Effect of fentanyl on the circulatory responses to orotracheal fibreoptic intubation

The effectiveness of fentanyl in attenuating the pressor and heart rate response to orotracheal fibreoptic intubation under general anaesthesia was assessed in 60 healthy patients undergoing elective surgery. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either fibreoptic intubation with or without fentanyl 6 micrograms.kg-1 or traditional Macintosh intubation with fentanyl 6 micrograms.kg-1. A standardised general anaesthetic was administered which included temazepam premedication, thiopentone, atracurium, oxygen, nitrous oxide and isoflurane. The pressor response to fibreoptic intubation was suppressed in those patients who received fentanyl and was similar to that seen in the Macintosh-fentanyl group of patients. The heart rate response to fibreoptic intubation was also significantly reduced in the patients who received fentanyl, but, in contrast, was still significantly greater than that in the Macintosh-fentanyl group. Fentanyl 6 micrograms.kg-1 appears to have a useful place in attenuating the cardiovascular effects of fibreoptic intubation under general anaesthesia.     

Review article: the dietary management of Crohn's disease

Enteral feeding has been shown to be as effective as primary therapy for Crohn's disease, but it requires high patient motivation, may be unpalatable and is expensive. However, in adolescents with growth failure and when corticosteroid therapy is contra-indicated or has failed, it may become the treatment of choice. Furthermore, dietary therapy allows circumvention of the adverse side-effects of repeated courses of steroids.
A number of different hypotheses have been proposed to explain the effect of enteral feeds but none has reached universal acceptance. Prospective trials suggest that the exclusion of whole protein is not necessary. Comparison of feeds with differing composition suggests that a low fat content increases efficacy and various explanations have been offered. The reduction of colonic bacterial load may also be important.
Because symptoms of Crohn's disease may be provoked by eating, there is a risk of falsely attributing symptoms to specific foodstuffs. However, in many individuals foods can be identified which affect disease activity, and their exclusion leads to prolongation of disease remission. Dietetic supervision during food testing is important to avoid detrimental effects on nutrient and micronutrient intake.