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BACKGROUND: As with other types of research, there are concerns about reporting of survey research in anesthesia journals. We hypothesized that use of survey reporting items would be inconsistent in survey research reported in anesthesia journals. METHODS: After a literature review we constructed a 17-item reporting list for a limited systematic review of survey reporting in 6 anesthesia journals. We identified survey reports by MEDLINE (PubMed) search for January 2000 to April 2009. RESULTS: The initial search identified 347 publications. Of these, we excluded 107 because they were not questionnaire surveys (often audits), were reviews, or were letters. We therefore identified 240 surveys published as full survey reports. From the 17-item reporting list, the median number of items recorded was 9 (interquartile range: 7 to 10; range 2 to 15). The number (and percentage) of surveys reporting specific items ranged widely for different items: from 9 surveys (4%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2% to 7%) for sample size to 240 surveys (100%; 95% CI: 98% to 100%) for response rate. In addition to sample size, the 5 least frequently reported items included the following: reporting confidence intervals, 21 surveys (9%; 95% CI: 6% to 13%); stating a hypothesis, 23 of 240 surveys (10%; 95% CI: 7% to 14%); accounting for nonresponders, 61 surveys (25%; 95% CI: 20% to 31%); and survey design, 67 surveys (28%; 95% CI: 33% to 34%). CONCLUSIONS: Inconsistent reporting may compromise the transparency and reproducibility of survey reports.

We conducted a prospective study of non-cardiac surgical patients aged 70 years or more in 23 hospitals in Australia and New Zealand. We studied 4158 consecutive patients of whom 2845 (68%) had pre-existing comorbidities. By day 30, 216 (5%) patients had died, and 835 (20%) suffered complications; 390 (9.4%) patients were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Pre-operative factors associated with mortality included: increasing age (80-89 years: OR 2.1 (95% CI 1.6-2.8), p < 0.001; 90+ years: OR 4.0 (95% CI 2.6-6.2), p < 0.001); worsening ASA physical status (ASA 3: OR 3.1 (95% CI 1.8-5.5), p < 0.001; ASA 4: OR 12.4 (95% CI 6.9-22.2), p < 0.001); a pre-operative plasma albumin < 30 g.l⁻¹ (OR: 2.5 (95% CI 1.8-3.5), p < 0.001); and non-scheduled surgery (OR 1.8 (95% CI 1.3-2.5), p < 0.001). Complications associated with mortality included: acute renal impairment (OR 3.3 (95% CI 2.1-5.0), p < 0.001); unplanned Intensive Care Unit admission (OR 3.1 (95% CI 1.9-4.9), p < 0.001); and systemic inflammation (OR 2.5 (95% CI 1.7-3.7), p < 0.001). Patient factors often had a stronger association with mortality than the type of surgery. Strategies are needed to reduce complications and mortality in older surgical patients.

Background Perioperative hypothermia has been reported to increase the occurrence of cardiovascular complications. By increasing the activity of sympathetic nervous system, perioperative hypothermia also has the potential to increase cardiac injury and dysfunction associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage. Methods The Intraoperative Hypothermia for Aneurysm Surgery Trial randomized patients undergoing cerebral aneurysm surgery to intraoperative hypothermia (n = 499, 33.3 degrees +/- 0.8 degrees C) or normothermia (n = 501, 36.7 degrees +/- 0.5 degrees C). Cardiovascular events (hypotension, arrhythmias, vasopressor use, myocardial infarction, and others) were prospectively followed until 3-month follow-up and were compared in hypothermic and normothermic patients. A subset of 62 patients (hypothermia, n = 33; normothermia, n = 29) also had preoperative and postoperative (within 24 h) measurement of cardiac troponin-I and echocardiography to explore the association between perioperative hypothermia and subarachnoid hemorrhage-associated myocardial injury and left ventricular function. Results There was no difference between hypothermic and normothermic patients in the occurrence of any single cardiovascular event or in composite cardiovascular events. There was no difference in mortality (6%) between groups, and there was only a single primary cardiovascular death (normothermia). There was no difference between hypothermic and normothermic patients in postoperative versus preoperative left ventricular regional wall motion or ejection fraction. Compared with preoperative values, hypothermic patients had no postoperative increase in cardiac troponin-I (median change 0.00 microg/l), whereas normothermic patients had a small postoperative increase (median change + 0.01 microg/l, P = 0.038). Conclusion In patients undergoing cerebral aneurysm surgery, perioperative hypothermia was not associated with an increased occurrence of cardiovascular events.

Background Although hypothermia and barbiturates improve neurologic outcomes in animal temporary focal ischemia models, the clinical efficacy of these interventions during temporary occlusion of the cerebral vasculature during intracranial aneurysm surgery (temporary clipping) is not established. Methods A post hoc analysis of patients from the Intraoperative Hypothermia for Aneurysm Surgery Trial who underwent temporary clipping was performed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression methods were used to test for associations between hypothermia, supplemental protective drug, and short- (24-h) and long-term (3-month) neurologic outcomes. An odds ratio more than 1 denotes better outcome. Results Patients undergoing temporary clipping (n = 441) were assigned to intraoperative hypothermia (33.3 degrees +/- 0.8 degrees C, n = 208) or normothermia (36.7 degrees +/- 0.5 degrees C, n = 233), with 178 patients also receiving supplemental protective drug (thiopental or etomidate) during temporary clipping. Three months after surgery, 278 patients (63%) had good outcome (Glasgow Outcome Score = 1). Neither hypothermia (P = 0.847; odds ratio = 1.043, 95% CI = 0.678-1.606) nor supplemental protective drug (P = 0.835; odds ratio = 1.048, 95% CI = 0.674-1.631) were associated with 3-month Glasgow Outcome Score. The effect of supplemental protective drug did not significantly vary with temperature. The effects of hypothermia and protective drug did not significantly vary with temporary clip duration. Similar findings were made for 24-h neurologic status and 3-month Neuropsychological Composite Score. Conclusion In the Intraoperative Hypothermia for Aneurysm Surgery Trial, neither systemic hypothermia nor supplemental protective drug affected short- or long-term neurologic outcomes of patients undergoing temporary clipping.

UNLABELLED: We examined whether a combined critical care outreach and acute pain service comprising both medical and nursing staff from the Department of Anaesthesia would decrease the incidence of postoperative serious adverse events in a hospital with an established Medical Emergency Team. We called this combined service IMPACT: Inpatient Management of acute Pain and Advice on Clinical Treatment. We conducted a prospective, before-and-after trial with a baseline phase (319 patients) of standard acute pain management followed by the IMPACT phase (271 patients), during which the IMPACT team systematically reviewed high-risk postoperative patients for the first three days after their return to the general wards. The incidence of serious adverse events decreased from 23 events per 100 patients to 16 events per 100 patients. The 30-day mortality decreased from 9% to 3%, p = 0.004. An acute pain service providing critical care outreach may improve postoperative outcome but the workload is considerable.

We tested the agreement between non-invasive measurement of intrapulmonary shunt, using oxygen uptake and pulmonary capillary blood flow measurement obtained by nitrous oxide rebreathing, with that measured using mixed venous blood sampling. Nine patients were recruited pre- and post-cardiac surgery resulting in 20 sets of measurements overall. Mean shunt fraction was 12.5%, and bias between methods (+/-95% confidence limits) was -0.7% (+/-0.8%). The standard deviation of the difference was 1.7% with limits of agreement between the two methods of +2.6% and -3.9%. Correlation coefficient r was 0.90. Agreement with the invasive standard was less accurate and precise where cardiac output was measured by bolus thermodilution (mean bias +1.6%, standard deviation of the difference 2.2%, limits of agreement between the two methods of +5.8% and -2.8%, r = 0.86). Good agreement was demonstrated between the non-invasive method and the invasive reference standard.

We proposed that critical care outreach would decrease the incidence of postoperative serious adverse events and so conducted a sequential cohort study with a surveillance-only phase (baseline) followed by an intervention phase. We studied high-risk patients in a large Australian hospital. A critical care qualified nurse reviewed patients for the first three days after return to the general wards. During the intervention phase the nurse intervened in patient care where appropriate. We examined the incidence of 11 categories of serious adverse events per 100 patients during the first three days on the general wards during the surveillance and intervention phases. The surveillance phase had 319 patients and the intervention phase 345 patients. In a subgroup analysis, there were four myocardial infarctions per 100 patients in the surveillance phase and seven per 100 patients during the intervention phase (95% confidence interval: 1-7 infarctions per 100 patients increase). For the other 10 serious adverse events there were 19 per 100 patients in the surveillance phase and 11 per 100 patients in the intervention phase (95% confidence interval: 4-11 serious adverse events per 100 patients decrease). Outreach may have led to greater detection of myocardial infarctions while reducing the incidence of other serious adverse events.

OBJECTIVE: To determine how familiar human research ethics committees (HRECs) are with the principles of natural justice and whether they apply these principles. DESIGN AND SETTING: A postal survey conducted between April and September 2002 of the Chairs of all HRECs registered with the Australian Health Ethics Committee of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) in 2001. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: HRECs' reported familiarity with, and application of, three principles of natural justice: (1). the hearing rule, requiring a decision maker to allow a person affected by a decision to present his or her case; (2). the rule against bias, requiring a decision maker to be unbiased in the matter to be decided; and (3). the evidence rule, requiring that a decision be based on the evidence provided, and not irrelevant issues. RESULTS: From 201 Chairs of HRECs Australia-wide, we received 110 completed questionnaires (55% response rate). About 33% of respondents were very familiar with the principles of natural justice, and 25% completely unfamiliar. Most respondents felt that natural justice should be, and usually is, applied by HRECs. In cases of possible positive bias of an HREC member towards a research proposal, 70% of respondents said they would exclude the member from decision making. In cases of possible negative bias, 43% said they would exclude the HREC member. CONCLUSION: The degree of familiarity with principles of natural justice varies widely among Chairs of HRECs. While many respondents felt that HRECs usually apply natural justice, responses to questions about bias suggest that HRECs do not always exclude members with possible bias, contrary to NHMRC guidelines.

We used 100 routine blood samples from critically ill patients to establish whether correcting the anion-gap and base-deficit for decreased plasma albumin improves agreement with the strong-ion-gap for estimating unmeasured anions and whether the modifications increase the proportion of samples with levels of anion-gap or base-deficit above the reference ranges. We used Bland-Altman analyses to compare the methods of estimating unmeasured ions. Compared with the strong-ion-gap, modification reduced the limits of agreement for both the anion-gap and the base-deficit. The bias for the base-deficit was also reduced but the bias for the anion-gap was increased. The proportion of samples with an anion-gap22 meq.l(-1) increased from 4 to 29% (p0.001), and the proportion with a base-deficit5 meq.l(-1) increased from 8 to 42% (p0.001). Consequently, metabolic acidosis from unmeasured ions in critically ill patients maybe more frequent than often recognised.

We have previously found poor agreement between Henderson-Hasselbalch and enzymatic methods for estimating plasma bicarbonate concentration in critically ill patients. In this study we compared these two established methods with a new method for estimating bicarbonate using the strong-ion-gap equation. The strong-ion-gap is derived from the Stewart approach to acid-base physiology. One hundred data sets were collected from records of routine daily blood samples in critically ill patients. Bland-Altman analyses were used to compare the three methods. We proposed that bias greater than ±1 mmol/l and limits of agreement wider than bias ±2 mmol/l were clinically important. Comparing the Henderson-Hasselbalch method to the enzymatic method, the bias was 2.1 mmol/l and the limits of agreement were -1.8 mmol/l to 5.9 mmol/l. Comparing the Henderson-Hasselbalch method to the strong-ion-gap method, the bias was -9.1 mmol/l and the limits of agreement were -17.1 mmol/l to -1.1 mmol/l. Comparing the enzymatic to the strong-ion-gap method, the bias was -11.2 mmol/l and the limits of agreement were -18.2 mmol/l to -4.2 mmol/l. This study found poor agreement between the two established bicarbonate assays and worse agreement between the established assays and the strong-ion-gap method. The strong-ion-gap method is currently too inaccurate for clinical application, but may have future use.

Background Renal impairment often follows cardiac surgery. The authors investigated whether sevoflurane produces greater increases in plasma creatinine concentration than isoflurane or propofol after elective coronary artery surgery. Methods As part of maintenance anesthesia, including during cardiopulmonary bypass, patients were randomly allocated to receive one of three agents: isoflurane (n = 118), sevoflurane (n = 118), or propofol (n = 118). Fresh gas flows were 3 l/min. The preoperative plasma creatinine concentration was subtracted from the highest creatinine concentration in the first 3 postoperative days. A median maximum increase greater than 44 microM (0.5 mg/dl) was regarded as clinically important. Data were analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis. Subgroup analyses were performed on per-protocol patients and those with preoperative renal impairment (creatinine concentration > 130 microM [1.47 mg/dl] or urea > 7.7 mM [blood urea nitrogen, 21.6 mg/dl]). Results The differences between the groups were small, clinically unimportant, and not statistically significant for the primary analysis and subgroups. The proportions of patients with creatinine increases greater than 44 microM were 15% in the isoflurane group, 17% in the sevoflurane group, and 11% in the propofol group (P = 0.45). The median increases were 8 microM in the isoflurane group, 4 microM in the sevoflurane group, and 6 microM in the propofol group. The differences between the three median maximum increases were 1-4 microM (P > 0.45). In the subgroup with preoperative renal impairment, the median increases were 10 microM in the isoflurane group, 15 microM in the sevoflurane group, and 5 microM in the propofol group (P = 0.72). Conclusions Sevoflurane did not produce greater increases in creatinine than isoflurane or propofol after elective coronary artery surgery.

Compared with the Henderson-Hasselbalch approach, the Stewart approach may better describe the mechanisms of acid-base physiology and disorders. We prospectively examined the acid-base disorders of 100 routine blood samples from critically ill patients using Stewart's physical chemistry analysis. The median results were pH 7.45, PaCO2 5.5 kPa, bicarbonate 27.2 mmol.l-1 and base excess 3 mmol.l-1. The median reference strong ion difference was 46.0 meq.l-1 and the measured median was 45.5 meq.l-1. The median reference total weak-acid concentration was 11.1 mmol.l-1. The measured median total weak-acid concentration was 6.8 mmol.l-1. From Stewart's approach, the most likely explanation for the overall alkalosis was decreased total weak-acid concentration resulting from decreased plasma albumin concentration.

Background The development of metabolic acidosis during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is well recognized but poorly understood. The authors hypothesized that the delivery of pump prime fluids is primarily responsible for its development. Accordingly, acid-base changes induced by the establishment of CPB were studied using two types of priming fluid (Haemaccel, a polygeline solution, and Ringer's Injection vs. Plasmalyte 148) using quantitative biophysical methods. Methods A prospective, double-blind, randomized trial was conducted at a tertiary institution with 22 patients undergoing CPB for coronary artery bypass surgery. Sampling of arterial blood was performed at three time intervals: before CPB (t1), 2 min after initiation of CPB at full flows (t2), and at the end of the case (t3). Measurements of Na+, K+, Mg2+, Cl-, HCO3-, phosphate, Ca2+, albumin, lactate, and arterial blood gases at each collection point were performed. Results were analyzed in a quantitative manner. Results Immediately on delivery of pump prime fluids, all patients developed a metabolic acidosis (base excess: 0. 95 mEq/l (t1) to -3.65 mEq/l (t2) (P < 0.001) for Haemaccel-Ringer's and 1.17 mEq/l (t1) to -3.20 mEq/l (t2). The decrease in base excess was the same for both primes (-4.60 vs. -4.37; not significant). However, the mechanism of metabolic acidosis was different. With the Haemaccel-Ringer's prime, the metabolic acidosis was hyperchloremic (Delta Cl-, +9.50 mEq/l; confidence interval, 7.00-11.50). With Plasmalyte 148, the acidosis was induced by an increase in unmeasured anions, most probably acetate and gluconate. The resolution of these two processes was different because the excretion of chloride was slower than that of the unmeasured anions (Delta base excess from t1 to t3 = -1.60 for Haemaccel-Ringer's vs. +1.15 for Plasmalyte 148; P = 0.0062). Conclusions Cardiopulmonary bypass-induced metabolic acidosis appears to be iatrogenic in nature and derived from the effect of pump prime fluid on acid-base balance. The extent of such acidosis and its duration varies according to the type of pump prime.

Previous studies have suggested that measurement of plasma bicarbonate concentration using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation may be unreliable, particularly in critically ill patients. We examined the agreement between two plasma bicarbonate concentration assays in critically ill patients. Data were collected from records of routine daily blood samples. Paired samples were taken at the same time from arterial lines. A Bland-Altman analysis was used to compare two bicarbonate assays in clinical use. The first used the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation for blood-gas machine calculations. The second used a spectrophotometric enzymatic technique. Comparing the enzymatic method to the calculated method (enzymatic minus calculated) the bias was -1.6 mmol/l (95% CI: -1.2 to -2.0 mmol/l). The limits of agreement were -5.85 mmol/l to 2.65 mmol/l. This study found poor agreement between the two bicarbonate assays. This poor agreement is clinically important but the causes are unclear. We suggest further investigation of the reliability of bicarbonate assays.

This paper is a brief report of the symposium, “Improving the Evidence Base for Anaesthesia and Intensive Care”, organized by the MASTER Anaesthesia Trial Study Group at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, Newcastle, N.S.W., on Tuesday, May 5, 1998.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the incidence of perioperative fever and its relationship to outcome among patients enrolled in the Intraoperative Hypothermia for Aneurysm Surgery Trial. METHODS: One thousand patients with initial World Federation of Neurological Surgeons grades of I to III undergoing clipping of intracranial aneurysms after subarachnoid hemorrhage were randomized to intraoperative normothermia (36 degrees C-37 degrees C) or hypothermia (32.5 degrees C-33.5 degrees C). Fever (> or =38.5 degrees C) and other complications (including infections) occurring between admission and discharge (or death) were recorded. Functional and neuropsychologic outcomes were assessed 3 months postoperatively. The primary outcome variable for the trial was dichotomized Glasgow Outcome Scale (good outcome versus all others). RESULTS: Fever was reported in 41% of patients. In 97% of these, fever occurred in the postoperative period. The median time from surgery to first fever was 3 days. All measures of outcome were worse in patients who developed fever, even in those without infections or who were World Federation of Neurological Surgeons grade I. Logistic regression analyses were performed to adjust for differences in preoperative factors (e.g., age, Fisher grade, initial neurological status). This demonstrated that fever continued to be significantly associated with most outcome measures, even when infection was added to the model. An alternative stepwise model selection process including all fever-related measures from the preoperative and intraoperative period (e.g., hydrocephalus, duration of surgery, intraoperative blood loss) resulted in the loss of significance for dichotomized Glasgow Outcome Scale, but significant associations between fever and several other outcome measures remained. After adding postoperative delayed ischemic neurological deficits to the model, only worsened National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, Barthel Activities of Daily Living index, and discharge destination (home versus other) remained independently associated with fever. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that fever is associated with worsened outcome in surgical subarachnoid hemorrhage patients, although, because the association between fever and the primary outcome measure for the trial is dependent on the covariates used in the analysis (particularly operative events and delayed ischemic neurological deficits), we cannot rule out the possibility that fever is a marker for other events. Only a formal trial of fever treatment or prevention can address this issue.

Objective: To determine the incidence of postoperative complications, including 30-day mortality rate, and need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission in older patients after non-cardiac surgery. Design and setting: Prospective observational study of all patients aged 70 years or older having elective and non-elective, non-cardiac surgery, and staying at least 1 night after surgery in one of three Melbourne teaching hospitals, June to September 2004. Main outcome measures: Postoperative complications and 30-day mortality rate. Results: 1102 consecutive patients were audited in mid 2004; 70% had pre-existing comorbidities. The 30-day mortality rate was 6%; 19% had postoperative complications; and 20% of patients spent at least 1 night in ICU. On multivariate analysis, preoperative factors associated with 30-day mortality included age (odds ratio [OR], 1.09 per year over 70 years; 95% CI, 1.04–1.13; P < 0.001); increasing severity of systemic disease (American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification) (OR, 2.53; 95% CI, 1.65–3.86; P < 0.001); and albumin level < 30 g/L (OR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.09–4.57; P = 0.03). Postoperative factors associated with 30-day mortality were unplanned ICU admission (OR, 3.95; 95% CI, 1.63–9.55; P = 0.003); sepsis (OR, 2.75; 95% CI, 1.17–6.47; P = 0.02); and acute renal impairment (OR, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.06–5.41; P = 0.04). Thoracic surgery was the only surgical specialty significantly associated with mortality (OR, 3.96; 95% CI, 1.44–9.10; P = 0.008) in the multivariate analysis. Conclusion: Older patients having surgery had high rates of comorbidities and postoperative complications, placing considerable demands on critical care services.

Renal impairment often follows cardiac surgery. The authors investigated whether sevoflurane produces greater increases in plasma creatinine concentration than isoflurane or propofol after elective coronary artery surgery.As part of maintenance anesthesia, including during cardiopulmonary bypass, patients were randomly allocated to receive one of three agents: isoflurane (n = 118), sevoflurane (n = 118), or propofol (n = 118). Fresh gas flows were 3 l/min. The preoperative plasma creatinine concentration was subtracted from the highest creatinine concentration in the first 3 postoperative days. A median maximum increase greater than 44 microM (0.5 mg/dl) was regarded as clinically important. Data were analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis. Subgroup analyses were performed on per-protocol patients and those with preoperative renal impairment (creatinine concentration130 microM [1.47 mg/dl] or urea7.7 mM [blood urea nitrogen, 21.6 mg/dl]).The differences between the groups were small, clinically unimportant, and not statistically significant for the primary analysis and subgroups. The proportions of patients with creatinine increases greater than 44 microM were 15% in the isoflurane group, 17% in the sevoflurane group, and 11% in the propofol group (P = 0.45). The median increases were 8 microM in the isoflurane group, 4 microM in the sevoflurane group, and 6 microM in the propofol group. The differences between the three median maximum increases were 1-4 microM (P0.45). In the subgroup with preoperative renal impairment, the median increases were 10 microM in the isoflurane group, 15 microM in the sevoflurane group, and 5 microM in the propofol group (P = 0.72).Sevoflurane did not produce greater increases in creatinine than isoflurane or propofol after elective coronary artery surgery.

Compared with the Henderson-Hasselbalch approach, the Stewart approach may better describe the mechanisms of acid-base physiology and disorders. We prospectively examined the acid-base disorders of 100 routine blood samples from critically ill patients using Stewart's physical chemistry analysis. The median results were pH 7.45, PaCO2 5.5 kPa, bicarbonate 27.2 mmol.l-1 and base excess 3 mmol.l-1. The median reference strong ion difference was 46.0 meq.l-1 and the measured median was 45.5 meq.l-1. The median reference total weak-acid concentration was 11.1 mmol.l-1. The measured median total weak-acid concentration was 6.8 mmol.l-1. From Stewart's approach, the most likely explanation for the overall alkalosis was decreased total weak-acid concentration resulting from decreased plasma albumin concentration.

Introduction The aim of the present study is to understand the nature of acid–base disorders in critically ill patients with acute renal failure (ARF) using the biophysical principles described by Stewart and Figge. A retrospective controlled study was carried out in the intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital.

We tested the hypothesis that a cardiopulmonary bypass prime with lactate would be associated with less acidosis than a prime with only chloride anions because of differences in the measured strong-ion-difference. We randomised 20 patients to a 1500 ml bypass prime with either a chloride-only solution (Ringer's Injection; anions: chloride 152 mmol/l) or a lactated solution (Hartmann's solution; anions: chloride 109 mmol/l, lactate 29 mmol/l). Arterial blood was sampled before bypass and then two, five, 15 and 30 minutes after initiating bypass. We used repeated measures analysis of variance to compare groups. In both groups, the base-excess and measured strong-ion-difference decreased markedly from baseline after two minutes of bypass. The chloride-only group had greater acidosis with lower base-excess and pH (P 0.05). There was, however, a difference in the net-unmeasured-ions (strong-ion-gap). We conclude that acid-base changes with cardiopulmonary bypass may differ with the prime but that the early differences between chloride-only and lactated primes appear not to be due to differences in the measured strong-ion-difference. We suggest future studies examine other possible mechanisms including unmeasured ions.

• Research conduct in Australia and worldwide is mostly unaudited. • The purpose of good research governance is to ensure integrity in research through accountability, transparency and responsibility. • Institutional responsibility for research governance has been adopted by Monash University's Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, providing clear lines of accountability for researchers as well as support and guidance. • A research audit tool has been developed, identifying areas where practice could be improved especially among less experienced researchers; the most common adverse findings concerned research protocols and procedure manuals. • The need for participant confidentiality, privacy and data security was found to be understood, and adhered to widely by all researchers. • An evaluation of the effect of audit on researchers found that the process was well accepted.

No randomized trial has assessed the effects of different mean arterial pressure (MAP) targets in postcardiac surgery intensive care. We investigated the short-term effects of MAP of 65 or 85 mmHg on splanchnic oxygen flux, metabolic function, mucosal perfusion and cytokine regulation.