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The EU Action Plan on Drugs (2005-2008) calls for member states of the European Union to provide information on five key epidemiological indicators. These are: general population surveys, prevalence and patterns of problem drug use, drug related infectious diseases, drug related deaths and mortality of drug users, and demand for drug treatment. The goal is to improve the comparability of data across the Member States, which is a central task of the EMCDDA (European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction). Ireland has made progress on a national level in meeting this obligation. Currently the core information systems used to monitor the drugs problem in Ireland and to inform policy making are in the health and law enforcement areas including treatment, mortality and crime data. The dominance of such objective indicators and treatment outcome measures has contributed to obscuring the view of communities experiencing drugs problems on a day to day basis. The data are summations of the individual experience of drug problems and contribute little to understanding the broader question of how drug problem effect communities. This article draws on a community drugs study to review the contribution of traditional indicators of drug problems and consider some of the limitations of this data. It then presents an analysis of community data to identify possible community indicators of drug problems.

This article discusses the observations and experiences of a multidisciplinary team at the Blind Childrens Center in Los Angeles, which works specifically with children from birth to 5 years of age who have been diagnosed with optic nerve hypoplasia and may have septo-optic displasia. Strategies for educational interventions are explained. (Contains 1 reference.) (CR)

Summary: Background: Concern over potential neurotoxicity of anesthetics has led to growing interest in prospective clinical trials using potentially less toxic anesthetic regimens, especially for prolonged anesthesia in infants. Preclinical studies suggest that dexmedetomidine may have a reduced neurotoxic profile compared to other conventional anesthetic regimens; however, coadministration with either anesthetic drugs (eg, remifentanil) and/or regional blockade is required to achieve adequate anesthesia for surgery. The feasibility of this pharmacological approach is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of a remifentanil/dexmedetomidine/neuraxial block technique in infants scheduled for surgery lasting longer than 2 hours. Methods: Sixty infants (age 1‐12 months) were enrolled at seven centers over 18 months. A caudal local anesthetic block was placed after induction of anesthesia with sevoflurane. Next, an infusion of dexmedetomidine and remifentanil commenced, and the sevoflurane was discontinued. Three different protocols with escalating doses of dexmedetomidine and remifentanil were used. Results: One infant was excluded due to a protocol violation and consent was withdrawn prior to anesthesia in another. The caudal block was unsuccessful in two infants. Of the 56 infants who completed the protocol, 45 (80%) had at least one episode of hypertension (mean arterial pressure >80 mm Hg) and/or movement that required adjusting the anesthesia regimen. In the majority of these cases, the remifentanil and/or dexmedetomidine doses were increased although six infants required rescue 0.3% sevoflurane and one required a propofol bolus. Ten infants had at least one episode of mild hypotension (mean arterial pressure 40‐50 mm Hg) and four had at least one episode of moderate hypotension (mean arterial pressure <40 mm Hg). Conclusion: A dexmedetomidine/remifentanil neuraxial anesthetic regimen was effective in 87.5% of infants. These findings can be used as a foundation for designing larger trials that assess alternative anesthetic regimens for anesthetic neurotoxicity in infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Introduction: Randomized trials are important for generating high‐quality evidence, but are perceived as difficult to perform in the pediatric population. Thus far there has been poor characterization of the barriers to conducting trials involving children, and the variation in these barriers between countries remains undescribed. The General Anesthesia compared to Spinal anesthesia (GAS) trial, conducted in seven countries between 2007 and 2013, provides an opportunity to explore these issues. Methods: We undertook a descriptive analysis to evaluate the reasons for variation in enrollment between countries in the GAS trial, looking specifically at the number of potential subjects screened, and the subsequent application of four exclusion criteria that were applied in a hierarchical order. Results: A total of 4023 patients were screened by 28 centers in seven countries. Australia and the USA screened the most subjects, accounting for 84% of all potential trial participants. The percentage of subjects eliminated from the screened pool by each exclusion criterion varied between countries. Exclusion due to a predefined condition (H1) eliminated only 5% of potential subjects in Italy and the UK, but 37% in Canada. Exclusions due to a contraindication or a physician's refusal most impacted enrollment in Australia and the USA. The patient being "too large for spinal anesthesia" was the most commonly cited by anesthetists who refused to enroll a patient (64% of anesthetist refusals). The majority of surgeon refusals came from the USA, where surgeons preferred the patient to receive a general anesthetic. The percentage of approached parents refusing to consent ranged from a low of 3% in Italy to a high of 70% in the USA and Netherlands. The most frequently cited reason for parent refusal in all countries was a preference for general anesthesia (median: 43%, range: 32%‐67%). However, a sizeable proportion of parents in all countries had a contrasting preference for spinal anesthesia (median: 25%, range: 13%‐31%), and 23% of U.S. parents expressed concern about randomization. Conclusion: The GAS trial highlights enrollment challenges that can occur when conducting multicenter, international, pediatric studies. Investigators planning future trials should be aware of potential differences in screening processes across countries, and that exclusions by anesthetists and surgeons may vary in reason, in frequency, and by country. Furthermore, investigators should be aware that the U.S. centers encountered particularly high surgeon and parental refusal rates and that U.S. parents were uniquely concerned about randomization. Planning trials that address these difficulties should increase the likelihood of successfully recruiting subjects in pediatric trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The GAS study is an international RCT to evaluate neurodevelopmental outcome comparing general plus regional anesthesia versus regional anesthesia alone in 722 neonates and infants who had inguinal hernia repair up to 60 weeks of postmenstrual age. This paper comprises a secondary descriptive analysis of hernias, aspects of surgery and outcomes. Methods The incidence of unilateral and bilateral hernias, side preponderance, predictive factors for bilateral hernias and surgical approaches were collated. Follow-up outcome data were examined at 2 years. Results Of 711 eligible patients, there were 679 with hernia data showing that 321 hernias were right-sided, 190 left and 168 bilateral. Male to female ratio was 5:1. Of those with unilateral hernias, 25.8% underwent contralateral exploration and in these cases a patent processus vaginalis was found in 68.9%. Bilateral hernias were more common in younger and female patients. At 2 years there was a recurrence rate of 0.99% and in 2.7% of patients a hernia was evident on the contralateral side (metachrony), and this was unrelated to the anesthesia technique. Conclusions Bilateral hernias are associated with lower gestational age at birth and female gender. There was a low incidence of complications and the anesthesia technique did not affect surgical outcome. Level of evidence Level 1 evidence from prospective treatment study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Introduction: Understanding the duration of pediatric general anesthesia exposure in contemporary practice is important for identifying groups at risk for long general anesthesia exposures and designing trials examining associations between general anesthesia exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort analysis to estimate pediatric general anesthesia exposure duration during 2010‐2015 using the National Anesthesia Clinical Outcomes Registry. Results: A total of 1 548 021 pediatric general anesthetics were included. Median general anesthesia duration was 57 minutes (IQR: 28‐86) with 90th percentile 145 minutes. Children aged <1 year had the longest median exposure duration (79 minutes, IQR: 39‐119) with 90th percentile 210 minutes, and 13.7% of this very young cohort was exposed for >3 hours. High ASA physical status and care at a university hospital were associated with longer exposure times. Conclusion: While the vast majority (94%) of children undergoing general anesthesia are exposed for <3 hours, certain groups may be at increased risk for longer exposures. These findings may help guide the design of future trials aimed at understanding neurodevelopmental impact of prolonged exposure in these high‐risk groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ongoing advances in the perioperative management of the newborn have undoubtedly decreased the incidence of morbidity and mortality of this vulnerable patient group. The introduction of new surgical techniques and more comprehensive understanding of the effects of varied anesthetic drugs and techniques on the surgical newborn present many challenges for pediatric surgeons and anesthesiologists. Thorough preoperative evaluation and open communication between members of the health care team are important. A basic understanding of age-dependent variables and the interaction of anesthetic and surgical procedures is essential in minimizing perioperative morbidity and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The general principles that guide a pediatric anesthesiologist in the care of a newborn needing urgent and emergent neonatal surgery are reviewed. These include careful evaluation and assessment of the newborn including a detailed prenatal history. A brief review of neonatal physiology including the development of the autonomic nervous system and the development of nociceptive pathways is discussed and how important it is to suppress the stress response to surgical intervention in order to improve surgical outcomes. Most of the current general anesthetics have been associated with anesthetic neurotoxicity in juvenile mammals and several epidemiologic studies in human infants and toddlers have linked surgery occurring in the first 3 years of life with neurocognitive delays in school age children. These concerns are discussed in this paper. Practical considerations about neonatal intubation, line placement and intraoperative fluid management are also reviewed. And the anesthetic management of specific neonatal conditions such as congenital diaphragmatic hernias, transesophageal fistulas, gastroschisis and omphaloceles, necrotizing enterocolitis and meningomyeloceles is examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the implementation of third-level courses by University College of Dublin's School of Applied Social Science in Ireland to address community issues like drugs/alcohol and housing issues. The university's response to foster community linkages was followed by changes in national social policies that in turn, encouraged the community to address its problem. Some of the lessons learned from the collaboration include nurturing and supporting community participation, community education as the key to building community capacity and others.

Investigates the association of bispectral index (BIS) with endtidal sevoflurane concentration and hemodynamic in preschoolers. Effects of anesthesia on the central nervous system; Correlation between sevoflurane and heart rate; Predictor of patient movement during surgery.

This study examines the effects of a home health intervention designed to standardize nursing care, strengthen nurses' support for patient self-management and yield better CHF patient outcomes. Participants were 371 Medicare CHF patients served by 205 nurses randomized to intervention and control groups in a large urban home health care agency (HHA). The intervention consisted of an evidence-based nursing protocol, patient self-care guide, and training to improve nurses' teaching and support skills. Outcome measures included home care, physician and emergency department (ED) use, hospital admission, condition- specific quality of life (QoL), satisfaction with home care services and survival at 90 days. The intervention was associated with a marginally significant reduction in the volume of skilled nursing visits (p = .074), and a reduction variation in the typical number of visits provided (p < .05), without a significant increase in physician or ED use or patient mortality. Hypothesized improvement in other outcomes did not occur. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Long-term consequences of anesthetic exposure in humans are not well understood. It is possible that alterations in brain function occur beyond the initial anesthetic administration. Research in children and adults has reported cognitive and/or behavioral changes after surgery and general anesthesia that may be short lived in some patients, while in others, such changes may persist. The changes observed in humans are corroborated by a large body of evidence from animal studies that support a role for alterations in neuronal survival (neuroapoptosis) or structure (altered dendritic and glial morphology) and later behavioral deficits at older age after exposure to various anesthetic agents during fetal or early life. The potential of anesthetics to induce long-term alterations in brain function, particularly in vulnerable populations, warrants investigation. In this review, we critically evaluate the available preclinical and clinical data on the developing and aging brain, and in known vulnerable populations to provide insights into potential changes that may affect the general population of patients in a more, subtle manner. In addition this review summarizes underlying processes of how general anesthetics produce changes in the brain at the cellular and systems level and the current understanding underlying mechanisms of anesthetics agents on brain systems. Finally, we present how neuroimaging techniques currently emerge as promising approaches to evaluate and define changes in brain function resulting from anesthesia, both in the short and the long-term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 2 month old, 51 kg female infant underwent neuraxial anesthesia for repair of a right inguinal hernia. After two unsuccessful attempts at obtaining free-flowing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the L3-L4 lumbar interspace with a 25-gauge (G) neonatal spinal needle, clear CSF was obtained using a Quincke 22-G needle. After easy aspiration, a total of 0.7 mL of 0.75% hyperbaric bupivicaine was injected intrathecally. Immediately after the spinal block, a caudal epidural block was placed by injecting 2mL of 0.25% bupivacaine with 1:200,000 using a 22-G Quincke spinal needle. Surgery and recovery were uneventful. Two days later, after a crying spell, a bulging, grape size swelling was noted in the infant's lumbar region. Examination was normal except that her fontanel was mildly depressed when she was upright, and a 1 - 1.5 cm soft, nontender swelling in her lumbar area bulged out when she strained. The bulge resolved over the next 48 hours. In the majority of neonates, CSF leaks into the epidural space after lumbar puncture. In our case, the patient showed CSF accumulation at the site of puncture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]