Impact of Preoperative Information on Anxiety and Disease-Related Knowledge in Women Undergoing Mastectomy for Breast Cancer: a Randomized Clinical Trial

Introduction : Despite the large number of clinical trials on breast cancer, patient-related factors such as perioperative anxiety and level of knowledge about the disease and treatment have not been included in mainstream research efforts. This randomized trial was performed to evaluate the impact of information, provided preoperatively, on anxiety and knowledge of women undergoing mastectomy for breast cancer.

Methods : Sixty consecutive patients with breast cancer, admitted for a mastectomy, as primary treatment for breast cancer, with no previous cancer history, were randomized to receive structured information (short video about practical aspects of the hospital stay, surgical and adjuvant treatment) in addition to the routine informed consent procedure for surgery or the routine informed consent only. Anxiety and subjective knowledge levels were measured with the visual analogue scales; in addition, knowledge was assessed with a questionnaire.

Results : There was no significant effect of the additional information on perioperative anxiety or knowledge (subjective). Significantly more patients in the additional information group correctly listed all major available treatment options compared to the patients that received routine information (preoperatively 54% vs. 19%; p = 0.0101; 7 days postoperatively 50% vs.19%; p = 0.0367).

Conclusions : Use of an informational video, preoperatively, did not significantly affect perioperative anxiety or subjective knowledge. Additional research is needed on effective delivery of disease-and treatment-specific information perioperatively.     

Predictors of emotional outcomes of intensive care

Negative emotional outcomes (anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress) have been identified in patients discharged from intensive care. The aims of this prospective, longitudinal study were to assess levels of and changes in emotional outcome after intensive care, and to explore how these relate to objective and subjective indicators of the intensive care experience. Emotional outcome was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression and Impact of Event Scales. Anxiety (p = 0.046) and depression (p = 0.001) were reduced subsequently, but not avoidance (p = 0.340) or intrusion (p = 0.419). Most objective (age, gender, length of ICU and hospital stay) and subjective indicators (as measured by the Intensive Care Experience Questionnaire) of the intensive care experience were related to negative emotional outcome. Subjective interpretation of the intensive care experience emerged as a consistent predictor of adverse emotional outcome, in both the short- and the long-term.     

Comparisons of pelvic floor muscle performance, anxiety, quality of life and life stress in women with dry overactive bladder compared with asymptomatic women

Study Type – Therapy (case control) Level of Evidence 3b What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Abnormal pelvic floor muscle function has been associated with chronic pelvic pain syndromes. This study adds evidence about pelvic muscle performance in women with dry overactive bladders.

OBJECTIVES

• ? To determine if pelvic floor muscle surface electromyography (sEMG) measurements differed between women with dry overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms and asymptomatic controls.
• ? To determine whether pelvic floor muscle performance was associated with anxiety scores, quality of life and life stress measures

PATIENTS AND METHODS

• ? We enrolled 28 women with urinary urgency and frequency without urinary incontinence, and 28 age‐matched controls.
• ? sEMG was used to assess pelvic muscle performance.
• ? Participants also completed the Beck Anxiety Inventory, Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory, Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire and Recent Life Changes Questionnaire.

RESULTS

• ? Anxiety scores were significantly higher in women with dry OAB than in controls.
• ? No significant differences were found in sEMG measures of pelvic muscle contraction or relaxation between the two groups
• ? There was no significant correlation between sEMG pretest resting baseline measurements and the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory, the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire or life stress scores among symptomatic women
• ? As expected, women with dry OAB had significantly higher scores on the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory and Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire.

CONCLUSIONS

• ? This study supports a relationship between dry OAB symptoms and anxiety that warrants further exploration.
• ? Resting sEMG baselines were not elevated and did not support the hypothesis that women with dry OAB are unable to relax their pelvic floor muscles.

     

Giving parents written information about children's anesthesia: Are setting and timing important?

BACKGROUND: Research indicates that parents wish to receive more information and are anxious about anesthesia prior to their child's surgery. METHODS: A pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted to ascertain if parents who received a general anesthesia information leaflet by post 1 week following their presurgical assessment clinic visit (n = 19) had greater knowledge, reduced anxiety, or greater satisfaction with anesthetic information on the day of surgery than parents who received the leaflet at the clinic visit (n = 21). RESULTS: Parents had important knowledge deficits on the day of surgery, despite receiving the leaflet in addition to standard verbal communication. Parents who were given the leaflet at the presurgical assessment clinic had a modest 10% increase in knowledge compared with parents who received the leaflet by post. However, parents who received the leaflet within 2 weeks for their child's surgery also had 10% greater knowledge, regardless of the method of delivery. There were no differences in parental anxiety or satisfaction with the information related to method or timing of delivery. Parents appreciated receiving written information and a slight majority of parents (56%) preferred to receive the information at the presurgical assessment clinic visit. CONCLUSIONS: Parents have unmet information needs related to children's anesthetic care. Written information may improve parent knowledge and enhance satisfaction, but the setting and timing of information delivery are also important to consider.     

Pelvic floor training improves faecal incontinence and obstructed defaecation despite the presence of rectal intussusception

Background

Rectal intussusception is often observed in patients with faecal incontinence and obstructed defaecation. The aim of this study is to assess if pelvic floor training improves faecal incontinence and obstructed defaecation in patients with rectal intussusception.

Methods

Case notes of all patients referred to Bankstown Hospital Pelvic Floor Clinic between 2013 and 2018 for the management of faecal incontinence and obstructed defaecation and rectal intussusception were retrospectively reviewed using a prospectively maintained database. St Mark's faecal incontinence and Cleveland clinic constipation scores were obtained from patients before and after they underwent pelvic floor training.

Results

One hundred and thirty-one patients underwent pelvic floor training at Bankstown Hospital Pelvic Floor Clinic between 2013 and 2018. Sixty-one patients had rectal intussusception (22 low-grade and 39 high-grade). Median St Marks score improved following pelvic floor training from 8 to 1 (P < 0.001). Median Cleveland Clinic constipation score improved from 8 to 5 (P < 0.001). In patients with low grade rectal intussusception, pelvic floor training improved median St Mark's score from 3 to 0 (P = 0.003), whereas Cleveland Clinic constipation score improved from 9 to 7 (P < 0.001). In patients with high-grade rectal intussusception, pelvic floor training improved median St Mark's score from 9 to 2 (P < 0.001), whereas median Cleveland Clinic constipation score improved from 8 to 4 (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Pelvic floor training without biofeedback therapy improves faecal incontinence and obstructed defaecation. Improvement in symptoms is unrelated to rectal intussusception observed on proctography or at examination under anaesthesia in these patients.     

Simple pain relief score by observers (PRSO) for assessing chronic pain

In 56 patients with severe chronic pain, pain relief was evaluated by observation of changes in activities of daily life (ADL), drug intake, and patients' mood. The degree of pain relief was scored on the basis of these evaluations by a pain clinic physician, a nurse, and a member of the patient's family. The resulting score was termed “pain relief score by observers” (PRSO). Subjective pain relief was evaluated by the visual analogue scale (VAS). Although a significant correlation (rS=0.755,P<0.001) was demonstrated between the mean PRSO and VAS values, there was some dissociation between the two values in patients with underlying personal problems such as compensation lawsuits or job loss. The results suggest that an objective evaluation of pain relief is possible by PRSO alone without subjective assessment, and that PRSO can be used for patients with various types of pain. Combined assessment of pain relief by the VAS and PRSO methods may be useful to detect the influence of personal background factors in patients with chronic pain.     

Subjective and objective outcomes 1 year after robotic-assisted laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy

We aimed to assess the subjective and objective outcomes 1 year after robotic sacrocolpopexy using a type I polypropylene mesh. This was a case series of 64 patients who underwent a robotic-assisted laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy using a type I monofilament polypropylene mesh coated with hydrophilic porcine collagen. Objective and subjective outcomes were assessed using the pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q), the short forms of the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire (PFIQ 7) and the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20). Outcome measures were collected pre-operatively and 1 year post-operatively on all but one patient, who was lost to follow-up. Paired comparisons between pre- and post-operative outcomes were performed using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. At 1 year, POP-Q stage II or greater and loss of follow-up were considered to be surgical failure. The “surgical cure” rate was 89%. We observed three distal anterior failures, two distal posterior failures and one apical failure, and one patient was lost to follow-up. We found significant differences between pre- and post-operative POP-Q measurements (p < 0.001) and PFDI-20/PFIQ-7 total scores (p < 0.001). Robotic sacrocolpopexy using this polypropylene mesh resulted in significant improvements in subjective and objective outcome measures at 1 year.     

Prospective study of an ultra-lightweight polypropylene Y mesh for robotic sacrocolpopexy

Introduction and hypothesis

To prospectively evaluate the use of a particular polypropylene Y mesh for robotic sacrocolpopexy.

Methods

This was a prospective study of 120 patients who underwent robotic sacrocolpopexy. We compared preoperative and 12-month postoperative objective and subjective assessments via the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q), the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory, Short Form 20 (PFDI-20); the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire, Short Form 7 (PFIQ-7); and the Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire 12 (PISQ-12). Objective “anatomical success” was defined as POP-Q stage 0 or 1 at all postoperative intervals. We further defined “clinical cure” by simultaneously considering POP-Q points and subjective measures. To be considered a “clinical cure,” a given patient had to have all POP-Q points ≤0, apical POP-Q point C ≤5, no reported pelvic organ prolapse symptoms on the PFDI-20, and no reoperation for prolapse at all postoperative intervals.

Results

Of the 120 patients, 118 patients completed the 1-year follow-up. The objective “anatomical success” rate was 89 % and the “clinical cure” rate was 94 %. The PFDI-20 mean score improved from 100.4 at baseline to 21.0 at 12 months (p?<?0.0001); PFIQ-7 scores improved from 61.6 to 8.0 (p?<?0.0001); and PISQ-12 scores improved from 35.7 to 38.6 (p?<?0.0009). No mesh erosions or mesh-related complications occurred.

Conclusion

The use of this ultra-lightweight Y mesh for sacrocolpopexy, eliminated the mesh-related complications in the first postoperative year, and provided significant improvement in subjective and objective outcomes.     

Patient versus surgeon satisfaction after total hip arthroplasty

We compared patient satisfaction with surgeon satisfaction after total hip arthroplasty (THA) in a group of 193 patients (200 THAs, mean follow-up six years) using a visual analogue scale (VAS), and two objective and two subjective scoring systems. We also determined the survival rate with different endpoints. For the 121 hips available for clinical follow-up, we did not find a significant difference in satisfaction between patient and surgeon. In a subgroup with low patient satisfaction, the surgeon was more satisfied than the patient (p = 0.04). The correlation between the patient satisfaction VAS and the different subjective and objective scoring systems suggests that pain during activity is the most important factor for the patient. The survivorship at six years decreased from 96.6% to 83.7% if dissatisfaction (VAS > 20) was added to revision as an endpoint in the survival analysis. The patient satisfaction VAS provides additional information to evaluate the outcome of THA. We recommend the use of both subjective and objective scoring systems to evaluate the outcome of THA.     

The effect of intra-operative video on patient anxiety

We conducted a randomised controlled study to evaluate whether watching video compact discs intra-operatively using a liquid crystal display (LCD) unit decreased anxiety. Forty-four patients undergoing elective surgery under regional anaesthesia were assigned to either the LCD or control group. Anxiety was measured using the Chinese version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and visual analogue score (VAS). The mean (SD) anxiety trait scores were 46.15 (6.28) and 46.40 (7.32) in the control and LCD groups, respectively. The state anxiety of the LCD group [35.50 (7.96)] measured immediately postoperatively was significantly lower than the control group [41.50 (9.02); p = 0.03]. The median (range) reduction in VAS anxiety score was not significantly greater in the LCD group [20 (20 to 80) mm] compared with the control group [12.5 (70 to 60) mm]. Watching video intra-operatively reduces patient anxiety as measured by the STAI.     

Avaulta solo~(TM)骨盆底修复系统联合TVT-O治疗阴道前壁脱垂合并压力性尿失禁的临床研究

目的:观察Avaulta soloTM骨盆底修复系统联合经闭孔经阴道无张力尿道中段悬吊术(TVT-O)治疗盆腔器官脱垂(POP)合并压力性尿失禁(SUI)的临床效果。方法:2011年1月~2012年2月我院收治阴道前壁脱垂合并SUI患者28例,同期行Avaulta骨盆底修复和TVT-O。术后定期随访,以盆腔脏器定量分度法(POP-Q)作为客观疗效评价指标,以盆腔器官脱垂/尿失禁性功能问卷(PISQ-12),盆底功能障碍影响问卷简版(PFIQ-7),盆底困扰量表简表(PFDI-20)作为主观治愈指标。结果:28例患者手术均顺利完成,手术时间(116.1±23.6)min,估计手术出血量为(83.9±54.4)ml,术后平均住院时间为(6.6±3.1)d。客观治愈率92.9%。随访24~36个月,平均25.7个月,术后2年主观评价量表各项与术前比较,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。2例(7.1%)手术失败患者中1例术后仍有明显压力性尿失禁,另1例术后1周左右出现阴道前壁脱垂。另外有1例(3.6%)复发SUI。结论:Avaulta骨盆底修复系统同期联合TVT-O治疗阴道前壁脱垂合并SUI短期疗效确切,简便微创。     

Comparison of anxiety before induction of anaesthesia in the anaesthetic room or operating theatre

Anxiety before induction of anaesthesia was studied in 100 patients who were allocated randomly to one of two groups. Patients in one group were anaesthetised in an anaesthetic room and those in the other group were anaesthetised inside the operating theatre. Both subjective and objective induces of anxiety were used in the comparison. Other factors that contributed to anxiety were assessed by a simple questionnaire. There was no significant difference in the level of anxiety between the two groups. The site of induction did not emerge as a major contributory factor to anxiety. The advantages and disadvantages of anaesthetic rooms are discussed.     

阴道前壁的自体组织Kelly术联合腹腔镜高位宫骶韧带悬吊术治疗重度前盆腔缺陷的疗效

目的探讨阴道前壁的自体组织Kelly术联合腹腔镜高位宫骶韧带悬吊术治疗重度前盆腔缺陷的疗效。方法2013年4月~2018年11月我院采用阴道前壁的自体组织Kelly术联合腹腔镜高位宫骶韧带悬吊术治疗178例重度前盆腔缺陷为主的盆腔脏器脱垂(pelvic organ prolapse,POP)并完成系统随访,即术后1、3、6、12个月及之后每年1次进行随访。客观疗效评价采用POP-Q定量分度法,主观疗效评价采用患者整体印象改善评分量表(Patient Global Impression of Improvement,PGI-I)、盆底不适调查表简表(Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory Short Form 20,PFDI-20)和盆底功能影响问卷简表(Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire Short Form 7,PFIQ-7)。手术成功的标准:术后POP-Q分度≤1度。性生活质量评价采用盆腔脏器脱垂/尿失禁性功能问卷(Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire,PISQ-12),术后新发神经痛患者的疼痛评估采用改良手术疼痛量表(Surgical Pain Scale,SPS)和视觉模拟量表(Visual Analogue Scale,VAS)。结果总手术时间(192.9±52.0)min,出血量(99.0±56.1)ml,留置尿管时间平均4.4 d(3~15 d),术后住院时间(7.1±3.6)d。无一例术后病率或输尿管、膀胱及直肠的损伤,无一例需要输血。178例中位随访时间34个月(8~75个月),手术成功率为99.4%(177/178),主观满意率为98.3%(175/178)。术前后POP-Q指示点Aa、Ba、C、Ap、Bp、gh、pb、TVL点差异均有显著性(P<0.05),术前后PFDI-20、PFIQ-7、PISQ-12评分差异均有显著性(P<0.05)。术后神经痛发生率为0.6%(1/178)。结论阴道前壁的自体组织Kelly术联合腹腔镜高位宫骶韧带悬吊术治疗重度前盆腔缺陷中期疗效满意。     

Risk factors for postoperative anxiety in children

BACKGROUND: Anxiety is defined as a set of behavioural manifestations that can be divided into state- and trait-anxiety. State-anxiety is a transitory emotional condition that varies in intensity and fluctuates over time. Trait-anxiety is a personality trait which remains relatively stable over time. The objective of this study was to identify and quantify perioperative risk factors for immediate postoperative anxiety in children. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was performed with 90 schoolchildren, ages ranging from 7 to 13 years old, ASA physical status I-II, submitted to elective surgery. The measuring instruments were verbal scale of pain, visual analogue scale (VAS), Trait-State Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC), Trait-State Anxiety Inventory (STAI) for parents, and structured questionnaire. RESULTS: Patients not submitted to analgesic block and patients with moderate and intense pain presented an estimated risk 5- and 13-fold greater for high levels of postoperative state-anxiety, respectively. High levels of preoperative state-anxiety and administration of doses of midazolam less than 0.056 mg x kg(-1) constituted an estimated risk for postoperative state-anxiety of 3- and 4-fold, respectively. A positive history of previous surgery was associated with lower risk for postoperative anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: High levels of preoperative state-anxiety, administration of less than 0.056 mg x kg(-1) of midazolam, absence of analgesic block and presence of moderate and intense postoperative pain constituted risk factors for immediate postoperative state-anxiety in children. Previous surgery reduced the risk for postoperative anxiety.     

Bulking agents: an analysis of 500 cases and review of the literature

Introduction and hypothesis

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is common, impacts women’s quality of life, and generates high costs. Physiotherapy is the first-line therapy, and if it fails, suburethral slings are the gold standard in SUI surgery. Bulking agents injected periurethrally might be a beneficial alternative, but there is a paucity of data on bulking therapy. The aim of this study was to prospectively analyze the efficacy and safety of bulking agents in the setting of a tertiary referral center.

Methods

In the last 13 years, 514 elderly women with SUI were treated by injection therapy with either collagen (Contigen®), hyaluronic acid (Zuidex®), ethylene vinyl alcohol (Tegress®), or polyacrylamide hydrogel (Bulkamid®). Subjective and objective outcome was recorded at the 12-month postoperative appointment using the King’s Health Questionnaire, visual analogue scale (VAS) describing their incontinence severity, standardized pad test, and urethral pressure profile.

Results

Demographic data were equally distributed in all four groups of agents used. Sixty-one patients were lost to follow-up (10.6 %). Statistically significant changes were found for maximum urethral closure pressure (MUCP), pad weight, and VAS before and after bulking for the four agents used. Pad test was negative in 73.2 % of patients after bulking therapy. Subjective assessment showed improvements in general health and role limitations. The overall complication rate was low for all agents.

Conclusions

This study shows improvement in incontinence after bulking therapy according to subjective and objective outcomes in an elderly population. In contrast to earlier reports, side effects due to injections were few and mild. We can advocate bulking therapy for treating SUI, as it is simple, safe, and shows both objective and subjective improvement and relief.     

Anxiety and depression in chronic hemodialysis: some somatopsychic determinants

AIMS: Depression and anxiety are so common in hemodialysis (HD) patients that we found it useful to study the respective contributions of the subjective somatic sensations and of the objective medical comorbidity to psychological distress. We also hypothesized that denial has a protective effect against anxiety and depression, and that alexithymia is, on the contrary, a risk factor. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a cross-sectional design, we investigated relationships between psychological distress and somatic complaints, Charlson comorbidity index, denial and alexithymia, in a group of 54 patients on incenter HD. They filled psychometric self-rated questionnaires in (State Anxiety Inventory, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, 13-item Short Beck Depression Inventory, Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form, 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale). A principal component analysis allowed us to focus on HADS-total score, which was confirmed to be representative of anxio-depression. Then, correlational analyses and a stepwise regression analysis were performed. RESULTS: HADS-total score is inversely associated with the use of denial as a psychological defence mechanism (p < 0.001), and positively correlated with difficulties in identifying emotions (p < 0.001), with difficulties in expressing feelings (p < 0.05), and with the intensity of subjective somatic complaints (p < 0.001). On the contrary, it is not related to the somatic comorbidity. In the stepwise regression, the somatic complaints, the denial and the difficulties in recognizing emotions emerge as the three main variables related to the HADS-total score (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Subjective physical complaints are here associated with psychological distress in chronic HD patients, while objective organic comorbidity does not seem to influence their mood and anxiety status. Denial is an efficient coping style against negative emotions, but it can diminish compliance. So, the subjective perception of the disease seems to have an important impact on the anxiety and mood levels, which can also be influenced by the emotional regulation abilities.     

播放详尽的麻醉风险教育视频对患者焦虑情绪及麻醉前访视所用时间的影响：一项随机对照研究

背景麻醉前访视时采用视频辅助方式对患者进行宣传教育是一种新方法，可以增加患者对麻醉过程及风险的了解。但尚不清楚该方法对患者的焦虑情绪以及手术前访视所用时间的影响。方法209例患者，在行大手术前到麻醉门诊进行手术前访视，随机分为3组：无视频组（G1）、访视前播放视频组（G2）、访视后播放视频组（G3）。访视前和访视后采用焦虑状态分级和视觉模拟评分考察患者的焦虑程度。访视后采用标准化问卷了解患者对麻醉技术以及相关风险的了解程度和满意度。结果3组之间在焦虑程度以及患者满意度方面没有显著性差异。观看视频的患者麻醉知识了解程度远高于未观看视频的患者。与G1组（17．6±7．2分钟）、G3（18．3±9．6分钟）组相比，G2（23．1±14．0分钟）组患者访视所用时间明显延长。这一差别在拟行有创监测的患者亚组中更为显著。结论本研究结果表明，使用视频对患者进行详尽的麻醉风险教育不能改变患者的焦虑情绪，但可以增加患者对麻醉过程及相关风险的了解。患者在麻醉访视前观看视频，将增加访视所用时间。     

The effect of skin surface warming on pre-operative anxiety in neurosurgery patients

Skin surface warming of patients not only improves thermal comfort, but has been shown to reduce anxiety in a pre-hospital setting. We tested the hypothesis that pre-operative warming can reduce pre-operative anxiety as effectively as a conventional dose of intravenous midazolam in patients undergoing neurosurgery. We randomly allocated 80 patients to four groups in the pre-operative holding area. Treatment was applied for 30-45 min with (1) passive insulation and placebo; (2) passive insulation and intravenous midazolam (30 microg.kg-1); (3) warming with forced-air and placebo; and (4) warming with forced-air and intravenous midazolam (30 microg.kg-1). Thermal comfort levels (VAS 0-100 mm) and anxiety levels (VAS 0-100 mm, Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) were assessed twice: before the designated treatment was started and before induction of anaesthesia. In the midazolam and the midazolam/warming groups, anxiety VAS and Spielberger state anxiety scores decreased by -19 (95% CI: -29 to -9, p<0.01) and -10 (95% CI: -14 to -6, p<0.01), respectively. In the warming and the combined groups, thermal VAS increased by +26 (95% CI: 17-34, p<0.01). Pre-operative warming did not reduce anxiety VAS (p=0.11) or Spielberger state anxiety (p=0.19). The results of our study indicate that pre-operative warming can be recommended solely to improve thermal comfort, not to replace anxiolytic premedication regimens.     

A randomized controlled study of whether the partner’s presence in the operating room during neuraxial anesthesia for cesarean delivery reduces patient anxiety

BackgroundThis study compared anxiety in two groups of women undergoing elective cesarean delivery to ascertain if their partner’s presence during neuraxial anesthesia placement affected patients’ overall anxiety levels.MethodsThree hundred fifteen patient-partner dyads were randomized to two groups: group 1 partners were present in the operating room during neuraxial anesthesia placement while group 2 partners remained outside the operating room during placement. Before surgery, all patient-partner dyads completed a survey of demographics, anesthetic experiences and baseline anxiety. Anxiety levels were rated using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and the state portion of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory.ResultsThe mean change in anxiety as measured by VAS among patients whose partners were present in the operating room for neuraxial anesthetic placement decreased from before to after the procedure (-4.5 ± 25.8; P=0.03; 95% CI -8.55, -0.45); the mean change in anxiety in patients whose partners were not present did not alter significantly (+1.9 ± 25.3; P=0.34; 95% CI 6.68, 12.12). Anxiety was increased among partners who were not present (+9.4, P<0.001).ConclusionAlthough patients whose partners were present in the operating room at the time of neuraxial anesthesia placement reported less anxiety over the time of the study than did patients whose partners were not present, these differences were small and are not considered to be clinically important. Increased anxiety among partners who were not present at neuraxial placements warrants further study.     

Sublingual triazolam versus peroral diazepam as a premedication for general anaesthesia

Sublingual triazolam 0.2 mg (T) was compared with peroral diazepam 10 mg (D) as a premedicant in a randomised, doubleblind study. Eighty-one ASA I-III patients aged 18– 70 yr, scheduled for elective surgery and general anaesthesia were studied. The patients were premedicated about one hour preoperatively. The T-group subjects (n = 41) received triazolam sl after a placebo po and the D-group subjects (n = 40) diazepam po before a sl placebo. Anxiety and sedation were evaluated before premedication, every 15 min after that until the patient was removed to the operating room, just before the induction of anaesthesia and both 30 and 60 min after operation. Anxiety and sedation were evaluated by the patient using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and by the anaesthetist with a scale of 0– 3 for anxiety and 0– 4 for sedation. The patients’ experiences with regards to their premedication and visit to the operating unit were investigated after the operation. In both groups sedation and anxiolysis became different at 30– 45 min after premedication, but at the time just before the induction of anaesthesia there was sedation and anxiolysis only in the T-group. There was no difference between the groups at any time. The T-group patients were more satisfied with their premedication and visit to the operating unit. The study drugs did not cause any cardiorespiratory or other side effects. We conclude that triazolam 0.2 mg sl is at least as effective a premedication as diazepam 10 mg po, that it is suitable for patients that cannot swallow, and that the patients were more satisfied with it than with diazepam.