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This study assesses affiliation bias in peer review of medical abstracts by a commonly used large language model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The noble gas argon (Ar) is a "biologically" active element and has been extensively studied preclinically for its organ protection properties. This work reviews all preclinical studies employing Ar and describes the clinical uses reported in literature, analyzing 55 pertinent articles found by means of a search on PubMed and Embase. Ventilation with Ar has been tested in different models of acute disease at concentrations ranging from 20% to 80% and for durations between a few minutes up to days. Overall, lesser cell death, smaller infarct size, and better functional recovery after ischemia have been repeatedly observed. Modulation of the molecular pathways involved in cell survival, with resulting anti-apoptotic and pro-survival effects, appeared as the determinant mechanism by which Ar fulfills its protective role. These beneficial effects have been reported regardless of onset and duration of Ar exposure, especially after cardiac arrest. In addition, ventilation with Ar was safe both in animals and humans. Thus, preclinical and clinical data support future clinical studies on the role of inhalatory Ar as an organ protector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Long-term pulmonary complications have been reported after a coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). We hypothesized that a history of COVID-19 is associated with a measurable decrease in baseline respiratory system compliance in patients undergoing general anesthesia., Methods: In this hospital registry study, we included adult patients undergoing general anesthesia between January 2020 and March 2022 at a tertiary health care network in Massachusetts. We excluded patients with an American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status >IV, laryngoscopic surgeries, and patients who arrived intubated. The primary exposure was a history of COVID-19. The primary outcome was baseline respiratory system compliance (mL/cmH 2 O). Effects of severity of infection, surges (Alpha 1 , Alpha 2 , Delta, and Omicron), patient demographics, and time between infection and assessment of compliance were investigated., Results: A total of 19,921 patients were included. Approximately 1386 (7.0%) patients had a history of COVID-19. A history of COVID-19 at any time before surgery was associated with a measurably lower baseline respiratory system compliance (ratio of means adj = 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.94-0.97; P < .001; adjusted compliance difference: -1.6 mL/cmH 2 O). The association was more pronounced in patients with a severe form of COVID-19 (ratio of means adj = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.90-0.99; P = .02, adjusted compliance difference: -2 mL/cmH 2 O). Alpha 1 , Alpha 2 , and Delta surges, but not Omicron, led to a lower baseline respiratory system compliance ( P < .001, P = .02, and P < .001). The Delta surge effect was magnified in Hispanic ethnicity ( P -for-interaction = 0.003; ratio of means adj = 0.83; 95% CI, 0.74-0.93; P = .001; adjusted compliance difference: -4.6 mL/cmH 2 O)., Conclusions: A history of COVID-19 infection during Alpha 1 , Alpha 2 , and Delta surges was associated with a measurably lower baseline respiratory system compliance., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: See Disclosures at the end of the article., (Copyright © 2024 International Anesthesia Research Society.)

Background: Recruitment maneuvers are used in patients with ARDS to enhance oxygenation and lung mechanics. Heterogeneous lung and chest-wall mechanics lead to unpredictable transpulmonary pressures and could impact recruitment maneuver success. Tailoring care based on individualized transpulmonary pressure might optimize recruitment, preventing overdistention. This study aimed to identify the optimal transpulmonary pressure for effective recruitment and to explore its association with baseline characteristics., Methods: We performed post hoc analysis on the Esophageal Pressure Guided Ventilation (EpVent2) trial. We estimated the dose-response relationship between end-recruitment end-inspiratory transpulmonary pressure and the change in lung elastance after a recruitment maneuver by using logistic regression weighted by a generalized propensity score. A positive change in lung elastance was indicative of overdistention. We examined how patient characteristics, disease severity markers, and respiratory parameters predict transpulmonary pressure by using multivariate linear regression models and dominance analyses., Results: Of 121 subjects, 43.8% had a positive change in lung elastance. Subjects with a positive change in lung elastance had a mean ± SD transpulmonary pressure of 15.1 ± 4.9 cm H 2 O, compared with 13.9 ± 3.9 cm H 2 O in those with a negative change in lung elastance. Higher transpulmonary pressure was associated with increased probability of a positive change in lung elastance (adjusted odds ratio 1.35 per 1 cm H 2 O of transpulmonary pressure, 95% CI 1.13-1.61; P = .001), which indicated an S-shaped dose-response curve, with overdistention probability > 50% at transpulmonary pressure values > 18.3 cm H 2 O. The volume of recruitment was transpulmonary pressure-dependent ( P < .001; R 2 = 0.49) and inversely related to a change in lung elastance after adjusting for baseline lung elastance ( P < .001; R 2 = 0.43). Negative correlations were observed between transpulmonary pressure and body mass index, PEEP, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, and P aO 2 /F IO 2 , whereas baseline lung elastance showed a positive correlation. The body mass index emerged as the dominant negative predictor of transpulmonary pressure (ranking 1; contribution to R 2 = 0.08), whereas pre-recruitment elastance was the sole positive predictor (contribution to R 2 = 0.06)., Conclusions: Higher end-recruitment transpulmonary pressure increases the volume of recruitment but raises the risk of overdistention, providing the rationale for transpulmonary pressure to be used as a clinical target. Predictors, for example, body mass index, could guide recruitment maneuver individualization to balance adequate volume gain with overdistention., (Copyright © 2024 by Daedalus Enterprises.)

Background: Acetaminophen and 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonists are administered as standard prophylaxes for postoperative pain, nausea, and vomiting. Preclinical studies, however, suggest that 5-HT3 antagonists may compromise acetaminophen's analgesic effect. This hospital registry study investigates whether 5-HT3 antagonists mitigate the analgesic effect of prophylactic acetaminophen in a perioperative setting., Methods: This study included 55,016 adult patients undergoing general anesthesia for ambulatory procedures at a tertiary healthcare center in Massachusetts from 2015 to 2022. Using binary exposure variables and a comprehensive selection of preplanned patient- and procedure-related covariates for confounder control, the authors investigated whether intraoperative 5-HT3 antagonists affected the association between pre- or intraoperative acetaminophen and postoperative opioid consumption, gauged by opioid dose in milligram oral morphine equivalents (OME) administered in the postanesthesia care unit. A multivariable, zero-inflated negative binomial regression model was applied., Results: A total of 3,166 patients (5.8%) received only acetaminophen, 15,438 (28.1%) only 5-HT3 antagonists, 31,850 (57.9%) both drugs, and 4,562 (8.3%) neither drug. The median postanesthesia care unit opioid dose was 7.5 mg OME (interquartile range, 7.5 to 14.3 mg OME) among 16,640 of 55,016 (30.2%) patients who received opioids, and the mean opioid dose was 3.2 mg OME across all patients (maximum cumulative dose, 20.4 mg OME). Acetaminophen administration was associated with a -5.5% (95% CI, -9.6 to -1.4%; P = 0.009; adjusted absolute difference, -0.19 mg OME; 95% CI, -0.33 to -0.05; P = 0.009) reduction in opioid consumption among patients who did not receive a 5-HT3 antagonist, while there was no effect in patients who received a 5-HT3 antagonist (adjusted absolute difference, 0.00 mg OME; 95% CI, -0.06 to 0.05; P = 0.93; P for interaction = 0.013)., Conclusions: A dose-dependent association of pre- or intraoperative acetaminophen with decreased postoperative opioid consumption was not observed when 5-HT3 antagonists were coadministered, suggesting that physicians might consider reserving 5-HT3 antagonists as rescue medication for postoperative nausea or vomiting when acetaminophen is administered for pain prophylaxis., (Copyright © 2024 American Society of Anesthesiologists. All Rights Reserved.)