%) group. Multivariate analysis revealed that adjusted RR in the frail group accounted for 4.58 (95% CI 1.8-8.12), considering the surgical severity as a confounding factor. No significant difference in the incidence of complications was observed between the pre-frail and fit groups, despite the pre-frail group having a higher complication rate. CONCLUSION: being frail increases the risk of 30-day post-elective surgery complications in elderly patients.

Acute Kidney Injury and Risk of Death After Elective Surgery: Prospective Analysis of Data From an International Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with a high mortality rate. However, the relationship among AKI, its associations, and mortality is not well understood. METHODS: Planned analysis of data was collected during an international 7-day cohort study of adults undergoing elective in-patient surgery. AKI was defined using Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes criteria. Patients missing preoperative creatinine data were excluded. We used multivariable logistic regression to examine the relationships among preoperative creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), postoperative AKI, and hospital mortality, accounting for the effects of age, major comorbid diseases, and nature and severity of surgical intervention on outcomes. We similarly modeled preoperative associations of AKI. Data are presented as n (%) or odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: A total of 36,357 patients were included, 743 (2.0%) of whom developed AKI with 73 (9.8%) deaths in hospital. AKI affected 73 of 196 (37.2%) of all patients who died. Mortality was strongly associated with the severity of AKI (stage 1: OR, 2.57 [1.3-5.0]; stage 2: OR, 8.6 [5.0-15.1]; stage 3: OR, 30.1 [18.5-49.0]). Low preoperative eGFR was strongly associated with AKI. However, in our model, lower eGFR was not associated with increasing mortality in patients who did not develop AKI. Conversely, in older patients, high preoperative eGFR (>90 mL·minute·1.73 m) was associated with an increasing risk of death, potentially reflecting poor muscle mass. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence and severity of AKI are strongly associated with risk of death after surgery. However, the relationship between preoperative renal function as assessed by serum creatinine-based eGFR and risk of death dependent on patient age and whether AKI develops postoperatively.

The bloody mess of red blood cell transfusion.

Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion might be life-saving in settings with acute blood loss, especially uncontrolled haemorrhagic shock. However, there appears to be a catch-22 situation reflected by the facts that preoperative anaemia represents an independent risk factor for postoperative morbidity and mortality, and that RBC transfusion might also contribute to adverse clinical outcomes. This dilemma is further complicated by the difficulty to define the "best" transfusion trigger and strategy. Since one size does obviously not fit all, a personalised approach is merited. Attempts should thus be made to critically reflect on the pros and cons of RBC transfusion in each individual patient. Patient blood management concepts including preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative optimisation strategies involving the intensive care unit are warranted and are likely to provide benefits for the patients and the healthcare system. In this context, it is important to consider that "simply" increasing the haemoglobin content, and in proportion oxygen delivery, may not necessarily contribute to a better outcome but potentially the contrary in the long term. The difficulty lies in identification of the patients who might eventually profit from RBC transfusion and to determine in whom a transfusion might be withheld without inducing harm. More robust clinical data providing long-term outcome data are needed to better understand in which patients RBC transfusion might be life-saving vs life-limiting.

Evaluation of continuous intravenous lidocaine on brain relaxation, intraoperative opioid consumption, and surgeon's satisfaction in adult patients undergoing craniotomy tumor surgery: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: In craniotomy tumor removal, brain relaxation after dura opening is essential. Lidocaine is known to have analgesic and antiinflammatory effects. It is excellent in decreasing cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen, cerebral blood flow, and cerebral blood volume; and can potentially reduce intracranial pressure, resulting in exceptional brain relaxation after dura opening. However, no study has examined continuous intravenous lidocaine infusion on brain relaxation, intraoperative opioid consumption and surgeon's satisfaction in adult patients undergoing craniotomy tumor removal. METHODS: A total of 60 subjects scheduled for craniotomy tumor removal were enrolled in a double-blind, randomized controlled trial with consecutive sampling. Patients received either an intravenous bolus of lidocaine (2%) 1.5 mg/kg before induction followed by 2 mg/kg/h continuous infusion up to skin closure (lidocaine group) or placebo with similar volume (NaCl 0.9%). Neurosurgeons evaluated brain relaxation and surgeon's satisfaction with a 4-point scale, total intraoperative opioid consumption was recorded in µg and µg/kg/min. RESULTS: All sixty subjects were included in the study. Lidocaine group showed better brain relaxation after dura opening (96.7% vs 70%; lidocaine vs placebo, P < .006), less intraoperative fentanyl consumption (369.2 µg vs 773.0 µg; P < .001, .0107 vs .0241 µg/kg/min; lidocaine vs placebo, P < .001). Higher surgeon's satisfaction was found in lidocaine group (96.7% vs 70%, P = .006). No side effects were observed during this study. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous lidocaine intravenous infusion improves brain relaxation after dura opening, and decreases intraoperative opioid consumption, with good surgeon satisfaction in adult patients undergoing craniotomy tumor removal.

Perioperative Factors Impact on Mortality and Survival Rate of Geriatric Patients Undergoing Surgery in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Cohort Study in Indonesia.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have an impact on geriatric patients worldwide since geriatrics itself is an age group with a high risk due to declined physiological function and many comorbidities, especially for those who undergo surgery. In this study, we determine the association between perioperative factors with 30-day mortality and a survival rate of geriatric patients undergoing surgery during COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted at 14 central hospitals in Indonesia. The recorded variables were perioperative factors, 30-day mortality, and survival rate. Analyses of associations between variables and 30-day mortality were performed using univariate/multivariable logistic regression, and survival rates were determined with Kaplan−Meier survival analysis. Results: We analyzed 1621 elderly patients. The total number of patients who survived within 30 days of observation was 4.3%. Several perioperative factors were associated with 30-day mortality (p < 0.05) is COVID-19 (OR, 4.34; 95% CI, 1.04−18.07; p = 0.04), CCI > 3 ( odds ratio [OR], 2.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03−5.26; p = 0.04), emergency surgery (OR, 3.70; 95% CI, 1.96−7.00; p ≤ 0.01), postoperative ICU care (OR, 2.70; 95% CI, 1.32−5.53; p = 0.01), and adverse events (AEs) in the ICU (OR, 3.43; 95% CI, 1.32−8.96; p = 0.01). Aligned with these findings, COVID-19, CCI > 3, and comorbidities have a log-rank p < 0.05. The six comorbidities that have log-rank p < 0.05 are moderate-to-severe renal disease (log-rank p ≤ 0.01), cerebrovascular disease (log-rank p ≤ 0.01), diabetes with chronic complications (log-rank p = 0.03), metastatic solid tumor (log-rank p = 0.02), dementia (log-rank p ≤ 0.01), and rheumatology disease (log-rank p = 0.03). Conclusions: Having at least one of these conditions, such as COVID-19, comorbidities, emergency surgery, postoperative ICU care, or an AE in the ICU were associated with increased mortality in geriatric patients undergoing surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Association Between Analgesia Gap and Type of Surgery, Analgesic Drugs, and Timing of Analgesic Administration: What Do We Know?

BACKGROUND: Inadequate postoperative pain management poses unique challenges for anesthesiologists. The transition from epidural analgesia to other analgesic drugs has its own challenges. Increasing pain during this period is defined as analgesia gap. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed at determining the incidence of analgesia gap and its associated factors, such as type of surgery, analgesic drugs, and timing of analgesic administration. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort among acute pain service patients at a tertiary hospital from July to October 2018. There were 220 subjects included in this study. All subjects were scheduled for elective surgery with epidural analgesia. Following last epidural regimen administration, the pain scale was assessed using VAS. If the patient had VAS more than four, then they were classified as having analgesia gap. Type of surgery, type of analgesic drugs, and timing of drugs administration were measured as the associating factors. RESULTS: The incidence of analgesia gap in this tertiary hospital was 26.6%. Type of surgery was not significantly associated with the incidence of analgesia gap (P = 0.057). However, type of analgesic drugs and timing of analgesic administration were related to incidence of analgesic gap (P = 0.016 and P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of analgesia gap in this study was 26.6%. Type of analgesic drugs and timing of analgesic administration had a significant association with the incidence of analgesia gap. However, type of surgery did not have a significant association with the incidence of analgesia gap.

How Low Can We Go? A Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial to Compare Bupivacaine 5 mg and Bupivacaine 7.5 mg for Spinal Anesthesia in Cesarean Delivery in Indonesian Population.

BACKGROUND: Maternal hypotension in cesarean delivery related to spinal anesthesia results in increasing morbidity of both mothers and children. Studies show that low dose spinal anesthesia was able to prevent hypotension while providing adequate analgesia. However, the dose used in those studies varies and this leaves the debate of the dose scheme of spinal anesthesia open. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of 5 mg hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5% and 25 mcg of fentanyl with 7.5 mg hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5% and 25 mcg of fentanyl to prevent hypotension in spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery. METHODS: This study was a double-blinded randomized controlled trial of 112 mothers undergoing cesarean delivery with spinal anesthesia. The intervention group received 5 mg bupivacaine and 25 mcg fentanyl. The comparison group received of 7.5 mg bupivacaine and 25 mcg fentanyl. The primary outcome was the incidence of hypotension. The adequacy of anesthesia, duration of recovery from the motoric block, the quality of analgesia as perceived by patients and surgeons, and the side effects of anesthesia were also recorded. RESULTS: There was no difference of effectiveness to prevent hypotension in both groups. The 7.5 mg dose provided better adequacy of anesthesia as reflected in lower incidence of conversion into general anesthesia. More surgeons reported adequacy of relaxation in the 7.5 mg dose. The 5 mg dose offered faster motoric recovery and fewer side effects. CONCLUSIONS: The dose of 7.5 mg hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5% and 25 mcg of fentanyl can be used as a prevention measure against hypotension due to spinal anesthesia cesarean delivery.

A Comparative Study of Fractionated Versus Single Dose Injection for Spinal Anesthesia During Cesarean Section in Patients with Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Local anesthetics for spinal anesthesia in one-single injection are known to induce more severe hypotension than a fractionated dose in healthy obstetric patients. Hypotension in obstetric patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension, including preeclampsia, during spinal anesthesia, could compromise fetal well-being. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare the mean arterial pressure (MAP), the total dose of ephedrine required, and level of sensory blockade between the fractionated-dose and single-dose spinal anesthesia injection in obstetric patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension who underwent a cesarean section. METHODS: This single-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted from January to April 2018 after being approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Universitas Indonesia (No. 1174/UN2.F1/ETIK/2017) and recorded at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03693638). After obtaining informed consent, 42 parturients with hypertension in pregnancy (gestational hypertension or preeclampsia), ASA II-III, aged 18 - 40 years, and BMI of 18.5 - 35 kg/m2 with singleton pregnancy, who were planned for spinal anesthesia for emergency or semi-emergency cesarean section with hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5% (MarcaineTM, Hospira) and fentanyl, were included in this study. All subjects were randomly divided into two groups including fractionated-dose (FD) and single-dose (SD). RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the two groups in MAP in the first 15 minutes after anesthesia (P > 0.05) and median total dose of ephedrine required (10 (0 - 25) mg in the FD group vs. 15 (0 - 30) mg in the SD group, P = 0.30). However, in the FD group, MAP tended to be higher in the first three minutes compared to the SD group. The level of sensory blockade was mostly at T4, which was not significantly different between the groups (52.4% in FD vs. 42.9% in SD, P = 0.59). CONCLUSIONS: In obstetric patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension who underwent a cesarean section, the mean arterial pressure after spinal anesthesia was not significantly different between the fractionated dose of spinal anesthesia injection and single-dose injection. Total ephedrine required and levels of sensory blockade were not significantly different between the groups.

The Effectiveness of 2% Lidocaine Gel Compared to 0.5% Tetracaine Eye Drop As Topical Anesthetic Agent for Phacoemulsification Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Topical anesthetics have become the primary choice in phacoemulsification procedures for cataract extraction. The most common topical anesthetic drug used is 0.5% tetracaine eye drops. Repeated administration of 0.5% tetracaine drops can cause corneal epithelial damage. Two percent lidocaine gel is latest option which has longer contact time with corneal epithelium. OBJECTIVES: To compare the effectiveness of 2% lidocaine gel with 0.5% tetracaine drops in phacoemulsification surgery. METHODS: The study was a single blinded randomized clinical trial from March to July 2017 in patients underwent phacoemulsification cataract surgery. There were 72 subjects with age ≥ 40 years old who received randomization and divided into 2 groups: 2% lidocaine gel group and 0.5% tetracaine eye drop group. Topical anesthetics were applied 5 minutes before surgery. Five minutes after surgery, pain scale perceived during surgery was assessed by using a numerical rating scale. At the end of surgery, the subject filled the satisfaction questionnaire on topical anesthetic drugs administered. The ophthalmologists were also given a satisfactory questionnaire for topical anesthetic drugs selected for the procedure. RESULTS: The median pain scale for 2% lidocaine gel group pain scale was 1; meanwhile, the median pain scale for 0.5% tetracaine eye drops was 3 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Two percent lidocaine gel was more effective in relieving pain during phacoemulsification cataract surgery compared with 0.5% tetracaine drops.

Comparison of Three-Quadrant Transversus Abdominis Plane Block and Continuous Epidural Block for Postoperative Analgesia After Transperitoneal Laparoscopic Nephrectomy.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pain management is important for the early recovery of the living donor patient. Patient-controlled opioid analgesia, epidural analgesia, or a combination of both is the preferred pain management after abdominal surgery although these approaches have serious side effects. The transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block has been increasingly used for postoperative pain management and the addition of dexamethasone to local anesthetic can prolong the duration of action. OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the efficacy of ultrasound-guided three-quadrant TAP block analgesia with the addition of dexamethasone, compared to the continuous epidural analgesia in postoperative cumulative opioid consumption and pain scale in the first 24 hours following transperitoneal laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy. METHODS: A prospective randomized control study was conducted on 50 patients with ASA I-II, 18 - 65 years old, BMI 18 - 30, and undergoing transperitoneal laparoscopic donor nephrectomy under general anesthesia. The patients were randomly assigned into either a three-quadrant TAP block group (n = 25) with 20 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine plus dexamethasone 8 mg or a continuous epidural group (n = 25) using 0.125% bupivacaine postoperatively. The morphine consumption and the numerical rating scale (NRS) at rest and movement were evaluated at 2, 6, 12, and 24 hours postoperatively. The postoperative first-time mobilization and duration of urinary catheter usage were recorded. RESULTS: Patients demographic characteristics were similar in the two groups. During 24 hours after the surgery, cumulative morphine consumption (P = 0.232), the NRS at rest and movement (P > 0.05), and the first-time mobilization (P = 0.075) were not significantly different between the groups, except that the NRS during movement at 12 hours was significantly lower in the TAP block group (P = 0.004). The duration of urinary catheterization was significantly longer as a side effect in the continuous epidural group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The three-quadrant TAP block with the addition of dexamethasone showed comparable analgesic effects as the continuous epidural analgesia in cumulative opioid consumption and pain scale in the first 24 hours following transperitoneal laparoscopic donor nephrectomy.

Comparison Between Lidocaine Inhalation and Intravenous Dexamethasone in Reducing Postoperative Sore Throat Frequency After Laryngeal Mask Insertion.

BACKGROUND: The frequency of postoperative sore throat (POST) after laryngeal mask airway insertion (LMA) was relatively high. Lidocaine might reduce the pain and inflammatory response. Additionally, inhalation form might result in a better distribution, which results in a better airway analgesia and minimal systemic effect. OBJECTIVES: To compare the incidence of sore throat post LMA insertion after 1.5 mg/kg of lidocaine inhalation and 10 mg of intravenous dexamethasone. METHODS: This was a single-blinded randomized clinical trial, which included 128 patients who underwent ophthalmic surgery under general anesthesia with LMA insertion. Inclusion criteria were individuals 18 - 65 years old, ASA 1 or 2, Mallampati class I or II, and no sore throat before surgery. After University of Indonesia Research Ethical Committee approval and informed consent, all subjects were randomly divided into two groups: lidocaine inhalation group, which would receive lidocaine inhalation 2% 1.5 mg/kg (additional NaCl 0.9% until total 6 mL volume) and intravenous 2 mL NaCl 0.9%, and dexamethasone group, which would received NaCl 0.9% inhalation (6 mL volume) and dexamethasone 10 mg intravenously 10 minutes before LMA insertion. POST incidence and pain severity assessment were done 2 hours postoperatively. Statistical analysis were done with SPSS version 21. RESULTS: There were 10.9% of subjects in the lidocaine inhalation group and 9.4% subjects in the dexamethasone group who suffer from POST postoperatively (P > 0.05). The median of POST pain in the lidocaine inhalation group was 0 (0 - 1), whereas in dexamethasone group it was 0 (0 - 3). This study did not find any side effects on both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Lidocaine inhalation 1.5 mg/kg was proportional to intravenous dexamethasone 10 mg in reducing the incidence and severity of POST after LMA insertion.

Maternal satisfaction with single-dose spinal analgesia for labor pain in Indonesia: a landmark study.

The purpose of this study was to assess maternal satisfaction with single-dose spinal analgesia for the management of obstetric pain in Indonesian women. The investigation included 62 laboring women with single pregnancy at term, with 45 primigravidas and 17 multigravidas. The participants' ages ranged from 15 to 29 years. All participants were screened for physical health and were classified as healthy according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists classification system. All 62 parturients received single-dose spinal anesthesia with a 27-gauge pencil-point needle at either the L3-4 or L4-5 intervertebral interspace, with a combination of bupivacaine, 2.5 mg; morphine, 0.25 mg; and clonidine, 45 microg. Maternal satisfaction, duration of pain relief, and side effects were studied. The overall maternal satisfaction with the single-dose spinal technique for labor analgesia in our study group was high, with 50 patients (81%) being very satisfied, and 7 patients (11%) being satisfied with the quality of labor analgesia. Forty-nine patients (79%) stated that they would select single-dose spinal analgesia for pain control in labor in the future. Our study was the first one in Indonesia to assess maternal satisfaction with single-dose spinal analgesia for labor pain. We concluded that single-dose spinal analgesia with a combination of bupivacaine, morphine, and clonidine provided effective labor pain control for Indonesian women, and maternal satisfaction with this technique was very high. This technique is very cost-effective and should be recommended for routine obstetric pain control in Indonesia and other developing countries.