Criterios para la indicación selectiva de glucocorticoides en pacientes con tumores hipofisiarios sometidos a cirugía transesfenoidal / Selective use of glucocorticoids during the perioperative period of transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary tumors

Background: There is consensus in promoting the selective use of glucocorticoids (GC) in the peri-operative period of transsphenoidal surgery (TE) for pituitary adenomas (PA). Aim: To evaluate the safety of a selective glucocorticoid administration protocol and the usefulness of immediate postoperative cortisol levels as a predictor of final eucortisolism. Patients and Methods: Clinical and biochemical data from 40 patients aged 27 to 78 years (65% males) were prospectively collected. Exclusion criteria were previous use of GC, apoplexy and Cushing disease. Patients with pre-operative short synthetic ACTH test (SST) > 18 µg/dl or basal cortisol > 15 µg/dl did not receive GC. A morning serum cortisol (SC) threshold of 10 µg/dl in postoperative days one to three was used to decide a discharge without GC. Hypotension, dizziness or nausea, requirement of increased dose of corticosteroids, hospitalizations and emergency service visits were investigated, as well as surgical and endocrinological complications. Corticotropic status was evaluated three months after surgery. Results: Macroadenomas were present in 87% of patients. Median hospital stay was 4 days and follow up lasted 9 months. No differences were found in gender, age or tumor size between patients who received or not GC (35 and 65% respectively). Eighty five percent of patients were discharged without GC and all of them had normal corticotropic function three months after surgery. A SC ≥ 15 µg/dl had 100% specificity to predict eucortisolism. Conclusions: Selective glucocorticoid administration is safe. A normal corticotropic function before surgery and in the immediate postoperative period are useful to identify patients who do not need GC.

Perioperative management and short-term outcomes for patients aged＞ 80 years undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective To review the experience of perioperative management and effect of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for patients of aged＞80 years.Methods We studied 118 cases with CABG for patients of age＞80 years from January 2002 to December 2012.The other 1034 cases with CABG for patients aged 60-80 years were enrolled as control group.Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the effect of age on operative mortality and morbidity.Results The recent mortality was higher in group aged＞80 years [6.8％(8 cases) vs.3.1％(32 cases)].Through multivariate logistic regression,the patients aged＞80 years versus control were concerned about some postoperative adverse events as follows:higher mortality (OR =3.45,95 ％ CI:2.86-4.23),dialysis (OR=3.56,95％CI:3.01-4.32) and re-intubation(OR=3.87,95％CI:3.45-4.87),delayed healing of incision(OR=4.05,95 ％ CI:3.47 5.74),prolonged mechanical ventilation(OR=3.76,95 ％ CI:3.435.01),prolonged ICU stay (OR =2.98,95 ％ CI:2.67 4.12),prolonged hospital stay (OR =2.87,95％CI:2.36-3.96).Conclusions Age＞80 years is an important factor of postoperative mortality and morbidity for CABG.We need pay more attention to perioperative management.