Association of a Liberal Fasting Policy of Clear Fluids Before Surgery With Fasting Duration and Patient Well-being and Safety.

Importance: Current fasting guidelines for procedures under anesthesia are poorly implemented, leading to negative metabolic sequelae. Recent studies in children showed support of liberal clear fluid intake; adult physiology can support clear fluid intake, but implementation studies are lacking. Objective: To evaluate the successfulness of implementation of a liberal clear fluid policy with regard to fasting duration, well-being, and safety in adults scheduled for anesthesia. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a quality improvement study conducted from January 2016 to July 2021 at a tertiary referral hospital in the Netherlands. Adults scheduled for nonemergency procedures under anesthesia were included in the study. Patients undergoing obstetrics procedures or those who were intubated preoperatively were excluded. Interventions: Stepwise introduction of a liberal fluid fasting policy, allowing for ingestion of clear fluids until arrival at the operating room. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was change in fasting duration. Secondary outcomes were patient well-being, measured as preoperative thirst, amount of fluid ingested, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), and administration of antiemetics. Safety was measured as incidence of regurgitation and aspiration (pneumonia). Results: Of the 76 451 patients (mean [SD] age, 56 [17] years; 39 530 male individuals [52%] 36 921) included in the study, 59 036 (78%) followed the standard policy, and 16 815 (22%) followed the liberal policy. Time series analysis showed an estimated fasting duration decrease of 3:07 hours (IQR, 1:36-7:22; P < .001) after implementation of the liberal policy. Postimplementation median (IQR) fasting duration was 1:20 (0:48-2:24) hours. The incidence of regurgitation changed from 18 (95% CI, 14-21) to 24 (95% CI, 17-32) in 10 000 patients, and the incidence of aspiration changed from 1.7 (95% CI, 0.6-2.7) to 2.4 (95% CI, 0.5-4.7) in 10 000 patients. In the liberal policy, thirst feelings decreased (37% [4982 of 8615] vs 46% [3373 of 7362]; P < .001). PONV incidence decreased from 10.6% (6339 of 59 636) to 9.4% (1587 of 16 815; P < .001) and antiemetic administration decreased from 11.0% (6538 of 59 636) to 9.5% (1592 of 16 815; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance: Results of this quality improvement study suggest that a liberal fasting policy was associated with a clinically relevant reduction in fasting duration and improved patient well-being with regard to preoperative thirst and PONV. Although a slightly higher incidence of regurgitation could not be ruled out, wider implementation of such a policy may be advocated as results are still within the clinically accepted risks margins. Results suggest that surgical procedures in patients who drink clear fluids within 2 hours before anticipated anesthesia should not be postponed or canceled.

Nitrofurantoin 100 mg versus 50 mg prophylaxis for urinary tract infections, a cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Guidelines do not distinguish between 50 mg or 100 mg nitrofurantoin as daily prophylaxis for recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI), although 50 mg might have a better safety profile. Our objective was to compare the effectiveness and safety of both regimens. METHODS: Data were retrospectively collected from 84 Dutch GP practices between 2013 and 2020. Nitrofurantoin prescriptions of 100 mg and 50 mg every 24 hours in women were included. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to calculate hazard ratios on first episode of UTI, pyelonephritis and (adverse) events. Patients were followed for the duration of consecutive repeated prescriptions, assuming non-informative right censoring, up to 1 year. RESULTS: Nitrofurantoin prophylaxis was prescribed in 1893 patients. Median lengths of follow up were 90 days (interquartile range (IQR) 37-179 days) for 100 mg (n = 551) and 90 days (IQR 30-146 days) for 50 mg (n = 1342) with few differences in baseline characteristics between populations. Under 100 mg and 50 mg, 82/551 (14.9%) and 199/1342 (14.8%) developed UTI and 46/551 (8.3%) and 81/1342 (6.0%) developed pyelonephritis, respectively. Adjusted HRs of 100 mg versus 50 mg were 1.01 (95% CI 0.78-1.30) on first UTI, 1.37 (95% CI 0.95-1.98) on first pyelonephritis episode, 1.82 (95% CI 1.20-2.74) on first consultation for cough, 2.68 for dyspnoea (95% CI 1.11-6.45) and 2.43 for nausea (95% CI 1.03-5.74). CONCLUSION: Daily prophylaxis for recurrent UTI with 100 mg instead of 50 mg nitrofurantoin was associated with an equivalent hazard on UTI or pyelonephritis, and a higher hazard on cough, dyspnoea and nausea. We recommend 50 mg nitrofurantoin as daily prophylaxis.