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Objective: To determine the association between indoor air pollution and respiratory morbidities in children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia recruited from the multicenter Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) Collaborative., Study Design: A cross-sectional study was performed among participants less than 3 years old in the BPD Collaborative Outpatient Registry. Indoor air pollution was defined as any reported exposure to tobacco or marijuana smoke, electronic cigarette emissions, gas stoves, and/or wood stoves. Clinical data included acute care use and chronic respiratory symptoms in the past 4 weeks., Results: A total of 1,011 subjects born at a mean gestational age of 26.4 ± 2.2 weeks were included. Most (66.6%) had severe BPD. Over 40% of subjects were exposed to at least one source of indoor air pollution. The odds of reporting an emergency department visit (OR 1.7 [1.18, 2.45], antibiotic use (OR 1.9 [1.12, 3.21]), or a systemic steroid course (OR 2.18 [1.24, 3.84]) were significantly higher in subjects reporting exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) compared with those without SHS exposure. Subjects reporting exposure to air pollution (not including SHS) also had a significantly greater odds (OR 1.48 [1.08, 2.03]) of antibiotic use as well. Indoor air pollution exposure (including SHS) was not associated with chronic respiratory symptoms or rescue medication use., Conclusion: Exposure to indoor air pollution, especially SHS, was associated with acute respiratory morbidities, including ED visits, antibiotics for respiratory illnesses, and systemic steroid use., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a common complication of prematurity, is associated with outpatient morbidities, including respiratory exacerbations. Daycare attendance is associated with increased rates of acute and chronic morbidities in children with BPD. We sought to determine if additional children in the household conferred similar risks for children with BPD., Methods: The number of children in the household and clinical outcomes were obtained via validated instruments for 933 subjects recruited from 13 BPD specialty clinics in the United States. Clustered logistic regression models were used to test for associations., Results: The mean gestational age of the study population was 26.5 ± 2.2 weeks and most subjects (69.1%) had severe BPD. The mean number of children in households (including the subject) was 2.1 ± 1.3 children. Each additional child in the household was associated with a 13% increased risk for hospital admission, 13% increased risk for antibiotic use for respiratory illnesses, 10% increased risk for coughing/wheezing/shortness of breath, 14% increased risk for nighttime symptoms, and 18% increased risk for rescue medication use. Additional analyses found that the increased risks were most prominent when there were three or more other children in the household., Conclusions: We observed that additional children in the household were a risk factor for adverse respiratory outcomes. We speculate that secondary person-to-person transmission of respiratory viral infections drives this finding. While this risk factor is not easily modified, measures do exist to mitigate this disease burden. Further studies are needed to define best practices for mitigating this risk associated with household viral transmission., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Introduction: Despite bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) being a common morbidity of preterm birth, there is no validated objective tool to assess outpatient respiratory symptom control for clinical and research purposes., Methods: Data were obtained from 1049 preterm infants and children seen in outpatient BPD clinics of 13 US tertiary care centers from 2018 to 2022. A new standardized instrument was modified from an asthma control test questionnaire and administered at the time of clinic visits. External measures of acute care use were also collected. The questionnaire for BPD control was validated in the entire population and selected subgroups using standard methodology for internal reliability, construct validity, and discriminative properties., Results: Based on the scores from BPD control questionnaire, the majority of caregivers (86.2%) felt their child's symptoms were under control, which did not differ by BPD severity (p = 0.30) or a history of pulmonary hypertension (p = 0.42). Across the entire population and selected subgroups, the BPD control questionnaire was internally reliable, suggestive of construct validity (albeit correlation coefficients were -0.2 to -0.4.), and discriminated control well. Control categories (controlled, partially controlled, and uncontrolled) were also predictive of sick visits, emergency department visits, and hospital readmissions., Conclusion: Our study provides a tool for assessing respiratory control in children with BPD for clinical care and research studies. Further work is needed to identify modifiable predictors of disease control and link scores from the BPD control questionnaire to other measures of respiratory health such as lung function testing., (© 2023 The Authors. Pediatric Pulmonology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objectives: To describe outpatient respiratory outcomes and center-level variability among children with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) who require tracheostomy and long-term mechanical ventilation., Methods: Retrospective cohort of subjects with severe BPD, born between 2016 and 2021, who received tracheostomy and were discharged on home ventilator support from 12 tertiary care centers participating in the BPD Collaborative Outpatient Registry. Timing of key respiratory events including time to tracheostomy placement, initial hospital discharge, first outpatient clinic visit, liberation from the ventilator, and decannulation were assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Differences between centers for the timing of events were assessed via log-rank tests., Results: There were 155 patients who met inclusion criteria. Median age at the time of the study was 32 months. The median age of tracheostomy placement was 5 months (48 weeks' postmenstrual age). The median ages of hospital discharge and first respiratory clinic visit were 10 months and 11 months of age, respectively. During the study period, 64% of the subjects were liberated from the ventilator at a median age of 27 months and 32% were decannulated at a median age of 49 months. The median ages for all key events differed significantly by center (P ≤ .001 for all events)., Conclusions: There is wide variability in the outpatient respiratory outcomes of ventilator-dependent infants and children with severe BPD. Further studies are needed to identify the factors that contribute to variability in practice among the different BPD outpatient centers, which may include inpatient practices., (Copyright © 2023 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

Introduction: In children admitted for asthma exacerbation, multiple evidence-based, clinical practice guidelines exist to identify readiness for discharge. At many institutions, weaning of albuterol is part of the discharge process, though presently there is limited evidence to guide best practice. We sought to determine how many children required escalation of care once placed on every 4-h dosing of albuterol., Methods: We performed a consecutive case series of pediatric patients between 5 and 18 years of age admitted to a single tertiary care center's pediatric hospitalist service between April 2015 and April 2018 with a discharge diagnosis of asthma. Patients admitted to the intensive care unit (PICU) or a subspecialty service were excluded, as has been done previously. Time between albuterol administrations was tracked. "Treatment escalation" was defined as when a patient required more frequent albuterol more dosing after previously tolerating albuterol doses separated by more than 3.5 h., Results: A total of 331 patients met inclusion criteria; 136 were female (41.1%), and the average age was 8.8 years. Twenty-six of the 331 patients (7.8%) required escalation of albuterol therapy. Eleven patients returned to the emergency department (ED) following discharge, 2 of which had experienced treatment escalation while admitted., Conclusions: Our case series showed that most patients were safe to discharge after spacing albuterol treatments to 4 h, with few returns to the ED and readmissions. Albuterol spacing to every 4 h once appears to be a reasonable discharge criterion, but future studies are needed to determine if this is a safe and efficient.

Antibody-mediated rejection is a major cause of long-term graft loss in kidney transplant patients. T follicular helper (Tfh) cells are crucial for assisting B cell differentiation and are required for an efficient antibody response. Anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) is a widely used lymphocyte-depleting induction therapy. However, less is known about how ATG affects Tfh cell development and donor-specific antibody (DSA) formation. We observed an increase in circulating Tfh cells at 6 months after kidney transplant in patients who received ATG. Using an NP-OVA immunization model, we found that ATG-treated mice had a higher percentage of Tfh cells, germinal center B cells, and higher titers of antigen-specific antibodies compared to controls. ATG-treated animals had lower levels of IL-2, a known Bcl-6 repressor, but higher levels of IL-21, pSTAT3 and Bcl-6, favoring Tfh differentiation. In a mouse kidney transplant model, ATG-treated recipients showed an increase in Tfh cells, DSA and C4d staining in the allograft. Although ATG was effective in depleting T cells, it favored the expansion of Tfh cells following depletion. Concomitant use of IL-2, tacrolimus, or rapamycin with ATG was essential to control Tfh cell expansion. In summary, ATG depletion favors Tfh expansion, enhancing antibody-mediated response., (© 2022 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.)

The use of standardized internal hospital phone numbers for cardiac arrest is advocated in Europe. We evaluated the current status of variations in medical emergency call numbers for in-hospital patients in Japan and whether anesthesiologists would approve a standardized number. From June 2018 to August 2018, a questionnaire survey was mailed to anesthesiologists in 1373 Japanese Society of Anesthesiologists (JSA)-accredited hospitals. The basis for opinions on using a standardized cardiac arrest call number in all Japanese hospitals was evaluated. Of 1373 facilities (response rate, 58%, n = 800), 741/776 (96%) reported a response system for in-hospital cardiac arrest; 638/710 (90%) responded to cardiac arrest through loudspeaker broadcast, audible to both patients and staff; 346/777 (48%) used a number between one and five digits long, four-digit numbers being the most common. Across Japan, 370 different numbers were reported. Only 385/688 (56%) of respondents had the emergency number memorized. Finally, 423/776 (55%) respondents approved standardizing a hospital telephone number for summoning help. Multivariate analysis showed that facilities where the anesthesiologists already memorized the call number were the only reason identified for opposition to the standardization. Although 96% of JSA-accredited hospitals had a response system for in-hospital cardiac arrests, discussions for standardization of a unified number need to be encouraged for improved emergency response.

Background: Long-term opioid treatment for chronic non-cancer pain has become controversial, given the increasing prevalence of opioid dependence. However, there is little information on therapeutic strategies for this condition in Japanese patients. Here, we present a case of successful management of iatrogenic opioid dependence with tramadol in a patient with chronic low back pain., Case Presentation: A 68-year-old male suffering from intractable low back pain was referred to our pain clinic. He was previously treated in another hospital with transdermal fentanyl patches 6 mg/day and fentanyl sublingual tablets (100 μg as required) for this condition. On the basis of medical examination, including a review of the patient's medical history, physical examination, X-ray, and his family statement, we diagnosed him with iatrogenic opioid dependence due to inadequate fentanyl use. Then, we developed a treatment plan consisting in fentanyl detoxification with a weak opioid, tramadol. At first, the use of fentanyl sublingual tablets was interrupted after obtaining informed consent. Then, we reduced the dose of transdermal fentanyl 1 mg per 4-5 days replacing with oral sustained-release tramadol. The patient developed mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms during this period, which could be effectively managed by supportive treatments. The hospital psychiatry liaison team continuously provided the patient and his wife with information, counseling, and education regarding the treatment of opioid dependence. Throughout the detoxification process, his reported pain did not exacerbate, even slightly improved over time. The final prescription was sustained-release tramadol 300 mg/day without fentanyl, and his activities of daily living drastically improved. However, unfortunately, he died due to an aortic dissection of stent-graft edge 65 days after surgery., Conclusions: Our case highlighted that sustained-release tramadol could be effectively applied as a detoxification agent for iatrogenic opioid dependence in patients with chronic non-cancer pain.

Unruptured posterior communicating artery aneurysms with oculomotor nerve palsy are at high risk of rupture, and early intervention is recommended to prevent aneurysm bleeding and to improve oculomotor function. Both surgical clipping and endovascular coiling are available, and either of them is applied according to the anatomical condition and patient's comorbidity. In this article, we describe a case of an unruptured posterior communicating artery aneurysm with oculomotor nerve palsy, which was initially treated with surgical clipping. Owing to ventricular tachycardia during surgery, the craniotomy was discontinued and switched to endovascular coiling. In this operation, use of a hybrid operating room for coiling enabled adequate heparinization and immediate recraniotomy to prevent ischemic and hemorrhagic complications, respectively.

Purpose: Neuroinflammation may contribute to the pathogenesis of the cognitive symptoms of postoperative delirium (POD) and its subsequent long-term cognitive impairment. Haloperidol (HAL), a dopamine receptor antagonist, is widely used to treat POD, whereas the effects of HAL on postoperative neuroinflammation and related cognitive deficits have been underdetermined., Methods: Aged rats underwent sham or abdominal surgery and were subcutaneously treated with either vehicle, low-dose (0.5 mg/kg bolus, then 0.5 mg/kg/day infusion), or high-dose (2.0 mg/kg bolus, then 2.0 mg/kg/day infusion) HAL. All treatments were initiated immediately after surgery and continued for 48 h. On either postoperative day 2 (early) or 7 (late), all rats were tested for trace and context fear memory retention after acquisition of trace fear conditioning. Following the cognitive testing, the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, as well as dopamine and its metabolite, in hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) were measured., Results: In the early postoperative period, surgery induced acute neuroinflammation along with related trace and context memory dysfunction. Dopamine turnover was increased in both hippocampus and mPFC, whereas no relationship with memory functions was observed. However, HAL even at high-dose failed to restore the surgery-induced neuroinflammation and related cognitive deficits. In the late postoperative period, chronic neuroinflammation was detected only in hippocampus, which was associated with context, but not trace memory dysfunction. Neither low- nor high-dose HAL could prevent the development of these late-phase neurocognitive deficits., Conclusion: Our findings indicate that perioperative administration with HAL may have no effects on postoperative neuroinflammation and related cognitive impairment.

The acute neuroinflammatory response to surgery may play a key pathogenic role in postoperative delirium (POD). Here, we investigated the contribution of acute postoperative pain to neuroinflammation and related delirium-like behaviors after surgery in adult and aged rats. Animals were assigned into four groups: control, abdominal surgery, surgery with analgesia using local ropivacaine, and surgery with analgesia using systemic morphine. Pain was assessed by the Rat Grimace Scale (RGS). Trace and context memory retention was evaluated following trace fear conditioning during the first 2 days after surgery. Pro-inflammatory cytokines in medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In both age groups, the RGS increased significantly from baseline until 6 h after surgery. The postoperative analgesia with either local or systemic regimens comparably alleviated the RGS increase in adult and aged animals. The two analgesic regimens attenuated the surgery-induced trace and context memory deficits, as well as cytokines overproduction in both medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. No age-related differences were found in the neuro-cognitive effectiveness of postoperative analgesia. Our experimental findings provide proof-of-concept for adequate postoperative pain management as one of the main preventive strategies of POD.

The beneficial effects of physical activity for pain are denominated exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH). Here, we examined the age-related change and potential role of the neurosteroid allopregnanolone (ALLO) on EIH in rats. Adult and aged rats were randomly divided into one of three groups; non-exercise control, Low-exercise, and High-exercise. The animals in the Low- and High-exercise groups were subjected to a 10-minute treadmill workout at 40% and 80% maximum oxygen intake intensity, respectively. In the Low-exercise groups, a significant EIH response was observed in aged but not in adult rats. The pre-treatment with ALLO synthesis inhibitor finasteride, but not opioid-receptor antagonist naloxone, inhibited the Low-exercise induced EIH response in aged rats. Furthermore, the Low-exercise increased brain ALLO levels in aged animals compared with controls, which was correlated with the mechanical pain sensitivity. On the other hand, High-exercise could induce EIH response in both adult and aged animals, but it was more effective in adult rats. The pre-treatment with naloxone, but not finasteride, reduced the EIH observed after High-exercise in both adult and aged rats. Our findings demonstrated that effective EIH can be achieved even by mild-intensity exercise in aged animals via an increase of the brain ALLO levels., (Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The maladaptive response of aged microglia to surgery and consequent neuroinflammation plays a key pathogenic role in postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). Here, we assessed the preventive effect of resveratrol (RESV) for POCD in aged rats. The emulsified form of RESV (e-RESV) was selected to improve its oral and brain bioavailability. Animals were assigned to one of four groups: e-RESV (80 mg/kg) versus vehicle treatment by abdominal surgery versus isoflurane anesthesia alone (n = 8 in each group). The dose-dependent effects of e-RESV were also assessed in dose range of 0-60 mg/kg. Either vehicle or e-RESV was administered intragastrically 24 h before surgery. Seven days after procedure, cognitive function was evaluated using a novel object recognition test, followed by measurement of hippocampal pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. Our results showed that pre-treatment with e-RESV attenuated the surgery-induced cognitive impairment and related hippocampal neuroinflammation at 40 mg/kg or higher doses. Additionally, the ex-vivo experiments revealed that the preemptive e-RESV regimen reduced the hippocampal microglial immune reactivity to lipopolysaccharide. Furthermore, e-RESV induced neuroprotective benefits were inhibited by the concomitant administration of sirtinol, a specific SIRT1 inhibitor. Our findings imply the preventive potential of e-RESV for POCD via the SIRT1 signaling pathway., (Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the age-, time-, and brain region-dependent postoperative neuroinflammatory trajectory, and its association with neurocognitive outcomes in rats., Methods: Adult and aged rats were randomly assigned to one of three groups: control, isoflurane anesthesia alone, and isoflurane anesthesia with abdominal surgery. On either postoperative day 2 (early phase) or 7 (late phase), all rats were tested for trace and context fear memory retention after acquisition of trace fear conditioning. Freezing behavior was used as an index of fear memory. Following the cognitive testing, the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in several brain regions were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (n = 8 in each group)., Results: In the early postoperative period, surgery under isoflurane anesthesia induced acute neuroinflammation along with related trace and context memory dysfunction. Such acute neuroinflammatory responses were comparably observed in both adult and aged animals, whereas the aged rats were more likely to exhibit behavioral changes. On the other hand, in the late postoperative period, neither neuroinflammation in all tested brain regions nor concomitant memory decline were found in adult animals. Significant neuroinflammation was detected only in the hippocampus of aged rats, which was associated with context, but not trace memory dysfunction., Conclusion: Our findings indicate that surgery-induced acute, transient, brain-wide neuroinflammation may be involved in the pathogenesis of the postoperative delirium-like cognitive deficits in rats. Furthermore, neuroinflammation may convert from acute to chronic in an age- and hippocampal-specific manner, likely resulting in the development of sustained cognitive dysfunction.

Aims: This study was aimed to explore the contribution of central brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the neuropathic pain pathogenesis using an aged rodent model., Main Methods: Adult and aged rats were randomly assigned to either a sciatic nerve ligation (SNL) group or a control skin sham surgery group. Sensory behavioral testing were performed on the day before surgery and on the 3rd, 7th, 14th, and 21st days after surgery, followed by measurement of BDNF protein levels in different brain regions. In another experiment, the hippocampal BDNF gene expression after SNL surgery was assessed at different time-points. Furthermore, the analgesic effects of intranasal BDNF administration were tested in SNL animals., Key Findings: Our behavioral results demonstrated that the hyperalgesia-like behavior after painful nerve injury has a higher incidence in aged rats compared with in adult animals. In particular, the hippocampal BDNF levels were inversely correlated with the probability of hyperalgesia-type behavior, in both brain-region specific and age-dependent manner. Time-course analysis showed that the hippocampal levels of BDNF mRNA in aged and adult rats started to decrease 7 and 14 days after surgery, respectively. However, the decrease was more pronounced in aged animals. Moreover, the repeated intranasal BDNF treatment could restore the central BDNF signaling, counteracting the age-related exacerbation of hyperalgesic behavior., Significance: Our findings imply that hippocampal BDNF may be related with the pathogenesis of elderly neuropathic pain. Pharmacological data further suggest that brain BDNF may be modifiable in aged neuropathic animals, and therefore, represent a promising target for intervention., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Low-grade endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide; LPS) exposure may contribute to the development of exaggerated acute postoperative pain. In the present study, we investigated the possible impact of intraoperative administration of dexmedetomidine (DEX) on LPS-induced postoperative hyperalgesia in a rat incisional pain model., Methods: The surgical and sham-surgical animals were randomly divided into saline-treated control, 5.0 mg/kg LPS-treated, 10 µg/kg DEX-treated, and 5.0 mg/kg LPS + 10 µg/kg DEX-treated groups. In the surgical animals, a 1-cm-long plantar incision was made through the skin and fascia under isoflurane anesthesia. The sham-surgical rats were only anesthetized. All treatments were administered by a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection 60 min before surgery. Acute postoperative pain was assessed using the Rat Grimace Scale (RGS) one day before surgery (baseline) and at 2 h post incision. In another experiment, the involvement of the α 2 -adrenergic receptor was tested using atipamezole, an α 2 -adrenergic receptor antagonist., Results: In the sham-surgical animals, the RGS did not increase at 2 h after sham surgery compared with the corresponding baseline values in all groups. In the surgical rats, however, the postoperative RGS value of the LPS group was significantly higher than the control group, indicating LPS-induced postoperative hyperalgesia. Administration of intraoperative DEX could prevent the development of such LPS-induced exacerbated post-incisional pain. In addition, the preventive effects of intraoperative DEX were inhibited by pretreatment with atipamezole., Conclusion: Our findings indicate that intraoperative DEX treatment can prevent LPS-induced exacerbated post-incisional pain via the α 2 -adrenergic receptor signaling pathway.

Purpose: In this study, we examined the effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a green tea polyphenol, on sepsis-induced neurocognitive abnormity in aged rats., Methods: Aged rats received an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 5.0 mg/kg lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or saline. Animals were further divided into three groups: control, low-dose EGCG (4.0 mg/kg), and high-dose EGCG (20 mg/kg). EGCG was i.p. injected at the same time, 24 and 48 h after LPS administration. Survival rate was recorded for 1 week. All surviving animals were assessed for cognitive function using the novel object recognition test, followed by measurement of hippocampal cytokine levels. In an additional set of experiments, the liver function test was performed. Furthermore, the effects of EGCG on cytokine release from microglia isolated from young and aged rats were assessed., Results: The survival rate in LPS-treated control rats was 77.8%, which was decreased to 72.2 and 33.3% in the low and high EGCG groups, respectively. In the surviving animals, the LPS-treated control rats exhibited impaired cognitive performance and increased pro-inflammatory cytokine levels compared with untreated animals. None of these neurocognitive alterations were affected by low or high EGCG treatment. Blood chemical analysis showed co-administration of EGCG with LPS resulted in a marked increase in both aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels. In addition, EGCG inhibited LPS-induced cytokine release, whereas the suppressive ability of EGCG was lower in aged microglia compared with in young microglia., Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated that EGCG cannot prevent hippocampal neuroinflammation and related memory deficits in aged rats surviving sepsis.

Purpose: In the present study, we examined whether and by what mechanisms dexmedetomidine (DMED) prevents the development of systemic inflammation (SI)-induced cognitive dysfunction in aged rats., Methods: Animals received a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of either 5.0 mg/kg lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or vehicle. LPS-treated rats were further divided into three groups: early DMED, late DMED, or midazolam (MDZ) treatment (n = 12 each). Seven days after LPS injection, cognitive function was evaluated using a novel object recognition task, followed by measurement of hippocampal levels of proinflammatory cytokines and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) expression. For ex vivo experiments, microglia were isolated from the hippocampus for assessment of cytokine response to LPS., Results: LPS-treated rats showed memory deficits, hippocampal neuroinflammation, and TLR-4 upregulation as compared to saline-treated animals. However, early DMED treatment was able to attenuate these SI-induced neurocognitive changes, whereas no benefits were observed in the MDZ and late DMED treatment groups. In ex vivo experiments, early DMED treatment prevented the development of SI-induced excessive microglial hyperactivation, which was blocked by the nonspecific α 2 -adrenergic receptor (AR) antagonist atipamezole or the specific α 2A -AR antagonist BRL-44408, but not by the specific α 2B/C -AR antagonist ARC-239. On the other hand, neither DMED nor MDZ had a direct effect on LPS-induced release of pro-inflammatory cytokines from hippocampal microglia at clinically relevant concentrations., Conclusion: Our findings highlight that treatment with DMED during, but not after, peripheral SI can prevent subsequent hippocampal neuroinflammation, overexpression of TLR-4 in microglia, and cognitive dysfunction, as mediated by the α 2A -AR signaling pathway.

Background: The major perioperative concern in patients with second-degree atrioventricular (AV) block is the progression to complete AV block. Therefore, the prophylactic implantation of a temporary pacemaker prior to surgery is recommended, especially in symptomatic patients. However, as no quantitative preoperative risk assessment from progression to complete AV block is available, there is currently no established indication for preoperative prophylactic pacemaker implantation. Here, we present a case of progression from asymptomatic second-degree two-to-one (2:1) AV block to complete AV block following the induction of general anesthesia., Case Presentation: A 69-year-old female with degenerative spinal stenosis was scheduled for transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion surgery under general anesthesia. She had no cardiac symptoms, but routine preoperative resting 12-lead electrocardiogram revealed second-degree 2:1 AV block. After discussion with the surgeon and referring cardiologist, we scheduled the surgery without implantation of a temporary pacemaker before surgery for the following reasons: (1) asymptomatic, (2) no evidence of underlying cardiac disease, and (3) a narrow QRS complex. On the day of surgery, general anesthesia was induced with 150 mg of intravenous thiamylal and 25 μg of fentanyl, followed by intravenous administration of 50 mg of rocuronium to facilitate endotracheal intubation. Sevoflurane (1.0-2.0%) was used to maintain anesthesia. A few minutes after induction, the 2:1 AV block progressively converted to complete AV block, and the surgery was postponed. During emergence from anesthesia, the third-degree AV block recovered to 2:1 AV block, similar with the preoperative pattern. The patient was monitored in the intensive care unit for 2 days and then transferred to the normal orthopedic ward uneventfully. One month later, the surgery was rescheduled with preoperative implantation of a temporary pacemaker. A slow mask induction using sevoflurane with oxygen was started. Upon loss of consciousness during the inhalation of initial sevoflurane, complete AV block developed and temporary pacing was immediately initiated. Subsequent anesthesia and surgery were uneventful. The patient made an uncomplicated recovery from surgery with stable hemodynamics. The temporary pacemaker was not required after surgery, and the pacemaker catheter was removed 1 day after surgery., Conclusions: The present case indicates that a prophylactic pacemaker should be implanted preoperatively in patients who have 2:1 AV block even without symptoms.

Background: Patient satisfaction with postoperative pain management is an important quality indicator in patient health care, but its determinants are poorly understood. Here, we examined the contribution of the discrepancy between an individual's estimated acceptable and actual postoperative pain scores to the overall satisfaction with pain treatment., Findings: A total of 93 surgical patients were included in this study. Preoperatively, the subjects were asked to rate their estimated acceptable postoperative pain using a numerical rating scale (NRS). One day after the surgery, the patients were again asked to give NRS ratings of the overall actual pain intensity they had experienced, as well as their satisfaction with the provided pain treatment. The median estimated acceptable and actual NRS values for postoperative pain were 4.0 (3.0-5.0) and 4.0 (2.0-5.0), respectively. Although there was no correlation between the degree of patient satisfaction and preoperative estimated acceptable pain intensity, there was a significant negative correlation between the degree of patient satisfaction and postoperative actual pain intensity. When the preoperative estimated acceptable NRS value was compared with the postoperative actual value for each individual, postoperative NRS was greater in 34 cases (36.6%), less in 43 cases (46.2%), and equal in 16 cases (17.2%). The degree of patient satisfaction was not significantly correlated with the magnitude of difference between preoperative estimated acceptable NRS and postoperative actual NRS., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that inquiring about the estimated acceptable pain before surgery may not help anesthesiologists to understand the patient's goal of pain management for improving patient satisfaction.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the role of central insulin signaling, including glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β), and its therapeutic potential for the prevention of postoperative neurocognitive deficits., Main Methods: In non-insulin experiment, aged rats were divided into a sham group and abdominal surgery group. In insulin experiment, sham and surgically treated rats were distributed into two groups: an intranasal denatured insulin-treated group and intranasal insulin-treated group. Insulin administration started the day of surgery and continued for 3days. Fourteen-days after surgery, cognitive function was assessed using a novel object recognition test, followed by measurement of hippocampal levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, GSK-3β, and phosphorylated GSK-3β (pGSK-3β(ser9)). Under identical conditions, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cytokine release from isolated hippocampal microglia was also tested., Key Findings: In non-insulin experiment, compared with non-surgical animals, the rats that underwent abdominal surgery showed memory deficits and increased hippocampal cytokine levels. The hippocampal ratio of pGSK-3β(ser9)/GSK-3β decreased after surgery, a ratio that was positively correlated with novel object recognition performance in the testing phase. Insulin experiment revealed that perioperative intranasal insulin administration could restore the surgery-induced hippocampal neuroinflammation and hyperactivation of GSK-3β, and prevent impairment in novel object recognition. Furthermore, ex vivo experiments indicated that intranasal insulin administration, as well as pretreatment with SB216763, a GSK-3β inhibitor, resulted in reduction of the surgery-related microglial hyper-reactivity to LPS., Significance: Our findings in aged rats suggest that surgical procedures could impair central insulin signaling including GSK-3β, which makes the individual more susceptible to hippocampal neuroinflammation and related cognitive disorders., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Post-herpetic itch (PHI) is a neuropathic itch syndrome following herpes zoster. It has been reported that PHI is occasionally sufficiently severe to compromise patients' quality of life and frequently refractory to treatment. Here, we present a case of severe chronic PHI successfully treated with supraorbital nerve block using a high concentration of tetracaine dissolved in bupivacaine., Case Presentation: An 82-year-old man presented with severe chronic itching in the ophthalmic branch of the left trigeminal nerve dermatome, following acute herpes zoster. The patient's itching was unresponsive to usual medical treatments for PHI including antiepileptic drugs, topical capsaicin cream, and supraorbital nerve radiofrequency thermo-coagulation. Topical lidocaine cream could relieve the itching, but could not provide long-term relief of itching and thus failed to achieve a satisfactory result. After these conventional treatments, left supraorbital nerve block using 4% tetracaine dissolved with 0.5% bupivacaine was conducted. Afterwards, the patient experienced long-lasting resolution of the itching with improvement of sleep disturbance. A transient, mild edema of the eyelids occurred, but there were no other complications., Conclusions: Peripheral nerve block using 4% tetracaine dissolved with 0.5% bupivacaine was beneficial in relieving PHI in the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve.

We report a case of difficult lumbar puncture due to the inability to obtain adequate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in a patient later diagnosed with spinal epidural lipomatosis (SEL). A 76-year-old man with a body mass index (BMI) of 24.1 kg/m 2 was scheduled for transurethral resection of a bladder tumor for superficial bladder cancer under spinal anesthesia. The patient had a 3-year history of inhaled steroid use for the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. After placing the patient in the right lateral position, a lumbar puncture was performed via the median approach. However, CSF could not be tapped adequately despite repeated attempts at lumbar puncture, so general anesthetic was administered instead. Subsequently, both anesthesia and surgery proceeded uneventfully. On the first postoperative day, the patient developed mild postdural puncture headache (PDPH), which was treated conservatively. No postoperative neurological complications related to spinal anesthesia were observed. Approximately 2 months after discharge, the patient reported progressive lower back pain and was diagnosed with SEL by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A lumbar laminectomy and removal of excessive adipose tissue was performed. After surgery, the patient's symptoms resolved. The pathogenesis of SEL involves excess fat tissue deposition in the spinal canal, which can lead to obliteration of the spinal subarachnoid space. Therefore, in this patient, the SEL was thought to have caused the inability to obtain adequate CSF during lumbar puncture, and was associated with difficult spinal anesthesia.