Perioperative electroencephalography in cardiac surgery with hypothermic circulatory arrest: a narrative review

OBJECTIVESCardiac surgery with hypothermic circulatory arrest (HCA) is associated with neurological morbidity of variable severity and electroencephalography (EEG) is a sensitive proxy measure of brain injury. We conducted a narrative review of the literature to evaluate the role of perioperative EEG monitoring in cardiac surgery involving HCA.METHODSMedline, Embase, Central and LILACS databases were searched to identify studies utilizing perioperative EEG during surgery with HCA in all age groups, published since 1985 in any language. We aimed to compare EEG use with no use but due to the lack of comparative studies, we performed a narrative review of its utility. Two or more reviewers independently screened studies for eligibility and extracted data.RESULTSFourty single-centre studies with a total of 3287 patients undergoing surgery were identified. Most were observational cohort studies (34, 85%) with only 1 directly comparing EEG use with no use. EEG continuity (18, 45%), seizures (15, 38%) and electrocerebral inactivity prior to circulatory arrest (15, 38%) were used to detect, monitor, prevent and prognose neurological injury. Neurological dysfunction was reported in almost all studies and occurred in 0–21% of patients. However, the heterogeneity of reported clinical and EEG outcome measures prevented meta-analysis.CONCLUSIONSEEG is used to detect cortical ischaemia and seizures and predict neurological abnormalities and may guide intraoperative cerebral protection. However, there is a lack of comparative data demonstrating the benefit of perioperative EEG monitoring. Use of a standardized methodology for performing EEG and reporting outcome metrics would facilitate the conduct of high-quality clinical trials.     

XyloFUNS: Xylocaine to freeze during unpleasant nasopharyngeal swabs in children—a randomized controlled trial

ObjectivesTo evaluate the efficacy of intranasal vaporized lidocaine in reducing pain for children undergoing a nasopharyngeal (NP) swab in the Emergency Department (ED).Study DesignA randomized blinded clinical trial was conducted in a paediatric ED. Both participants and the researcher evaluating the primary outcome were blinded. Children aged 6 to 17 years old requiring a NP swab were eligible. Participants were randomly allocated to receive intranasal lidocaine or a sham treatment prior to their NP swab. The primary outcome measure was pain during the swab as assessed by the visual analog scale. Secondary outcome measures were pain using the verbal numeric rating scale, fear using the children fear scale, and adverse effects of the intervention.ResultsEighty-eight participants were enrolled—45 in the lidocaine group and 43 controls. The mean visual analog scale scores for pain were 46 mm in the lidocaine group and 53 mm in the control group (mean difference 7 mm; 95% CI: −5 to 19 mm). No serious adverse events were observed.ConclusionsIntranasal lidocaine administered prior to NP swabs in the ED failed to show an improvement in pain scores for school-aged children and youth.     

3D打印联合PBL与EBL教学在骨科临床教学中的应用

目的探讨3D打印技术联合PBL与EBL教学在骨科临床教学中的应用效果。方法将50名骨科实习生随机分为试验组(PBL与EBL教学联合3D打印技术组25人)和对照组(传统LBL模式组25人)进行对照研究,通过出科考核的数据和问卷调查评价教学效果。结果试验组的出科考核(理论知识、临床技能、临床思维)总分为(86.24+3.21)分,明显高于对照组的(74.20+3.72)分,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。问卷调查结果表明,相比于对照组,试验组在提升骨科理论知识、提升骨科基本技能、提升临床思维、提升骨科实习兴趣和积极性以及对教学满意度5个方面有明显优势,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05);而在提高自学及沟通能力方面差异没有统计学意义(P>0.05)。两组问卷调查显示试验组总体效果评价高于对照组(P<0.05)。结论 3D打印技术联合PBL与EBL教学能够提升整体教学质量,在学生的临床实践能力和学习兴趣方面有显著提高。     

Methodology of clinical trials for rare diseases

Evidence from clinical trials, ideally using randomisation and allocation concealment, is essential for informing clinical decisions regarding the benefits and harms of treatments for patients. Where diseases are rare, such as in paediatric rheumatic diseases, patient recruitment into clinical trials can be a major obstacle, leading to an absence of evidence and patients receiving treatments based on anecdotal evidence. There are numerous trial designs and modifications that can be made to improve efficiency and maximise what little data may be available in a rare disease clinical trial. These are discussed and illustrated with examples from paediatric rheumatology. Regulatory incentives and support from research networks have helped to deliver these trials, but more can be done to continue this important research.     

Prognostic significance of flow‐cytometry evaluation of minimal residual disease in children with acute myeloid leukaemia treated according to the AIEOP‐AML 2002/01 study protocol

In children with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML ), assessment of initial treatment response is an essential prognostic factor; methods more sensitive than morphology are still under evaluation. We report on the measurement of minimal residual disease (MRD ), by multicolour flow‐cytometry in one centralized laboratory, in 142 children with newly diagnosed AML enrolled in the Associazione Italiana di EmatoOncologia Pediatrica‐AML 2002/01 trial. At the end of the first induction course, MRD was <0·1% in 69, 0·1–1% in 16 and >1% in 51 patients. The 8‐year disease‐free survival (DFS ) of 125 children in morphological complete remission and with MRD <0·1%, 0·1–1% and ≥1% was 73·1 ± 5·6%, 37·8 ± 12·1% and 34·1 ± 8·8%, respectively (P  < 0·01). MRD was also available after the second induction course in 92/142 patients. MRD was ≥0·1% at the end of the first induction course in 36 patients; 13 reached an MRD <0·1% after the second one and their DFS was 45·4 ± 16·7% vs. 22·8 ± 8·9% in patients with persisting MRD ≥0·1% (P  = 0·037). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that MRD ≥0·1% after first induction course was, together with a monosomal karyotype, an independent adverse prognostic factor for DFS . Our results show that MRD detected by flow‐cytometry after induction therapy predicts outcome in patients with childhood AML and can help stratifying post‐remission treatment.     

Performance of EAST in diagnosing inhalant allergens in children with allergic rhinitis

The performance of enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (EAST) for identifying six indoor allergens was evaluated using skin prick test (SPT) as reference tests in 154 children with allergic rhinitis. Sensitivity of EAST ranged from 9% (cat) to 54% (HDM) with specificity of 74%(cockroach) to 100% (cat) with an agreement ranged from 58 to 86%. Cut off values ?> ?0.35 kU/L showed best sensitivity and specificity. Our findings agree with extant literature which suggests that the ability of EAST to determine the precipitating allergen is moderate. Assays for definitively identifying the inhalant allergen are currently not available.