Effect of magnesium sulfate with ketamine infusions on intraoperative and postoperative analgesia in cancer breast surgeries: a randomized double-blind trial

Abstract Background Opioids are the cornerstone in managing postoperative pain; however, they have many side effects. Ketamine and Magnesium (Mg) are NMDA receptor antagonists used as adjuvant analgesics to decrease postoperative opioid consumption. Objective We assumed that adding Mg to ketamine infusion can improve the intraoperative and postoperative analgesic efficacy of ketamine infusion alone in cancer breast surgeries. Methods Ninety patients aged between 18 and 65 years and undergoing elective cancer breast surgery were included in this prospective randomized, double-blind study. Group K received ketamine 0.5 mg.kg-1 bolus then 0.12 mg.kg-1.h-1 infusion for the first 24 hours postoperatively. Group KM: received ketamine 0.5 mg.kg-1 and Mg sulfate 50 mg.kg-1, then ketamine 0.12 mg.kg-1.h-1 and Mg sulfate 8 mg.kg-1.h-1 infusions for the first 24 hours postoperative. The primary outcome was the morphine consumption in the first 24 hours postoperative, while the secondary outcomes were: intraoperative fentanyl consumption, NRS, side effects, and chronic postoperative pain. Results Group KM had less postoperative opioid consumption (14.12 ± 5.11 mg) than Group K (19.43 ± 6.8 mg). Also, Group KM had less intraoperative fentanyl consumption. Both groups were similar in postoperative NRS scores, the incidence of side effects related to opioids, and chronic neuropathic pain. Conclusion Adding Mg to ketamine infusion can safely improve intraoperative and postoperative analgesia with opioid-sparing effect in cancer breast surgery.

Effect of magnesium sulfate with ketamine infusions on intraoperative and postoperative analgesia in cancer breast surgeries: a randomized double-blind trial.

BACKGROUND: Opioids are the cornerstone in managing postoperative pain; however, they have many side effects. Ketamine and Magnesium (Mg) are NMDA receptor antagonists used as adjuvant analgesics to decrease postoperative opioid consumption. OBJECTIVE: We assumed that adding Mg to ketamine infusion can improve the intraoperative and postoperative analgesic efficacy of ketamine infusion alone in cancer breast surgeries. METHODS: Ninety patients aged between 18 and 65 years and undergoing elective cancer breast surgery were included in this prospective randomized, double-blind study. Group K received ketamine 0.5.ßmg.kg...1 bolus then 0.12.ßmg.kg...1.h...1 infusion for the first 24.ßhours postoperatively. Group KM: received ketamine 0.5.ßmg.kg...1 and Mg sulfate 50.ßmg.kg...1, then ketamine 0.12.ßmg.kg...1.h...1 and Mg sulfate 8.ßmg.kg...1.h...1 infusions for the first 24.ßhours postoperative. The primary outcome was the morphine consumption in the first 24.ßhours postoperative, while the secondary outcomes were: intraoperative fentanyl consumption, NRS, side effects, and chronic postoperative pain. RESULTS: Group KM had less postoperative opioid consumption (14.12.ß...ß5.11.ßmg) than Group K (19.43.ß...ß6.8.ßmg). Also, Group KM had less intraoperative fentanyl consumption. Both groups were similar in postoperative NRS scores, the incidence of side effects related to opioids, and chronic neuropathic pain. CONCLUSION: Adding Mg to ketamine infusion can safely improve intraoperative and postoperative analgesia with opioid-sparing effect in cancer breast surgery.

Healthcare Providers' Perspective about the Use of Telemedicine in Egypt: A National Survey.

Incorporation of telemedicine in general clinical practice is becoming a compelling need nowadays in the context of COVID-19 pandemic and its consequent burdens on the healthcare systems. Though telemedicine appears to be appealing and carries a lot of advantages, yet it is still faced by many challenges and barriers especially in developing countries. Our aim was to explore the impression of healthcare providers about telemedicine and its applicability in clinical practice in Egypt. A cross-sectional study was conducted among healthcare providers from different Egyptian governorates through a web-based survey. The survey gathered information about demographic, socioeconomic features of the enrolled healthcare participants; their knowledge, previous experience, impression about telemedicine, advantages of telemedicine over traditional medical services, barriers that may face telemedicine, and additional services that can be provided by telemedicine were also explored. Our study enrolled 642 healthcare providers from all over Egypt, 43.77% were females, of which 55.5% were physicians, 27.3% were nurses, 6.1% were technicians, 7.6% were administrative clerks, and 3.6% were medical directors. Sixty-four percent of participants reported that they have never used telemedicine. Smartphones were the most commonly used mean in the group who used telemedicine (65%), and smartphone applications were the favorable telemedicine service for about 50% of participants. Participants assumed that the use of telemedicine might not have a negative effect on the doctor-patient relationship but raised some concerns regarding the privacy and security of patients' data. Despite the fact that telemedicine appears to be appealing and widely accepted by healthcare providers, yet still, its implementation is confronted by some obstacles. Precise organizational guidelines need to be developed to clearly figure out the exact role of each healthcare provider to minimize their doubtfulness about telemedicine and to facilitate its adoption.

Differential alterations in peripheral lymphocyte subsets in COVID-19 patients: upregulation of double-positive and double-negative T cells.

BACKGROUND: Viral infections cause alteration in the total number of lymphocytes and their subset distribution. We aimed to study peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in COVID-19 patients and to correlate these subsets with clinical and laboratory data, which may help in clarifying the pathogenesis to develop novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for COVID-19. METHODS: Twenty-six reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) confirmed COVID-19 patients were subjected to medical history-taking and a thorough clinical examination. Laboratory tests included complete blood count, D dimer, ferritin, and C-reactive protein (CRP). Chest CT was used to diagnose COVID-19 pneumonia. Lymphocyte subsets were compared with those in 20 healthy controls using flow cytometry. RESULTS: Leucopenia, relative neutrophilia, lymphopenia, eosinopenia together with marked elevation in neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio were observed in our COVID-19 patients. A marked reduction was observed in T cells, including both CD4 and CD8 cells, natural killer (NK), and natural killer T cells (NKT). Double-positive T (DPT) cells, double-negative T (DNT) cells, and B cells were elevated in the patients relative to the other lymphocyte subsets. CONCLUSION: Immune-inflammatory parameters are of utmost importance in understanding the pathogenesis and in the provisional diagnosis of COVID-19. Yet, adequate care must be taken during their interpretation because of the vast discrepancies observed between studies even in the same locality. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of B cells, DPT, and DNT cells in the pathogenesis and control of COVID-19.

Hypertonic saline for goal-directed therapy guided by Capstesia in gastrointestinal surgery: a randomized controlled study.

INTRODUCTION: Goal-directed fluid therapy (GDT) aims to increase stroke volume and cardiac output and improve gut perfusion. Hypertonic saline (HS) can restore the macro-and micro-circulation, increase myocardial contractility, and reduce tissue edema. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of intraoperative HS administration in GDT during gastrointestinal (GI) surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty patients who underwent GI surgery under general anesthesia were enrolled in this randomized controlled study. Patients received boluses of either lactated Ringer's (LR) solution, or 3% HS solution guided by an algorithm dependent on a smartphone application for estimations of pulse pressure variation (PPV). The primary outcome was the total amount of administered intraoperative crystalloid fluids in both groups. Serum sodium and time to first bowel movement after surgery were also recorded. RESULTS: In the HS group, patients received 1262.50 ± 318.25 mL of crystalloids compared to 2667.50 ± 670.29 mL received by patients in the LR group (P 0.05. CONCLUSIONS: The use of HS solution for GDT in GI surgery resulted in a beneficial reduction in positive fluid balance and possibly earlier resumption of bowel movements.

Circulating microparticles and activated platelets as novel prognostic biomarkers in COVID-19; relation to cancer.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The study aimed to determine whether the MPs levels and platelet activation are affected by the COVID-19 infection in both malignant and non-malignant patients compared to healthy individuals and define their contribution to the COVID-19 associated coagulopathy and the relation of these MPs to other hematologic parameters. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We recruited 23 malignant patients with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positive COVID-19, also, 19 COVID-19 non-malignant patients, and 20 healthy volunteers were also enrolled for comparison. Blood samples were collected from patients and healthy donors into 5 mL vacutainer tube containing 3.5% buffered sodium citrate solution for measurement of total microparticles (TMPs), platelet microparticles (PMPs), endothelial microparticles (EMPs), CD62 activated platelets, and CD41 platelet marker. RESULTS: COVID-19 malignant patients had significantly lower hemoglobin and platelets compared to COVID non-malignant ones, while they had significantly higher C-reactive protein, LDH, AST, Albunim, creatinine, and prognostic index (PI) compared to COVID-19 non-malignant patients. significant accumulations of TMPs, PMPs, EMPs, and activated platelets in COVID-19 affected patients compared to healthy controls. TMPs, and EMPs were significantly accumulated in COVID-19 malignant compared to COVID-19 non-malignant patients with no significant difference in PMPs between both. CONCLUSION: Circulating MPs and activated platelets may be promising novel prognostic biomarkers capable of identifying potentially severe COVID-19 patients who require immediate care especially in cancer patients.

Evaluation of the role of dexmedetomidine in improvement of the analgesic profile of thoracic paravertebral block in thoracic surgeries: A randomised prospective clinical trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Thoracic paravertebral block (TPB) is one of the effective methods for management of post-operative pain in thoracic surgeries. The aim of the study was to evaluate effectiveness of addition of dexmedetomidine to paravertebral block with bupivacaine in improving the postoperative pain relief and pulmonary functions in patients undergoing thoracic surgeries. METHODS: A prospective randomized double-blinded study was performed on forty patients scheduled for thoracic surgery. A paravertebral catheter was secured under ultrasound guidance preoperatively for all patients. Group B (n = 20) received a bolus dose of 0.25% bupivacaine at 0.3 mL/kg followed by continuous infusion of 0.125% bupivacaine 0.1 mL/kg/h. Group (BD) received a bolus dose of 0.25% bupivacaine + dexmedetomidine 1 µg/kg at 0.3 mL/kg followed by continuous infusion of dexmedetomidine 0.2 µg/kg/h + 0.125% bupivacaine 0.1 mL/kg/h. Anaesthesia technique was standardized for all patients. Postoperatively, all patients were assessed during first 24 hours for intraoperative fentanyl and post-operative morphine requirements, Visual Analogue Scores (VAS) scores at rest and during cough, and postoperative pulmonary functions. RESULTS: Post-operative morphine consumption in the first 24 hours and intraoperative fentanyl requirement were significantly less in group BD (2.95 ± 1.986 mg, 80.75 ± 31.551µg respectively) compared to group B (9.85 ± 3.468 mg, 186 ± 39.683 µg respectively). Group BD showed less VAS scores during cough and better postoperative pulmonary functions (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Addition of dexmedetomidine to paravertebral bupivacaine in patients undergoing thoracic surgeries provides more effective analgesia with improvement in post-operative pulmonary functions.

Evaluation of different doses of dexmedetomidine alone versus the combination of dexmedetomidine and fentanyl in sedation during awake fiberoptic intubation in oral cancer surgery patients: A prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Awake fiberoptic intubation (AFOI) is one of the principal techniques in the management of difficult airway in oral cancer surgery. We hypothesized that the addition of a small dose of fentanyl could improve the sedative criteria of dexmedetomidine during AFOI technique, without the need to increase the dose of dexmedetomidine which may be associated with airway compromise. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and fifty American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status 1 and 2 patients planned for AFOI for oral cancer surgery patients were allocated into three groups (fifty patients each). Group D1: Received an infusion of 1 µcg/kg dexmedetomidine diluted in 50 ml saline over 20 min. Group D2: Received an infusion of 2 µcg/kg dexmedetomidine diluted in 50 ml saline over 20 min. Group DF: Received an infusion of 1 µcg/kg dexmedetomidine added to 1 µcg/kg fentanyl diluted in 50 ml saline over 20 min. AFOI was done by topical anesthesia and with the same technique in all patients. All patients were assessed for: airway obstruction, intubation scores (vocal cord movement, coughing, and limb movement), fiberoptic intubation scores, and hemodynamic variables. Any episode of bradycardia or hypoxia was recorded and managed. RESULTS: Group D2 showed more incidence of airway obstruction than the other two groups. Limb movement scores were more in Group D1 compared to the other two groups. All groups were comparable as regard fiberoptic intubation scores, coughing, and vocal cord opening scores. CONCLUSION: Adding a low dose of fentanyl (1 µcg/kg) to a low dose of dexmedetomidine can prevent the risk of airway obstruction associated with increasing the dose of dexmedetomidine while achieving the same favorable intubation scores.

Comparative randomised study of GlideScope® video laryngoscope versus flexible fibre-optic bronchoscope for awake nasal intubation of oropharyngeal cancer patients with anticipated difficult intubation.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Awake flexible fibre-optic bronchoscope (FFS) is the standard method of intubation in difficult airway in oral cancer patients. We decided to evaluate GlideScope® video laryngoscope (GL) for intubation as compared to the standard FFS for nasal intubation in such patients. METHODS: After the ethical committee approval, we included 54 oropharyngeal cancer patients divided randomly into two equal groups: Group G and Group F. After pre-medication and pre-oxygenation, awake nasal intubation was performed using GL in Group G and FFS in Group F. In both groups, we compared intubation time in seconds (mean ± standard deviation) (primary outcome), success rate of the first intubation attempt, percentage of Cormack and Lehane glottic score and incidence of complications. We assumed that GL could be a suitable alternative for the standard FFS in nasal intubation of patients with oropharyngeal cancer. Success rate of the first attempt and Cormack and Lehane glottic score were compared using Chi-square test. RESULTS: Intubation time in seconds was significantly shorter in Group G (70.85 ± 8.88 S) than in Group F (90.26 ± 9.41 S) with (P < 0.001). The success rate of the first attempt intubation was slightly higher in Group G (81.5%) than Group F (78.8%). Cormack and Lehane glottic Score I and II showed insignificant difference between both Group G (92.6%) and Group F (96.3%). We detected three cases of sore throat in each group. CONCLUSION: GlideScope® could be a suitable alternative to FFS in nasal intubation of oropharyngeal cancer patients.

Comparison of pregabalin versus ketamine in postoperative pain management in breast cancer surgery.

BACKGROUND: Breast surgery compromises one of the most common cancer surgeries in females and commonly followed by acute postoperative pain. Pregabalin and ketamine have been used in many previous studies and was found to have a good analgesic profile. We assumed that pregabalin and ketamine can be used in control of postoperative pain in female patients undergoing breast cancer surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ninety female patients scheduled for cancer breast surgery were allocated in three groups (30 patients each), control group (group c) received preoperative placebo, pregabalin group (group p) received oral 150 mg pregabalin 1 h before surgery, ketamine group (group k) received intravenous (IV) 0.5 mg/kg ketamine with induction of anesthesia followed by 0.25 mg/kg/h IV throughout the surgery. All patients received general anesthesia and after recovery, the three groups were assessed in the first postoperative 24 h for postoperative visual analog scale (VAS), total 24 h morphine consumption, incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), sedation score >2 and any complications from the drugs used in the study. RESULTS: The use of pregabalin or ketamine was found to reduce total postoperative morphine consumption with P < 0.001. There was no difference between pregabalin and ketamine groups in opioid requirement. There was no difference between the three groups in postoperative VAS scores or incidence of PONV and sedation score >2. CONCLUSION: The use of preoperative oral 150 mg pregabalin 1 h before surgery or IV 0.5 mg ketamine with induction of anesthesia can reduce postoperative opioid consumption in breast cancer surgery without change in sedation or PONV and with a good safety profile.