The B-APNEIC score: distilling the STOP-Bang questionnaire to identify patients at high risk for severe obstructive sleep apnoea.

The STOP-Bang questionnaire is an established clinical screening tool to identify the risk of having mild, moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnoea using eight variables. It is unclear whether all eight variables contribute equally to the risk of clinically significant obstructive sleep apnoea. We analysed each variable for its contribution to detecting obstructive sleep apnoea; based on the results, we investigated whether the STOP-Bang questionnaire could be abbreviated to identify patients at high risk for severe obstructive sleep apnoea. We recruited patients with suspected obstructive sleep apnoea who were referred for overnight polysomnography. We used multivariable logistic regression to investigate the association of STOP-Bang parameters with severe obstructive sleep apnoea based on clinical and polysomnography data. Regression estimates were used to select variables to create the novel B-APNEIC score. We constructed receiver operating characteristic curves for the STOP-Bang questionnaire and B-APNEIC scores to identify patients with severe obstructive sleep apnoea and compared the areas under the curve using the DeLong method. Of the 275 patients enrolled, 32% (n = 88) had severe obstructive sleep apnoea. Logistic regression demonstrated that neck circumference (OR 2.20; 95%CI 1.10-4.40, p = 0.03) was the only variable independently associated with severe obstructive sleep apnoea. Observed apnoea during sleep, blood pressure and body mass index were the three next most closely trending predictors of severe obstructive sleep apnoea and were included along with neck circumference in the B-APNEIC score. Receiver operating curves demonstrated that the areas under the curve for STOP-Bang vs. B-APNEIC were comparable for identifying patients with severe obstructive sleep apnoea (OR 0.75; 95%CI 0.68-0.81 vs. OR 0.75; 95%CI 0.68-0.81: p = 0.99, respectively). Our results suggest that the B-APNEIC score is a simplified adaptation of the STOP-Bang questionnaire with equivalent effectiveness in identifying patients with severe obstructive sleep apnoea. Further studies are needed to validate and build on our findings.

Tratamiento del dolor en las crisis de células falciformes / Management of pain in falcate cell crisis

La manifestación clínica más frecuente en pacientes con anemia de células falciformes es el dolor. Tradicionalmente estos pacientes eran automáticamente ingresados en el hospital y tratados con medicación parenteral. Sin embargo actualmente, se cree que la mejor manera de tratar a estos pacientes es educarlos con respecto a su enfermedad y a manejar las crisis en su domicilio. Si la intensidad del dolor es tal que requieren atención médica, protocolos de tratamiento en la sala de emergencias, le permiten al paciente ser dado de alta en pocas horas (AU)

Persistent hypoxia after diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary thromboembolism.

Acute respiratory failure in the perioperative period represents a frequent challenge to the anesthesiologist. The differential diagnosis is extensive and includes alterations on the pulmonary parenchyma, pulmonary vessels, airway, and cardiac system. Occasionally, two or more pathophysiological process superimpose. We present a patient who suffered from a left pulmonary embolism that was appropriately diagnosed and treated. However, the hypoxemia persisted and a second pathology was suspected. After careful evaluation and differential diagnosis, we drained a right pleural effusion, which had been present preoperatively, with resolution of the hypoxemia. There is controversy in the literature as to the role of drainage of pleural effusions on improving oxygenation. We present this case as an example of successful management of perioperative respiratory failure by thoracentesis in the presence of a second concurrent pathologic process.