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Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health Jan 2022Studies reporting factors associated with paediatric/adolescent acute behavioural disturbance (ABD) in the Emergency Department (ED) are lacking. The aim of this study...
AIM
Studies reporting factors associated with paediatric/adolescent acute behavioural disturbance (ABD) in the Emergency Department (ED) are lacking. The aim of this study is to describe paediatric/adolescent ED presentations involving ABD events.
METHODS
A retrospective chart review of presentations involving ABD events, identified via hospital security log, to a tertiary referral paediatric ED during the 2017 calendar year. Data reported included: cause of presentation, use of sedation/physical restraint, ED/inpatient length of stay (LOS) and time requiring security staff presence.
RESULTS
From 280 reported ABD episodes 26 were excluded leaving 254 events involving 150 patients across 233 presentations of whom 38 (25.3%) presented on multiple occasions. Median age was 14 years (interquartile range (IQR): 13-16), 132/233 (56.7%) were female, 167/233 (71.7%) primary mental health complaints, 30/233 (12.9%) deliberate self-harm, 18/233 (7.7%) deliberate self-poisoning, 11/233 (4.7%) acute intoxication and 7/233 (3.0%) other. Transport to hospital involved police and ambulance in 124/233 (53.2%), ambulance only 71/233 (30.5%), police only 16/233 (6.9%), relative or carer 20/233 (8.6%), with self-presentation in 2/233 (0.9%). Sedation or physical restraint was used in 81/233 (34.8%), both 38/233 (16.3%), restraint only 26/233 (11.2%) and sedation only 17/234 (7.3%). Intra-muscular droperidol accounted for 57/96 (59.4%) sedations, IM/IV benzodiazepines 15/96 (15.6%), IM/IV ketamine 5/96 (5.2%) and 19/96 (19.8%) other. Discharge from ED occurred in 171/233 (73.1%) with median ED LOS 5.1 h (IQR: 3.5-7.7) and median hospital LOS 92.4 h (IQR: 47.5-273.4) for those admitted. The Mental Health Act was utilised in 183/233 (78.5%) presentations. Median security staff time requirement per presentation was 2.4 h (IQR: 1.0-3.9).
CONCLUSIONS
Paediatric/adolescent ED presentations involving ABD are primarily due to mental health complaints. Less than half require the use of sedation/physical restraint. Time requiring security staff involvement is a significant resource consumption.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Emergency Service, Hospital; Female; Humans; Length of Stay; Patient Discharge; Police; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 34375471
DOI: 10.1111/jpc.15668 -
British Journal of Anaesthesia Jun 2017: The combination of dexamethasone (DEX), ondansetron (OND) and droperidol (DRO) is efficacious in preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting in adults, but has not... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
: The combination of dexamethasone (DEX), ondansetron (OND) and droperidol (DRO) is efficacious in preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting in adults, but has not been well assessed in children.
METHODS
: Children undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia and considered at high risk for postoperative vomiting (POV) were randomly assigned to receive a combination of DEX, OND and placebo (Group A) or a combination of DEX, OND and DRO (Group B). The primary outcome was the incidence of POV during the first 24 hours after surgery. We hypothesized that the addition of DRO to the standard antiemetic prophylaxis would provide a further 15% reduction in the residual risk for POV. The secondary outcome considered was any adverse event occurring during the study.
RESULTS
: One hundred and fifty-three children, aged three to 16 years, were randomized to Group A and 162 to Group B. The overall incidence of POV did not differ significantly between the two groups, with 16 patients in Group A (10.5%) and 18 in Group B (11.1%) presenting with one or more episodes of POV, P =0.86. Fewer patients presented with adverse events in Group A (2%) compared with Group B (8%), P =0.01. Drowsiness and headache were the principal adverse events reported.
CONCLUSIONS
: The addition of DRO to a combination of OND and DEX did not decrease POV frequency below that obtained with the two-drug combination in children at high risk of POV, but increased the risk of drowsiness. The combination of DEX and OND should be recommended in children with a high risk of POV.
CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION.
NCT01739985.
Topics: Adolescent; Anesthesia, General; Antiemetics; Child; Child, Preschool; Dexamethasone; Double-Blind Method; Droperidol; Drug Therapy, Combination; Elective Surgical Procedures; Female; Humans; Incidence; Male; Ondansetron; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting
PubMed: 28505233
DOI: 10.1093/bja/aex099 -
Dementia & Neuropsychologia 2017Delirium is a common disorder associated with poor prognosis, especially in the elderly. The impact of different treatment approaches for delirium on morbimortality and...
UNLABELLED
Delirium is a common disorder associated with poor prognosis, especially in the elderly. The impact of different treatment approaches for delirium on morbimortality and long-term welfare is not completely understood.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the efficacy of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments in elderly patients with delirium.
METHODS
This systematic review compared pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments in patients over 60 years old with delirium. Databases used were: MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL and LILACS from inception to January 6, 2016.
RESULTS
A total of ten articles were selected. The six non-pharmacological intervention studies showed no impact on duration of delirium, mortality or institutionalization, but a decrease in severity of delirium and improvement in medium-term cognitive function were observed. The most commonly used interventions were temporal-spatial orientation, orientation to self and others, early mobilization and sleep hygiene. The four studies with pharmacological interventions found that rivastigmine reduced the duration of delirium, improved cognitive function and reduced caregiver burden; olanzapine and haloperidol decreased the severity of delirium; droperidol reduced length of hospitalization and improved delirium remission rate.
CONCLUSION
Although the pharmacological approach has been used in the treatment of delirium among elderly, there have been few studies assessing its efficacy, involving a small number of patients. However, the improvements in delirium duration and severity suggest these drugs are effective in treating the condition. Once delirium has developed, non-pharmacological treatment seems less effective in controlling symptoms, and there is a lack of studies describing different non-pharmacological interventions.
PubMed: 29213524
DOI: 10.1590/1980-57642016dn11-030009 -
Federal Practitioner : For the Health... Apr 2024Acute agitation frequently occurs in the emergency department. Appropriate management is critical for the safety of all parties involved. Benzodiazepines and...
BACKGROUND
Acute agitation frequently occurs in the emergency department. Appropriate management is critical for the safety of all parties involved. Benzodiazepines and antipsychotics are commonly used for agitation, but safety concerns exist with these medications in older adults, even with acute use. The purpose of this study was to compare prescribing practices of anti-agitation medications between adults aged 18 to 64 years and those aged ≥ 65 years.
METHODS
This study was a retrospective chart review of patients who presented to the Veteran Affairs Southern Nevada Healthcare System emergency department and received haloperidol, droperidol, lorazepam, olanzapine, or ziprasidone from August 1, 2019, to July 31, 2022. Veterans were excluded if they had alcohol intoxication, alcohol withdrawal, benzodiazepine withdrawal, or medication administration unrelated to agitation. Safety outcomes included oxygen saturation < 95%, supplemental oxygen use, intubation, QTc prolongation, and new hypotension within 1 hour of medication administration.
RESULTS
For the 232 patients who met inclusion criteria, baseline characteristics differed significantly. When comparing patients aged 18 to 64 years and those aged ≥ 65 years, the younger cohort had higher rates of substance use disorder diagnosis (55.3% vs 27.5%, < .001), positive urine drug screen (69.7% vs 22.5%, < .001), and 72-hour legal hold (59.9% vs 32.5%, < .001), and lower rates of cognitive impairment or dementia (0.7% vs 48.8%, < .001), and altered mental status-related diagnosis (2.0% vs 18.8%, < .001). Anti-agitation medication selection significantly differed based on age ( = .02). Other than lorazepam ( = .007), no significant differences were noted in the dose ordered. No significant differences were observed for safety outcomes or additional anti-agitation doses.
CONCLUSIONS
Anti-agitation prescribing practices may differ between adults aged 18 to 64 years and those aged ≥ 65 years. The findings of this study also suggest that the most common agitation etiologies may differ based on patient age. Additional higher-quality studies are needed to further explore acute agitation in older adults.
PubMed: 38813266
DOI: 10.12788/fp.0456 -
SAGE Open Medicine 2018Minimally invasive epiduroscopy has recently been reported as an effective treatment procedure for chronic and intractable low back pain. However, no study has...
OBJECTIVES
Minimally invasive epiduroscopy has recently been reported as an effective treatment procedure for chronic and intractable low back pain. However, no study has determined safe anesthetics for monitored anesthesia care during epiduroscopy. We aimed to compare and evaluate conventional monitored anesthesia care drugs with dexmedetomidine.
METHODS
A retrospective study including all patients who underwent epiduroscopy at the JR Tokyo General Hospital from April 2011 to March 2016 was designed. The epiduroscopy procedures were performed under anesthesia with dexmedetomidine plus fentanyl (dexmedetomidine group) or droperidol plus fentanyl (neuroleptanalgesia group). Patients who received analgesics other than fentanyl, another analgesic combined with fentanyl, any sedative other than dexmedetomidine or droperidol, or who had incomplete data were excluded. We compared (1) the type and dose of medication during the epiduroscopy and (2) the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting.
RESULTS
We identified 45 patients (31 and 14 in the dexmedetomidine and neuroleptanalgesia groups, respectively) with a mean age of 69.0 years. The two groups had comparable characteristics, such as age, sex, body mass index, the American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status, analgesics used in the clinic, comorbidities, history of smoking, and the duration of anesthesia. The dexmedetomidine group received a significantly lower fentanyl dose during surgery (126 ± 14 vs 193 ± 21 µg, mean ± standard deviation, p = 0.014) and exhibited a significantly lower incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (1 vs 3, p = 0.047) than the neuroleptanalgesia group.
CONCLUSION
This study involved elderly patients, and the use of dexmedetomidine in monitored anesthesia care during epiduroscopy procedures in these patients may reduce the required fentanyl dose during surgery and the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting. This strategy may help prevent respiratory depression and aspiration.
PubMed: 29449944
DOI: 10.1177/2050312118756804 -
British Journal of Anaesthesia Jan 2018Poor adherence to guidelines aimed at reducing the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is well known. In a before-and-after study, we tested the...
BACKGROUND
Poor adherence to guidelines aimed at reducing the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is well known. In a before-and-after study, we tested the effectiveness of a simplified algorithm for PONV prophylaxis on the incidence of PONV.
METHODS
In the first audit, we examined the adherence to our institutional guidelines for PONV prevention. In response to the results of this audit, we introduced a simplified algorithm for PONV prevention [female patients receiving triple prophylaxis (dexamethasone and ondansetron plus either a target-controlled infusion with propofol or droperidol) and male patients receiving double prophylaxis, dexamethasone, and ondansetron]. The impact of the simplification of the PONV algorithm was evaluated in a second audit. In both audits, we reviewed the medical records of all adult patients undergoing elective non-cardiac non-day-case surgery under general anaesthesia and being admitted to our post-anaesthesia care unit during two arbitrarily chosen weeks. We assessed the incidence of nausea, vomiting, and PONV after 1 and 24 h, and the compliance with the departmental algorithm for PONV prophylaxis.
RESULTS
After simplification of the PONV algorithm, the overall incidence of PONV within 24 h after surgery was significantly lower than before the implementation of the simplified PONV algorithm (22% vs 33%, P=0.02). The PONV incidence within 1 h was comparable between the audits (11% vs 14%, P=0.45). The adherence to departmental guidelines for PONV prophylaxis was significantly higher after the implementation of the simplified PONV algorithm (46% vs 18%, P=0.0001).
CONCLUSIONS
A simplified algorithm for PONV prophylaxis resulted in a significant reduction in the PONV incidence and better compliance with the PONV algorithm.
Topics: Aged; Algorithms; Anesthesia, General; Antiemetics; Dexamethasone; Droperidol; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Guideline Adherence; Humans; Hypnotics and Sedatives; Male; Medical Audit; Middle Aged; Ondansetron; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting; Propofol; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 29397124
DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2017.08.003 -
Cureus Jun 2021Prophylactic doses of droperidol are effective in preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). However, due to concerns of QT interval prolongation and...
Prophylactic doses of droperidol are effective in preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). However, due to concerns of QT interval prolongation and ventricular arrhythmias, the safety of droperidol for PONV prophylaxis has been debated. A 70-year-old woman was scheduled for total knee arthroplasty. She had a history of aortic valve replacement. Oral aprindine (40 mg/day) was prescribed. Preoperative electrocardiogram showed mild QT interval prolongation (QTc = 475 ms). Anesthesia was induced using propofol, remifentanil, and rocuronium, and maintained using desflurane, remifentanil, and a bolus dose of rocuronium. The surgery was uneventful. At the time of skin closure, droperidol (1.25 mg) was administered intravenously for PONV prophylaxis. Twenty-three minutes after administration of droperidol, a sudden onset of premature cardiac contraction was observed, which progressed directly to ventricular tachycardia and atrioventricular block. Arrhythmia due to droperidol-induced QT interval prolongation was strongly suspected. Intravenous magnesium sulfate (2 g) and atropine (0.5 mg) were administered immediately. The ventricular tachycardia resolved quickly after the magnesium injection. Following the resolution of the arrhythmia, the patient was extubated. The patient experienced ventricular tachycardia after a prophylactic dose of droperidol that resulted from QT interval prolongation due to the preoperative medication. It may be prudent to avoid even low-dose droperidol in the background of already present QT prolongation, especially when multiple putative QT-prolonging drugs are used.
PubMed: 34277183
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.15560 -
British Journal of Pharmacology Sep 2022HERG blocking drugs known for their propensity to trigger Torsades de Pointes (TdP) were reported to induce a sympatho-vagal coactivation and to enhance High Frequency...
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
HERG blocking drugs known for their propensity to trigger Torsades de Pointes (TdP) were reported to induce a sympatho-vagal coactivation and to enhance High Frequency heart rate (HFHR) and QT oscillations (HFQT) in telemetric data. The present work aimed to characterize the underlying mechanism(s) leading to these autonomic changes.
EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH
Effects of 15 torsadogenic hERG blocking drugs (astemizole, chlorpromazine, cisapride, droperidol, ibutilide, dofetilide, haloperidol, moxifloxacin, pimozide, quinidine, risperidone, sotalol, sertindole, terfenadine, and thioridazine) were assessed by telemetry in beagle dogs. Haemodynamic effects on diastolic and systolic arterial pressure were analysed from the first doses causing QTc prolongation and/or HFQT oscillations enhancement. Autonomic control changes were analysed using the high frequency autonomic modulation (HFAM) model.
KEY RESULTS
Except for moxifloxacin and quinidine, all torsadogenic hERG blockers induced parasympathetic activation or sympatho-vagal coactivation combined with enhancement of HFQT oscillations. These autonomic effects result from reflex compensatory mechanisms in response to mild haemodynamic side effects. These haemodynamic mechanisms were characterized by transient HR acceleration during HF oscillations. A phenomenon of concealed QT prolongation was unmasked for several torsadogenic hERG blockers under β-adrenoceptor blockade with atenolol. Resulting enhancement of HFQT oscillations was shown to contribute directly to triggering dofetilide-induced ventricular arrhythmias.
CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS
This work supports for the first time a contribution of haemodynamic side properties to ventricular arrhythmias triggered by torsadogenic hERG blocking drugs. These haemodynamic side effects may constitute a second component of their arrhythmic profile, acting as a trigger alongside their intrinsic arrhythmogenic electrophysiological properties.
Topics: Animals; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Dogs; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Electrocardiography; Ether-A-Go-Go Potassium Channels; Heart Rate; Long QT Syndrome; Moxifloxacin; Quinidine; Reflex; Torsades de Pointes
PubMed: 35751378
DOI: 10.1111/bph.15905 -
Swiss Medical Weekly Aug 2019Drug-drug interaction (DDI) screening programmes aim to increase the safety of medication by issuing alerts based on the severity of DDIs, since an increased risk of...
AIMS OF THE STUDY
Drug-drug interaction (DDI) screening programmes aim to increase the safety of medication by issuing alerts based on the severity of DDIs, since an increased risk of adverse drug events has been reported for some DDIs (clinically relevant alerts). However, not all DDI alerts may be clinically relevant, depending on the clinical decision support system (CDSS) interaction tool used and the target population. There are few data about the frequency and relevance of DDIs in the paediatric population. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and appropriateness of high-risk DDI alerts (drug combinations that are rated as “contraindicated” or “contraindicated by precaution” according to the Swiss CDSS interaction tool Pharmavista® (HCI Solutions AG, Bern, Switzerland)) in paediatric inpatients.
METHODS
We carried out a retrospective, single-centre study examining a cohort of paediatric cases hospitalised between January and May 2017 on the surgery/orthopaedic and oncology wards at the University of Basel Children’s Hospital (UKBB), Switzerland. Drugs administered to the patients concomitantly were obtained from the medical records. DDI screening was performed using Pharmavista®. All DDIs detected were documented with their severity grading for each hospital day per case. The clinical relevance of DDI alerts for drug combinations rated as contraindicated or contraindicated by precaution was critically evaluated by a literature review.
RESULTS
A total of 300 patient cases were assessed for “contraindicated” or “contraindicated by precaution” DDI alerts. Of these, none had “contraindicated” and five had DDI alerts rated as “contraindicated by precaution” (1.7%, 95% CI 0.6–4.1%). The corresponding drug combinations were tramadol/fentanyl/morphine-nalbuphine (n = 3), droperidol-ondansetron (n = 1) and methotrexate-metamizole (n = 1), given for a duration of 1–2 days. Adverse drug events (ADEs) due to these three combinations (QT prolongation with the combination droperidol-ondansetron, reduced effect of opioid agonists with nalbuphine and increased haematotoxicity with methotrexate-metamizole) were not documented in the patients’ medical records.
CONCLUSIONS
The low prevalence of contraindicated DDIs suggests that Pharmavista® has a low risk of over-alerting when used in a Swiss paediatric hospital. However, the current literature suggests that the severity rating of established contraindicated DDIs could be partially downgraded, and that patient/population-specific evaluations of DDI alerts are needed.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Cohort Studies; Decision Support Systems, Clinical; Drug Interactions; Female; Hospitalization; Hospitals, Pediatric; Humans; Male; Medication Systems, Hospital; Prevalence; Retrospective Studies; Switzerland
PubMed: 31422575
DOI: 10.4414/smw.2019.20103 -
BMC Chemistry Jan 2024A green, efficient, sensitive and accurate detection method by HPLC-DAD and LC-MS/MS was developed and validated for the quantification of morphine, hydromorphone,...
A green, efficient, sensitive and accurate detection method by HPLC-DAD and LC-MS/MS was developed and validated for the quantification of morphine, hydromorphone, oxycodone, ketamine tramadol, dezocine, ropivacaine, remifentanil, butorphanol, bupivacaine, droperidol, fentanyl, lornoxicam and sufentanil. The 14 mixtures were chromatographed via HPLC-DAD method which employed 0.05 mol/L potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution-acetonitrile as the mobile phase, the analytes were gradient elution on a SinoChrom ODS-BP C column with a total separation time of 35 min, and 14 mixtures showed a good linear relationship in the linear range. The Limit of Quantitation (LOQ) ranged from 0.10 to 20.0 µg/mL, the inter-day and intra-day precision of each analyte is within 1.1-2.0% and 0.4-1.3%, and the average absolute recovery of all compounds was above 98%. The LC-MS/MS method was used to successfully separate the 14 mixtures within 10 min which employed 0.1% formic acid-acetonitrile as the mobile phase, the analytes were gradient elution on a ACQUITY UPLC-BEH C column with a total separation time of 13 min, and 14 mixtures showed a good linear relationship in the linear range. The LOQ ranged from 0.005 to 0.2 ng/mL, the inter-day and intra-day precision of each analyte is within 1.2-4.1% and 0.6-3.3%, and the average absolute recovery of all compounds was above 93%. The proposed method has been successfully applied in the clinic and provides a strong technical basis for the quantitative detection of these 14 mixtures for detecting drug abuse, and for studying the stability and compatibility of analgesic solutions. The proposed methods were validated against ICH guidelines.
PubMed: 38200560
DOI: 10.1186/s13065-024-01113-6