ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the effects of stellate ganglion block(SGB)on attention and executive function in middle-aged and elderly patients after surgery.Methods Middle-aged and elderly patients aged 55-75 years who underwent hip replacement surgery under lumbar anesthesia were randomized into a control group and an SGB group.Patients in the SGB group received ultrasound-guided stellate ganglion block 30 min before surgery,and patients in the control group were given no additional treatment before surgery.All patients were tested with a modified version of the Trail Making Test-Part A (TMT-A)and a modified version of the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT)1 day before surgery and 7 days after surgery.The Z-score method was used to diagnose postoperative attention and/or executive function impairment.Results The modified versions of TMT-A and SDMT had good reliability and validity among Chinese middle-aged and elderly people aged 55-75 years.Age was the main influencing factor for the two tests,and their two parallel versions had good alternate-form reliability.There was no significant difference between the control group and the SGB group in scores of modified TMT-A and SDMT at 7 days after surgery(P＞0.1).However,the incidence of attention and/or executive function impairment was lower in the SGB group than in the control group(19.3％ vs.36.6％,P＜0.05).Conclusions The modified TMT-A and SDMT have good reliability and validity among Chinese middle-aged and elderly people aged 55-75 years.Preoperative SGB may protect attention and executive function in middle-aged and elderly patients.
ABSTRACT
Objective To compare the effects of spinal anesthesia and general anesthesia on early postoperative cognitive function in elderly patients undergoing hip replacement.Methods One hundred and four elderly patients of both sexes,aged ≥ 60 yr,with body mass index of 18.5-24.0 kg/m2,of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅰ or Ⅱ,scheduled for elective unilateral hip replacement,were randomized into 2 groups (n =52 each) using a random number table method:general anesthesia group (group G) and spinal anesthesia group (group S).Total intravenous general anesthesia was adopted to maintain the bispectral index value at 40-60 during surgery in group G.In group S,spinal anesthesia was applied by injecting 0.5％ bupivacaine 1.5-3.0 ml at the L3-4 vertebral interspace,and the level of anesthesia was regulated and maintained at T10.Mini-Mental State Examination scale was used to evaluate the cognitive function on 1 day before surgery (T0) and 7 days after surgery (T,).Difference value method,1 standard deviation method and Z score method were applied to diagnose postoperative cognitive dysfunction.Patients' spouses in two groups were recruited as control group (group C) according to the Z-scoring method.Results There were 47 and 49 cases in G and S groups,respectively,and 33 cases in group C.Compared with group C,the memory score was significantly decreased at T1 (P＜0.01),and no significant change was found in group S (P＞0.05).The memory score was significantly higher at T1in group S than in group G (P＜0.01).There were no significant differences in the incidence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction between group G and group S (P＞0.05).Conclusion Spinal anesthesia and general anesthesia exerts no effect on early postoperative cognitive function in elderly patients undergoing hip replacement.
ABSTRACT
Sodium prasterone sulfate (DHEAS) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) are endogenous steroid compounds, which are synthesized and secreted by adrenal gland.They are the precursors of steroid hormones,including sex hormone.Based on intracrine theory,the majority of postmenopausal women will have vaginal atrophy,which is caused by the absence of endogenous hormones,DHEAS or DHEA.Moderate supplementation of DHEAS can relieve the associated symptoms of vaginal atrophy.Many clinical researches have demonstrated that DHEAS can efficiently alleviate the related symptoms of vaginal atrophy.The concentration of androgen and estrogen in patients with long term use of DHEAS are still in the normal intracrine physiological range.Therefore,DHEAS may become the first drug for the treatment of vaginal atrophy in the future.