Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome in Surgical Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of systemic inflammatory response of the organism in surgical patients and its impact on the outcome of treatment. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted on 60 patients undergoing abdominal surgical procedures, between January 2014 and December 2015 in the Surgery Clinic at the University Clinical Center Tuzla. Two groups of thirty were formed by the method of consecutive sampling. The first group consisted of subjects who were prepared for elective abdominal surgery (laparoscopic cholecystectomy), and the second group subjects underwent an emergency surgery due to acute abdomen (laparoscopic cholecystectomy). RESULTS: The body temperature difference was statistically significant between the two investigated groups in all stages (c2: t0=3,486; t1=3,098; t2=2,453, t: t0=-11,210; t1=-7,360; t2=-4,927, p < 0,05). Non-elective surgery group had a statistical significant difference of the heart rate at all stages (c2: t0=3,873; t1=3,357; t2=3,227, t: t0=-16,524; t1=-10,407; t2=-9,842, p < 0,05). There is a statistically significant difference in the pCO2 values in all stages between groups (c2: t0=2,582; t1=1,678; t2=1,162, t: t0=4,323; t1=2,653; t2=2,229, p < 0,05). The SIRS score has a good positive correlation with the length of treatment, while the correlation with the outcome of treatment has no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Inflammation scores monitoring in surgical patients is important for the surgical treatment success analysis. By modifying the therapy and influencing the inflammatory response, the results of treatment are improved.

Characteristics and Treatment of Breakthrought Pain (BTcP) in Palliative Care.

INTRODUCTION: This research was to follow characteristics of breakthrough pain caused by cancer (BTcP) and other most common sympthoms (ESAS) at patients in advanced stage of cancer disease in palliative care. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Prospective study included 433 patients which were treated in Palliative Care Centre in UKC Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Group 1 was consisted of 353 patients whose basal cancer pain of intensity 4-7 NRS was treated weak opiates (basal analgetic- fixed combination of tramadol/paracetamol (37.5 mg/325 mg) in initial dose 3x1tbl for pain intensity 4, to 4x2tbl (for pain intensity 7). In Group 2 (80 patients) basal pain of intensity 8-10 was treated strong opiates as basal analgetic (oral morphine and transdermal fentanil). If the previous day were 2 or more breakthrough pain that required ''rescue dose'' of analgetics (tramadol 50-100 mg orally in group 1 ie. Oral morphine 8-12 mg in the group 2), the dose of basal analgetic was increased. RESULTS: The total number of reported breakthrough pain in all 433 patients for 10 days of treatment was 3 369 (0.78 BTcP /per patient/day), where at Group 1 patients showed significantly lower BTcP (0.56 BTcP/patient/day). The average intensity of BTcP was 5.91 where in the Group1 was 4.51 while in the Group 2 8.04. 582 (17.28%) was rated grade 7, of which 539 were successfully coupled by strong and 43 (7.39%) successfully coupled by weak opiates. From 556 BTcP who were rated with 8, 540 of them were coupled strong and only 16 successfully coupled by weak opiates. 1967 (58.39 %) of breakthrough pain has occured in the evening hours (18-06 h), while 1402 (41.62%) BTCP occured during day hours (06-18h). Most (1290 or 38.29%) of breakthrough pain lasted less than 10 minutes, 882 (26.18%) between 16 and 20 minutes, 752 (22.32%) between 11 and 15 minutes, 407 (12.8%) between 21 and 30 minutes and 38 (1.13%) lasted longer than 20 minutes. CONCLUSION: Duriong our study, we noted a relatively large number of breakthrough pain with lower intensity (3-6) in patients treated with weak opiates, which are also adversely affected patients satisfaction with pain treatment and required additional doses of analgetics. In the small percentage is possible the breakthrough pain of stronger intensity (7-8) treat by maximum doses of weak opiates.

Efficacy and safety of a fixed combination of tramadol and paracetamol (acetaminophen) as pain therapy within palliative medicine.

GOAL: The goal of the research was to determine the efficacy of a fixed combination of tramadol and paracetamol (acetaminophen) in the treatment of pain of patients with the advanced stage of cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective study was conducted at the Center for Palliative Care, University Clinical Center Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina, from January 1(st) to December 31(st) 2013. A total of 353 patients who were treated with a fixed combination of tramadol and acetaminophen (37.5 mg and 325 mg) at the initial dosage 3x1 tablet (112.5 mg tramadol and 975 mg acetaminophen) for pain intensity 4, up to 4x2 tablets (300 mg of tramadol and 2600 mg paracetamol) for pain intensity 7 and 8. If the patient during previous day has two or more pain episodes that required a "rescue dose" of tramadol, increased was the dose of fixed combination tramadol and acetaminophen to a maximum of 8 tablets daily (300 mg of tramadol and 2600 mg paracetamol). Statistical analysis was performed by biomedical software MedCalc for Windows version 9.4.2.0. The difference was considered significant for P<0.05. RESULTS: The average duration of treatment with a fixed combination tramadol and acetaminophen was 57 days (13-330 days). Already after 24 hours of treatment the average pain score was significantly lower (p<0.0001) compared to the admission day [5.00 (4:00 to 8:00) during the first days versus 2.00 (1:00 to 7:00) during the second day of treatment]. The average dose of the fixed combination tramadol and acetaminophen tablets was 4.8 ± 1.8 (180 mg of tramadol and 1560 mg paracetamol). Side effects, in the treatment of pain with a fixed combination tramadol and acetaminophen, were found in 29.18% of patients, with a predominance of nausea and vomiting. CONCLUSION: Fixed combination of tramadol and acetaminophen can be used as an effective combination in the treatment of chronic cancer pain, with frequent dose evaluation and mild side effects.

Daily hospice: Depression and anxiety after mastectomy for breast cancer.

The aim of the study was to define the effects of daily hospice team's activities on depression and anxiety in breast cancer patients having undergone mastectomy after three-month therapy. This prospective study included 35 patients that underwent mastectomy for breast cancer, followed by 3-month treatment at daily hospice, Tuzla University Clinical Center. Control group consisted of 35 mastectomized patients that did not visit daily hospice. Depression and anxiety were estimated by use of Zung's scale. Patients were tested initially and retested at 12 weeks. On initial testing, the mean value of depression was 59.85 +/- 6.97 in the study group and 55.65 +/- 7.91 in the control group. On three-month retesting, the level of depression was lower in the study group, with a mean value of 48.57 +/- 7.06 (P<0.0001) (steam T-test and Wilcoxon's test) and higher in the control group, with a mean value of 60.45 +/- 7.47 (P=0.0001) (steam T-test and Wilcoxon's test). On initial testing, the mean value of anxiety was 54.97 +/- 6.35 and 52.20 +/- 6.03 in the study and control group, respectively. On three-month retesting, the level of anxiety was lower in the study group, with a mean value of 43.43 +/- 5.97 (P<0.0001), showing improvement from initial testing, but was higher in the control group, with a mean value of 55.68 +/- 7.47 (P=0.0002). In conclusion, daily hospice team's treatment had favorable effects on lowering the levels of depression and anxiety in patients undergoing mastectomy for breast cancer.

Treatment of severe cancer pain by transdermal fentanyl.

The goal of research was to determine the frequency, intensity, time of occurrence, duration and causes of breakthrough pain (BTP) in patients whose carcinoma pain was treated by transdermal fentanyl. (TDF). A prospective study was conducted in a hospice for recumbent patients of the Centre for Palliative Care (hospice) University Clinical Centre Tuzla from October 2009 to December 2010. 33 patients in terminal stage of carcinoma, who had been treated by transdermal fentanyl due to their excruciating pain (7-10 mark on numerical scale) with initial dosage of 25 microg as a strong opiate analgesic, were monitored within the time period of 10 days. In the statistics we used the even T - test, the Wilcox test and Mann-Whitney test. The difference was seen to be significant at p < 0.05. Treatment by transdermal fentanyl significantly reduces the intensity of strong carcinoma pain (p < 0.0001), with a frequent requirement for dose increase with bone metastasis. The intensity of BTP is higher compared to the pain experienced upon reception. The frequency and intensity of BTP are significantly reduced already in the second day of treatment by transdermal fentanyl (p = 0.0024). The BTP is most intense in patients with neck and head tumours (9.26 +/- 0.66), and most frequent with abdomen and pelvic tumour. The biggest number of BTP (68.3 %) occurs within first three days of treatment. BTP most frequently occurs in the evening or at night (between 18:00 and 06:00 h in 62.2 % of the cases), with the duration of usually less than 15 minutes (65.2 % of the cases). In 61.6 % cases the occurrence of BTP is related to physical activities or psychosocial incidents, while the cause is undetermined in 38.4 % of examinees. BTP is most frequent within first three days of treatment by TDF. Using the optimal dosage a good control of carcinoma pain is enabled, regardless of the occurrence of bone metastasis, while it also helps reduce the frequency and intensity of BTP.