Factors associated with an inadvertent dural puncture or post-dural puncture headache following labour epidural analgesia: A retrospective cohort study.

Inadvertent dural puncture and post-dural puncture headache are complications of labour epidural analgesia and may result in acute and chronic morbidity. Identification of risk factors may enable pre-emptive management and reduce associated morbidity. In this retrospective cohort study, we aimed to identify factors associated with an inadvertent dural puncture or post-dural puncture headache by identifying parturients who received labour epidural analgesia from January 2017 to December 2021. The primary outcome was any witnessed inadvertent dural puncture, inadvertent placement of an intrathecal catheter, clinical diagnosis of post-dural puncture headache, or headache that was assessed to have characteristic post-dural puncture headache features. A wide range of demographic, obstetric, and anaesthetic factors were analysed using univariate and multivariable analyses to identify independent associations with the primary outcome. Data from 26,395 parturients were analysed, of whom 94 (0.36%) had the primary outcome. Within these 94 parturients, 26 (27.7%) had inadvertent dural puncture, 30 (31.9%) had inadvertent intrathecal catheter, and 38 (40.4%) had post-dural puncture headache without documented inadvertent dural puncture or intrathecal catheter insertion. Increased number of procedure attempts (adjusted odds ratio 1.39, 95% confidence interval 1.19 to 1.63), longer procedure duration adjusted odds ratio 1.03, 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 1.05), increased depth of epidural space (adjusted odds ratio 1.10, 95% confidence interval 1.04 to 1.18), greater post-procedure Bromage score (adjusted odds ratio 7.70, 95% confidence interval 4.22 to 14.05), and breakthrough pain (adjusted odds ratio 3.97, 95% confidence interval 2.59 to 6.08) were independently associated with increased odds of the primary outcome, while the use of standard patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) regimen (adjusted odds ratio 0.50, 95%confidence interval 0.31 to 0.81), increased concentration of ropivacaine (adjusted odds ratio 0.08 per 0.1%, 95% confidence interval 0.02 to 0.46), and greater satisfaction score (adjusted odds ratio 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.95 to 0.97) were associated with reduced odds. The area under curve of this multivariable model was 0.83. We identified independent association factors suggesting that greater epidural depth and procedure difficulty may increase the odds of inadvertent dural puncture or post-dural puncture headache.

Sub-acute pain after childbirth during COVID-19 pandemic: A secondary analysis of A prospective clinical trial.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic could bring great impact upon the psychological statuses of post-partum women, but no clear evidence was provided yet as to COVID-19 would also affect their pain profile during post-partum period. We determined if pain and psychological vulnerabilities, obstetric factors, and labor analgesia were associated with sub-acute pain after childbirth (SAPC; ongoing pain related to delivery at post-partum 4 weeks or more) during COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We included women having a singleton pregnancy of ≥36 gestational weeks. The recruited women were given pre-delivery questionnaires to measure their pain and psychological vulnerabilities. At post-partum 6-10 weeks, an online survey was conducted to collect data on post-partum pain information. Results: Of the 880 recruited women, 816 completed the post-partum pain survey, with 99 (12.1%) having developed SAPC. Giving birth during COVID-19 pandemic (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.64, 95%CI 1.04 to 2.57), greater pre-delivery central sensitization (aOR 1.02, 95%CI 1.00 to 1.04), greater number of pain relief administered (aOR 1.49, 95%CI 1.18 to 1.89), having had artificial rupture of membrane and oxytocic during labor onset (aOR 3.00, 95%CI 1.66 to 5.40), greater volume of blood loss during delivery (every 100 ml; aOR 1.27, 95%CI 1.11 to 1.44), having had third-degree tear during delivery (aOR 4.40, 95%CI 1.33 to 14.51), and greater infant height (aOR 1.14, 95%CI 1.01 to 1.30) were independently associated with greater risk of SAPC. Having greater general health score was protective against the risk of SAPC (aOR 0.99, 95% CI 0.97 to 0.999) (Area under the curve (AUC) = 0.74). Conclusions: The generated multivariable association model may help us better understand the shift in pain and psychological aspects of women during COVID-19 pandemic.

Investigating Factors Associated with the Development of Postnatal Depression After Cesarean Delivery: A Validation Cohort Study.

Purpose: This study aimed to validate a proposed association model previously published to determine the clinical relevance of pre-operative determinants in the development of PND after Cesarean delivery (CD). Patients and Methods: Parturients undergoing elective CD under neuraxial anesthesia were recruited for a prospective cohort study between Oct 2021 and Oct 2022 at KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore. Predelivery pain, psychological and mechanical temporal summation, and demographic data were recorded. A follow-up survey was conducted at 6 to 10 weeks after CD. The primary outcome was the incidence of PND, defined as an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score ≥ 10. Results: A total of 180 patients were recruited for validation. PND 6 to 10 weeks post-delivery occurred in 18.9% of recruited parturients. Multivariate regression analyses showed that higher pre-operative CSI scores (p=0.0156), higher anxiety levels about upcoming surgery (p=0.0429), increased pre-operative pain scores on movement (p=0.0110), and higher pre-operative HADS subscale scores on anxiety (p=0.0041) were independently associated with the development of PND weeks post-CD. Lower anticipation of pain medication needs (p=0.0038) was independently associated with the development of PND post-CD. The area under curve (AUC) of this multivariable model (training cohort), internal cross validation (training cohort) and external cross validation (validation cohort) were 0.818 (95% CI, 0.746 to 0.889), 0.785 (95% CI, 0.707 to 0.864) and 0.604 (95% CI, 0.497 to 0.710) respectively. Conclusion: The proposed model performed well in a local population. Further refinement is necessary to test the proposed model in populations with social and cultural differences.

Investigating the association factors of acute postpartum pain: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Labor pain intensity is known to predict persistent postpartum pain, whereas acute postpartum pain may interfere with maternal postpartum physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Nevertheless, there is little research studying the association between labor pain intensity and acute postpartum pain. This study investigated the associations between labor pain intensity and psychological factors with acute postpartum pain. METHODS: We included women with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status II, having ≥ 36 gestational weeks and a singleton pregnancy. We investigated the association between labor pain intensity (primary exposure) and high acute postpartum pain at 0 to 24 h after delivery (Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) ≥ 3 of 10; primary outcome). Pre-delivery questionnaires including Angle Labor Pain Questionnaire (A-LPQ), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Fear Avoidance Components Scale (FACS) and State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were administered. Demographic, pain, obstetric and neonatal characteristics were also collected accordingly. RESULTS: Of the 880 women studied, 121 (13.8%) had high acute postpartum pain at 0 to 24 h after delivery. A-LPQ total, PCS, FACS and STAI scores were not significantly associated with acute postpartum pain. Greater A-LPQ subscale on birthing pain (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.05, p = 0.0008), increased blood loss during delivery (for every 10ml change; aOR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00-1.03, p = 0.0148), presence of shoulder dystocia (aOR 10.06, 95% CI 2.28-44.36, p = 0.0023), and use of pethidine for labor analgesia (aOR 1.74, 95% CI 1.07-2.84, p = 0.0271) were independently associated with high acute postpartum pain. "Sometimes" having nausea during menstruation before current pregnancy (aOR 0.34, 95% CI 0.16-0.72, p = 0.0045) was found to be independently associated with reduced risk of high acute postpartum pain. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-delivery pain factor together with obstetric complications (shoulder dystocia, blood loss during delivery) were independently associated with high acute postpartum pain. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered on clinicaltrials.gov registry (NCT03167905) on 30/05/2017.

Automated mandatory bolus versus basal infusion for maintenance of epidural analgesia in labour.

BACKGROUND: Epidural analgesia is often used for pain relief during labour and childbirth, and involves administration of local anaesthetics (LA) into the epidural space resulting in sensory blockade of the abdomen, pelvis, and perineum. Epidural opioids are often co-administered to improve analgesia. Administration of epidural medications can be accomplished by basal infusion (BI) or automated mandatory bolus (AMB). With BI, medications are administered continuously, while AMB involves injecting medications at set time intervals. Patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) on top of AMB or BI enables patients to initiate additional boluses of epidural medications.  The superior method of delivering epidural medications would result in lower incidence of pain requiring anaesthesiologist intervention (breakthrough pain). Also, it should be associated with lower incidence of epidural-related adverse effects including caesarean delivery, instrumental delivery (use of forceps or vacuum devices), prolonged duration of labour analgesia, and LA consumption. However, clear evidence of the superiority of one technique over the other is lacking. Also, differences in the initiation of epidural analgesia such as combined spinal-epidural (CSE) (medications given into the intrathecal space in addition to the epidural space) compared to epidural only, and medications used (types and doses of LA or opioids) may not have been accounted for in previous reviews.  Our prior systematic review suggested that AMB reduces the incidence of breakthrough pain compared to BI with no significant difference in the incidence of caesarean delivery or instrumental delivery, duration of labour analgesia, and LA consumption. However, several studies comparing AMB and BI have been performed since then, and inclusion of their data may improve the precision of our effect estimates. OBJECTIVES: To assess the benefits and harms of AMB versus BI for maintaining labour epidural analgesia in women at term. SEARCH METHODS: We searched CENTRAL, Wiley Cochrane Library), MEDLINE, (National Library of Medicine), Embase(Elseiver), Web of Science (Clarivate), the WHO-ICTRP (World Health Organization) and ClinicalTrials.gov (National Library of Medicine) on 31 December 2022. Additionally, we screened the reference lists of relevant trials and reviews for eligible citations, and we contacted authors of included studies to identify unpublished research and ongoing trials. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included all randomised controlled studies that compared bolus dosing AMB with continuous BI during epidural analgesia. We excluded studies of women in preterm labour, with multiple pregnancies, with fetal malposition, intrathecal catheters, those that did not use automated delivery of medications, and those where AMB and BI were combined. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard methodology for systematic review and meta-analysis described by Cochrane. Primary outcomes included: incidence of breakthrough pain requiring anaesthesiologist intervention; incidence of caesarean delivery; and incidence of instrumental delivery. Secondly, we assessed the duration of labour; hourly LA consumption in bupivacaine equivalents, maternal satisfaction after fetal delivery, and neonatal Apgar scores.  The following subgroup analyses were chosen a priori: epidural alone versus CSE technique; regimens that used PCEA versus those that did not; and nulliparous versus combination of nulli- and multi-parous women. We used the GRADE system to assess the certainty of evidence associated with our outcome measures. MAIN RESULTS: We included 18 studies of 4590 women, of which 13 enrolled healthy nulliparous women and five included healthy nulli- and multiparous women. All studies excluded women with preterm or complicated pregnancies. Techniques used to initiate epidural analgesia differed between the studies: seven used combined spinal epidural, 10 used epidural, and one used dural puncture epidural (DPE). There was also variation in analgesics used. Eight studies utilised ropivacaine with fentanyl, three used ropivacaine with sufentanil, two utilised levobupivacaine with sufentanil, one used levobupivacaine with fentanyl, and four utilised bupivacaine with fentanyl. Most of the studies were assessed to have low risk of randomisation, blinding, attrition, and reporting biases, except for allocation concealment where eight studies were assessed to have uncertain risk and three with high risk. Our results showed that AMB was associated with lower incidence of breakthrough pain compared to BI (risk ratio (RR) 0.71; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.55 to 0.91; I2 = 57%) (16 studies, 1528 participants), and lower hourly LA consumption in bupivacaine equivalents (mean difference (MD) -0.84 mg/h; 95% CI -1.29 to -0.38, I2 = 87%) (16 studies, 1642 participants), both with moderate certainty. AMB was associated with an estimated reduction in breakthrough pain incidence of 29.1% (incidence 202 per 1000, 95% CI 157 to 259), and was therefore considered clinically significant. The incidence of caesarean delivery (RR 0.85; 95% CI 0.69 to 1.06; I2 = 0%) (16 studies, 1735 participants) and instrumental delivery (RR 0.85; 95% CI 0.71 to 1.01; I2 = 0%) (17 studies, 4550 participants) were not significantly, both with moderate certainty. There was no significant difference in duration of labour analgesia (MD -8.81 min; 95% CI -19.38 to 1.77; I2 = 50%) (17 studies, 4544 participants) with moderate certainty. Due to differences in the methods and timing of outcome measurements, we did not pool data for maternal satisfaction and Apgar scores. Results reported narratively suggest AMB may be associated with increased maternal satisfaction (eight studies reported increased satisfaction and six reported no difference), and all studies showed no difference in Apgar scores. WIth the exception of epidural alone versus CSE which found significant subgroup differences in LA consumption between AMB and BI, no significant differences were detected in the remaining subgroup analyses. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Overall, AMB is associated with lower incidence of breakthrough pain, reduced LA consumption, and may improve maternal satisfaction. There were no significant differences between AMB and BI in the incidence of caesarean delivery, instrumental delivery, duration of labour analgesia, and Apgar scores. Larger studies assessing the incidence of caesarean and instrumental delivery are required.

Effect of music listening on perioperative anxiety, acute pain and pain catastrophizing in women undergoing elective cesarean delivery: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety may adversely impact mother and her newborn. Music listening is a safe and efficacious treatment that may to reduce perioperative anxiety. The effect on acute pain and pain catastrophizing scores remains unclear. We aimed to determine whether perioperative music listening reduces anxiety, acute pain, and pain catastrophizing scale (PCS) scores following elective cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia. METHODS: After randomization into music listening and control groups, baseline patient characteristics, visual analog scale-anxiety (VAS-A) scores, pain scores, PCS total and sub-scores, and music preferences were collected preoperatively. Before surgery, parturients in the experimental group listened to music of their own choice for 30 min. Music listening was continued during administration of spinal anesthesia and cesarean delivery, and for 30 min following surgery. Postoperative VAS-A score, acute pain score, PCS scores, music preferences, satisfaction score, and feedback were recorded. RESULTS: We analyzed 108 parturients (music: n = 53; control: n = 55). Music listening was associated with reduced postoperative VAS-A (mean difference (MD) -1.43, 95%CI -0.63 to -2.22), PCS total score (MD -6.39, 95%CI -2.11 to -10.66), PCS sub-scores on rumination (MD -1.68, 95%CI -0.12 to -3.25), magnification (MD -1.53, 95%CI -0.45 to -2.62), and helplessness (MD -3.17, 95%CI -1.29 to -5.06) sub-scores. There was no significant difference in postoperative acute pain scores. The majority (> 95%) of parturients reported "excellent" and "good" satisfaction with music listening, and most provided positive feedback. CONCLUSION: Perioperative music listening was associated with reduced postoperative anxiety and lower pain catastrophizing. Based on the good patient satisfaction and positive feedback received, the use of music listening in the obstetric setting is recommended. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered on Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03415620 on 30/01/2018.

Evaluating an advanced double intravenous vasopressor automated system to treat hypotension during spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment of hypotension during spinal anaesthesia is uncertain. A novel double intravenous vasopressor automated (DIVA) system reduces hypotension compared to standard care, and was subsequently modified to an advanced-DIVA (ADIVA) system. The primary objective was to compare ADIVA versus DIVA on incidence of hypotension (systolic BP (SBP) < 80% baseline). METHODS: We conducted a randomized-controlled trial in women undergoing elective cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia. SBP and heart rate were measured continuously using a Nexfin monitor. ADIVA delivered 25 µg phenylephrine (heart rate > 60 beats.min-1) or 2 mg ephedrine (heart rate < 60 beats.min-1) at SBP 90 to 110% of baseline, 50 µg phenylephrine or 4 mg ephedrine at SBP 80 to 90%, and 75 µg phenylephrine or 6 mg ephedrine at SBP < 80%. ADIVA calculated the trend of SBP; vasopressors were administered rapidly if SBP trended downward, or 30 s if SBP trended upward. In contrast, DIVA delivered 25 µg phenylephrine or 2 mg ephedrine at SBP 90 to 100% of baseline, and 50 µg phenylephrine or 4 mg ephedrine at SBP < 90%. Boluses were followed by a 10-s lockout. Other outcomes included hypertension (SBP > 120% baseline), vasopressor consumption, clinical outcomes, and performance measures from spinal anesthesia to fetal delivery. RESULTS: We analyzed 94 parturients (ADIVA: n = 46, DIVA: n = 48), with no difference in the incidence of hypotension between ADIVA (78.3%) and DIVA (83.3%, p = 0.677). ADIVA had significantly higher proportion of hypotensive SBP readings, lower phenylephrine consumption and higher umbilical arterial pH. There was no difference in hypertension, bradycardia, ephedrine consumption, intravenous fluid volume, nausea/vomiting, Apgar scores, and umbilical venous pH or lactate. ADIVA maintained SBP higher above baseline with greater fluctuation than DIVA. CONCLUSION: ADIVA was associated with a greater proportion of hypotensive SBP readings, reduced phenylephrine consumption, and increased umbilical arterial pH than DIVA. Further research is needed to determine the optimal method of vasopressor delivery in parturients undergoing cesarean delivery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered on Clinicaltrials.gov registry (NCT03620942) on 08/08/2018.

Association of pain, analgesic, psychological, and socioeconomic factors with sub-acute pain after childbirth: A prospective cohort study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine if acute postpartum pain, psychological distress, socioeconomic factors, and labor analgesia were associated with sub-acute pain after childbirth (SAPC; pain starting after childbirth and lasting between four weeks to three months). DESIGN: Prospective cohort study, from pre-conception to post-partum three months. SETTING: Singapore's major public maternity institution. PATIENTS: We included women planning to conceive within a year. We excluded women who were pregnant, taking chemotherapy or psychotropic medications, had diabetes mellitus, received assisted fertility interventions or contraception, did not conceive after 12 months, with multiple pregnancies, or who developed obstetric complications. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS: We investigated the relationship between average pain score during the three days after childbirth (primary exposure) and incidence of SAPC at postpartum three months (primary outcome). Secondarily, psychological distress at pre-conception (Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), Life Experiences Survey (LES)) and second trimester of pregnancy (BDI, EPDS, STAI, PSS, Pregnancy Experience Scale (PES)) were assessed. Baseline maternal and socioeconomic characteristics, labor analgesia, maternal and neonatal outcomes were also collected accordingly. MAIN RESULTS: Of 317 women who met the study criteria, 30 (9.5%) developed SAPC. Higher average pain score during the three days after childbirth (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.46, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.82, p = 0.001), use of meperidine for labor analgesia (aOR 4.23, 95% CI 1.03 to 17.43, p = 0.046), higher pre-conception GHQ-12 score (aOR 1.14, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.27, p = 0.013), and lack of employment with income during pregnancy (aOR 9.62, 95% CI 3.07 to 30.30, p < 0.001) were independently associated with SAPC, with area under the curve (AUC) of 0.837. CONCLUSIONS: Higher acute postpartum pain scores, use of meperidine for labor analgesia, poorer pre-conception general psychological health, and lack of employment with income during pregnancy are associated with SAPC.

Factors associated with women's preferences for labor epidural analgesia in Singapore: a survey approach.

Epidural analgesia provides effective pain relief during labor. However, there is limited information on the factors associated with pregnant women's preferences for labor epidural analgesia (LEA) prior to labor onset. We performed a secondary analysis of a clinical trial to identify demographic characteristics, pain and psychological vulnerability factors associated with preferences for LEA. Pregnant women at ≥ 36 weeks' gestation prior to labor and delivery were recruited and given questionnaires on their LEA preferences, psychological and pain vulnerabilities. The primary outcome was the association between pre-delivery Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) with cut-off ≥ 10 and LEA preference. Of the 250 women recruited, 51.6% (n = 129) indicated "yes to LEA". Amongst those considering LEA as an option to reduce labor pain, women who preferred to use LEA (n = 129) indicated favorable or neutral opinion. Additionally, 68% (n = 82) from those "no to LEA" or "not sure about LEA" still gave either favorable or neutral opinion for LEA (p < 0.0001). The multivariate logistic regression analysis found that EPDS ≥ 10 (p < 0.01), occupation (p = 0.03), ethnicity (p < 0.01), state anxiety (p = 0.02), mode of current pregnancy (unplanned; planned, assisted; planned, natural; p = 0.03) and premenstrual anger/irritability before current pregnancy (p = 0.02) were associated with LEA preference. The findings may help to define the population that may require further education on considering LEA and allow early identification on different LEA preferences to provide patient centric care prior to labor and delivery.

Parturients' Stated Preferences for Labor Analgesia: A Discrete Choice Experiment.

Objective: The objective was to investigate the extent to which treatment benefits, risks and costs affected parturients' preferences for labor analgesia. Methods: We recruited 248 healthy parturients prior to labor at an antenatal ward and administered a discrete choice experiment survey. Parturients were asked to choose among four hypothetical forms of labor analgesia: epidural analgesia, pethidine, Entonox and no analgesia, which were defined by: pain score, duration of second stage of labor, risks of instrumental delivery, back pain and permanent nerve injury, and out-of-pocket cost. We used mixed logit model to calculate the relative importance of each attribute (out of 100). Results: Parturients preferred receiving labor analgesia over not receiving analgesia and those who had positive past experience with epidural preferred epidural over other modalities. Out-of-pocket cost (28%), duration of second stage of labor (26%) and pain score following treatment (18%) were the most important attributes. Conclusion: Out-of-pocket cost was a major concern. Parturients prioritized having lower pain and shorter labor experience over risks associated with epidural analgesia. Parturients should be presented with realistic range of risks of side-effects so that they can decide how to balance risks against benefits and costs associated with child labor.

An advanced double intravenous vasopressor automated system to treat hypotension during spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: During spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section, haemodynamic instability may lead to maternal and foetal complications. We developed a novel advanced double intravenous vasopressor automated system (ADIVA) by using a continuous blood pressure and heart rate monitor. Treatment of hypotension was based on three criteria: the drug (phenylephrine or ephedrine) according to the heart rate; the dose of vasopressor determined by the degree of hypotension; a fast or slow bolus of vasopressor administered depending on whether there was a negative or positive gradient of SBP changes, respectively. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the feasibility of the ADIVA algorithm. DESIGN: A prospective pilot study. SETTING: Single obstetrics and gynaecology centre in Singapore. PATIENTS: Women undergoing elective caesarean delivery under spinal anaesthesia. INTERVENTION: Automated administration of ephedrine or phenylephrine based on changes in blood pressure and heart rate (via the ADIVA algorithm) detected on continuous noninvasive haemodynamic monitoring using noninvasive continuous haemodynamic monitor (Nexfin). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the incidence of hypotension, defined as SBP less than 80% of baseline. The secondary outcome measures were reactive hypertension, total vasopressor requirement, maternal and neonatal outcomes and system performance. RESULTS: Forty-five women were recruited. Thirty-one women (69.9%) had at least one reading of hypotension. SBP was within ±20% of the baseline in a mean ±â€ŠSD of 79.7 ±â€Š17.6% of measurements. Forty-four (97.8%) women required phenylephrine before delivery, while 15 (33.3%) required ephedrine. No rescue medications were required. Three women (6.7%) had nausea and two (4.4%) vomiting. All neonates had APGAR scores of 9 at 5 min. CONCLUSION: The ADIVA system, with noninvasive continuous haemodynamic monitoring, was able to maintain maternal SBP within ±20% of baseline for the vast majority of the measurements. This system had good maternal and foetal outcomes with minimal intervention from the attending anaesthetist. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03620942.

Heart rate variability and haemodynamic factors associated with hypotension during spinal anaesthesia for caesarean delivery: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Hypotension frequently occurs during spinal anaesthesia for caesarean delivery, with potential adverse effects. OBJECTIVE: To investigate heart rate variability and haemodynamic factors associated with spinal anaesthesia-induced hypotension. DESIGN: Secondary case-control analysis of a randomised study. SETTING: Single obstetric centre. PATIENTS: Data were obtained from 230 healthy term singleton parturients who underwent elective caesarean delivery under spinal anaesthesia. INTERVENTION: With parturients at rest, continuous haemodynamic measurements were recorded using a Nexfin cardiac monitor. Baseline pre-operative values were defined as the average of five minutes of continuous measurements. After initiation of standardised spinal anaesthesia, vasopressors were administered to maintain SBP within 10% of pre-operative values. Hypotension was defined as any 10 seconds average SBP less than 80% of pre-operative values from initiation of spinal anaesthesia to foetal delivery. Parturients were classified into cases (hypotensive) or controls (normotensive), and both univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify independent factors associated with hypotension. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pre-operative standard deviation of the interbeat interval (SDNN), root mean square of successive interbeat difference, low-frequency to high-frequency ratio, SD1, SD2, approximate entropy, sample entropy, mean arterial pressure, SBP, stroke volume variation and systemic vascular resistance index were recorded, as were sensory block height, intravenous fluid volume and vasopressor use between spinal anaesthesia and foetal delivery. RESULTS: Of 230 parturients, 113 (49.1%) experienced hypotension. Pre-operative lower SDNN [odds ratio (OR) 0.87, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.78 to 0.97], higher SD2 (OR 25.06, 95% CI 2.41 to 261.06), and lower SBP (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.00) were independently associated with hypotension. Between spinal anaesthesia to foetal delivery, lower sensory block height (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.65 to 0.90) and higher intravenous fluid volume (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.96 to 0.99 per 15 ml change) were associated with a lower incidence of hypotension. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.701. CONCLUSION: Pre-operative higher SD2, lower SDNN and lower SBP were associated with hypotension during spinal anaesthesia for caesarean delivery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02277730.

Machine learning approach to needle insertion site identification for spinal anesthesia in obese patients.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasonography for neuraxial anesthesia is increasingly being used to identify spinal structures and the identification of correct point of needle insertion to improve procedural success, in particular in obesity. We developed an ultrasound-guided automated spinal landmark identification program to assist anesthetists on spinal needle insertion point with a graphical user interface for spinal anesthesia. METHODS: Forty-eight obese patients requiring spinal anesthesia for Cesarean section were recruited in this prospective cohort study. We utilized a developed machine learning algorithm to determine the needle insertion point using automated spinal landmark ultrasound imaging of the lumbar spine identifying the L3/4 interspinous space (longitudinal view) and the posterior complex of dura mater (transverse view). The demographic and clinical characteristics were also recorded. RESULTS: The first attempt success rate for spinal anesthesia was 79.1% (38/48) (95%CI 65.0 - 89.5%), followed by successful second attempt of 12.5% (6/48), third attempt of 4.2% (2/48) and 4th attempt (4.2% or 2/48). The scanning duration of L3/4 interspinous space and the posterior complex were 21.0 [IQR: 17.0, 32.0] secs and 11.0 [IQR: 5.0, 22.0] secs respectively. There is good correlation between the program recorded depth of the skin to posterior complex and clinician measured depth (r = 0.915). CONCLUSIONS: The automated spinal landmark identification program is able to provide assistance to needle insertion point identification in obese patients. There is good correlation between program recorded and clinician measured depth of the skin to posterior complex of dura mater. Future research may involve imaging algorithm improvement to assist with needle insertion guidance during neuraxial anesthesia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered on clinicaltrials.gov registry ( NCT03687411 ) on 22 Aug 2018.

Association of Pain Catastrophizing and Depressive States with Multidimensional Early Labor Pain Assessment in Nulliparous Women Having Epidural Analgesia - A Secondary Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Labor pain is a variable and complex experience with both sensory and affective components. Pain catastrophizing tendencies are predictive of increased distress during labor. Likewise, pain severity has important associations with increased depressive symptoms in mothers, with consequences on perinatal and infant outcomes. Hence, we investigated the association between increased early labor pain with both pre-delivery pain catastrophizing and depressive states. METHODS: We recruited nulliparous women who had requested labor epidural analgesia. Pre-delivery questionnaires including short-form McGill pain questionnaire-2 (SF-MPQ-2), pain catastrophizing scale (PCS), and Edinburgh postnatal depression score (EPDS) were administered. RESULTS: A total of 712 women completed the pre-delivery questionnaires. There was a significant association between SF-MPQ-2 neuropathic subscale and EPDS ≥ 10 (unadjusted OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.11-2.73, p = 0.0161), as well as PCS ≥ 25 (unadjusted OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.06-2.26, p = 0.0244). SF-MPQ-2 sensory intermittent subscale and EPDS ≥ 10 (unadjusted OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.34-3.03, p = 0.0007), and PCS ≥ 25 (unadjusted OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.14-2.23, p = 0.0069) also showed significant association. CONCLUSION: Increased sensory intermittent and neuropathic subsets of early labor pain are significantly correlated with increased pre-delivery pain catastrophizing and depressive states in nulliparous women. This positive association may be useful for pre-delivery risk stratification for early interventions towards a more holistic care management.

Perceived stress during labor and its association with depressive symptomatology, anxiety, and pain catastrophizing.

Perceived stress is a dimension of the maternal stress response, however little data is available on perceived stress levels and its associated psychological risk factors during labor. In this secondary data analysis from a prospective study evaluating epidural regimens, we investigated the potential associations between depressive symptomatology, anxiety, and pain catastrophizing with perceived stress during labor. Healthy nulliparous adult women with term singleton pregnancies requesting for epidural analgesia in early labor were included. Assessments were administered after epidural analgesia and adequate pain relief were achieved. Perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale, PSS, high PSS ≥ 16), depressive symptomatology (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, EPDS, high EPDS ≥ 10), and pain catastrophizing (Pain Catastrophizing Scale, PCS, high total PCS ≥ 25) were assessed as categorical variables. Additionally, anxiety (State-trait Anxiety Inventory, STAI), PCS total and its subscales (rumination, magnification and helplessness) were analyzed as continuous variables. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with high PSS. Of 801 women included, 411 (51.9%) had high PSS. High EPDS (OR 2.16, 95%CI 1.36-3.44), increasing trait anxiety (OR 1.17, 95%CI 1.14-1.20), and increasing pain magnification (OR 1.12, 95%CI 1.05-1.19) were independently associated with high PSS. Depressive symptomatology, trait anxiety, and pain magnification were associated with perceived stress during labor, providing impetus for future research aimed at detecting and alleviating stress and its psychological or pain association factors.

Association of Childbirth Pain with Postnatal Depressive and Anxiety Disorders in Nulliparous Parturients: A Prospective Study.

PURPOSE: There is limited knowledge on the relationship between postnatal depression and childbirth pain characteristics associated with childbirth. We investigated whether the characteristics of childbirth pain, as assessed by Short-form-McGill Pain Questionnaire-2 (SF-MPQ-2), were associated with postnatal anxiety and depressive disorders. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Nulliparous parturients who received labor epidural analgesia (LEA) and delivered in our institution were invited to have a Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) assessment following their 5-9 weeks post-delivery follow-up phone survey of a larger study. Parturients' demographics, pre-delivery questionnaires on pain and psychological vulnerabilities, LEA data, maternal and neonatal outcomes, postnatal follow-up survey on pain and psychological vulnerabilities, pain and breastfeeding were collected accordingly. The primary outcome was the binary variable (yes/no) of the presence of postnatal depression and/or anxiety disorders based on the post-delivery MINI assessment. RESULTS: Among the 107 parturients who participated in the post-delivery MINI assessment, a total of 40 (42.5%) patients were found to have postnatal anxiety and depressive disorders. A greater pre-delivery SF-MPQ-2 neuropathic pain mean subscale score (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.32, 95% CI 1.00-1.73, p=0.0482) and greater post-delivery Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at 5-9 weeks post-delivery (adjusted OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.13-1.50, p=0.0002) were independently associated with the presence of postnatal anxiety and/or depressive disorders (receiver operating characteristic (ROC) = 0.7489). CONCLUSION: Patients with greater pre-delivery neuropathic pain and higher EPDS scores at 5-9 weeks post-delivery are more likely to have postnatal depression and/or anxiety disorders, suggesting possible associations between pain and psychological vulnerability in the development of postnatal mental disorders.