Lumbar Erector Spinae Plane Block for Total Hip Arthroplasty Comparing 24-Hour Opioid Requirements: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Design: Prospective, randomized, controlled trial. Patients. Sixty-three adult patients with an American Society of Anesthesiologists Status I-III who are undergoing elective primary total hip arthroplasty. Interventions. Patients were randomized to the control group (no block) or the ESPB group (preoperative ultrasound-guided lumbar ESPB). Intraoperatively, all patients received spinal anesthesia with moderate sedation. Postoperatively, patients received a standardized multimodal analgesia protocol. Measurements. The primary outcome was cumulative opioid consumption at 24 hours postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included cumulative opioid consumption at 8 hours and through 48 hours postoperatively and pain scores at 24 and 48 hours post surgery. Main Results. Thirty-one patients were randomized to the control group (spinal alone) and 32 patients to the ESPB group. The median opioid requirement in the first 8 hours after surgery was higher in the control group (28 mg of oral morphine equivalents (OME) versus 5 mg of OME in the ESPB group) (p = 0.013). There was no statistically significant difference in opioid consumption between the groups at 24 hours (p = 0.153) or 48 hours (p = 0.357) postoperatively. There was no statistically significant difference in pain scores between the two groups through 24 hours (p = 0.143) or 48 hours (p = 0.617) after surgery. Conclusion: Lumbar ESPB reduces opioid utilization during the first 8 hours postoperatively after total hip arthroplasty but not thereafter. Evaluating the use of either adding a local anesthetic adjunct to the ESPB or using longer-acting local anesthetic warrants further investigation.

Step length and fall risk in adults with chronic kidney disease: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic kidney disease commonly experience gait abnormalities, which predispose to falls and fall-related injuries. An unmet need is the development of improved methods for detecting patients at high risk of these complications, using tools that are feasible to implement in nephrology practice. Our prior work suggested step length could be such a marker. Here we explored the use of step length as a marker of gait impairment and fall risk in adults with chronic kidney disease. METHODS: We performed gait assessments in 2 prospective studies of 82 patients with stage 4 and 5 chronic kidney disease (n = 33) or end-stage renal disease (ESRD) (n = 49). Gait speed and step length were evaluated during the 4-m walk component of the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Falls within 6 months prior to or following enrollment were identified by questionnaire. Associations of low step length (≤47.2 cm) and slow gait speed (≤0.8 m/s) with falls were examined using logistic regression models adjusted for demographics and diabetes and peripheral vascular disease status. RESULTS: Assessments of step length were highly reproducible (r = 0.88, p < 0.001 for duplicate measurements at the same visit; r = 0.78, p < 0.001 between baseline and 3-month evaluations). Patients with low step length had poorer physical function, including lower SPPB scores, slower gait speed, and lower handgrip strength. Although step length and gait speed were highly correlated (r = 0.73, p < 0.001), one-third (n = 14/43) of patients with low step length did not have slow gait speed. Low step length and slow gait speed were each independently associated with the likelihood of falls (odds ratio (OR) 3.90 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-14.60) and OR 4.25 (95% CI 1.24-14.58), respectively). Compared with patients who exhibited neither deficit, those with both had a 6.55 (95% CI 1.40-30.71) times higher likelihood of falls, and the number of deficits was associated with a graded association with falls (p trend = 0.02). Effect estimates were similar after further adjustment for ESRD status. CONCLUSIONS: Step length and gait speed may contribute additively to the assessment of fall risk in a general adult nephrology population.

Factors Associated With Hospitalization in Children and Adolescents With SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

In this retrospective study of 319 children with laboratory-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, we assessed whether age, asthma, obesity, diabetes, and socioeconomic status were associated with hospitalization for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Demographic and clinical characteristics were assessed using univariate statistics, excluding incidental or unrelated positives. There was a bimodal distribution of age among hospitalized children. Obesity (P < .001) and a past medical history of diabetes (P = .001) were significantly more prevalent in hospitalized children, including cases of new-onset diabetes and diabetic ketoacidosis. Neither a past medical history of asthma nor lower socioeconomic status was associated with hospitalization. Although limited to a single center, the findings in this study may have important clinical implications. Targeted, proactive health outreach to children with obesity and diabetes, with prioritization of preventative efforts such as vaccination, may be important in preventing worse SARS-CoV-2 infection in this vulnerable group.

Increased incidence of post-operative respiratory failure in patients with pre-operative SARS-CoV-2 infection.

OBJECTIVE: While studies have reported increased post-operative pulmonary complications with SARS-CoV-2 infection, many are limited by use of historical controls or focus on less severe respiratory complications. We characterized the association between pre-operative SARS-CoV-2 infection and post-operative respiratory failure (PORF). DESIGN AND SETTING: This was a single center retrospective cohort study in New York City between March 14-June 14, 2020. PATIENTS: Exclusion criteria were age < 18-years, obstetric procedures, absence of SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing, and pre-operative respiratory failure. A total of 778 patients met criteria, of which 87 had SARS-CoV-2. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome, PORF, included inability to extubate for ≥24 h or unplanned re-intubation within 5 days. Multiple exposures were measured including SARS-CoV-2 infection 4 weeks before or 5 days after surgery. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to adjust for pre-operative hypoxemia, oxygen use, and pneumonia as well as tachycardia, gender, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), Surgical Mortality Probability Model (S-MPM) index, and peri-operative blood transfusion. MAIN RESULTS: SARS-CoV patients had higher CCI (P = 0.007) and S-MPM scores (P = 0.02). The incidence of PORF was 16% versus 7% in uninfected comparators (P = 0.001). Amongst infected individuals, 39% exhibited symptoms of COVID-19 and PORF was more common in these patients compared to asymptomatic individuals (26% vs. 9%, P = 0.04). Adjusted analysis revealed increased odds of PORF with infection (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.2-6.2). This persisted even when adjusting for probable mediators such as pre-operative hypoxemia. Infected patients also demonstrated increased adjusted odds of 30-day mortality (OR 3.5, 95% CI 1.4-9.1). CONCLUSIONS: Detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection within 4 weeks before or 5 days after surgery is associated with increased odds of 5-day PORF and 30-day mortality. This supports delaying elective surgery, but questions remain regarding the applicability of this recommendation for asymptomatic patients needing urgent or semi-urgent procedures such as oncologic surgery.

The role of perceived friend depression and perceived stigma on self-reported depression among individuals who use drugs.

Depression and substance use are highly comorbid, and stigmatized, mental health conditions influenced by social network factors. The objective of this study was to explore the role of perceived depression and perceived mental health stigma among friends on self-reported depression over time. Between 2009 and 2012, 527 participants who used drugs completed baseline and 6-month follow-up surveys in Baltimore, Maryland. Logistic regression was used to assess whether perceived depression and stigma among friends were associated with personal depressive status before and after accounting for depressive status at baseline. A total of 309 participants (58.6%) had depressive symptoms at baseline, while 207 participants (39.3%) had depressive symptoms at follow-up. Not accounting for baseline depression, perceiving friends as being depressed (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.12, 1.56]) and as having stigmatizing attitudes toward mental health conditions (AOR = 1.92, 95% CI [1.31, 2.79]) were associated with increased odds of personal depression. After accounting for baseline depression, the relationship between personal depression and perceived stigma was marginally significant, while the relationship between personal depression and perceived depression among friends was attenuated. These results suggest that baseline depression is the largest predictor of follow-up depression. Future research should explore whether specific aspects of perceived stigma independently account for personal depression.