Postprandial hypotension as a predictor of respiratory failure in patients with foodborne botulinum intoxication - a case-control study in outbreak investigation.

OBJECTIVES: Botulism is a rare syndrome characterized by acute, flaccid paralysis with possible involvement of respiratory muscle-producing pump failure requiring mechanical ventilation. A predominance of autonomic involvement can occur. METHODS: We enrolled patients affected by foodborne botulism during an outbreak. All patients underwent the detection of the toxin in stool specimens, and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). A blinded expert operator analyzed ABPM data for the diagnosis of hypertension and postprandial hypotension (PPH). RESULTS: Twenty male patients met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Thirty-four healthy subjects matched for sex and age were enrolled as a control group. PPH was significantly more frequent in the botulin group than in healthy subjects (40% vs 2.9%, P <0.0001). At the logistic regression, the probability that patients affected by botulinum could require ventilation was increased by 733% (adjusted odds ratio: 8.33) when PPH is encountered. CONCLUSIONS: The likelihood of resorting to ventilation in subjects with botulinum intoxication was seven times greater in patients presenting PPH. These results could allow the prompt identification of patients at high risk for requiring ventilation.

Improving learning by playing with an app: The FantaTraining ® experience with anesthesia trainees.

Background: FantaTraining ® is an app that simulates a football league. Each participant represents a team, and the game is played with the opposing team by answering a questionnaire. In the intervals between games, participants can practice by consulting the educational material (films, short texts, or slides) in the app. Various prizes are offered to the winners of the championship. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether the use of the FantaTraining ® app could improve the learning of anesthesia trainees registered in an online obstetric anesthesia course. Methods: The study involved 282 trainees in anesthesia, from five Italian universities, registered in the Online Obstetric Anesthesia Course (OOAC) who were given the app. They were randomly allocated into two groups according to whether the app had been enabled to allow the participant to play the league (study group, n=137), or not (control group, n=145). All the trainees underwent entry and final tests, consisting of the same 40 multiple choice questions, respectively before and after completing the OOAC course. Results: There were no differences in the scores obtained in the pre-course test between the groups. The mean score obtained in the final test was significantly greater than that obtained in the entry one in both groups (P<0.05) but the final test score obtained by the participants of the study group was significantly greater than that obtained by the control group. (P<0.001), regardless of the university of origin and year of specialization. Trainees stated that the app had helped their study, improving understanding and motivation, without increasing the intensity of study. Conclusions: Using the FantaTraining ® app greatly improved trainees' final exam performance after the online obstetric anesthesia course. The FantaTraining ® app seems a promising tool to improve learning outcomes by strengthening learning behaviors and attitudes towards learning.

Achieving Lumbar Epidural Block Competency in Inexperienced Trainees after a Structured Epidural Teaching Model: A Randomized, Single Blind, Prospective Comparison of CUSUM Learning Curves.

Aim: The aim of this randomized, prospective study was to investigate whether the use of the structured epidural teaching model (SETM) may affect the learning curve for lumbar epidural block in novice trainees when compared with a standard teaching module. Introduction: There is a paucity of literature regarding the efficacy of teaching epidural blocks and comparisons between the different educational approaches. Method: Forty-four PGY3 anesthesia trainees were randomized to receive (study group) or to not receive (control group) the SDM (structured didactic model) before the beginning of their 6 months clinical practice rotation in labor and delivery suites. A CUSUM learning curve was built for every trainee. The scores were assigned by the staff instructor, who was unaware of the group to which the trainee belonged. Results: The number of subjects who achieved an improvement in performance was 8 trainees from the control group and 14 from the study group. The probability of achieving an improvement was higher (p < 05) in the study group than in the control group, with an aOR of 3.25 (CI: 1.01; 12.1). The proportion of subjects in the study group who completed the epidural without help was 1.21 (1.05-1.41) times the proportion of subjects who completed the epidural without help in the control group. The probability of completing the epidural block without any assistance was 21% higher in the study group than in the control group (p < 05). Conclusion: We have demonstrated that the use of the structured epidural teaching model (SETM) may improve the learning curve (CUSUM) for lumbar epidural block in novice, entirely inexperienced, anesthesia trainees.

Analysis of Epidural Waveform to Determine Correct Epidural Catheter Placement After CSE Labor Analgesia.

BACKGROUND: The epidural pressure is pulsatile and synchronized with arterial pulsations. Monitoring the epidural waveform has been suggested as a technique to reliably confirm the appropriate localization of the epidural catheter. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the Computer Controlled Drug Delivery System with continuous pressure and waveform sensing technology (CCDDS) (CompuFlo® CathCheck™) as an instrument to assess the correct placement of the catheter in the epidural space in parturients who have received combined spinal-epidural technique (CSE) for labor analgesia. METHODS: We enrolled 40 consecutive healthy patients undergoing CSE labor analgesia with successful analgesia. All the cases in which pulsatile waveforms in synchrony with heart rate were detected were considered to be true positives; all the cases in which there was the absence of pulsatile waves were followed up. If these patients had to eventually relocate or manipulate the epidural catheter, they were considered to be true negative. If the absence of pulse waves was observed in the presence of successful analgesia during labor, the patients were considered to be false negatives. RESULTS: Pulsatile waveforms synchronous with heart rate were observed in 33 cases associated with adequate analgesia. In 5 cases, the pulsatile waveforms were absent due to unilateral analgesia or catheter occlusion (true negatives). In 2 cases, the patients had effective analgesia but we were not able to observe a distinct pulsatile waveform. The pressure waveform analysis through the epidural catheter had a sensitivity of 95%, a positive predictive value of 100%, a specificity of 100% and a negative predictive value of 60%. CONCLUSION: Pulsatile pressure waveform recording with CCDDS through the epidural catheter resulted in high sensitivity and positive predictive value which can help the proper placement of the epidural catheter.

Effect of Helmet Noninvasive Ventilation vs High-Flow Nasal Oxygen on Days Free of Respiratory Support in Patients With COVID-19 and Moderate to Severe Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure: The HENIVOT Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: High-flow nasal oxygen is recommended as initial treatment for acute hypoxemic respiratory failure and is widely applied in patients with COVID-19. Objective: To assess whether helmet noninvasive ventilation can increase the days free of respiratory support in patients with COVID-19 compared with high-flow nasal oxygen alone. Design, Setting, and Participants: Multicenter randomized clinical trial in 4 intensive care units (ICUs) in Italy between October and December 2020, end of follow-up February 11, 2021, including 109 patients with COVID-19 and moderate to severe hypoxemic respiratory failure (ratio of partial pressure of arterial oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen ≤200). Interventions: Participants were randomly assigned to receive continuous treatment with helmet noninvasive ventilation (positive end-expiratory pressure, 10-12 cm H2O; pressure support, 10-12 cm H2O) for at least 48 hours eventually followed by high-flow nasal oxygen (n = 54) or high-flow oxygen alone (60 L/min) (n = 55). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the number of days free of respiratory support within 28 days after enrollment. Secondary outcomes included the proportion of patients who required endotracheal intubation within 28 days from study enrollment, the number of days free of invasive mechanical ventilation at day 28, the number of days free of invasive mechanical ventilation at day 60, in-ICU mortality, in-hospital mortality, 28-day mortality, 60-day mortality, ICU length of stay, and hospital length of stay. Results: Among 110 patients who were randomized, 109 (99%) completed the trial (median age, 65 years [interquartile range {IQR}, 55-70]; 21 women [19%]). The median days free of respiratory support within 28 days after randomization were 20 (IQR, 0-25) in the helmet group and 18 (IQR, 0-22) in the high-flow nasal oxygen group, a difference that was not statistically significant (mean difference, 2 days [95% CI, -2 to 6]; P = .26). Of 9 prespecified secondary outcomes reported, 7 showed no significant difference. The rate of endotracheal intubation was significantly lower in the helmet group than in the high-flow nasal oxygen group (30% vs 51%; difference, -21% [95% CI, -38% to -3%]; P = .03). The median number of days free of invasive mechanical ventilation within 28 days was significantly higher in the helmet group than in the high-flow nasal oxygen group (28 [IQR, 13-28] vs 25 [IQR 4-28]; mean difference, 3 days [95% CI, 0-7]; P = .04). The rate of in-hospital mortality was 24% in the helmet group and 25% in the high-flow nasal oxygen group (absolute difference, -1% [95% CI, -17% to 15%]; P > .99). Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients with COVID-19 and moderate to severe hypoxemia, treatment with helmet noninvasive ventilation, compared with high-flow nasal oxygen, resulted in no significant difference in the number of days free of respiratory support within 28 days. Further research is warranted to determine effects on other outcomes, including the need for endotracheal intubation. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04502576.

Eye tracking metrics and leader's behavioral performance during a post-partum hemorrhage high-fidelity simulated scenario.

BACKGROUND: The use of eye tracking in the simulated setting can help improve our understanding of what sources of information clinicians are using as they deliver routine patient care. The aim of this simulation study was to observe the differences, if any, between the eye tracking patterns of leaders who performed best in a simulated postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) high-fidelity scenario, in comparison with those who performed worst. METHODS: Forty anesthesia trainees from the University of Catania Medical School were divided into eight teams, to enact four times the same scenario of a patient with postpartum hemorrhage following vaginal delivery. Trainees who were assigned the leader's role wore the eye tracking glasses during the scenario, and their behavioral skills were evaluated by two observers, who reviewed the video recordings of the scenarios using a standardized checklist. The leader's eye tracking metrics, extracted from 27 selected areas of interest (AOI), were recorded by a Tobii Pro Glasses 50 Hz wearable wireless eye tracker. Team performance was evaluated using a PPH checklist. After completion of the study, the leaders were divided into two groups, based on the scores they had received (High-Performance Leader group, HPL, and Low-Performance Leader group, LPL). RESULTS: In the HPL group, the duration and number of fixations were greater, and the distribution of gaze was uniformly distributed among the various members of the team as compared with the LPL group (with the exception of the participant who performed the role of the obstetrician). The HPL group also looked both at the patient's face and established eye contact with their team members more often and for longer (P < .05). The team performance (PPH checklist) score was greater in the HPL group (P < .001). The LPL group had more and/or longer fixations of technical areas of interest (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the leaders who perform the best distribute their gaze across all members of their team and establish direct eye contact. They also look longer at the patient's face and dwell less on areas that are more relevant to technical skills. In addition, the teams led by these best performing leaders fulfilled their clinical task better. The information provided by the eye behaviors of "better-performing physicians" may lay the foundation for the future development of both the assessment process and the educational tools used in simulation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical.Trial.Gov ID n. NCT04395963 .

The evolution of self and hetero-evaluation of repeated high fidelity simulation scenarios of post-partum hemorrhage with anesthesia trainees.

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Introduction Evidence for self-assessment in medicine is controversialwith participants under-rating or overestimating their performance. It is also unclear whether this under or overestimation changes during the process of repeated simulation experience. In this study, the authors analyzed the evolution of the behavioral skills of anesthesia trainees during four consecutive standardized postpartum hemorrhages (PPH) high-fidelity simulation scenarios. They compared the self-assessment made by the leader himself and the assessment made by his teammates individually with the assessment made by two expert observers. Methods The authors enrolled forty anesthesia trainee volunteers and divided them into eight teams of five participants each. Each team enacted the same scenario of a patient with atonic PPH following vaginal delivery four times so that all the trainees, except the one assigned the leader's role, could rotate through the roles of anesthesia trainee, obstetrician, midwife, and nurse. The participants themselves and two expert observers, using standardized checklists and questionnaires, carried out an evaluation of the technical (diagnosis and treatment of atonic PPH) and behavioral (leadership, communication, situational awareness, and overall appraisal) skills evidenced in the scenarios. Results The authors noted a progressive improvement in the behavioral scores given to the leader by the examiners, his team, and himself, from the first to the fourth scenario. The scores given by the participants and by the leader himself were greater than those given by the independent observers in the first two scenarios but these differences were no longer significant during the last two scenarios. Discussion Participants overestimated their performances but this overestimation disappeared after the completion of the first two scenarios. The authors suggested that improving the skills of participants throughout the scenarios, most likely improved their metacognitive competence, helping them to better recognize their abilities.

Novice and Expert Anesthesiologists' Eye-Tracking Metrics During Simulated Epidural Block: A Preliminary, Brief Observational Report.

INTRODUCTION: Eye tracking is the process of measuring an individual's eye movements to register their attentional behavior by using a device called an eye-tracker. Studies conducted using eye-tracking techniques have demonstrated a number of differences in eye movement parameters and patterns between experts and novices. The aim of this preliminary study was to evaluate if there are any differences in eye-tracking metrics between novice and expert anesthesiologists during the performance of an epidural block using an epidural simulator. METHODS: Seven experts and seven novices who gave their consent to this preliminary study were asked to perform an epidural technique using an epidural simulator while wearing a pair of Tobii Pro glasses. Number of fixations, fixation duration, heat maps and scan-paths were examined by Tobii Pro Lab Software. Duration of the procedure was also recorded. RESULTS: The observation of the attentional heat map and gaze plot showed different gaze dispersion between experts and novices. The mean total duration of fixations during needle insertion and advancement and catheter introduction was lower in experts than trainees (respectively, 0.18 vs 3.56 sec; P<0.05 and 0.73 vs 2.48 sec; P<0.05). The mean fixation count was greater in experts vs trainees (5 vs 2; P<0.05). The mean duration of the epidural procedure was 104.16 (41) (trainees) vs 65.3 (32.6) seconds (experts) (P<0.05). Expert anesthesiologists spent more time fixating a more specific target location (eg, the point of the epidural needle rather than the syringe's barrel) whilst novices split their attention between tracking their tools and the target location. DISCUSSION: Eye tracking may have interesting implications for the creation of assessment programs, which distinguish skill level through the use of gaze behavior, and may be a promising tool for monitoring training progress towards the development of expertise.

Differentiating False Loss of Resistance from True Loss of Resistance While Performing the Epidural Block with the CompuFlo® Epidural Instrument.

BACKGROUND: The occurrence of false losses of resistance may be one of the reasons for inadequate or failed epidural block. A CompuFlo® epidural instrument has been introduced to measure the pressure of human tissues in real time at the orifice of a needle and has been used as a tool to identify the epidural space. The aim of this study was to investigate the sensitivity and the specificity of the ability of CompuFlo® to differentiate the false loss of resistance from the true loss of resistance encountered during the epidural space identification procedure. METHOD: We performed epidural block with the CompuFlo® epidural instrument in 120 healthy women who requested labor epidural analgesia. The epidural needle was considered to have reached the epidural space when an increase in pressure (accompanied by an increase in the pitch of the audible tone) was followed by a sudden and sustained drop in pressure for more than 5 seconds accompanied by a sudden decrease in the pitch of the audible tone, resulting in the formation of a low and stable pressure plateau. We evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the ability of CompuFlo® recordings to correctly identify the true LOR from the false LOR. RESULTS: The drop in pressure associated with the epidural space identification was significantly greater than that recorded after the false loss of resistance (73% vs 33%) (P=0.000001). The sensitivity was 0.83, and the AUC was 0.82. DISCUSSION: We have confirmed the ability of CompuFlo® to differentiate the false loss of resistance from the true loss of resistance and established its specificity and sensitivity. CONCLUSION: An easier identification of dubious losses of resistance during the epidural procedure is essential to reduce the number of epidural attempts and/or needle reinsertions with the potential of a reduced risk of accidental dural puncture especially in difficult cases or when the procedure is performed by trainees.