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.

The eXpectations of Parents regarding Anesthesiology Study (XPAS) from a parental perspective: a two-phase observational cross-sectional cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Uncertainty concerning anesthetic procedures and risks in children requiring anesthesia may cause concerns in parents and caregivers. AIMS: To explore parental expectations and experiences regarding their child's anesthesia using questionnaires designed with parental input. METHODS: This observational cross-sectional cohort study included parents (including caregivers) of children undergoing anesthesia in a tertiary pediatric referral university hospital. The study consisted of two phases. In Phase 1, we developed three questionnaires with parental involvement through a focus group discussion and individual interviews. The questionnaires focused on parental satisfaction, knowledge, concerns, and need for preparation regarding their child's anesthesia. In Phase 2, independent samples of parents completed the questionnaires at three time points: before the preanesthesia assessment (T1), 2 days after the preanesthesia assessment (T2), and 4 days after the anesthetic procedure (T3). RESULTS: In Phase 1, 22 parents were involved in the development of the questionnaires. The three questionnaires contained 43 questions in total, of which 10 had been proposed by parents. In Phase 2, 78% (474 out of 934) parents participated at T1, 36% (610 out of 1705), at T2 and 34% (546 out of 1622) at T3. Parental satisfaction scores were rated on a visual analogue scale for the preanesthesia assessment with a median of 87/100, and with a median of 90/100 for the anesthetic procedure (0: not satisfied and 100: satisfied). Parental concerns were rated with a median of 50/100 (0: no concerns and 100: extremely concerned). Parental answers from the questionnaire at T2 revealed significant knowledge deficits, with only 73% reporting that the anesthesiologist was a physician. Parents preferred to receive more information about the procedure, especially regarding the intended effects and side effects of anesthesia. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, parental satisfaction scores regarding the pediatric anesthesiology procedure were high, with a minority expressing concerns. Parents indicated a preference for their child's anesthesiologist to visit them both before and after the anesthetic procedure. Parental expectations regarding anesthesia did not completely correspond with the information provided; more information from the clinician about the intended effects and side effects of anesthesia was desired.

Perioperative Mortality in Pediatric Patients: A Systematic Review of Risk Assessment Tools for Use in the Preoperative Setting.

BACKGROUND: There are multiple preoperative risk scores for pediatric mortality. The aim of this study was to systematically describe and compare the existing studies of patient-specific multispecialty risk prediction scores for perioperative mortality in pediatric populations, with the goal of guiding clinicians on which may be most appropriate for use in the preoperative setting. METHODS: This study is a systematic literature review of published journal articles that presented the development, extension/updating, and/or validation of a risk core that predicted all-cause mortality (up to 30 days postoperatively) in pediatric patients undergoing a procedure in which anesthesia was used. Scores needed to be applicable to surgeries in more than one noncardiac surgical specialty and had to be able to be calculated by the anesthesiologist at the time of the preanesthetic assessment. Two investigators independently screened studies for inclusion and assessed study quality in the domains of clinical applicability, feasibility/ease of use in the clinical setting, and risk of bias. RESULTS: A total of 1,681 titles were retrieved. Of these, 10 studies met inclusion criteria: 9 reported the development and validation of scores, and 1 was an external validation of an existing score. Seven studies used varying years of multicenter data from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-Pediatric Participant Use File for development and/or validation. The unadjusted rate of mortality in the studies ranged from 0.3 to 3.6%. The preoperative predictors of mortality used in score development included patient demographics, preoperative therapies, and chronic conditions, among others. All models showed good discrimination upon validation (area under the receiver operating characteristics curve greater than 0.8). Most risk scores had high or unclear risks of bias. CONCLUSIONS: There are numerous scores available for the prediction of mortality in pediatric populations, all of which exhibited good performance. However, many have high or unclear risks of bias, and most have not undergone external validation.

Sex Differences in In-Hospital Mortality After Open Cardiac Valve Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac valvular disease affects millions of people worldwide and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Female patients have been shown to experience inferior clinical outcomes after nonvalvular cardiac surgery, but recent data are limited regarding open valve surgical cohorts. The primary objective of our study was to assess whether female sex is associated with increased in-hospital mortality after open cardiac valve operations. METHODS: Utilizing the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) State Inpatient Databases (SID), we conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent open cardiac valve surgery from 2007 to 2018 in Washington, Maryland, Kentucky, and Florida; from 2007 to 2011 in California; and from 2007 to 2016 in New York. The primary objective of this study was to estimate the confounder-adjusted association between sex and in-hospital mortality (as recorded and coded by SID HCUP) after open cardiac valve surgery. We used multilevel multivariable models to account for potential confounders, including intrahospital practice patterns. RESULTS: A total of 272,954 patients (108,443 women; 39.73% of sample population with mean age of 67.6 ± 14.3 years) were included in our analysis. The overall mortality rates were 3.8% for male patients and 5.1% for female patients. The confounder-adjusted odds ratio (OR) for in-hospital mortality for female patients compared to male patients was 1.41 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.35-1.47; P < .001). When stratifying by surgical type, female patients were also at increased odds of in-hospital mortality ( P < .001) in populations undergoing aortic valve replacement (adjusted OR [aOR], 1.38; 95% CI, 1.25-1.52); multiple valve surgery (aOR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.22-1.57); mitral valve replacement (aOR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.12 - 1.34); and valve surgery with coronary artery bypass grafting (aOR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.54 - 1.74; all P < .001). Female patients did not have increased odds of in-hospital mortality in populations undergoing mitral valve repair (aOR, 1.26; 95% CI, 0.98 - 1.64; P = .075); aortic valve repair (aOR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.67 - 1.14; P = .32); or any other single valve repair (aOR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.82 - 1.46; P = .53). CONCLUSIONS: We found an association between female patients and increased confounder-adjusted odds of in-hospital mortality after open cardiac valve surgery. More research is needed to better understand and categorize these important outcome differences. Future research should include observational analysis containing granular and complete patient- and surgery-specific data.

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.

Non-White Race/Ethnicity and Female Sex Are Associated with Increased Allogeneic Red Blood Cell Transfusion in Cardiac Surgery Patients: 2007-2018.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate racial and/or ethnic and sex disparities in allogeneic and autologous red blood cell (RBC) transfusions in cardiac surgery. DESIGN: A retrospective observational study. SETTING: 2007 to 2018 data from FL, MD, KY, WA, NY, and CA from the State Inpatient Databases (SID), Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 710,296 inpatients who underwent elective or emergency coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), cardiac valve surgery,or combination CABG and/or valve surgery. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Patients were cohorted by race and/or ethnicity and sex, as defined by SID-HCUP. Demographic characteristics and comorbidities were compared. Rates and risk-adjusted odds ratios (aOR) were calculated for allogeneic and autologous RBC transfusion (primary outcomes). Additional secondary analyses were conducted for in-hospital mortality, 30-day readmission, 90-day readmission, hospital length of stay, and total charges to examine the effect of RBC transfusion status. Effect modification between race and sex was assessed. When controlling for patient demographics, comorbidities, and hospital characteristics, non-White patients were more likely to receive an allogeneic RBC transfusion during cardiac surgery than White patients (Black: aOR 1.17, 99% CI 1.13-1.20, p < 0.001, Hispanic: aOR 1.22, 99% CI 1.19-1.22, p < 0.001). Women were more likely to receive allogeneic RBC than men (aOR 1.69, 99% CI 1.66-1.72, p < 0.001). In interaction models, non-White women had the highest odds of allogeneic blood transfusion as compared to White men (reference category; Black women: aOR 2.04, 99% CI 1.91-2.17, p < 0.001, Hispanic women: aOR 2.03, 99% CI 1.90-2.16, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: These findings highlighted the differences in the rates of allogeneic RBC transfusion for non-White and female patients undergoing cardiac surgery, which is a well-established marker of poorer outcomes.

Medicare and Medicaid insurance status is associated with increased allogeneic red blood cell transfusion in cardiac surgery patients: 2007-2018.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Allogeneic red blood cell (RBC) transfusion and health insurance status are independently associated with perioperative morbidity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of insurance status on allogeneic and autologous transfusion risk in cardiac surgery patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational study of data spanning 2007-2018 from six states from the State Inpatient Databases. Patients were cohorted by medical insurance type. Rates and risk-adjusted odds ratios (aOR) were calculated for allogenic and autologous RBC transfusions. Interactions between insurance and race/ethnicity were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 710,296 cardiac surgery patients were included. Allogeneic infusions occurred in 34.7% of Medicare patients, 31.9% of Medicaid patients, 24.7% of privately insured patients, and 26.1% of uninsured patients. Autologous rates were 2.3%, 2.5%, 3.4%, and 2.6% for Medicare, Medicaid, privately insured, and uninsured patients, respectively. Medicare and Medicaid patients were more likely to receive allogeneic RBC than privately insured patients (Medicare: aOR: 1.42, 99% confidence interval [CI]: 1.40-1.44, p < .001, Medicaid: aOR: 1.18, 99% CI: 1.14-1.21, p < .001). Nonwhite Medicare patients showed higher odds of allogeneic transfusion compared with White patients with private insurance (Black Medicare: aOR 1.74, 99% CI: 1.65-1.83, p < .001, Hispanic Medicare: aOR 1.92, 99% CI: 1.84-2.00, p < .001). CONCLUSION: Cardiac surgery patients with Medicare and Medicaid insurance demonstrate increased risk of allogeneic RBC transfusion; nonwhite patient groups are particularly vulnerable. Further research is needed to understand the causes and implications of these disparities, and to help ensure equitable care across patient groups.

Disparities in Obstetric Readmissions: A Multistate Analysis, 2007-2014.

OBJECTIVE: Hospital readmissions are generally higher among racial-ethnic minorities and patients of lower socioeconomic status. However, this has not been widely studied in obstetrics. The aim of the study is to determine 30-day postpartum readmission rates by patient-level social determinants of health: race ethnicity, primary insurance payer, and median income, independently and as effect modifiers. STUDY DESIGN: Using state inpatient databases from the health care cost and utilization project from 2007 to 2014, we queried all deliveries. To produce accurate estimates of the effects of parturients' social determinants of health on readmission odds while controlling for confounders, generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) were used. Additional models were generated with interaction terms to highlight any associations and their effect on the outcome. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals are reported. RESULTS: There were 5,129,867 deliveries with 79,260 (1.5%) 30-day readmissions. Of these, 947 (1.2%) were missing race ethnicity. Black and Hispanic patients were more likely to be readmitted within 30 days of delivery, as compared with White patients (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively). Patients with government insurance were more likely to be readmitted than those with private insurance (p < 0.001). Patients living in the second quartile of median income were also more likely to be readmitted than those living in other quartiles (p < 0.05). Using GLMMs, we observed that Black patients with Medicare were significantly more likely to get readmitted as compared with White patients with private insurance (aOR 2.78, 95% CI 2.50-3.09, p < 0.001). Similarly, Black patients living in the fourth (richest) quartile of median income were more likely to get readmitted, even when compared with White patients living in the first (poorest) quartile of median income (aOR 1.48, 95% CI 1.40-1.57, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Significant racial-ethnic disparities in obstetric readmissions were observed, particularly in Black patients with government insurance and even in Black patients living in the richest quartile of median income. KEY POINTS: · Using generalized linear mixed models, we observed significant interactions.. · Government-insured Black patients were 2.78X more likely to be readmitted.. · The wealthiest Black patients were still 1.48X more likely to be readmitted..

Vigilance: the behavioral impact of quantitative monitoring on administration and antagonism of neuromuscular blocking agents.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine whether use of acceleromyography (1) changes dosing of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs), and (2) increases the time between neostigmine administration and extubation, when compared with subjective assessment of neuromuscular blockade. METHODS: For this retrospective study, data were collected from patient electronic medical records. Patients were included if they had received an NMBA as part of a general anesthetic in 2013 and 2014. Data were analyzed by category of monitoring device: quantitative monitor (acceleromyograph [AMG]) or subjective device (peripheral nerve stimulator [PNS]). Outcomes measured were the total dose of NMBA administered and, the timing of the last dose of NMBA and anticholinesterase relative to tracheal extubation. RESULTS: Results from multivariate models showed that use of acceleromyography was not associated with a change in the total dose of NMBA administered. In contrast, the number of times any monitor was used, as determined by the frequency with which the train-of-four count (TOFC) was recorded, correlated with the administration of greater amounts of rocuronium (P < 0.01) and vecuronium (P < 0.01). The use of acceleromyography did not prolong the time interval between neostigmine administration and tracheal extubation. The number of times any monitor was used during an anesthetic was associated with a decrease in this time interval. The interval decreased an average of 2.7 min each successive time the TOFC was recorded (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The data presented provides insight about the behavioral engineering inherent to the practice of anesthesiology. Introduction of neuromuscular blockade assessment appeared to increase provider vigilance in dosing of NMBAs-regardless of assessment method. The frequency of intraoperative monitoring (quantitative or subjective) was associated with an increased total dose of NMBA administered and decreased time interval between the last dose of neostigmine and extubation.

Hospital Safety-Net Burden Is Associated With Increased Inpatient Mortality and Perioperative Complications After Colectomy.

BACKGROUND: Colectomies are common yet costly, with high surgical-site infection rates. Safety-net hospitals (SNHs) carry a large proportion of uninsured or Medicaid-insured patients, which has been associated with poorer surgical outcomes. Few studies have examined the effect of safety-net burden (SNB) status on colectomy outcomes. We aimed to quantify the independent effects of hospital SNB and surgical site infection (SSI) status on colectomy outcomes, as well as the interaction effect between SSIs and SNB. METHODS: We used the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's State Inpatient Databases for California, Florida, New York, Maryland, and Kentucky. We included 459,568 colectomies (2009 to 2014) for analysis, excluding patients age <18 y and rectal cases. The primary and secondary outcomes were inpatient mortality and complications, respectively. RESULTS: Adjusting for patient, procedure, and hospital factors, colectomy patients were more likely to die in-hospital at high-burden SNHs (adjusted OR [aOR]: 1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.25-1.51, P < 0.001), compared with low SNB hospitals and to experience perioperative complications (aOR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.04-1.20, P < 0.01). Colectomy patients with SSIs also had greater odds of in-hospital mortality (aOR: 1.92, 95% CI: 1.83-2.02, P < 0.001) and complications (aOR: 3.65, 95% CI: 3.55-3.75, P < 0.001) compared with those without infections. Patients treated at SNHs who developed a SSI were even more likely to have an additional perioperative complication (aOR: 4.33, 95% CI: 3.98-4.71, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that colectomy patients at SNHs have poorer outcomes, and for patients with SSIs, this disparity was even more pronounced in the likelihood for a complication. SNB should be recognized as a significant hospital-level factor affecting colectomy outcomes, with SSIs as an important quality metric.

Sociodemographic Characteristics Predict Readmission Rates After Lumbar Spinal Fusion Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of social determinants of health (race/ethnicity, household income, insurance) and hospital surgical volume on 30- and 90-day readmissions after lumbar spinal fusion surgery. METHODS: A retrospective review of the State Inpatient Databases (SID) Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) included all patients age ≥18 years who underwent an index lumbar spinal fusion procedure and met inclusion criteria in California (2007-2011), Maryland (2012-2014), Florida, and New York (2007-2014). Primary outcomes were unadjusted rates and adjusted odds of readmission at 30 and 90 days postoperatively. RESULTS: After assessing for exclusion criteria, 267,976 patients were included in analyses. The overall 30-day readmission rate was 7.5%, and the 90-day readmission rate was 11.6%. Black patients (odds ratio [OR] = 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06-1.19) and patients with nonprivate insurance (Medicare OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.37-1.51; Medicaid OR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.36-1.56; or uninsured OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.00-1.35) had higher odds of 30-day readmission, with comparable effects at 90 days. The three highest quartiles of hospital lumbar spine surgical volume had decreased odds for 30- and 90-day readmission when compared with the lowest quartile. Median income had no effect on readmission rates, save for the top quartile having lower odds of 90-day readmission than the bottom quartile. CONCLUSIONS: Sociodemographic disparities in primary insurance payer, race/ethnicity, and hospital surgical volume affect lumbar spinal fusion surgery readmission rates. Public health interventions may improve readmissions and clinical outcomes and reduce health care costs.

Preexisting Opioid Use Disorder and Outcomes After Lower Extremity Arthroplasty: A Multistate Analysis, 2007-2014.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the association of preexisting opioid use disorder and postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing total hip or knee arthroplasty (THA and TKA, respectively) in the overall population and in the Medicare-only population. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study examined data from the State Inpatient Databases of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project for the years 2007-2014 from California, Florida, New York, Maryland, and Kentucky. We compared patients with and without opioid use disorders on unadjusted rates and calculated adjusted odds ratios (aORs) of in-hospital mortality, postoperative complications, length of stay, and 30-day and 90-day readmission status; analyses were repeated in a subgroup of Medicare insurance patients only. SUBJECTS: After applying our exclusion criteria, our study included 1,422,210 adult patients undergoing lower extremity arthroplasties, including 818,931 Medicare insurance patients. In our study, 0.4% of THA patients and 0.3% of TKA patients had present-on-admission opioid use disorder. RESULTS: Opioid use disorder patients were at higher risk for in-hospital mortality (aOR = 3.10), 30- and 90-day readmissions (aORs = 1.81, 1.81), and pulmonary and infectious complications (aORs = 1.25, 1.96). CONCLUSIONS: Present-on-admission opioid use disorder was a risk factor for worse postoperative outcomes and increased health care utilization in the lower extremity arthroplasty population. Opioid use disorder is a potentially modifiable risk factor for mortality, postoperative complications, and health care utilization, especially in the at-risk Medicare population.

The effect of intravenous dexamethasone on postoperative nausea and vomiting after Cesarean delivery with intrathecal morphine: a randomized-controlled trial.

PURPOSE: Intrathecal morphine administered during spinal anesthesia for Cesarean delivery is associated with a high incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Small studies performed to date provide conflicting evidence on the effectiveness of dexamethasone as prophylaxis in this setting, raising the possibility that efficacy may be linked to dose timing. This study hypothesized that intravenous dexamethasone given prior to intrathecal morphine during spinal anesthesia may reduce the incidence of PONV. METHODS: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 108 patients undergoing Cesarean delivery were randomized to receive 8 mg dexamethasone or placebo prior to spinal anesthesia that included 0.2 mg intrathecal morphine. Outcomes were assessed on postanesthesia care unit arrival, as well as at postoperative hours one, three, six, 24, and 48. The primary outcome was the total number of subjects experiencing PONV during the study period of 48 hr postpartum. Secondary outcomes included severity of pain via the numeric rating scale pain score, and the use of rescue antiemetics and analgesics. RESULTS: No significant difference in the number of patients experiencing PONV was found between the treatment (n = 44, 80.0%) and control groups (n = 45, 84.9%) (difference -4.9%; 95% confidence interval, -19.2 to 9.4; P = 0.50), nor for median numeric rating scale pain scores (P = 0.24), total consumption of rescue antiemetics (P = 0.40), or opioid analgesics (P = 0.26). CONCLUSIONS: This trial does not support the use of dexamethasone prior to intrathecal morphine for PONV prophylaxis in Cesarean delivery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01734161); registered 27 November, 2012.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: La morphine intrathécale administrée au cours de la rachianesthésie pour un accouchement par césarienne est associée à une forte incidence de nausées et vomissements postopératoires (PONV). Les petites études menées à ce jour ont fourni des données probantes contradictoires sur l'efficacité de la prophylaxie par dexaméthasone dans ce contexte, soulevant la possibilité que son efficacité soit liée au moment de l'administration. Les auteurs de cette étude ont fait l'hypothèse que la dexaméthasone intraveineuse administrée avant la morphine intrathécale au cours d'une rachianesthésie pouvait réduire l'incidence des PONV. MéTHODES: Dans cette étude en double insu, contrôlée contre placebo, 108 patientes subissant un accouchement par césarienne ont été randomisées pour recevoir 8 mg de dexaméthasone ou un placebo avant une rachianesthésie qui incluait 0,2 mg de morphine intrathécale. Les résultats ont été évalués à l'arrivée dans l'unité de soins post anesthésie ainsi qu'à 1, 3, 6, 24 et 48 heures postopératoires. Le critère d'évaluation principal était le nombre de patientes éprouvant des PONV au cours de la période d'étude de 48 heures post-partum. Les critères d'évaluation secondaires étaient, notamment, la sévérité de la douleur établie par le score de douleur sur une échelle d'évaluation numérique, et le recours aux antiémétiques et analgésiques de secours. RéSULTATS: Aucune différence significative n'a été constatée sur le nombre de patientes éprouvant des PONV entre le groupe recevant le traitement (n = 44; 80,0 %) et le groupe contrôle (n = 45; 84,9 %) (différence -4,9 %; intervalle de confiance à 95 % : -19,2 % à 9,4%; P = 0,50). Il n'y a pas eu non plus de différences dans les scores de douleur avec l'échelle d'évaluation numérique (P = 0,24) et la consommation totale de médicaments de secours, antiémétiques (P = 0,40) ou narcotiques (P = 0,26). CONCLUSIONS: Cette étude ne soutient pas l'utilisation de dexaméthasone avant l'administration de morphine intrathécale pour la prophylaxie des PONV dans l'accouchement par césarienne. ENREGISTREMENT DE L'ESSAI CLINIQUE: www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01734161); enregistré le 27 novembre 2012.

Socioeconomic Disparities in Carotid Revascularization Procedures.

OBJECTIVES: Several studies have demonstrated healthcare disparities in postoperative outcomes after carotid endarterectomy and carotid artery stenting, including increased hospital mortality, postoperative stroke, and readmission rates. The objective of the present study was to examine the intersectionality between race/ethnicity, insurance status, and postoperative outcomes in carotid procedures. DESIGN: Records of adults from 2007 to 2014 were retrospectively identified, and patients with appropriate International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision Clinical Modification codes for carotid endarterectomy or carotid artery stenting were identified. Primary outcomes were unadjusted rates and adjusted odds ratios (aORs) of postoperative in-hospital mortality, stroke, combined stroke/mortality, and cardiovascular complications. SETTING: Data were sourced from the State Inpatient Databases data from California, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, and New York during the years 2007 to 2014. PARTICIPANTS: Patients undergoing carotid revascularization procedures. INTERVENTIONS: The effects of race and insurance status as independent variables and as effect modifiers on postoperative outcomes. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between race and/or insurance status with respect to study outcomes. Race, but not payer status, was significantly associated with adverse outcomes after carotid artery procedures, with blacks, Hispanics, and other non-Caucasian races demonstrating a significantly greater risk of postoperative stroke and mortality (aOR range 1.24-1.59). This relationship persisted even when stratified by procedure type (aOR range 1.25-1.56) and symptomatology (aOR range 1.51-1.63). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that disparities in postoperative outcomes after carotid artery procedures are associated with race but not with primary insurance status. Multiple contributing factors exist, including racial inequities in prevalence of comorbidities, health literacy, and procedure type performed.

Carotid Revascularization Procedures and Perioperative Outcomes: A Multistate Analysis, 2007-2014.

OBJECTIVE: To compare in-hospital mortality, postoperative stroke, and combined stroke/mortality in carotid artery stenting (CAS) patients and carotid endarterectomy (CEA) patients. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study using data from the State Inpatient Database, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. SETTING: All coded CAS or CEA hospitalizations from 2007 to 2014 in California, Florida, New York, Kentucky, and Maryland. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 198,120 patients, 18 years of age or older, undergoing CAS or CEA. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Primary outcomes of the study were unadjusted rates and adjusted odds of in-hospital mortality, postoperative stroke, postoperative cardiovascular complications, and combined stroke/mortality, before and after correcting for confounders, following either CEA or CAS. In multivariate logistic regression analyses, in each successive individual year, CAS was associated with higher odds of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR] ≥1.5 and p < 0.05), postoperative stroke (OR ≥1.4 and p < 0.05), and combined stroke/mortality (OR ≥1.5 and p < 0.05). Similar significant results were obtained when multivariate logistic regression was stratified by symptomatology. Carotid artery stenting was associated with higher odds of cardiovascular complications in 2012 (OR = 1.5, p < 0.05) and lower odds in 2009 (OR = 0.8, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study associated carotid stenting, as compared to endarterectomy, with an increased risk of dying and/or stroke. These associations persisted after statistical adjustment for patient demographics, comorbidities, and symptomatology, as well as after post-stratification by patient symptomatology. Despite this study's large, representative sample and well-defined a priori statistical methods, further research into real-world revascularization outcomes with longer-term follow-up is needed to formulate treatment guidelines.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Maternal Outcomes and the Disadvantage of Peripartum Black Women: A Multistate Analysis, 2007-2014.

OBJECTIVE: Racial and ethnic disparities in obstetric care and delivery outcomes have shown that black women experience high rates of pregnancy-related mortality and morbidity, along with high rates of cesarean delivery, compared with other racial and ethnic groups. We aimed to quantify these disparities and test the effects of race/ethnicity in stratified statistical models by insurance payer and socioeconomic status, adjusting for comorbidities specific to an obstetric population. STUDY DESIGN: We analyzed maternal outcomes in a sample of 6,872,588 delivery records from California, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, and New York from 2007 to 2014 from the State Inpatient Databases, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. We compared present-on-admission characteristics of parturients by race/ethnicity, and estimated logistic regression and generalized linear models to assess outcomes of in-hospital mortality, cesarean delivery, and length of stay. RESULTS: Compared with white women, black women were more likely to die in-hospital (odds ratio [OR]: 1.90, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.47-2.45) and have a longer average length of stay (incidence rate ratio: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.09-1.10). Black women also were more likely to have a cesarean delivery (OR: 1.12, 95% CI 1.12-1.13) than white women. These results largely held in stratified analyses. CONCLUSION: In most insurance payers and socioeconomic strata, race/ethnicity alone is a factor that predicts parturient outcomes.

A Survey of Intravenous Remifentanil Use for Labor Analgesia at Academic Medical Centers in the United States.

Remifentanil is most commonly offered when neuraxial labor analgesia is contraindicated. There is no consensus regarding the optimal administration, dosing strategy, or requirements for maternal monitoring, which may pose a patient safety issue. This exploratory survey evaluated the current practices regarding remifentanil use for labor analgesia at academic centers in the United States. Of 126 obstetric anesthesia directors surveyed, 84 (67%) responded. In 2014 to 2015, an estimated 36% (95% confidence interval: 25.7-46.3) of centers used remifentanil, most of which did so less than 5 times. Some serious maternal and neonatal respiratory complications occurred, emphasizing that clinical protocols and adequate monitoring are key to ensure maternal and neonatal safety.