Preoperative ketamine administration for prevention of postoperative neurocognitive disorders after major orthopedic surgery in elderly patients: A multicenter randomized blinded placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Preventive anesthetic impact on the high rates of postoperative neurocognitive disorders in elderly patients is debated. The Prevention of postOperative Cognitive dysfunction by Ketamine (POCK) study aimed to assess the effect of ketamine on this condition. METHODS: This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, interventional study. Patients ≥60 years undergoing major orthopedic surgery were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive preoperative ketamine 0.5 mg/kg as an intravenous bolus (n = 152) or placebo (n = 149) in random blocks stratified according to the study site, preoperative cognitive status and age. The primary outcome was the proportion of objective delayed neurocognitive recovery (dNR) defined as a decline of one or more neuropsychological assessment standard deviations on postoperative day 7. Secondary outcomes included a three-month incidence of objective postoperative neurocognitive disorder (POND), as well as delirium, anxiety, and symptoms of depression seven days and three months after surgery. RESULTS: Among 301 patients included, 292 (97%) completed the trial. Objective dNR occurred in 50 (38.8%) patients in the ketamine group and 54 (40.9%) patients in the placebo group (OR [95% CI] 0.92 [0.56;1.51], p = 0.73) on postoperative day 7. Incidence of objective POND three months after surgery did not differ significantly between the two groups nor did incidence of delirium, anxiety, apathy, and fatigue. Symptoms of depression were less frequent in the ketamine group three months after surgery (OR [95%CI] 0.34 [0.13-0.86]). CONCLUSIONS: A single preoperative bolus of intravenous ketamine does not prevent the occurrence of dNR or POND in elderly patients scheduled for major orthopedic surgery. (Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02892916.).

Thromboelastometry-guided haemostatic resuscitation in severely injured patients: a propensity score-matched study.

BACKGROUND: To accelerate the diagnosis and treatment of trauma-induced coagulopathy (TIC), viscoelastic haemostatic assays (VHA) are increasingly used worldwide, although their value is still debated, with a recent randomised trial showing no improvement in outcome. The objective of this retrospective study was to compare 2 cohorts of injured patients in which TIC was managed with either a VHA-based algorithm or a conventional coagulation test (CCT)-based algorithm. METHODS: Data were retrieved from 2 registries and patients were included in the study if they received at least 1 unit of red blood cell in the first 24 h after admission. A propensity score, including sex, age, blunt vs. penetrating, systolic blood pressure, GCS, ISS and head AIS, admission lactate and PTratio, tranexamic acid administration, was then constructed. Primary outcome was the proportion of subjects who were alive and free of massive transfusion (MT) at 24 h after injury. We also compared the cost for blood products and coagulation factors. RESULTS: From 2012 to 2019, 7250 patients were admitted in the 2 trauma centres, and among these 624 were included in the study (CCT group: 380; VHA group: 244). After propensity score matching, 215 patients remained in each study group without any significant difference in demographics, vital signs, injury severity, or laboratory analysis. At 24 h, more patients were alive and free of MT in the VHA group (162 patients, 75%) as compared to the CCT group (112 patients, 52%; p < 0.01) and fewer patients received MT (32 patients, 15% vs. 91 patients, 42%, p < 0.01). However, no significant difference was observed for mortality at 24 h (odds ratio 0.94, 95% CI 0.59-1.51) or survival at day 28 (odds ratio 0.87, 95% CI 0.58-1.29). Overall cost of blood products and coagulation factors was dramatically reduced in the VHA group as compared to the CCT group (median [interquartile range]: 2357 euros [1108-5020] vs. 4092 euros [2510-5916], p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A VHA-based strategy was associated with an increase of the number of patients alive and free of MT at 24 h together with an important reduction of blood product use and associated costs. However, that did not translate into an improvement in mortality.

Subtle postoperative cognitive disorder in preclinical Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: We examined the association between preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD) and undergoing anesthesia and surgery ("surgery" henceforth) in a cohort of elderly individuals with a subjective cognitive decline (SCD). METHODS: Individuals with SCD (N = 268) were enrolled in a longitudinal follow-up study. Participants underwent comprehensive yearly cognitive evaluation for a period of 4 years. Brain amyloid load and glucose metabolism were studied by 18F-Florbetapir and Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) at baseline and after two years of follow-up. Exposure to surgery was systematically assessed during the first two years of follow-up. The association between surgery, cognition and AD markers was evaluated using generalized linear mixed models for cognition and linear models for neuroimaging markers. RESULTS: Sixty-five participants (24.25%) underwent surgery during the first year of follow-up, and 43 (16.04%) during the second year. Undergoing surgery had no overall impact on cognition over 4 years of follow-up nor on amyloid load and brain metabolism at two years of follow-up. However, a second step analysis revealed a small but significant association between undergoing surgery and a subtle decline in executive functions such as mental flexibility and divided attention (TMT B-A), in participants with greater amyloid load at baseline (Cohen's f2 = 0.01, multiple comparison corrected p < 0.001). Highly educated participants with surgery had significantly decreased metabolism over two years, when compared to low educated participants (Cohen's f2 = 0.04, p = 0.031). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that surgery is associated with an increased risk of subtle cognitive decline after surgery, in the cognitively healthy elderly at risk for AD.

[The nurse facing a polytrauma patient]. / L'infirmière face à un patient polytraumatisé.

A major public health problem, polytrauma is the leading cause of death in the 15-35 age group, 50% of which occurs within the first hour. This is why the initial care of these patients and their rapid referral to a specialized center (trauma center) is so important. The nurse is in the front line of the care system, in tandem with the medical team.

Lack of Association Between Perioperative Medication and Postoperative Delirium in Hip Fracture Patients in an Orthogeriatric Care Pathway.

OBJECTIVES: Units for perioperative geriatric care are playing a growing role in the care of older patients after hip fracture surgery. Postoperative delirium is one of the most common complications after hip fracture, but no study has assessed the impact of therapeutics received during a dedicated orthogeriatric care pathway on its incidence. Our main objective was to assess the association between drugs used in emergency, operating, and recovery departments and postoperative delirium during the acute stay. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: All patients ≥70 years old admitted for hip fracture to the emergency department and hospitalized in our unit for perioperative geriatric care after hip fracture surgery under general anesthesia between July 2009 and December 2019 in an academic hospital in Paris. METHODS: Demographic, clinical, and biological data and all medications administered pre-, peri-, and postoperatively were prospectively collected by 3 geriatricians. Postoperative delirium in the unit for perioperative geriatric care was assessed by using the confusion assessment method scale. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess variables independently associated with postoperative delirium. RESULTS: A total of 490 patients were included [mean (SD) age 87 (6) years]; 215 (44%) had postoperative delirium. The occurrence was not associated with therapeutics administered during the dedicated orthogeriatric care pathway. Probability of postoperative delirium was associated with advanced age [>90 years, odds ratio (OR) 2.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-3.89], dementia (OR 3.51, 95% CI 2.14--5.82), depression (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.14-3.01), and preoperative use of beta-blockers (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.10-2.79). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: No emergency or anesthetic drugs were significantly associated with postoperative delirium. Further studies are needed to demonstrate a possible causal link between preoperative use of beta-blockers and postoperative delirium.

Feasibility of closed-loop titration of propofol and remifentanil guided by the bispectral monitor in pediatric and adolescent patients: a prospective randomized study.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to assess the feasibility of dual closed-loop titration of propofol and remifentanil guided solely by the Bispectral Index (BIS) monitor in pediatric and adolescent patients during anesthesia. METHODS: Children undergoing elective surgery in this single-blind randomized study were allocated into the closed-loop (auto) or manual (manual) group. Primary outcome was the percentage of time with the BIS in the range 40 to 60 (BIS40-60). Secondary outcomes were the percentage of deep (BIS<40) anesthesia and drug consumption. Data are presented as median (interquartile range) or number (%). RESULTS: Twenty-three patients (12 [10 to 14] yr) were assigned to the auto group and 19 (14 [7 to 14] yr) to the manual group. The closed-loop controller was able to provide induction and maintenance for all patients. The percentage of time with BIS40-60 was greater in the auto group (87% [75 to 96] vs. 72% [48 to 79]; P = 0.002), with a decrease in the percentage of BIS<40 (7% [2 to 17] vs. 21% [11 to 38]; P = 0.002). Propofol (2.4 [1.9 to 3.3] vs. 1.7 [1.2 to 2.8] mg/kg) and remifentanil (2.3 [2.0 to 3.0] vs. 2.5 [1.2 to 4.3] µg/kg) consumptions were similar in auto versus manual groups during induction, respectively. During maintenance, propofol consumption (8.2 [6.0 to 10.2] vs. 7.9 [7.2 to 9.1] mg kg h; P = 0.89) was similar between the two groups, but remifentanil consumption was greater in the auto group (0.39 [0.22 to 0.60] vs. 0.22 [0.17 to 0.32] µg kg min; P = 0.003). Perioperative adverse events and length of stay in the postanesthesia care unit were similar. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative automated control of hypnosis and analgesia guided by the BIS is clinically feasible in pediatric and adolescent patients and outperformed skilled manual control.