Effect of pneumatic leg compression on post-induction hypotension in elderly patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy: a double-blind randomised controlled trial

Post-induction hypotension is common and associated with postoperative complications. We hypothesised that pneumatic leg compression reduces post-induction hypotension in elderly patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy. In this double-blind randomised study, patients were allocated randomly to the pneumatic leg compression group (n = 50) or control (n = 50). In the intervention group, pneumatic leg compression was initiated before induction of anaesthesia. In the control group, pneumatic leg compression was initiated 20 min after anaesthesia induction. The primary outcome was the incidence of post-induction hypotension in these groups. Post-induction hypotension was defined as systolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg during the first 20 min after induction. Haemodynamic variables and area under the curve of post-induction systolic blood pressure over time were assessed. Complications associated with pneumatic leg compression were recorded, including: peripheral neuropathy; compartment syndrome; extensive bullae beneath the leg sleeves; and pulmonary thromboembolism. The incidence of post-induction hypotension decreased in the pneumatic leg compression group compared with that in the control group; 5 (10%) vs. 29 (58%), respectively, p < 0.001. In the pneumatic leg compression group, the lowest systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressures 20 min after induction of anaesthesia were significantly greater than the control group. Pneumatic leg compression resulted in an increased area under the curve of systolic blood pressure in the first 20 min after induction, p = 0.001. There were no pneumatic leg compression-related complications. Pneumatic leg compression reduced post-induction hypotension in elderly patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy, suggesting that it is an effective and safe intervention to prevent post-induction hypotension among elderly patients undergoing general anaesthesia.     

Pharmacokinetic modeling and simulation of etodolac following single oral administration in dogs

1. Etodolac is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug with selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition to treat pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis in humans and dogs. The aim of the study was to investigate the pharmacokinetics of etodolac following single oral administration of 200?mg to 10 healthy beagle dogs.

2. The plasma concentrations of etodolac were detected using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Pharmacokinetic analysis was conducted using the noncompartmental method and modeling approaches.

3. Etodolac was rapidly absorbed (T_max?=?0.85?h, K_a?=?1.49?h^?1) and slowly eliminated (T_1/2?=?39.55?h) following oral administration to the dogs. A two-compartment pharmacokinetic model with first-order absorption and elimination rate constants was successfully explained for the pharmacokinetic aspects of etodolac in dogs. From a Monte Carlo simulation (1000 repetitions), the accumulation index and AUC_τ at steady state were predicted as 1.60 [90% confidence intervals (CI), 1.24–2.81] and 408.18?ng·hr/mL [90% CI, 271.26–590.58?ng·hr/mL], respectively.

4. This study will help to enact a more accurate optimal dosing regimen of etodolac in dogs with osteoarthritis, and may be useful in developing a novel formulation of etodolac for human in the future.

     

Overgrowth of a costochondral graft in reconstruction of the temporomandibular joint.

We report the case of a 3-year-old girl with temporomandibular ankylosis, which was treated with a costochondral graft and required two further resections because the grafted tissue had overgrown.     

Tumor vascular signals in renal masses: detection with Doppler US

The vascularity of 49 renal masses (26 malignant and 23 benign lesions) was investigated with duplex Doppler ultrasound. Doppler signals obtained at the margins of renal masses were defined as "tumor signals" when the Doppler-shifted frequency of the lesion exceeded the frequency shift in the ipsilateral main renal artery. These exceeded 2.5 kHz with a 3-MHz insonating frequency. Among the 26 renal masses that subsequently proved to be malignant, tumor signals were obtained in 15 of 18 (83%) untreated renal cell carcinomas, in three of four Wilms tumors, and in two patients with metastases to the kidney, but not in the one patient with lymphoma. None of the 23 benign renal masses demonstrated tumor signals. Tumor vascularity in malignant lesions gives rise to abnormal, high-velocity, Doppler-shifted signals that can help in the differential diagnosis of renal masses.     

p53 codon 72 polymorphism and risk of cervical carcinoma in Korean women

A common polymorphism of the wild type p53 is known at codon 72 of exon 4, with 2 alleles encoding either arginine (CGC, p53Arg) or proline (CCC, p53Pro). A recent study suggested that this polymorphism affects the susceptibility of p53 protein to human papillomavirus E6 oncoprotein mediated degradation and that individuals homozygous for p53Arg are seven times more susceptible to HPV-associated carcinogenesis of the cervix than heterozygotes. To examine whether the p53Arg genotype could be a risk factor for HPV-associated cervical carcinomas in the Korean population, we analyzed the p53 codon 72 polymorphism status of HPV-positive invasive cervical carcinomas from 52 Korean women and 103 healthy control samples. The proportion of individuals homozygous for p53Arg, homozygous for p53Pro, and heterozygous for the two alleles were 40%, 19%, and 41% in normal healthy controls; 42%, 17%, and 40% in women with HPV-positive invasive cervical carcinoma. There were no significant differences in the distribution of p53 genotypes between controls and cervical carcinomas. This finding indicates that the p53Arg genotype is not associated with an increased susceptibility to cervical carcinoma in Korean women.     

Intellectual Functioning of Pediatric Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: Results from the KNOW-Ped CKD

BackgroundChronic kidney disease (CKD) has a negative impact on growth and development in children and is a risk factor for neurocognitive impairment; however, there is limited research on the cognitive function of children and adolescents with CKD. This study therefore aimed to investigate the mean intelligence and risk factors for low intelligence in children and adolescents with CKD.MethodsEighty-one patients with CKD under 18 years old were included in the KoreaN cohort study for Outcomes in patients With Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease (KNOW-Ped CKD). Participants completed either the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (6–16 years), or Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (> 16 years).ResultsThe mean full-scale intelligence quotient (IQ) was 91 ± 19; 24.7% of participants scored a full-scale IQ below 80. Participants with a short stature (height Z scores < −1.88), failure to thrive (weight Z scores < −1.65), more severe CKD stage (≥ IIIb), longer duration of CKD (≥ 5 years), and those who were Medicare or Medicaid beneficiaries, had significantly lower mean full-scale IQs.ConclusionOn linear regression analysis, the association between the full-scale IQ, and longer duration of CKD and growth failure, remained significant after controlling for demographic and clinical variables. It is therefore necessary to investigate cognitive impairment in pediatric patients with CKD who exhibit growth failure or for a longer postmorbid period. It is believed that early interventions, such as kidney transplantation, will have a positive effect on IQ in children with CKD, as the disease negatively affects IQ due to poor glomerular filtration rate over time.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT02165878","term_id":"NCT02165878"}}NCT02165878