Outcome following anaesthesia in infancy in the Nordic countries: Subgroup analysis of the NECTARINE study.

INTRODUCTION: The neonate and children audit of anaesthesia practice in Europe (NECTARINE) prospective observational study reported an incidence of 35.2% of critical events requiring intervention during 6542 anaesthetics in 5609 infants up to 60 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA) from 165 centres in 31 European countries. METHODS: Sub-analysis of the cohort from the Nordic countries (8% of the entire cohort) was conducted. Secondary aims were to describe the Nordic countries' anaesthetic practices and compare morbidity and mortality with the overall European cohort. RESULTS: Eleven Nordic centres recruited 447 infants (66% males, 37.3% born preterm and 45% had congenital anomalies) undergoing anaesthesia for 530 surgical or non-surgical procedures at 25-60 weeks PMA. Perioperative critical events triggered interventions in 228/530 (43%) cases. Hypotension (12.6%) or hypoxaemia (11.7%) were more common in younger patients and those with co-morbidities. Hypo/hypercapnia occurred in 1.5%/4.7% of cases. More than two attempts for intubation were required in 13 (2.9%) infants (max three attempts). Distribution of ASA-Physical Status Scores was similar to the total European cohort (40% was ASA > 2). A total of 236/530 (44.5%) patients were admitted to the postoperative intensive care unit. Thirty-day morbidity (complications in 87/447 = 19.5%) and mortality (8/447, 1.8%) did not differ from the overall European cohort. Hospital re-admissions were significant up to 90 days (98/447 = 21.9%). CONCLUSIONS: In Nordic countries, anaesthesia in young infant children is resource-demanding, and perioperative critical events and co-morbidities are common. Thirty-day morbidity and mortality data in the Nordic countries did not differ from the overall European cohort.

Incidence of severe critical events in paediatric anaesthesia in Scandinavia: Secondary analysis of Anaesthesia PRactice In Children Observational Trial (APRICOT).

BACKGROUND: The Anaesthesia PRactice In Children Observational Trial (APRICOT) in 261 European hospitals revealed a 5.2% incidence of severe critical events in the perioperative period and wide variability in practice. METHODS: A sub-analysis of the Scandinavian data was undertaken to investigate differences from the rest of Europe in the incidence and nature of perioperative severe critical events and to attempt to identify areas for quality improvement. FINDINGS: In the Scandinavian cohorts of 1520 paediatric patients out of 31 127 patients, the overall incidence of perioperative severe critical events was lower than the rest of Europe (4.4% (95% CI [3.5-5.6]) vs 5.2% (95% CI [5.0-5.5]); RR 0.57), albeit the incidence varied across countries. There was a lower rate of bronchospasm (0.9%), stridor (1.1%) and cardiovascular instability (0.9%) than the rest of Europe. The proportion of bronchospasm events occurring at induction was 0.13% in Scandinavian cohort which was less than the rest of Europe (1.2%). The proportion of sicker patients where less experienced teams were managing the care was notably lower in Scandinavia than in the rest of Europe (14.4% vs 20.4% of the American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification System Score (ASA-PS III and 8.3% vs 12.8% of the ASA-PS IV. Cardiovascular instability was lower in Scandinavia (0.92%) compared to Europe (1.9%). The incidence of drug errors was low in both the overall APRICOT (0.2%) and in Scandinavia (0.3%). There were no deaths. INTERPRETATION: This sub-analysis shows that current Scandinavia paediatric perioperative clinical practice compares favourably with the rest of Europe. The lower incidence of cardiovascular and respiratory complications could be partly attributed to more experienced dedicated paediatric anaesthesia providers managing the higher risk groups of patients in Scandinavia. Whether this cohort of anaesthetized children is truly representative of the entire Scandinavia countries is unknown. Areas for quality improvement include: standardisation of the definition of severe critical events, increased reporting, development of evidence-based protocols for the management of severe critical events, development and rational implementation of paediatric perioperative risk assessment scores, implementation of current best practice in the provision of competent paediatric anaesthesia service in Europe, development of specific training and ensuring maintenance skills in paediatric anaesthesia. Furthermore, based on data from the original Apricot paper children under the age of 3 years and ASA-PS III and IV patients should not be anaesthetised without direct supervision of a specialist in paediatric anaesthesia. Given the sample size of the Scandinavian cohort this conclusion cannot be investigated further.

Reduced left ventricular function in hypoxemic newborn pigs: a strain Doppler echocardiographic study.

Myocardial dysfunction, hypotension, and increased pulmonary artery pressure are induced by asphyxia in neonates. We sought to define left ventricular (LV) systolic function by measuring longitudinal and radial contraction by strain Doppler echocardiography (SDE) in hypoxemic newborn pigs. Hypoxemia was induced in 11 anesthetized and instrumented newborn pigs by ventilation with 8% O2 in nitrogen. When mean arterial blood pressure (BP) decreased to 15 mm Hg or arterial base excess reached -20 mmol/L or less, the pigs were reoxygenated and ventilated for 150 min. Echocardiography was performed at baseline and during hypoxemia and reoxygenation. Baseline measurements of myocardial peak systolic strain demonstrated normal longitudinal shortening and radial thickening. During hypoxemia, systolic longitudinal shortening in the mid-posterior and septal segments changed to systolic stretching. Peak strain in the mid-lateral and anterior segments decreased but without signs of paradox wall motion. Short-axis peak strain remained positive during hypoxemia, although the amplitude was reduced and delayed with respect to timing. In the newborn pig heart, we found a complex and heterogeneous systolic pattern with distinct regional differences during global hypoxemia. Rapid changes in LV function during hypoxemia and reoxygenation are assessable by SDE, and the results indicate that longitudinal systolic contraction is more vulnerable to hypoxemic changes than radial contraction. To explore the full picture of a global hypoxemic injury, both long- and short-axis functions have to be considered.

Resuscitation of hypoxic piglets with 100% O2 increases pulmonary metalloproteinases and IL-8.

We hypothesized that resuscitation with 100% O2 compared with 21% O2 is detrimental to pulmonary tissue. The pulmonary injury was assessed by matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity, oxidative stress, IL-8, and histology 2.5 h after resuscitation from a hypoxic state. In pulmonary tissue extracts, MMP activity was analyzed by broad matrix-degrading capacity (total MMP) and zymography. MMP-2 mRNA expression was evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR. Total endogenous antioxidant capacity was measured by the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay, and IL-8 was analyzed by ELISA technique. In bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, MMPs were analyzed by zymography. In pulmonary tissue, pro- and active MMP-2 levels were increased in piglets that were resuscitated with 100% O2 compared with 21% O2. Pro-MMP-9, total MMP activity, and MMP-2 mRNA levels were significantly increased in resuscitated piglets compared with baseline. Net gelatinolytic activity increased in submucosa and blood vessels after 100% O2 and only in the blood vessels after 21% O2. Compared with baseline, ORAC values were considerably lowered in the resuscitated piglets and significantly reduced in the 100% O2 versus 21% O2 group. In BAL fluid, both pro-MMP-9 and pro-MMP-2 increased 2-fold in the 100% O2 group compared with 21% O2. Moreover, IL-8 concentration increased significantly in piglets that were resuscitated with 100% O2 compared with 21% O2, suggesting a marked proinflammatory response in the pulmonary tissue. Altogether, these data strongly suggest that caution must be taken when applying pure O2 to the newborn infant.