Hong Kong Society of Clinical Blood Management recommendations for implementation of patient blood management.

Patient blood management (PBM) is a patient-centred, multidisciplinary approach to optimise red cell mass, minimise blood loss, and manage tolerance to anaemia in an effort to improve patient outcomes. Well-implemented PBM improves patient outcomes and reduces demand for blood products. The multidisciplinary approach of PBM can often allow patients to avoid blood transfusions, which are associated with less favourable clinical outcomes. In Hong Kong, there has been increasing demand for blood in the ageing population, and there are simultaneous blood safety and donor issues that are adversely affecting the blood supply. To address these challenges, the Hong Kong Society of Clinical Blood Management recommends implementation of a PBM programme in Hong Kong, including strategies such as optimising red blood cell mass, improving anaemia management, minimising blood loss, and rationalising the use of blood and blood products.

A Study of the Reliability and Concurrent Validity of the Chinese Version of the Pain Medication Attitude Questionnaire (ChPMAQ) in a Sample of Chinese Patients with Chronic Pain.

OBJECTIVES: The Pain Medication Attitude Questionnaire (PMAQ) was designed to assess concerns about pain medication among patients with chronic nonmalignant pain. The instrument has been demonstrated to be a reliable measure with good psychometric properties, yet its validity among Chinese has not been evaluated. This study aimed to translate the English-language version of the PMAQ into Chinese (ChPMAQ) and to evaluate its reliability and concurrent validity. METHODS: A total of 201 Chinese patients with chronic pain attending two multidisciplinary pain clinics in Hong Kong completed the ChPMAQ, the Chronic Pain Grade (CPG) questionnaire, the mental health subscale of the SF-12 (QoL-Mental), and questions assessing sociodemographic and pain characteristics. RESULTS: Our results showed that the seven ChPMAQ scales possessed good internal consistency. Except for the correlation between Withdrawal and Mistrust (r = 0.13), all ChPMAQ scales were significantly correlated with each other (all p < 0.01). The scales also correlated with two concurrent criterion measures, QoL-Mental and Pain Disability, in a predictable direction. Results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that the ChPMAQ scales predicted concurrent QoL-Mental (F(7,190) = 2.75, p < 0.05) and pain disability (F(7,188) = 3.00, p < 0.01). Need (std ß = -0.23, p<0.05) and Side effects (std ß = 0.27, p < 0.01) emerged as independent predictors of concurrent QoL-Mental and pain disability, respectively. CONCLUSION: Despite the current preliminary findings for the reliability and concurrent validity of the ChPMAQ, more research is needed to substantiate the reliability, validity and other psychometric properties of the instrument.

A longitudinal analysis on pain treatment satisfaction among Chinese patients with chronic pain: predictors and association with medical adherence, disability, and quality of life.

BACKGROUND: Patient satisfaction research in chronic pain treatment is scarce internationally and is nonexistent in Chinese communities like Hong Kong. This longitudinal study examined the relationships between medical adherence, pain treatment satisfaction, disability, and quality of life (QoL) in a sample of Chinese patients with chronic pain. METHODS: A total of 178 patients with chronic pain were assessed at baseline, 3 and 6 months following baseline. Medical adherence and pain treatment satisfaction were assessed by the Participant Compliance Reporting Scale and the Pain Treatment Satisfaction Scale (PTSS), respectively. QoL, depression, pain catastrophizing, and pain-related fear were assessed using SF-12, the depression subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D), the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, respectively. Linear mixed effects models (LME) were fitted to identify predictors of pain treatment satisfaction, medical adherence, and QoL. RESULTS: Results of univariate LME analyses showed significant quadratic time effects on four PTSS scores and significant associations between disability grade and PTSS scores (all p < 0.05). Medical adherence was not significantly associated with satisfaction regarding pain medication (model 1). Satisfaction with medication characteristics emerged as an independent predictor of medical adherence (model 2: std ß = -0.11, p < 0.05) after controlling for sociodemographic and pain variables. Neither medical adherence nor pain treatment satisfaction predicted QoL outcomes (models 3 and 4). CONCLUSIONS: Distinct trajectories in pain treatment satisfaction were displayed in the current sample of Chinese patients with different disability grading chronic pain. Within pain treatment, only medication characteristics significantly impacted patients' medical adherence.

The fear-avoidance model of chronic pain: assessing the role of neuroticism and negative affect in pain catastrophizing using structural equation modeling.

BACKGROUND: Previous research on the fear-avoidance model (FAM) of chronic pain suggests that the personality traits of neuroticism and negative affect (NA) influence pain catastrophizing. However, the mechanisms of their influence on pain catastrophizing remain unclear. PURPOSE: This study examined four possible models of relationships between neuroticism, NA, and pain catastrophizing within the FAM framework using structural equation modeling. METHOD: A total of 401 patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain completed measures of neuroticism, NA, three core FAM components (pain catastrophizing, pain-related fear, and pain anxiety), and adjustment outcomes (pain-related disability and depression). RESULTS: Regression analyses refuted the possibility that neuroticism and NA moderated each other's effect on pain catastrophic thoughts (p > 0.05). Results of structural equation modeling (SEM) evidenced superior data-model fit for the collapsed models in which neuroticism and NA were two secondary traits underlying a latent construct, negative emotion (disability: comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.93; depression: CFI = 0.91). CONCLUSION: The results offer preliminary evidence that patients presenting with more neurotic symptom and heightened NA probably elicit more catastrophic thoughts about pain.

The effects of anxiety sensitivity, pain hypervigilance, and pain catastrophizing on quality of life outcomes of patients with chronic pain: a preliminary, cross-sectional analysis.

PURPOSE: In the fear-avoidance model (FAM) of chronic pain, pain-related fear is one of the most prominent predictors of negative adjustment outcomes. While existing data point to the effects of anxiety sensitivity, pain hypervigilance, and pain catastrophizing on pain-related fear, the nature of their multivariate relationships remains unclear. This study explored the possible mediating role of pain hypervigilance in the relationship of anxiety sensitivity and pain catastrophizing with pain-related fear, and their effects on quality of life (QoL) outcomes within the FAM framework. METHODS: A sample of 401 Chinese patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain completed the standardized measures assessing the FAM components and QoL. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to evaluate six hypothesized models. RESULTS: Results of SEM showed adequate data-model fit [comparative fit indexes (CFIs) ranging from 0.92 to 0.94] on models which specified pain hypervigilance as mediator of anxiety sensitivity and pain catastrophizing with pain-related fear on two QoL outcomes (QoL-Physical and QoL-Mental). Results consistent with net suppression effects of pain catastrophizing on anxiety sensitivity were found in SEM when both anxiety sensitivity and pain catastrophizing were included in the same full model to predict QoL-Physical (CFI = 0.95; Sobel z = 8.06, p < 0.001) and QoL-Mental (CFI = 0.93; Sobel z = 8.31, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These cross-sectional analyses gave results consistent with pain hypervigilance, mediating the relationship of pain catastrophic cognition and anxiety sensitivity with pain-related fear. The net suppression effects of pain catastrophizing point to anxiety sensitivity, enhancing the effect of pain catastrophic cognition on pain hypervigilance. These findings elucidate how the interdependence of dispositional factors might influence pain adjustment and functioning.

Safe use of local anaesthetics: prevention and management of systemic toxicity.

Local anaesthetic administration is a common clinical practice not only in the operating theatres, but also in other clinical settings. Relevant monitoring and resuscitation facilities in certain clinical settings outside the operation rooms may not be optimal. Despite the low incidence of severe complications associated with administration of local anaesthetics, their safe use is very important since systemic toxicity can be fatal. This article reviews the pharmacology of local anaesthetics, clinical features of systemic toxicity resulting from their local use, and necessary preventive measures and management. The role of lipid emulsion therapy is also discussed.

Twelve years' local experience in ambulatory anaesthesia.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence of adverse events after ambulatory anaesthesia (postoperative nausea and vomiting, postoperative pain, difficulty in movement), and to evaluate the level of satisfaction of patients with our service. DESIGN: Retrospective study with questionnaire survey. SETTING: Tertiary referral centre, Hong Kong. PARTICIPANTS: All patients whose duly completed questionnaires were available. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence of adverse events and level of patient satisfaction. RESULTS: A total of 9197 patients underwent surgery under general anaesthesia or neuraxial blockade by anaesthetists in ambulatory settings from October 1993 to December 2005: questionnaires filled out by 8231 of these patients were analysed, whereas 549 questionnaires were lost, and 417 patients could not be contacted. The response rate was 90%; 59% of the respondents were males, 50% were younger than 15 years and 5% older than 60 years. Fifty-one percent of surgery with anaesthetists' involvement was performed under general anaesthesia and 48.9% under general anaesthesia and regional blocks and 0.1% under neuraxial blockade. There were 3.3% of patients experienced postoperative nausea and vomiting, 60.2% experienced episodes of pain between the time of discharge and the time of interview, and 46% required analgesics. Nonetheless, 80% resumed normal activities within 5 hours after anaesthesia and 97.5% resumed normal diet the following morning. Over 99% rated our service as good or excellent. CONCLUSION: Although ambulatory anaesthesia was associated with minor adverse events, patients could resume normal diet and daily activities quickly and were satisfied with the service.

The excited states of covalently linked dimeric porphyrins. I: The excited singlet states.

The ground state absorbance and emission properties of a series of covalently linked biporphyrins were studied, in both their neutral and dicationic forms. The fluorescence quantum yields determined are comparable in value with that obtained from haematoporphyrin IX. Soret band splitting is observed for porphyrin rings separated by a hydrocarbon chain containing 0-3 carbons joined at the beta,beta' ring positions. The biporphyrin linked directly at the meso position shows considerable steric hindrance and behaves like two independent chromophores.

Safety and comfort during sedation for diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.

Sedation during diagnostic or therapeutic procedures must be safe and comfortable for patients. To achieve this, additional suitably qualified staff must be available throughout the procedure to administer sedation and monitor the patient. Anaesthesiologists possess the necessary knowledge and skills to perform sedation safely but are often unavailable. Non-anaesthesiologists performing sedation should be fully trained in the physiology of sedation, the pharmacology of sedatives and analgesics, the monitoring of patients, and in airway support, ventilatory care, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The presence of an anaesthesiologist is desirable when dealing with patients at high-risk of complications. Good sedation practice involves presedation assessment and optimal selection of patients, careful monitoring and support from dedicated staff, and adherence to recovery and discharge criteria.