Cardiac medications are not associated with clinically important preoperative electrolyte disturbances in children presenting for cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative laboratory examination of patients undergoing elective surgical procedures has been routinely performed for decades. Although there is a large body of literature concerning the appropriate preoperative assessment of adult patients, corresponding literature for the pediatric population is not as well defined. Children and young adults with cardiac disease are a particularly vulnerable subset of patients who often undergo an extensive battery of preoperative laboratory testing. We examined the serum chemistry profiles for children with cardiac disease presenting for outpatient surgery. The investigation aims to define the effectiveness of preoperative electrolyte determination in this population of children and young adults. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of all children presenting as outpatients to a tertiary care, freestanding children's hospital for elective cardiac surgery between January 1, 2000 and January 31, 2003 was performed. All patient charts in which the admission date matched the cardiac surgical date were examined. Patients were excluded if the preoperative laboratory evaluation was performed outside of our facility, preoperative laboratory investigation was not performed, or the patient was transported by medical transport to our hospital. Patients were grouped according to three methods: the number of cardiac medications (none to four), and cardiac medications, noncardiac medications, and no medications. The presence of electrolyte abnormalities was also examined in the context of cardiac medications with various pharmacologic effects. The primary outcome measure was the incidence of abnormal laboratory values for children taking various cardiac medications. RESULTS: Of the 933 initial entries found, 774 met the investigational criteria and were included in the analysis. Although statistically significant differences in preoperative electrolytes were associated with the use of cardiac and noncardiac medication, there was no clinical value to this correlation. The data demonstrate a very low incidence of hypokalemia and hypomagnesemia in the entire study population. CONCLUSION: Preoperative electrolyte disturbances in children and young adults presenting for cardiac surgery are uncommon. The concern of hypokalemia or hypomagnesemia important in the adult population taking cardiac medications was not identified in the pediatric population. These data do not support the need for routine preoperative electrolyte evaluation in children taking cardiac medications.

Decreased postpartum use of oral pain medication after a single dose of epidural morphine.

BACKGROUND: Pain after vaginal delivery may result from episiotomy, perineal laceration, or uterine involution. Many women have indwelling epidural catheters in place at delivery. We hypothesized that a small dose of epidural morphine would be an effective strategy for postpartum analgesia. METHODS: Eighty-one healthy parturients receiving epidural analgesia for labor were enrolled. Patients were randomized in double-blind fashion to 1 of 3 groups: all groups received a 4-mL volume of epidural solution consisting of saline (group 1, control), 1 mg (group 2), or 2 mg morphine (group 3) after vaginal delivery. During the first 24 hours postpartum, patients were evaluated for the amount of oral pain medication requested; visual analog scale scores for pain at rest and with movement; satisfaction with postpartum pain treatment; and opioid side effects including nausea, pruritus, urinary retention, and respiratory depression. RESULTS: Patients who received 2 mg of epidural morphine used an average of 0.7 (0-1, interquartile range) opioid-containing pain pills (acetaminophen with codeine or oxycodone) compared with 1.2 (0-2) in the 1-mg group and 1.9 (0-3) in the control group ( P = .07). There was a statistically significant difference in oral drug usage between those who received epidural morphine and those who did not ( P < .03). There were no differences in side effects except that at 12 hours postpartum there was an increase in Foley catheterization in the 1-mg morphine group ( P = .007). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that epidural morphine decreases the need for oral pain medication in the first 24 hours postpartum. No significant dose-dependent side effects were found.