Chronic Cancer-Related Pain: Continuous Perineural Infusion of Local Anesthetics as Alternative to Systemic Analgesic Drugs

Pain is a major concern for patients suffering from cancer. Although opioid drugs remain the gold standard for treatment of pain, little is known about the interest of continuous analgesia techniques as alternative. The aim of the present article is to detail the feasibility and to present the diversity of continuous perineural infusion of local anesthetic. A series of five patients suffering from different cancer-related pain is presented. A continuous perineural block was proposed to patients presenting with unbearable pain in an area innervated by a plexus or a nerve despite parenteral analgesic pharmacotherapy. All blocks were performed in a surgical theatre under sterile conditions. An initial bolus dose with 3.75 mg/mL ropivacaine was injected followed by a continuous infusion of 2 mg/mL of ropivacaine. Patient-controlled perineural analgesia was started at home by a nursing network. The technique, the efficacy, and the side effects were reported. Complete pain relief was noted 15 minutes after local anesthetic injection in the five cases, and efficacy was maintained during the following days at home, with no other analgesic treatment required. One patient restarted working a few weeks after catheter insertion. The catheter duration lasted for 12 to 110 days. One catheter was removed because of local anesthetic leak at the puncture point. Some paresthesia was noted in one patient. No other side effect was noted. No infection was reported. In selected patients, continuous perineural infusion of local anesthetics appears to be an attractive alternative to parenteral opioids for cancer-related pain. Further investigation is warranted to better define the place of these techniques in the armamentarium of cancer-related pain treatment.     

Comparison of diathermic high-frequency capsulorhexis and continuous curvilinear capsulorrhexis in white cataract surgery

AIM: To compare the corneal endothelial cell counts pre- and post-operation, ultrastructure of anterior lens capsule and surgical completion after diathermic high-frequency capsulorhexis (DHC) and continuous curvilinear capsulorrhexis (CCC) applied in phacoemulsification (PHACO) of white cataract surgery. METHODS: Sixty-six eyes of 66 patients (33 males and 33 females) with cataract aged between 60 and 80y (mean 72.5±5.5) were recruited and undergone the surgery from June 2014 to November 2016. Anterior lens capsule, derived from two kinds of capsulorhexis, were randomly divided into two groups according to random number table. The ultrastructure of the capsule edge and its closer tissue were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and optical microscopy respectively. The surgical completion conditions and corneal endothelial cell counts were analyzed pre- and post-operation after two capsulorhexis. RESULTS: The capsule derived from CCC had smooth edge, well-organized cellular structure and the cells filling into the cutting edge under TEM and optical microscopy. The capsule derived from DHC had an approximate 60 banded area of cell degeneration and necrosis, with dentiform prominences at the edge of the capsule, and no cell structure was observed at this area. The corneal endothelial cell counts of both groups were slightly declined 1wk post-operation compared with that of pre-operation. There was no statistical difference between the two groups (t=1.63, P>0.05). CONCLUSION: DHC shows good clinical value in white mature and hypermature cataract surgery.     

微创肺表面活性物质及无创持续性气道压力在低体重早产儿呼吸窘迫综合征治疗中的应用

目的探讨微创肺表面活性物质(LISA)及无创持续性气道压力(ncpap)在低体重早产儿呼吸窘迫综合征(NRDS)治疗中的应用效果。方法回顾性选取2019年1月至2020年12月中山市博爱医院新生儿科收治的50例NRDS低体重早产儿为研究对象,根据治疗方案分为研究组(ncpap+LISA,n=22)和对照组(ncpap,n=28)。比较两组疗效、无创通气时间、住院时间、并发症发生率、治疗前、治疗1 d的血气分析等指标。结果研究组治疗总有效率高于对照组(95.45%vs.67.86%),而无创通气时间[(3.52±1.12)d vs.(4.36±1.39)d]、住院时间[(17.21±2.65)d vs.(19.87±3.43)d]则低于对照组(P0.05)。两组的并发症发生率比较,差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。与同组治疗前比较,两组治疗1 d的血氧分压(PaO_2)、pH值均升高,而同期氧合指数(OI)、二氧化碳分压(PaCO_2)均降低(P0.05)。研究组治疗1 d的PaO_2、pH值均高于对照组,而同期OI、PaCO_2则均低于对照组(P0.05)。结论 LISA及ncpap联合应用于低体重早产儿NRDS治疗中可改善疗效和缺氧状况,缩短无创通气时间并促进患儿康复,且安全可靠。     

The effect of oral appliances that advanced the mandible forward and limited mouth opening in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomised controlled trials

Oral appliances (OAs) have demonstrated efficacy in treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but many different OA devices are available. The Japanese Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine supported the use of OAs that advanced the mandible forward and limited mouth opening and suggested an evaluation of their effects in comparison with untreated or CPAP. A systematic search was undertaken in 16 April 2012. The outcome measures of interest were as follows: Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI), lowest SpO₂, arousal index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), the SF‐36 Health Survey. We performed this meta‐analysis using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Five studies remained eligible after applying the exclusion criteria. Comparing OA and control appliance, OA significantly reduced the weighted mean difference (WMD) in both AHI and the arousal index (favouring OA, AHI: ?7·05 events h^?1; 95% CI, ?12·07 to ?2·03; P = 0·006, arousal index: ?6·95 events h^?1; 95% CI, ?11·75 to ?2·15; P = 0·005). OAs were significantly less effective at reducing the WMD in AHI and improving lowest SpO₂ and SF‐36 than CPAP, (favouring OA, AHI: 6·11 events h^?1; 95% CI, 3·24 to 8·98; P = 0·0001, lowest SpO₂: ?2·52%; 95% CI, ?4·81 to ?0·23; P = 0·03, SF‐36: ?1·80; 95% CI, ?3·17 to ?042; P = 0·01). Apnea Hypopnea Index and arousal index were significantly improved by OA relative to the untreated disease. Apnea Hypopnea Index, lowest SpO₂ and SF‐36 were significantly better with CPAP than with OA. The results of this study suggested that OAs improve OSA compared with untreated. CPAP appears to be more effective in improving OSA than OAs.     

前列腺素E联合连续肾替代治疗对脓毒症合并急性肾损伤预后的影响

目的：探讨前列腺素E联合连续肾替代治疗（CRRT）对脓毒症合并急性肾损伤（AKI）患者预后的影响。方法：选取89例脓毒症合并AKI患者为研究对象，采用随机数字表法分为对照组（n=44）和观察组（n=45），分别采取CRRT及前列腺素E联合CRRT治疗。比较2组患者预后转归情况，检测并比较2组患者治疗前后血清炎性因子、肾功能及免疫功能指标。结果：观察组ICU治疗时间及住院时间较对照组明显缩短（P<0.05）；对照组死亡14例（31.82%），观察组死亡9例（20.00%），2组患者死亡率无明显差异（P>0.05）。与治疗前比较，治疗后2组血清TNF-α、IL-6、hs-CRP含量降低，BUN、SCr含量升高（P<0.05），且观察组上述指标均低于对照组（P<0.05）。与治疗前比较，治疗后2组CD4⁺/CD8⁺及观察组NK细胞比例及IgG、IgA、IgM含量均明显升高（P<0.05），且观察组高于对照组（P<0.05）。与治疗前比较，治疗后2组Marshall评分、APACHEⅡ评分下降（P<0.05），且观察组低于对照组（P<0.05）。结论：前列腺素E联合CRRT治疗脓毒症合并AKI可显著降低患者炎性因子水平，改善患者肾功能和免疫功能，效果优于单独CRRT治疗。     

Validation of diffuse correlation spectroscopy against 15O-water PET for regional cerebral blood flow measurement in neonatal piglets

Diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) can non-invasively and continuously asses regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) at the cot-side by measuring a blood flow index (BFI) in non-traditional units of cm²/s. We have validated DCS against positron emission tomography using ¹⁵O-labeled water (¹⁵O-water PET) in a piglet model allowing us to derive a conversion formula for BFI to rCBF in conventional units (ml/100g/min). Neonatal piglets were continuously monitored by the BabyLux device integrating DCS and time resolved near infrared spectroscopy (TRS) while acquiring ¹⁵O-water PET scans at baseline, after injection of acetazolamide and during induced hypoxic episodes. BFI by DCS was highly correlated with rCBF (R = 0.94, p < 0.001) by PET. A scaling factor of 0.89 (limits of agreement for individual measurement: 0.56, 1.39)×10⁹× (ml/100g/min)/(cm²/s) was used to derive baseline rCBF from baseline BFI measurements of another group of piglets and of healthy newborn infants showing an agreement with expected values. These results pave the way towards non-invasive, cot-side absolute CBF measurements by DCS on neonates.     

超声引导PVNB对老年食道癌开胸患者术后镇痛、应激及炎性因子水平的影响

目的 探讨超声引导下连续椎旁神经阻滞(PVNB)对老年食道癌开胸手术患者术后镇痛、应激及炎性因子水平的影响。方法 选取我院拟实施全麻下开胸手术的90例食道癌开胸手术患者作为研究对象,其中45例患者术前采用超声引导下PVNB麻醉复合全身麻醉(PVNB组)、对照组45例患者采用全身麻醉；两组患者术后均采用静脉自控镇痛(对照组)；对比两组患者术后2h、6h、24h及48h静息状态、咳嗽状态下的视觉模拟疼痛评分(VAS),术后镇痛药物用量及镇痛药物不良反应发生情况,术前及术后24h血清去甲肾上腺素(NE)、肾上腺素(E)、皮质醇(Cor)、白细胞介素-6(IL-6)、肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)差异及术后肺部感染发生情况。结果 PVNB组患者和对照组在术后2h～术后48h的静息VAS评分及咳嗽VAS评分组间比较,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05),PVNB组术后2h、6h及24h静息VAS评分及咳嗽VAS评分均高于对照组(P>0.05)。PVNB组患者术后的镇痛泵按压次数、舒芬太尼用量均低于对照组(P<0.05),PVNB组患者术后的镇痛泵按压次数、舒芬太尼用量均低于对照组(P<0.05),术前两组患者的血清NE、E、Cor水平差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)；术后两24h两组患者血清NE、E、Cor水平均较术前增高(P>0.05),术后24h PVNB组的血清NE、E、Cor水平低于对照组(P<0.05),术前两组患者的血清IL-6、TNF-α水平差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)；术后24h两组患者血清IL-6、IL-10、TNF-α水平均较术前增高(P<0.05),PVNB组的血清IL-6、TNF-α水平低于对照组(P<0.05),PVNB组术后发生肺部感染2例,发生率为4.4%,对照组术后发生肺部感染6例,发生率为13.3%,PVNB组术后肺部感染发生率低于对照组(P<0.05)。结论 超声引导下PVNB能够改善老年食道癌开胸患者术后镇痛效果,减轻手术创伤所致的应激反应,较少患者术后肺部感染的发生。     

Long-term effects of concussion on relevancy-based modulation of somatosensory-evoked potentials

ObjectiveThe purpose of this investigation was to better understand the effects of concussions on the ability to selectively up or down-regulate incoming somatosensory information based on relevance.MethodsMedian nerve somatosensory-evoked potentials (SEPs) were elicited from electrical stimulation and recorded from scalp electrodes while participants completed tasks that altered the relevance of specific somatosensory information being conveyed along the stimulated nerve.ResultsWithin the control group, SEP amplitudes for task-relevant somatosensory information were significantly greater than for non-relevant somatosensory information at the earliest cortical processing potentials (N20-P27). Alternatively, the concussion history group showed similar SEP amplitudes for all conditions at early processing potentials, however a pattern similar to controls emerged later in the processing stream (P100) where both movement-related gating and facilitation of task-relevant information were present.ConclusionsPreviously concussed participants demonstrated impairments in the ability to up-regulate relevant somatosensory information at early processing stages. These effects appear to be chronic, as this pattern was observed on average several years after participants’ most recent concussion.SignificanceGiven the role of the prefrontal cortex in relevancy-based facilitation during movement-related gating, these findings lend support to the notion that this brain area may be particularly vulnerable to concussive forces.     

The impact of dusk phenomenon on total glucose exposure in Chinese people with type 2 diabetes

This study was aimed at assessing the impact of the dusk phenomenon on the total glucose exposure in Chinese people with type 2 diabetes.A total of 380 type 2 diabetes who received a retrospective continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMs) for 72 hours were enrolled in our study, 32 of them failed in CGMs. The patients were first divided into 2 groups: dusk phenomenon (n = 95) and non dusk phenomenon group (n = 253). The magnitude of the dusk phenomenon (δDusk) was quantified by pre-dinner glucose minus post-lunch 2 hours glucose. A persistent δDusk ≥ 0 or a once only δDusk < 0 can be diagnosed with the dusk phenomenon. The participants were secondarily matched for the post-lunch 2 hours glucose to assess the impact of the dusk phenomenon on the overall glucose exposure. The impact of the dusk phenomenon was assessed on high-performance liquid chromatography assay (HbA1c) and 24-hour mean glucose.There were 95 of 348 (27.3%) participants with the dusk phenomenon in the overall population, and the median of δDusk level was –0.8 (–1.8, 0.2) mmol/L. The median of glucose differences between the 2 paired groups were 0.4 (–0.4, 1.0)% for HbA_1c, 0.9 (0.2, 1.4) mmol/L for 24 hours mean glucose. The correlation analysis showed no relationship between the magnitude of dawn phenomenon and the dusk phenomenon (r = 0.052, P = .472).The incidence of dusk phenomenon is about 27.3% in people with type 2 diabetes. The impacts of dusk phenomenon on HbA1c and 24-hour mean glucose were about 0.4% and 0.9 mmol/L and the dusk phenomenon was not related with the dawn phenomenon.