Effects of detomidine or romifidine during maintenance and recovery from isoflurane anaesthesia in horses.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of detomidine or romifidine on cardiovascular function, isoflurane requirements and recovery quality in horses undergoing isoflurane anaesthesia. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, blinded, clinical study. ANIMALS: A total of 63 healthy horses undergoing elective surgery during general anaesthesia. METHODS: Horses were randomly allocated to three groups of 21 animals each. In group R, horses were given romifidine intravenously (IV) for premedication (80 µg kg-1), maintenance (40 µg kg-1 hour-1) and before recovery (20 µg kg-1). In group D2.5, horses were given detomidine IV for premedication (15 µg kg-1), maintenance (5 µg kg-1 hour-1) and before recovery (2.5 µg kg-1). In group D5, horses were given the same doses of detomidine IV for premedication and maintenance but 5 µg kg-1 prior to recovery. Premedication was combined with morphine IV (0.1 mg kg-1) in all groups. Cardiovascular and blood gas variables, expired fraction of isoflurane (Fe'Iso), dobutamine or ketamine requirements, recovery times, recovery events scores (from sternal to standing position) and visual analogue scale (VAS) were compared between groups using either anova followed by Tukey, Kruskal-Wallis followed by Bonferroni or chi-square tests, as appropriate (p < 0.05). RESULTS: No significant differences were observed between groups for Fe'Iso, dobutamine or ketamine requirements and recovery times. Cardiovascular and blood gas measurements remained within physiological ranges for all groups. Group D5 horses had significantly worse scores for balance and coordination (p = 0.002), overall impression (p = 0.021) and final score (p = 0.008) than group R horses and significantly worse mean scores for VAS than the other groups (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Detomidine or romifidine constant rate infusion provided similar conditions for maintenance of anaesthesia. Higher doses of detomidine at the end of anaesthesia might decrease the recovery quality.

Measuring harm-free care in childbirth: a pilot application of the maternity safety thermometer in Brazil

Introduction: In Brazil, interventions during labor and childbirth are harmful and, for the most part, unnecessary. In addition, there is a high prevalence of abuse and disrespect for women and babies during this period. Objective: To describe the prevalence of maternal and neonatal harm and harm-free care in a Brazilian maternity setting. Methods: Pilot application of the Portuguese version of Maternal Safety Thermometer (MST) by a cross-sectional study in a public setting. Data collection was made at two timepoints. Results: 140 women were included. Over 84% of women had a postpartum sutured wound, resulting from a caesarean section, an episiotomy, or a perineal trauma. Puerperal infection, especially on a caesarean wound, was the most frequent physical harm. Women's perception of safety, including being left alone in labour, and feeling their safety concerns were not taken seriously, decreased from 80.6% to 43.3% in the second timepoint. Using the MST helped to improve the quality of medical records since critical information about a patient's health status was not properly recorded, or even absent. Conclusion: MST is a concise tool and includes indicators related to harm-free care in a short time range. However, this study suggests that the MST can underestimate harm if it is used alone to assess harm-free care in maternities with excessive levels of intervention, and poor reporting of harms (i.e., blood loss), as in most Brazilian settings.

Introdução: No Brasil, as intervenções durante o parto e o nascimento são prejudiciais e, em sua maioria, desnecessárias. Além disso, é alta a prevalência de abusos e desrespeito à mulher e ao bebê neste período. Objetivo: Descrever a prevalência dos danos maternos e neonatais, e do cuidado livre de danos em uma maternidade brasileira. Método: Estudo transversal, com aplicação piloto, em português, do Termômetro de Segurança da Maternidade (TSM) em uma instituição pública. A coleta de dados foi realizada em dois momentos. Resultados: 140 mulheres foram incluídas. Mais de 84% delas deixaram a maternidade com algum tipo de ferida suturada, resultante de cesariana, episiotomia ou outro trauma perineal. Infecção puerperal, principalmente na incisão da cesariana, foi o dano físico mais frequente. A percepção de segurança das mulheres ­ incluindo ficar sozinha no trabalho de parto e sentir que suas preocupações com relação à segurança não foram consideradas ­ diminuiu de 80,6% para 43,3% no segundo momento. O uso do TSM ajudou a melhorar a qualidade dos registros em prontuário, dado que, informações importantes sobre a condição das pacientes não eram registradas adequadamente ou estiveram ausentes. Conclusão: O TSM é uma ferramenta concisa que possibilita descrever o cuidado livre de danos rapidamente. No entanto, este estudo sugere que, se usado isoladamente, o TSM pode subestimar danos em serviços com níveis excessivos de intervenção e com registros inadequados de danos (exemplo, perda sanguínea), como é o caso da maioria das maternidades brasileiras.

A critical evaluation for validation of composite and unidimensional postoperative pain scales in horses.

Proper pain therapy requires adequate pain assessment. This study evaluated the reliability and validity of the Unesp-Botucatu horse acute pain scale (UHAPS), the Orthopedic Composite Pain Scale (CPS) and unidimensional scales in horses admitted for orthopedic and soft tissue surgery. Forty-two horses were assessed and videotaped before surgery, up to 4 hours postoperatively, up to 3 hours after analgesic treatment, and 24 hours postoperatively (168 video clips). After six evaluators viewing each edited video clip twice in random order at a 20-day interval, they chose whether analgesia would be indicated and applied the Simple Descriptive, Numeric and Visual Analog scales, CPS, and UHAPS. For all evaluators, intra-observer reliability of UHAPS and CPS ranged from 0.70 to 0.97. Reproducibility was variable among the evaluators and ranged from poor to very good for all scales. Principal component analysis showed a weak association among 50% and 62% of the UHAPS and CPS items, respectively. Criterion validity based on Spearman correlation among all scales was above 0.67. Internal consistency was minimally acceptable (0.51-0.64). Item-total correlation was acceptable (0.3-0.7) for 50% and 38% of UHAPS and CPS items, respectively. UHAPS and CPS were specific (90% and 79% respectively), but both were not sensitive (43 and 38%, respectively). Construct validity (responsiveness) was confirmed for all scales because pain scores increased after surgery. The cut-off point for rescue analgesia was ≥ 5 and ≥ 7 for the UHAPS and CPS, respectively. All scales presented adequate repeatability, criterion validity, and partial responsiveness. Both composite scales showed poor association among items, minimally acceptable internal consistency, and weak sensitivity, indicating that they are suboptimal instruments for assessing postoperative pain. Both composite scales require further refinement with the exclusion of redundant or needless items and reduction of their maximum score applied to each item or should be replaced by other tools.

Recovery Quality After Romifidine Versus Detomidine Infusion During Isoflurane Anesthesia in Horses.

To examine the influence of detomidine or romifidine on recovery quality from isoflurane anesthesia, 78 anesthetic records were reviewed, from horses that had received romifidine (group R) during premedication [80-120 µg kg-1 IV], anesthetic maintenance (40 µg kg-1 hour-1 IV), and recovery (20 µg kg-1 IV) or detomidine (group D), at doses of 10-20 µg kg-1 IV, 5 µg kg-1 hour-1 IV, and 2.5 µg kg-1 IV, respectively. Duration of the different recovery phases, the number of attempts to sternal and standing, scores for transition to standing (TrSta), balance and coordination once standing (BC), and final recovery score (FS) were compared between groups using a Mann-Whitney U-test, independent t-test, or chi-squared test, as appropriate (alpha 0.05). Parametric data are represented as the mean ± standard deviation, and nonparametric data as the median (interquartile range). Compared with group D (25 horses), horses in group R (53 horses) needed significantly fewer attempts to achieve sternal recumbency [R 1 (1-1) vs. D 1 (1-2)], remained significantly longer in sternal recumbency [R 10 (3-14,5) vs. D 5 (1-9,5) minutes], needed significantly less attempts to stand [R 1 (1-1) vs. D 2 (1-4)], and a significantly shorter time to stand after making their first attempt [R 0 (0-0) vs. D 3 (0-6) minutes], with significantly better scores for TrSta, BC, and FS in group R. The results suggest that, at the doses used, romifidine provides a better recovery quality.

Pharmacopuncture Analgesia Using Flunixin Meglumine Injection into the Acupoint GV1 (Ho Hai) After Elective Castration in Horses.

The study evaluated the effect of a 1/10 dose of flunixin meglumine administered into the governing vessel 1 (GV1) acupoint in horses that underwent castration. Twenty animals received 0.02 mg/kg detomidine intravenously, followed by 2.2 mg/kg ketamine and 0.1 mg/kg diazepam by the same route, and also a local anesthesia with 30 mL lidocaine. As postoperative analgesia, the animals received 1.1 mg/kg flunixin meglumine IV (FIV) or 0.11 mg/kg flunixin meglumine into the GV1 acupoint (FGV). Behavioral parameters were assessed 12 hours before the procedure (baseline) and at 4, 6, 12, and 24 hours after surgery; physiological parameters were measured at baseline and at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, and 24 hours after surgery. The groups did not differ regarding pain scores. Heart rate was higher in the FIV group than in the FGV group 2 hours after surgery (46 ± 5.2 bpm vs. 37 ± 8.2 bpm); gut sounds decreased at 2, 4, and 6 hours in both groups. The temperature showed a decrease after 2 hours compared with baseline in the FGV group, and the systolic blood pressure was higher in the FGV group than in the FIV group at 8 hours (158 ± 18.1 mmHg vs. 134 ± 14.5 mmHg), 10 hours (157 ± 15.5 mm Hg vs. 130 ± 11.5 mmHg), and 12 hours (151 ± 18.7 mmHg vs. 134 ± 15.8 mmHg). Pharmacopuncture was as effective as conventional dose and route of flunixin meglumine in horses that underwent elective castration under those conditions.

Effect of Methadone Combined With Acepromazine or Detomidine on Sedation and Dissociative Anesthesia in Healthy Horses.

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of methadone combined with detomidine or acepromazine on the quality of sedation and its influence over dissociative anesthesia in healthy horses. In a crossover design, seven horses were administered with 0.1 mg/kg methadone and 0.02 mg/kg detomidine intravenously (group MD) or 0.1 mg/kg methadone and 0.05 mg/kg acepromazine intravenously (group MA). Subsequently, anesthesia was induced with a combination of 2.2 mg/kg ketamine and 0.1 mg/kg midazolam intravenously. Descriptive scales and footages were used to evaluate the quality of sedation, induction, anesthesia maintenance, and recovery. Physiological parameters, arterial blood gas, and electrolytes were assessed from baseline to the recovery of anesthesia. The MA group showed lower arterial blood pressure and higher heart rate compared with the group MD. A slight decrease in arterial blood oxygen levels was observed after recumbency, more prominently in the MA group. There was no difference in the quality or time of induction or maintenance or recovery of anesthesia between groups. The results suggest that both premedication protocols produce good sedation and quality of anesthesia. Methadone combined with detomidine produced a good cardiopulmonary stability compared with methadone combined with acepromazine and might be safer to be used as premedication for dissociative anesthesia compared with methadone combined with acepromazine in healthy horses.

Como saber se as maternidades promovem uma experiência positiva de parto às mulheres?: estudo sobre elaboração e validação de um instrumento de avaliação / How do we know if maternity services promote a positive childbirth experience for women?: elaboration and validation of an evaluation tool

Introdução: Garantir a universalização do acesso à assistência não implica em melhores indicadores maternos e neonatais. Diante disso, foi proposto a Iniciativa Hospital Amigo da Mulher e da Criança (IHAMC), com o objetivo de promover melhorias na qualidade da atenção ao parto e nascimento. Também é crescente a quantidade de recomendações sobre a promoção de experiências positivas de parto, uma vez que, muitas mulheres ainda são assistidas em um modelo intervencionista, como é o caso brasileiro. Apesar disso, faltam instrumentos validados que visibilizem a qualidade da assistência oferecida nas maternidades brasileiras, incluindo a perspectiva das mulheres. Objetivos: Elaborar e validar um instrumento que avalia a qualidade da assistência nas maternidades. Métodos: Após o uso do Termômetro de Segurança da Maternidade (TSM), considerou-se a elaboração de um instrumento novo, o termômetro da IHAMC (T-IHAMC). A avaliação da validade de conteúdo desse instrumento foi realizada por um comitê composto por oito especialistas, que incluiu uma representante das usuárias da maternidade. Além de alterações no instrumento, as interações com o comitê resultaram estimativas de porcentagens de concordância e índices de validade de conteúdo. Também foram conduzidos pré-testes do instrumento. Para avaliar a estabilidade de questões sobre a experiência geral das puérperas com o atendimento, foi realizado o teste-reteste com um intervalo de 10 a 15 dias, e estimados coeficientes de Fleiss Kappa, níveis de significância de 5% e intervalos de confiança de 95%. Resultados: O TSM identificou aspectos fundamentais sobre a segurança materna, no entanto, a experiência do uso desse instrumento também mostrou desvantagens, que foram levadas em consideração à elaboração do T-IHAMC. A versão final do T-IHAMC contemplou 69 questões distribuídas em três blocos (admissão, internação e pós-alta). Os blocos de questões, as questões, as instruções e o formato do T-IHAMC foram avaliados como adequados ou ideais à validação de conteúdo. Também se verificou que as mulheres compreenderam as questões do instrumento de modo adequado após os pré-testes. Quanto à estabilidade, as respostas a algumas questões do T-IHAMC mostraram-se mais instáveis que outras com o passar do tempo. Na comparação do teste-reteste, as avaliações sobre ter privacidade durante a internação e ter as escolhas respeitadas pelos profissionais da maternidade pioraram, bem como os quesitos recomendação da maternidade para outra mulher e avaliação da segurança da assistência recebida. Conclusões: Os resultados derivados do T-IHAMC têm potencial para subsidiar a discussão sobre a qualidade da assistência oferecida nas maternidades, e constituir indicadores sobre as experiências das mulheres com o atendimento recebido durante o parto. Apesar da elevada proporção de avaliações negativas sobre aspectos que compõem a experiência geral das mulheres independente do momento de aplicação do instrumento, a condução de entrevistas por telefone com as puérperas após alguns dias da alta constituiu na estratégia mais adequada para a realização das perguntas do bloco pós-alta do T-IHAMC.

Introduction: Ensuring universal access to health services does not mean better maternal and neonatal outcomes. Thus, the Mother-Baby Friendly Birthing Facilities (MBFBF) was launched to improve the quality of facility-based care. There is also a growing number of recommendations on intrapartum care for a positive childbirth experience, since many women are still assisted in an interventionist model, as is the case of Brazil. Therefore, validated tools that measure the quality of care provided in Brazilian maternity services, including women's perspectives, are needed. Aim: To develop and validate a tool to evaluate the quality of care in maternity services. Methods: After using the Maternity Safety Thermometer (MST), it was developed a new tool, the MBFBF thermometer. The content validity was carried out by a committee composed of eight experts, which included a maternity service user representative. In addition to tool changes, interactions with the committee resulted in agreement percentages and content validity indices. Pre-tests were also conducted. To assess the stability of questions about the overall experience of postpartum women with care, the test-retest was performed with an interval of 10 to 15 days, and estimated Fleiss Kappa coefficients, significance levels of 5% and confidence intervals of 95%. Results: The TSM identified fundamental aspects of maternal safety, however, the experience of using this tool also showed disadvantages that were taken into consideration when designed MBFBF thermometer. The final version of the MBFBF thermometer included 69 questions distributed in three blocks (booking, admission and discharge). The MBFBF thermometer question blocks, questions, instructions, and format were assessed as appropriate or ideal for content validation. It was also found that women understood the questions properly after the pre-tests. As for stability, the answers to some T-IHAMC questions proved to be more unstable than others over time. In the test-retest comparison, assessments of having privacy during admission and having choices respected by maternity professionals worsened, as well as maternity recommendation for another woman and assessment of the safety of care received. Conclusions: Results from the MBFBF thermometer have the potential to support the discussion about quality of facility-based care, and to provide women's experiences indicators. Despite the high proportion of negative evaluations on aspects that make up the overall experience of women regardless of the moment of application of the tool, conducting telephone interviews with postpartum woman after a few days of maternity discharge was the most appropriate strategy for the discharge question block of MBFBF thermometer.

Como superar a cultura da imobilização física das parturientes? Resultados parciais de estudo de intervenção em São Paulo, SP, Brasil / ¿Cómo superar la cultura de la inmovilización física de las parturientas? Resultados parciales de estudio de intervención en São Paulo, Estado de São Paulo, Brasil / Overcoming the culture of physical immobilization of birthing women in Brazilian healthcare system? Findings of an intervention study in São Paulo, Brazil

Superar a cultura de imobilização física no trabalho de parto e no parto ainda é um desafio no Brasil. Este trabalho identificou facilitadores e obstáculos para a implementação de maior liberdade de posição, em projeto-piloto da Iniciativa Hospital Amigo da Mulher e da Criança numa maternidade do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) de São Paulo, Brasil, usando metodologia orientada pelo Laboratório de Mudança (LM). A percepção de gestores e profissionais de saúde mostrou-se discrepante das opiniões das usuárias e do que foi observado. A liberdade de movimentação pareceu mais respeitada durante o trabalho de parto do que no parto. Frequentemente, as parturientes eram "posicionadas" em litotomia, considerada pelos profissionais "instintiva" ou "preferência" feminina, enquanto as mulheres relatavam não tomar iniciativas por temerem repreensões. Adequações simples da ambiência e treinamento dos profissionais para atender partos em posições não supinas podem contribuir para promover mudanças.

Superar la cultura de inmovilización física en el trabajo de parto y en el parto todavía constituye un desafío en Brasil. Este trabajo identificó facilitadores y obstáculos para la implementación de mayor libertad de posición, en proyecto piloto de la Iniciativa Hospital Amigo de la Mujer y del Niño en una maternidad del Sistema Brasileño de Salud (SUS) en São Paulo (Estado de São Paulo, Brasil) utilizando la metodología orientada por el Laboratorio de Cambio (LM, por sus siglas en portugués). La percepción de gestores y profesionales de salud se mostró discrepante de las opiniones de las usuarias y de lo observado. La libertad de movimiento pareció ser más respetada durante el trabajo de parto que en el parto. Frecuentemente, las parturientas eran "colocadas" en litotomía, considerada por los profesionales "instintiva" o "preferencia" femenina, mientras que las mujeres relataban que no tomaban iniciativas por miedo de reprensiones. Adecuaciones simples del ambiente y de la capacitación de los profesionales para atender partos en posiciones no supinas pueden contribuir para promover cambios.

Overcoming the culture of physical immobilization during labor and birth remains a challenge in Brazil. This study identified facilitators and barriers to implementing freedom of movement throughout labor and birth in a pilot project of the Mother-Baby Friendly Birthing Facilities Initiative in a public maternity facility in São Paulo, Brazil using the Change Laboratory methodology. There was a divergence between health managers' and professionals' perceptions of maternal care practice and those of the service users and the observations made in the facility. Freedom of movement seemed to be more respected during labor than at birth. Birthing mothers were regularly "positioned" in the lithotomy position, considered by health professionals to be an "instinctive" or "preferred" position. Women reported that they failed to take the initiative to move for fear of being reprimanded by health professionals. Simple changes to the ambience and professional training for health professionals in care provision in nonsupine positions could help foster change.

Caesarean birth rates in public and privately funded hospitals: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine maternal and obstetric factors influencing births by cesarean section according to health care funding. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with data from Southeastern Brazil. Caesarean section births from February 2011 to July 2012 were included. Data were obtained from interviews with women whose care was publicly or privately funded, and from their obstetric and neonatal records. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to generate crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) for caesarean section births. RESULTS: The overall caesarean section rate was 53% among 9,828 women for whom data were available, with the highest rates among women whose maternity care was privately funded. Reasons for performing a c-section were infrequently documented in women's maternity records. The variables that increased the likelihood of c-section regardless of health care funding were the following: paid employment, previous c-section, primiparity, antenatal and labor complications. Older maternal age, university education, and higher socioeconomic status were only associated with c-section in the public system. CONCLUSIONS: Higher maternal socioeconomic status was associated with greater likelihood of a caesarean section birth in publicly funded settings, but not in the private sector, where funding source alone determined the mode of birth rather than maternal or obstetric characteristics. Maternal socioeconomic status and private healthcare funding continue to drive high rates of caesarean section births in Brazil, with women who have a higher socioeconomic status more likely to have a caesarean section birth in all birth settings.

Caesarean birth rates in public and privately funded hospitals: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To examine maternal and obstetric factors influencing births by cesarean section according to health care funding. METHODS A cross-sectional study with data from Southeastern Brazil. Caesarean section births from February 2011 to July 2012 were included. Data were obtained from interviews with women whose care was publicly or privately funded, and from their obstetric and neonatal records. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to generate crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) for caesarean section births. RESULTS The overall caesarean section rate was 53% among 9,828 women for whom data were available, with the highest rates among women whose maternity care was privately funded. Reasons for performing a c-section were infrequently documented in women's maternity records. The variables that increased the likelihood of c-section regardless of health care funding were the following: paid employment, previous c-section, primiparity, antenatal and labor complications. Older maternal age, university education, and higher socioeconomic status were only associated with c-section in the public system. CONCLUSIONS Higher maternal socioeconomic status was associated with greater likelihood of a caesarean section birth in publicly funded settings, but not in the private sector, where funding source alone determined the mode of birth rather than maternal or obstetric characteristics. Maternal socioeconomic status and private healthcare funding continue to drive high rates of caesarean section births in Brazil, with women who have a higher socioeconomic status more likely to have a caesarean section birth in all birth settings.

Fatores associados à cesariana segundo fonte de financiamento na Região Sudeste: estudo transversal a partir dos dados de pesquisa Nascer no Brasil Inquérito Nacional sobre Parto e Nascimento / Factors associated with caesarean section according to funding source in the Southeast cross-sectional study from the survey data Birth in Brazil National Survey on Childbirth and Birth

Introdução: Sabe-se que a cesariana sem indicação clínica está associada a desfechos adversos para a saúde da mulher e de seus filhos a curto e longo prazos. A variação da proporção de cesáreas entre serviços e países não pode ser explicada somente por características inerentes à mulher. Fatores como a fonte de financiamento da assistência também têm forte influência sobre a via de nascimento. Objetivo: Descrever e comparar os fatores socioeconômicos, demográficos, clínicos e obstétricos associados à cesariana entre mulheres assistidas no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) e no setor de saúde suplementar (SSS). Método: Estudo transversal, a partir dos dados do inquérito Nascer no Brasil, referentes à Região Sudeste. A amostra foi composta por puérperas que tiveram recém-nascidos vivos, natimortos (peso 500 gramas e-ou idade gestacional 22 semanas) e parto normal ou cesariana, em hospitais com 500 partos em 2007. A associação entre a cesariana e as variáveis estudadas foi verificada por meio de regressão logística binária univariada e múltipla. Calcularam-se odds ratios (OR) brutas e ajustadas e intervalos de confiança (IC) de 95 por cento. Resultados: A amostra foi composta por 9.828 mulheres. A taxa de cesariana foi de 52,9 por cento , com proporção maior no SSS (84,0 por cento).

Introduction: Caesarean section without clinical reason is associated with women and their children adverse outcomes at short and long term. Variation of caesarean section rates among services and countries can not be explained only by women´s characteristics. Payment source has strong influence on the decision of mode of birth. Objective: To describe and compare socioeconomic, demographic, clinical and obstetric factors associated with caesarean section among women in public health system (SUS) and private health care sector (SSS). Methods: Cross-sectional study with Southeast´ data of "Born in Brazil" national survey. The sample included women who had live births or stillbirths (weighing 500 g and-or gestational age 22 weeks) and normal or caesarean deliveries, in hospitals with 500 births in 2007. The association between caesarean section and other variables was verified by univariate and multiple binary logistic regression, on which crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI) of 95 per cent were calculated. Results: The sample comprised 9,828 women. The caesarean section rate was 52.9 per cent , with higher proportion in SSS (84.0 per cent).