Effect of video-based information on preoperative State trait anxiety inventory scores in adult patients presenting for elective caesarean section: a randomized controlled trial

Background: Preoperative anxiety is a common occurrence in patients presenting for surgery with a reported incidence of up to 80%. Increased preoperative anxiety has been associated with increased morbidity. Provision of information relating to surgery and anesthesia to patients has been proven to have benefit in allaying anxiety. However, the best format of information dissemination remains unknown. Objective: To determine the effect of video information in addition to the pre-anesthetic review on the mean preoperative State anxiety inventory (STAI-S) score in adult patients presenting for elective caesarean section under spinal anesthesia at Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi (AKUHN), and to determine the prevalence of preoperative anxiety in the obstetric population presenting for elective caesarean section at AKUHN. Methods: Thirty-seven adult patients booked for elective caesarean section under spinal anesthesia were randomly assigned to one of two groups. In the study arm, a video was shown to the participants in addition to the standard pre-anesthetic review. In the control arm the participants only had a standard pre-anesthetic review. Results: The mean STAI-T score in the sampled population was 45.64 (SD 5.625). The mean baseline STAI-S score was 46.32 (SD 4.911). There was no statistically significant difference in change in STAI score between the video and control arms (p>0.05). Conclusion: On the basis of this study among this population, there was no benefit demonstrated from the use of an information video about spinal anesthesia on anxiety levels in obstetric patients presenting for a first time spinal

Blood transfusion and oxygen extraction ratio in patients admitted to the general intensive care unit: a quasi experimental study

Introduction: Blood transfusion is commonly undertaken in critically ill patients; and studies have suggested the use of oxygen extraction ratio (O2ER) as an additional transfusion trigger in critically ill patients. The aim of this study was to establish the relationship between blood transfusion and oxygen extraction ratio in adult patients admitted to the general intensive care unit, using central venous oxygen saturation instead of mixed venous oxygen saturation.Methods: Arterial and central venous blood samples were drawn and a blood gas analysis immediately before commencement of blood transfusion was undertaken. At least 15 min after completion of the transfusion, similar samples were drawn and the blood gas analysis was repeated. The O2ER before and after transfusion was then calculated. Using paired student's t-test, we checked whether the mean difference between the two O2ERs was statistically significant. Results: We enrolled 58 patients in the study, the mean (±SD) haemoglobin concentration before transfusion was 7.38 g/dl (±1.71). The mean change in haemoglobin concentration following blood transfusion was 2.29 g/dl (±1.18), after transfusing an average of 1.95 (±0.83) units of packed cells. Mean O2ER was 0.27 (±0.11)before, and 0.25 (±0.12) after RBC transfusion. The mean change in O2ER was 0.018 SD ± 0.10 (95% CI, 0.043­0.007; P = 0.15). Linear regression analysis showed no statistically significant relationship between change in haemoglobin concentration and change in O2ER; p-value = 0.12. Discussion: The change in oxygen extraction ratio was not statistically significant following blood transfusion in adult patients admitted to the general ICU at a tertiary teaching hospital. Further studies are required especially in patients with increased pre transfusion O2ER to evaluate the usefulness of this measurement as a possible transfusion trigger