Where are the labor markets?: Examining the association between structural racism in labor markets and infant birth weight

Racist policies and practices that restrict Black, as compared to white workers, from employment may drive racial inequities in birth outcomes among workers. This study examined the association between structural racism in labor markets, measured at a commuting zone where workers live and commute to work, and low-birthweight birth. We found the deleterious effect of structural racism in labor markets among US-born Southern Black pregnant people of working age, but not among African- or Caribbean-born counterparts in any US region. Our analysis highlights the intersections of structural racism, culture, migration, and history of racial oppression that vary across regions and birth outcomes of Black workers.     

Emergency Care EMTALA Alterations During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States

The coronavirus 2019 pandemic has affected almost every aspect of health care delivery in the United States, and the emergency medicine system has been hit particularly hard while dealing with this public health crisis. In an unprecedented time in our history, medical systems and clinicians have been asked to be creative, flexible, and innovative, all while continuing to uphold the important standards in the US health care system. To continue providing quality services to patients during this extraordinary time, care providers, organizations, administrators, and insurers have needed to alter longstanding models and procedures to respond to the dynamics of a pandemic. The Emergency Medicine Treatment and Active Labor Act of 1986, or EMTALA, is 1 example of where these alterations have allowed health care facilities and clinicians to continue their work of caring for patients while protecting both the patients and the clinicians themselves from infectious exposures at the same time.     

某医疗机构核医学工作场所劳务派遣保洁人员的职业健康管理

近几年，"劳务派遣"成了医疗机构终末消毒、保洁、垃圾回收等工作新的用工形式。由于多数用工单位和用人单位不清楚对劳务派遣人员职业健康管理中各自应承担的责任和义务，以至于劳务派遣工在劳动过程中应享有的劳动保护权益未获得切实保障。本文就某医疗机构核医学工作场所劳务派遣保洁人员的职业健康管理监督案例进行讨论。     

不同浓度罗哌卡因复合舒芬太尼分娩镇痛对产妇产间发热的影响

目的研究不同浓度罗哌卡因复合舒芬太尼硬膜外注射用于分娩镇痛对产妇产间发热及致热因子的影响。方法适合阴道分娩、自愿要求分娩镇痛的初产妇120例,孕37～41周,年龄20～35岁,ASA I或Ⅱ级,随机分为三组:0.075%罗哌卡因组(A组)、0.1%罗哌卡因组(B组)和0.125%罗哌卡因组(C组),每组40例。宫口扩张至3 cm时实施硬膜外分娩镇痛,A组0.075%罗哌卡因+舒芬太尼0.5μg/ml;B组0.1%罗哌卡因+舒芬太尼0.5μg/ml;C组0.125%罗哌卡因+舒芬太尼0.5μg/ml。记录镇痛后1、2、3、4和5 h、胎儿娩出即刻、分娩后2 h产妇鼓膜温度;分别在镇痛前、胎儿娩出即刻及分娩后2 h采集产妇静脉血,测定血清IL-1β、IL-6、TNF-α浓度;记录产程时间;采用改良Bromage法评定三组产妇在镇痛后1 h及胎儿娩出即刻的运动神经阻滞程度。结果与镇痛前比较,镇痛后5 h及胎儿娩出即刻三组鼓膜温度明显升高,C组发热率明显高于A组和B组(P0.05)。与镇痛前比较,胎儿娩出即刻三组血清IL-1β、IL-6、TNF-α浓度明显升高(P0.05)。C组第二产程和镇痛时间明显长于A组和B组,B组第二产程和镇痛时间明显长于A组(P0.05)。三组运动神经阻滞程度差异无统计学意义。结论不同浓度罗哌卡因复合舒芬太尼硬膜外注射用于分娩镇痛均能产生良好的镇痛效果,低浓度罗哌卡因分娩镇痛产妇发热率低,产妇分娩期间发热与致热因子水平升高相关。     

Efeitos de tramadol,magnésio e cetamina por via intra‐articular sobre a dor pós‐operatória em meniscectomia artroscópica

Objective

Postoperative pain control is important in terms of early recovery and rehabilitation in arthroscopic meniscectomy. For this purpose, we aimed to compare the effects of intraarticular tramadol, magnesium, and ketamine with combinations of pericapsular bupivacaine on postoperative pain and recovery in arthroscopic meniscectomy.

The comparative accuracy of a handheld and console ultrasound device for neuraxial depth and landmark assessment

BackgroundThe study aimed to compare the accuracy of epidural depth estimation of a handheld ultrasound device, with an integrated algorithm that estimates epidural depth (AU; Accuro, Rivanna Medical), to that of a console ultrasound machine (GU; GE LOGIC^TM S8).MethodsWomen requesting labor epidural analgesia consented to this prospective cohort study. The L2/3, L3/4, and L4/5 interspaces and the respective depths to the epidural space were identified, marked and measured using an AU and GU. An anesthesia provider who was blinded to ultrasound depth measurements performed epidural analgesia at one of the ultrasound identified insertion points and recorded the Tuohy needle depth at loss-of-resistance. Bland Altman analysis was used to measure the agreement between the epidural depths measured by the AU and GU.ResultsA total of 47 women were analyzed. The mean ± standard deviation body mass index of the study cohort was 29 ± 5 kg/m² [range 23–45]. The mean difference between the epidural depths measured by the AU and GU was −0.29 cm [95% limit of agreement 0.50 to −0.91]. The mean difference between the depth to the epidural space measured by the GU versus the needle depth was −0.33 cm [95% CI −0.49 to −0.16]. The previously reported AU versus needle depth was −0.61 cm [95% CI −0.79 to −0.44].ConclusionThe AU and GU provided comparable epidural depth estimates. The AU device may be a reasonable alternative to more sophisticated ultrasound devices in determining the epidural space and depth in a non-obese obstetric population.     

Intravenous subdissociative-dose ketamine versus morphine for acute geriatric pain in the Emergency Department: A randomized controlled trial

Study objective

We compare the analgesic efficacy and safety of subdissociative intravenous-dose ketamine (SDK) versus morphine in geriatric Emergency Department (ED) patients.