How I manage major hemorrhage.

Acute hemorrhage can be a life-threatening emergency that is complex in its management and affects many patient populations. The last 15 years has seen the introduction of comprehensive massive hemorrhage protocols, wider use of viscoelastic testing, new coagulation factor products, and the publication of robust randomized controlled trials in diverse bleeding patient populations. Although gaps continue to exist in the evidence-base for several aspects of patient care, there is now sufficient evidence to allow for an individualized hemostatic response based on the type of bleeding and specific hemostatic defects. We present three clinical cases that highlight some of the challenges in acute hemorrhage management, focusing on the importance of inter-professional communication, rapid provision of hemostatic resuscitation, repeated measures of coagulation, immediate administration of tranexamic acid, and prioritization of surgical or radiologic control of hemorrhage. This article provides a framework for the clear and collaborative conversation between the bedside clinical team and the consulting hematologist to achieve prompt and targeted hemostatic resuscitation. In addition to providing consultations on the hemostatic management of individual patients, the hematology service must be involved in setting hospital policies for the prevention and management of patients with major hemorrhage.

The association between labour epidural analgesia and postpartum depression in primiparous patients: a historical cohort study.

PURPOSE: Peripartum pain has been associated with postpartum depression (PPD), and labour epidural analgesia (LEA) may be able to modify this risk. The objective of this historical cohort study was to examine the association between LEA and PPD among primiparous patients. METHODS: With institutional research ethics board approval, a provincial perinatal database was searched for primiparous patients who delivered a liveborn singleton infant between 2004 and 2018. Those patients who experienced PPD following their first delivery were identified by a history of PPD in the perinatal records of their second pregnancy. We used logistic regression to compute odds ratios (ORs) for the association between LEA and PPD and performed an adjusted analysis to control for confounding variables. RESULTS: A total of 35,437 primiparous patients were identified, 67% (n = 23,599) of whom received LEA. In the cohort, 3.7% (n = 1,296) of patients developed PPD. Patients who received LEA had increased odds of developing PPD compared with patients who did not receive LEA (adjusted OR, 1.29; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12 to 1.48). In a multivariable regression model, LEA remained a significant predictor for PPD, as did body mass index, pre-existing anxiety, and maternal antidepressant use. CONCLUSION: This historical cohort study found an association between LEA and PPD among primiparous patients who subsequently had a second pregnancy in the same province. The findings call into question the hypothesis that LEA decreases the risk for PPD and further illustrates the complexities of PPD.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: La douleur péripartum a été associée à la dépression post-partum (DPP), et l'analgésie péridurale obstétricale (APO) pourrait modifier ce risque. L'objectif de cette étude de cohorte historique était d'examiner l'association entre l'APO et la DPP chez les primipares. MéTHODE: Après avoir obtenu l'approbation du comité d'éthique de la recherche de l'établissement, une base de données périnatale provinciale a été consultée pour trouver des personnes primipares qui ont accouché d'un seul enfant vivant né entre 2004 et 2018. Les primipares qui ont présenté une DPP après leur premier accouchement ont été identifiées par la présence d'antécédents de DPP dans les dossiers périnataux de leur deuxième grossesse. Nous avons utilisé la régression logistique pour calculer les rapports de cotes (RC) pour l'association entre l'APO et la DPP et réalisé une analyse ajustée pour tenir compte des variables de confusion. RéSULTATS: Au total, nous avons identifié 35 437 personnes primipares, dont 67 % (n = 23 599) ont bénéficié d'une APO. Dans la cohorte, 3,7 % (n = 1296) ont manifesté une DPP. Les personnes ayant reçu une APO présentaient un risque accru de développer une DPP par rapport aux primipares qui n'avaient pas reçu d'APO (RC ajusté, 1,29; intervalle de confiance [IC] à 95 %, 1,12 à 1,48). Dans un modèle de régression multivariée, l'APO est restée un prédicteur significatif de DPP, tout comme l'indice de masse corporelle, une anxiété préexistante et l'utilisation maternelle d'antidépresseurs. CONCLUSION: Cette étude de cohorte historique a révélé une association entre l'APO et la DPP chez les personnes primipares qui ont par la suite eu une deuxième grossesse dans la même province. Les résultats remettent en question l'hypothèse selon laquelle l'APO diminue le risque de DPP et illustre davantage les complexités de la DPP.

Development of obstetric anesthesia core competencies for USA residency programs through a Delphi process.

PURPOSE: The standard for anesthesia residency training in the USA mainly relies on the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Outcome Project, a framework that lacks specific directives for subspecialties including obstetric anesthesia. We aimed to identify core competencies in obstetric anesthesiology that can be adapted to different residency training programs to help improve the quality of training and accountability of the institutions within the USA. METHODS: We identified a preliminary list of competencies from review of existing competency-based obstetric anesthesia training curricula and practice guidelines. We used a modified Delphi methodology to achieve expert consensus among members of the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology education committee. The panellists were asked to evaluate the importance of each competency using a five-point Likert scale, with consensus after two rounds defined at 80% agreement. The responders were also asked at which level of training each competency should be attained. RESULTS: The Delphi rounds had 75% response rate and derived 94 competencies that were categorized under the six ACGME domains: patient care (38), medical knowledge (45), system-based practice (two), practice-based learning and improvement (five), interpersonal communication skills (two), and professionalism (two). CONCLUSION: We generated a residency training competency list for obstetric anesthesiology through expert consensus. This list can be used by residency training programs to develop a structured competency-based curriculum with tangible milestones, thereby reducing heterogeneity in the standard of training.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: La norme pour la formation en résidence en anesthésie aux États-Unis repose principalement sur le Projet de résultats (Outcome Project) de l'Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), un cadre qui ne dispose pas de directives spécifiques pour les surspécialités, notamment pour l'anesthésie obstétricale. Notre objectif était d'identifier les compétences de base en anesthésiologie obstétricale qui pourraient être adaptées aux différents programmes de formation en résidence afin d'améliorer la qualité de la formation et la responsabilisation des établissements aux États-Unis. MéTHODE: Nous avons dressé une liste préliminaire de compétences en passant en revue les programmes de formation axés sur les compétences et les lignes directrices de pratique existants en anesthésie obstétricale. Nous avons utilisé une méthodologie Delphi modifiée pour parvenir à un consensus d'expert·es parmi les membres du comité d'éducation de la Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology. Les panélistes ont été invité·es à évaluer l'importance de chaque compétence à l'aide d'une échelle de Likert à cinq points, le consensus étant défini à 80 % d'accord après deux tours. On a également demandé aux répondant·es à quel niveau de formation chaque compétence devrait être atteinte. RéSULTATS: Les étapes du processus Delphi ont eu un taux de réponse de 75 % et ont permis de déterminer 94 compétences qui ont été classées dans les six domaines ACGME : soins aux patient·es (38), connaissances médicales (45), pratique systémique (deux), apprentissage et amélioration basés sur la pratique (cinq), compétences en communication interpersonnelle (deux) et professionnalisme (deux). CONCLUSION: Nous avons généré une liste de compétences pour la formation de résidence en anesthésiologie obstétricale grâce à un consensus d'expert·es. Cette liste peut être utilisée par les programmes de formation en résidence pour élaborer un programme structuré axé sur les compétences avec des jalons tangibles, réduisant ainsi l'hétérogénéité dans la norme de formation.

Racial and ethnic disparities in obstetric anesthesia: a scoping review.

PURPOSE: Health disparities continue to affect racial and ethnic marginalized obstetric patients disproportionally with increased risk of Cesarean delivery and pregnancy-related death. Yet, the literature on what influences such disparities in obstetric anesthesia service and its clinical outcomes is less well known. We set out to describe racial and ethnic disparities in obstetric anesthesia during the peripartum period in the USA via a scoping review of the recent literature. SOURCE: Using the Institute of Medicine's definition of disparities, we searched the National Library of Medicine's PubMed/Medline, Embase, Web of Science, APA PsycINFO, and Google Scholar for articles published between 1 January 2000 and 30 June 2022 to identify literature on racial and ethnic disparities in obstetric anesthesia. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Out of 8,432 articles reviewed, 15 met our inclusion criteria. All but one study was observational. Seven studies were single-institutional while the remaining used multicentre data/databases. All studies compared two or more race and ethnicity classifications. Studies in this review described disparities in the use of labour epidural analgesia, labour epidural request timing, anesthesia for Cesarean deliveries, postpartum pain management, and epidural blood patch for postdural puncture headaches. Several studies reported disparities observed in the unadjusted models becoming no longer significant when adjusted for other covariates. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings of the present scoping review on racial and ethnic disparities in obstetric anesthesia, we present an evidence map identifying knowledge gaps and propose a future research agenda.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: Les disparités en matière de santé continuent d'affecter de manière disproportionnée les patient·es en obstétrique marginalisé·es sur le plan racial et ethnique, avec un risque accru d'accouchement par césarienne et de décès lié à la grossesse. Pourtant, la littérature sur ce qui influence de telles disparités dans les services d'anesthésie obstétricale et leurs issues cliniques est moins bien connue. Notre objectif était de décrire les disparités raciales et ethniques en matière d'anesthésie obstétricale au cours de la période péripartum aux États-Unis via une étude de portée de la littérature récente. SOURCES: En utilisant la définition des disparités de l'Institute of Medicine, nous avons effectué des recherches dans les bases de données PubMed/Medline de la National Library of Medicine, Embase, Web of Science, APA PsycINFO et Google Scholar pour trouver des articles publiés entre le 1er janvier 2000 et le 30 juin 2022, afin d'identifier la littérature sur les disparités raciales et ethniques en anesthésie obstétricale. CONSTATATIONS PRINCIPALES: Sur 8432 articles examinés, 15 répondaient à nos critères d'inclusion. Toutes les études sauf une étaient observationnelles. Sept études étaient monocentriques tandis que les autres utilisaient des données/bases de données multicentriques. Toutes les études comparaient deux classifications de race et d'origine ethnique ou plus. Les études de cette revue décrivaient des disparités dans l'utilisation de l'analgésie péridurale obstétricale, le moment de la demande pour une péridurale obstétricale, l'anesthésie pour les accouchements par césarienne, la prise en charge de la douleur post-partum et les injections de sang autologue en péridural pour les céphalées post-ponction durale. Plusieurs études ont fait état de disparités observées dans les modèles non ajustés qui n'étaient plus significatives lors de l'ajustement pour tenir compte d'autres covariables. CONCLUSION: Sur la base des résultats de cette étude de portée sur les disparités raciales et ethniques en anesthésie obstétricale, nous présentons une carte des données probantes identifiant les lacunes dans les connaissances et proposons un futur programme de recherche.

Modern labor epidural analgesia: implications for labor outcomes and maternal-fetal health.

Epidural analgesia is an important means of pain control during labor throughout the world. Over its historic development, it has been implicated in several undesirable outcomes, including prolongation of labor and increased need for operative delivery. These effects have emerged in some retrospective and observational studies, but such methods of investigation are highly prone to bias and are particularly ill-suited for the study of labor analgesia. In high-quality studies, including Cochrane reviews and meta-analyses, epidural analgesia has been suggested to extend the first stage of labor by 30 minutes and the second stage by 15 minutes, when compared with alternative forms of analgesia. Although this may be a reproducible effect, it may be argued that it is clinically negligible. With respect to mode of delivery, similar high-quality studies have consistently shown no increased risk of cesarean delivery associated with epidural analgesia. Some forms of epidural analgesia were associated with higher risk of assisted vaginal delivery, but the use of newer modalities has been shown to abolish this effect. Specific advancements have centered on reducing total anesthetic consumption, given that local anesthetic-induced motor block is theorized to interfere with maternal expulsive efforts in the second stage of labor. These measures include the use of low-concentration local anesthetic solutions equivalent to ≤0.1% bupivacaine, shown in meta-analyses to lead to no higher risk of assisted vaginal delivery relative to nonepidural analgesia. Additional advancements in the maintenance of analgesia include programmed intermittent epidural bolus and patient-controlled epidural analgesia, the combination of which has been shown to reduce the risk of assisted vaginal delivery, also likely mediated by reduction in local anesthetic dose. These techniques have gained popularity in the past two decades, such that studies published since 2005 show no higher risk of assisted vaginal delivery with epidural than with opioid analgesia (as reported in a Cochrane review). Labor epidural analgesia has implications for maternal and fetal health perinatally. It is known to result in transient maternal hypotension (particularly with initiation), which may progress to the level of necessitating fluid or vasopressor therapy. This is not clearly associated with any adverse outcomes. There is also a consistently higher incidence of fever in parturients receiving neuraxial anesthesia, likely of noninfectious origin, which has similarly not been associated with adverse neonatal outcomes. Finally, neonates of parturients who receive epidural analgesia have been shown to have no worse Apgar scores and more favorable acid-base status than their counterparts. These observations should serve to reassure providers that modern labor analgesia, as currently understood, is not consistently associated with any significant adverse outcomes for the parturient or fetus. In this review, we describe variations of modern labor epidural analgesia, conduct an in-depth review of current literature on its use, and explore the most up-to-date evidence on its implications for the progression and outcomes of labor, including the pertinent maternal and fetal side effects.

A Systematic Scoping Review of Peridelivery Pain Management for Pregnant People With Opioid Use Disorder: From the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology and Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine.

The prevalence of pregnant people with opioid use disorder (OUD), including those receiving medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), is increasing. Challenges associated with pain management in people with OUD include tolerance, opioid-induced hyperalgesia, and risk for return to use. Yet, there are few evidence-based recommendations for pain management in the setting of pregnancy and the postpartum period, and many peripartum pain management studies exclude people with OUD. This scoping review summarized the available literature on peridelivery pain management in people with OUD, methodologies used, and identified specific areas of knowledge gaps. PubMed and Embase were comprehensively searched for publications in all languages on peripartum pain management among people with OUD, both treated with MOUD and untreated. Potential articles were screened by title, abstract, and full text. Data abstracted were descriptively analyzed to map available evidence and identify areas of limited or no evidence. A total of 994 publications were imported for screening on title, abstracts, and full text, yielding 84 publications identified for full review: 32 (38.1%) review articles, 14 (16.7%) retrospective studies, and 8 (9.5%) case reports. There were 5 randomized controlled trials. Most studies (64%) were published in perinatology (32; 38.1%) journals or anesthesiology (22; 26.2%) journals. Specific areas lacking trial or systematic review evidence include: (1) methods to optimize psychological and psychosocial comorbidities relevant to acute pain management around delivery; (2) alternative nonopioid and nonpharmacologic analgesia methods; (3) whether or not to use opioids for severe breakthrough pain and how best to prescribe and monitor its use after discharge; (4) monitoring for respiratory depression and sedation with coadministration of other analgesics; (5) optimal neuraxial analgesia dosing and adjuncts; and (6) benefits of abdominal wall blocks after cesarean delivery. No publications discussed naloxone coprescribing in the labor and delivery setting. We observed an increasing number of publications on peripartum pain management in pregnant people with OUD. However, existing published works are low on the pyramid of evidence (reviews, opinions, and retrospective studies), with a paucity of original research articles (<6%). Opinions are conflicting on the utility and disutility of various analgesic interventions. Studies generating high-quality evidence on this topic are needed to inform care for pregnant people with OUD. Specific research areas are identified, including utility and disutility of short-term opioid use for postpartum pain management, role of continuous wound infiltration and truncal nerve blocks, nonpharmacologic analgesia options, and the best methods to support psychosocial aspects of pain management.

Incidence, prevalence, and timing of postpartum complications and mortality in Canada and the United States: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this systematic review is to assess the incidence, prevalence, and timing of common postpartum (up to 1 year after delivery) medical, surgical/procedural, and psychosocial complications and mortality. INTRODUCTION: Childbirth is the most common cause for hospitalization, and cesarean delivery is the most commonly performed inpatient surgery. After delivery, mothers are at risk of short- and long-term complications that can impact their well-being. The results of this review will inform evidence-based recommendations for patient education, monitoring, and follow-up. INCLUSION CRITERIA: We will include studies performed in Canada and/or the United States that report the incidence or prevalence of medical, procedural/surgical, and psychosocial complications within 1 year postpartum. Observational studies (analytical cross-sectional studies, retrospective and prospective cohorts), randomized or non-randomized controlled trials with a control or standard of care group, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses will be included. Studies with fewer than 100 patients, participants younger than 18 years, no reporting of duration, or focus on patients with a specific condition rather than a general postpartum population will be excluded. METHODS: The search strategy was codeveloped with a medical librarian and included full-text English-language articles published within the past 10 years (2011-2021) in PubMed, CINHAL, Web of Science, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Screening, critical appraisal, and data extraction will be performed by two independent reviewers using Covidence, standardized JBI tools, and a standardized form, respectively. For each complication, the incidence or prevalence, timing of the frequency measurement, and duration of follow-up from individual studies will be determined. Meta-analysis will be performed if feasible. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42022303047.

Postoperative mortality risk prediction that incorporates intraoperative vital signs: development and internal validation in a historical cohort.

PURPOSE: Accurate risk reassessment after surgery is crucial for postoperative planning for monitoring and disposition. Existing postoperative mortality risk prediction models using preoperative features do not incorporate intraoperative hemodynamic derangements that may alter risk stratification. Intraoperative vital signs may provide an objective and readily available prognostic resource. Our primary objective was to derive and internally validate a logistic regression (LR) model by adding intraoperative features to established preoperative predictors to predict 30-day postoperative mortality. METHODS: Following Research Ethics Board approval, we analyzed a historical cohort that included patients aged ≥ 45 undergoing noncardiac surgery with an overnight stay at two tertiary hospitals (2013 to 2017). Features included intraoperative vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, end-tidal carbon dioxide partial pressure, oxygen saturation, and temperature) by threshold and duration of exposure, as well as patient, surgical, and anesthetic factors. The cohort was divided temporally 75:25 into derivation and validation sets. We constructed a multivariable LR model with 30-day all-cause mortality as the outcome and evaluated performance metrics. RESULTS: There were 30,619 patients in the cohort (mean [standard deviation] age, 66 [11] yr; 50.2% female; 2.0% mortality). In the validation set, the primary LR model showed a c-statistic of 0.893 (99% confidence interval [CI], 0.853 to 0.927), a Nagelkerke R-squared of 0.269, a scaled Brier score of 0.082, and an area under precision-recall curve of 0.158 (baseline 0.017 for an uninformative model). The addition of intraoperative vital signs to preoperative factors minimally improved discrimination and calibration. CONCLUSION: We derived and internally validated a model that incorporated vital signs to improve risk stratification after surgery. Preoperative factors were strongly predictive of mortality risk, and intraoperative predictors only minimally improved discrimination. External and prospective validations are needed. STUDY REGISTRATION: www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov (NCT04014010); registered on 10 July 2019.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: Une réévaluation précise des risques après la chirurgie est cruciale pour la planification postopératoire du monitorage et du congé. Les modèles existants de prédiction du risque de mortalité postopératoire utilisant des caractéristiques préopératoires n'intègrent pas les perturbations hémodynamiques peropératoires, lesquelles pourraient modifier la stratification du risque. Les signes vitaux peropératoires peuvent fournir une ressource pronostique objective et facilement disponible. Notre objectif principal était de dériver et de valider en interne un modèle de régression logistique (RL) en ajoutant des caractéristiques peropératoires aux prédicteurs préopératoires établis pour prédire la mortalité postopératoire à 30 jours. MéTHODE: À la suite de l'approbation du Comité d'éthique de la recherche, nous avons analysé une cohorte historique qui comprenait des patients âgés de ≥ 45 ans bénéficiant d'une chirurgie non cardiaque avec un séjour d'une nuit dans deux hôpitaux tertiaires (2013 à 2017). Les caractéristiques comprenaient les signes vitaux peropératoires (tension artérielle, fréquence cardiaque, pression télé-expiratoire en CO2, saturation en oxygène et température) par seuil et durée d'exposition, ainsi que des facteurs propres au patient, chirurgicaux et anesthésiques. La cohorte a été divisée temporellement 75:25 en ensembles de dérivation et de validation. Nous avons élaboré un modèle de RL multivariée avec la mortalité toutes causes confondues à 30 jours comme critère, et évalué les mesures de performance. RéSULTATS: Il y avait 30 619 patients dans la cohorte (âge moyen [écart type], 66 [11] ans; 50,2 % de femmes; 2,0 % de mortalité). Dans l'ensemble de validation, le modèle de RL primaire a montré une statistique c de 0,893 (intervalle de confiance [IC] à 99 %, 0,853 à 0,927), un R carré de Nagelkerke de 0,269, un score de Brier mis à l'échelle de 0,082 et une aire sous la courbe de rappel et précision de 0,158 (ligne de base 0,017 pour un modèle non informatif). L'ajout de signes vitaux peropératoires aux facteurs préopératoires a amélioré de façon minimale la discrimination et l'étalonnage. CONCLUSION: Nous avons dérivé et validé en interne un modèle qui incorporait des signes vitaux pour améliorer la stratification des risques après la chirurgie. Les facteurs préopératoires étaient fortement prédictifs du risque de mortalité, et les prédicteurs peropératoires n'ont que que très peu amélioré la discrimination. Une validation externe et prospective est nécessaire. ENREGISTREMENT DE L'éTUDE: www.ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04014010); enregistrée le 10 juillet 2019.

Neuraxial labor analgesia: Maintenance techniques.

Since the advent of neuraxial analgesia for labor, approaches to maintaining intrapartum pain relief have seen significant advancement. Through pharmacologic innovations and improved drug delivery mechanisms, current neuraxial labor analgesia maintenance techniques have been shaped by efforts to maximize patient comfort during the birthing process, while minimizing undesirable side effects and promoting the unimpeded progress of labor. To these ends, a modern anesthesiologist may avail themselves of several techniques, including programmed intermittent epidural bolus (PIEB), patient controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) and dilute concentration local anesthetic + opioid epidural solutions. We explore the historical development and the evidential underpinnings of these techniques, in addition to several contemporary neuraxial labor analgesia practices. We also summarize current understanding of the effects these interventions have on maternal/fetal health and the labor course, as well as several important aspects of analgesic safety and monitoring.

Assessment of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures for Maternal Postpartum Depression Using the Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments Guideline: A Systematic Review.

Importance: Maternal depression is frequently reported in the postpartum period, with an estimated prevalence of approximately 15% during the first postpartum year. Despite the high prevalence of postpartum depression, there is no consensus regarding which patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) should be used to screen for this complex, multidimensional construct. Objective: To evaluate psychometric measurement properties of existing PROMs of maternal postpartum depression using the Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) guideline and identify the best available patient-reported screening measure. Evidence Review: This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) reporting guideline. PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, and Web of Science were searched on July 1, 2019, for validated PROMs of postpartum depression, and an additional search including a hand search of references from eligible studies was conducted in June 2021. Included studies evaluated 1 or more psychometric measurement properties of the identified PROMs. A risk-of-bias assessment was performed to evaluate methods of each included study. Psychometric measurement properties of each PROM were rated according to COSMIN criteria. A modified Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach was used to assess the level of evidence supporting each rating, and a recommendation class (A, recommended for use; B, further research required; or C, not recommended) was given based on the overall quality of each included PROM. Findings: Among 10 264 postpartum recovery studies, 27 PROMs were identified. Ten PROMs (37.0%) met the inclusion criteria and were used in 43 studies (0.4%) involving 22 095 postpartum women. At least 1 psychometric measurement property was assessed for each of the 10 validated PROMs identified. Content validity was sufficient in all PROMs. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) demonstrated adequate content validity and a moderate level of evidence for sufficient internal consistency (with sufficient structural validity), resulting in a recommendation of class A. The other 9 PROMs evaluated received a recommendation of class B. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this systematic review suggest that the EPDS is the best available patient-reported screening measure of maternal postpartum depression. Future studies should focus on evaluating the cross-cultural validity, reliability, and measurement error of the EPDS to improve understanding of its psychometric properties and utility.

Patient Preferences for Outcomes Associated With Labor Epidural Analgesia.

Purpose Patient preferences for labor epidural analgesia (LEA) have been incompletely evaluated. This study aimed to determine the importance of various LEA outcomes to both antenatal and postpartum patients. Methods This was a cross-sectional study approved by the institutional ethics board. Questionnaires were distributed to two separate and distinct cohorts screened for eligibility: pregnant patients at an antenatal visit and postpartum patients during childbirth admission. A list of common LEA outcomes was compiled using research published in leading anesthesia journals. Participants ranked the outcomes according to perceived importance. They assigned each a number from 1 to 10 (priority ranking; 1 indicated the highest priority outcome and 10 the least). They were also asked to 'spend' $100 towards the outcomes (relative value scale), allocating more money to outcomes more important to them. Results Two hundred twenty questionnaires were completed (105 antenatal, 115 postpartum). 'Achieving desired pain relief' was the most important outcome for both cohorts. It was valued more by the postpartum cohort (Median $50 (25 - 60) vs $30 (18 - 50)). 'Overall satisfaction with the pain management,' 'experiencing a short time to achieve pain relief,' and 'experiencing a short duration of labor' received more money than avoiding various LEA-related side effects. The postpartum cohort ranked 'experiencing a short time to achieve pain relief' as more important than the antenatal cohort (Median 5 (3 - 7) vs 3 (2 - 5)). Conclusions Achieving the desired pain relief was the highest LEA outcome preference for both antenatal and postpartum patients. Avoiding side effects was less important relative to pain-related outcomes.

A survey of labour epidural practices at obstetric anesthesia fellowship programs in the United States.

PURPOSE: Labour epidural analgesia (LEA) is an evolving field. Various neuraxial techniques and dosing regimens are available to the modern obstetric anesthesia provider, allowing for significant practice variability. To begin a search for consensus on optimal care, we sought to query fellowship training practices for LEA. METHODS: We conducted an electronic survey of institutions with American Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited obstetric anesthesiology fellowship programs. We studied the frequency of epidural initiation techniques, including combined spinal epidural (CSE), dural puncture epidural, and epidural bolus. For maintenance techniques, we appraised the use of continuous epidural infusion, programmed intermittent bolus (PIEB), and patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA). RESULTS: Of 40 institutions surveyed, we received 32 responses (80% response rate). Twenty-eight of 40 (70%) were included in the analysis. A plurality of institutions (12/28; 43%) preferred CSE, and among those who used CSE, 23/27 (85%) included intrathecal opioids. A majority of institutions used protocols with PIEB (55%), while almost all (92%) used PCEA. Most participants (88%) reported using dilute concentration maintenance infusions of 0.1% bupivacaine/ropivacaine or less. CONCLUSION: Despite significant variability in LEA practice, some clear patterns emerged in our survey, including preference for opioid-containing CSE and maintenance with PIEB, PCEA, and dilute epidural solutions.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: L'analgésie péridurale obstétricale (APO) est un domaine en évolution. Diverses techniques neuraxiales et posologies sont disponibles pour le praticien en anesthésie obstétricale moderne, ce qui permet une variabilité significative de la pratique. Pour démarrer une recherche de consensus sur les soins optimaux, nous avons cherché à déterminer les pratiques d'APO dans le cadre de formation des fellows. MéTHODE: Nous avons réalisé une enquête électronique auprès d'établissements possédant des programmes de fellowship en anesthésiologie obstétricale accrédités par l'American Council for Graduate Medical Education. Nous avons étudié la fréquence des techniques de péridurale, notamment de rachi-péridurale combinée (RPC), de péridurale avec ponction durale et de bolus péridural. Pour les techniques de maintien, nous avons évalué l'utilisation de l'analgésie péridurale par perfusion continue, l'administration programmée de bolus périduraux (PIEB; programmed intermittent epidural bolus) et l'analgésie péridurale contrôlée par la patiente (APCP). RéSULTATS: Sur les 40 établissements sondés, nous avons reçu 32 réponses (taux de réponse de 80 %). Vingt-huit des 40 (70 %) établissements ont été inclus dans l'analyse. Plusieurs institutions (12/28; 43 %) ont répondu qu'elles préféraient la RPC, et parmi celles qui utilisaient la RPC, 23/27 (85 %) incluaient des opioïdes intrathécaux. La majorité des établissements utilisaient des protocoles avec le PIEB (55 %), tandis que presque tous (92 %) utilisaient l'APCP. La plupart des établissements participants (88 %) ont rapporté utiliser des perfusions de maintien à des concentrations diluées de bupivacaïne/ropivacaïne de 0,1 % ou moins. CONCLUSION: Malgré une variabilité significative dans la pratique de l'APO, certaines tendances claires ont émergé dans notre sondage, notamment une préférence pour les RPC contenant des opioïdes et le maintien avec un PIEB, une APCP et des solutions péridurales diluées.

Tranexamic acid: current use in obstetrics, major orthopedic, and trauma surgery.

PURPOSE: In this Continuing Professional Development module, we review the practical pharmacology of tranexamic acid and its clinical use in trauma, obstetrics, and major orthopedic surgery. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Tranexamic acid is a synthetic drug that inhibits fibrinolysis. Multiple clinical trials in various clinical settings have shown that it can reduce blood loss, transfusion rates, and bleeding-associated mortality. In trauma and obstetrical bleeding, early tranexamic acid administration (< three hours) may have greater clinical benefits. Overall, tranexamic acid use appears safe with no significant increase of thromboembolic or seizure events. Nevertheless, current evidence has limitations related to wide heterogeneity in dose, route, and timing of drug administration, as well as generalizability of the large-scale trial findings to higher income nations. CONCLUSIONS: Tranexamic acid is an efficacious and safe pharmacological-based blood conservation technique in the management of clinically significant hemorrhage. All anesthesiologists should have a good understanding of the pharmacotherapeutic properties and perioperative role of tranexamic acid therapy both inside and outside of the operating room. The use of tranexamic acid is likely to continue to rise with endorsement by various clinical guidelines and healthcare organizations. Further quantitative research is needed to evaluate optimal dosing and drug efficacy in these clinical scenarios.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: Dans ce module de Développement professionnel continu, nous passons en revue la pharmacologie pratique de l'acide tranexamique et son utilisation clinique dans le trauma, l'obstétrique, et les chirurgies orthopédiques majeures. CONSTATATIONS PRINCIPALES: L'acide tranexamique est un médicament synthétique inhibant la fibrinolyse. Plusieurs essais cliniques dans divers contextes cliniques ont montré qu'il peut réduire les pertes de sang, les taux de transfusion et la mortalité associée aux saignements. Dans les cas de saignement traumatologique et obstétrical, l'administration précoce d'acide tranexamique (< trois heures) pourrait avoir de plus grands bienfaits cliniques. Globalement, l'utilisation d'acide tranexamique semble sécuritaire et n'entraîne pas d'augmentation significative des complications thromboemboliques ou de convulsions. Néanmoins, les données probantes actuelles comportent des limites liées à une grande hétérogénéité dans la posologie, la voie et le moment d'administration du médicament, ainsi qu'à l'aspect généralisable des résultats des études à grande échelle pour les pays à revenu élevé. CONCLUSION: L'acide tranexamique est une technique pharmacologique de conservation du sang efficace et sécuritaire pour la prise en charge de l'hémorragie cliniquement significative. Les anesthésiologistes devraient tous posséder une bonne compréhension des propriétés pharmacothérapeutiques et du rôle périopératoire de la thérapie par acide tranexamique, tant à l'intérieur qu'à l'extérieur de la salle d'opération. L'utilisation de l'acide tranexamique continuera vraisemblablement à augmenter au fur et à mesure de l'obtention de son approbation par diverses lignes directrices cliniques et organismes de soins de santé. D'autres recherches quantitatives sont nécessaires pour évaluer le dosage optimal et l'efficacité du médicament dans ces scénarios cliniques.

The Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology Coronavirus Disease 2019 Registry: An Analysis of Outcomes Among Pregnant Women Delivering During the Initial Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 Outbreak in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Early reports associating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection with adverse pregnancy outcomes were biased by including only women with severe disease without controls. The Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP) coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) registry was created to compare peripartum outcomes and anesthetic utilization in women with and without SARS-CoV-2 infection delivering at institutions with widespread testing. METHODS: Deliveries from 14 US medical centers, from March 19 to May 31, 2020, were included. Peripartum infection was defined as a positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction test within 14 days of delivery. Consecutive SARS-CoV-2-infected patients with randomly selected control patients were sampled (1:2 ratio) with controls delivering during the same day without a positive test. Outcomes were obstetric (eg, delivery mode, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and delivery <37 weeks), an adverse neonatal outcome composite measure (primary), and anesthetic utilization (eg, neuraxial labor analgesia and anesthesia). Outcomes were analyzed using generalized estimating equations to account for clustering within centers. Sensitivity analyses compared symptomatic and asymptomatic patients to controls. RESULTS: One thousand four hundred fifty four peripartum women were included: 490 with SARS-CoV-2 infection (176 [35.9%] symptomatic) and 964 were controls. SARS-CoV-2 patients were slightly younger, more likely nonnulliparous, nonwhite, and Hispanic than controls. They were more likely to have diabetes, obesity, or cardiac disease and less likely to have autoimmune disease. After adjustment for confounders, individuals experiencing SARS-CoV-2 infection exhibited an increased risk for delivery <37 weeks of gestation compared to controls, 73 (14.8%) vs 98 (10.2%) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-2.09). Effect estimates for other obstetric outcomes and the neonatal composite outcome measure were not meaningfully different between SARS-CoV-2 patients versus controls. In sensitivity analyses, compared to controls, symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 patients exhibited increases in cesarean delivery (aOR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.09-2.27), postpartum length of stay (aOR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.18-2.60), and delivery <37 weeks of gestation (aOR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.29-3.36). These adverse outcomes were not found in asymptomatic women versus controls. SARS-CoV-2 patients (asymptomatic and symptomatic) were less likely to receive neuraxial labor analgesia (aOR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.35-0.75) and more likely to receive general anesthesia for cesarean delivery (aOR, 3.69; 95% CI, 1.40-9.74) due to maternal respiratory failure. CONCLUSIONS: In this large, multicenter US cohort study of women with and without peripartum SARS-CoV-2 infection, differences in obstetric and neonatal outcomes seem to be mostly driven by symptomatic patients. Lower utilization of neuraxial analgesia in laboring patients with asymptomatic or symptomatic infection compared to patients without infection requires further investigation.

The association between labour epidural analgesia and postpartum depressive symptoms: a longitudinal cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Pain is a risk factor for postpartum depression (PPD) and labour epidural analgesia (LEA) may lower the incidence of PPD. We evaluated depressive symptoms risk at three, six, and 12 months postpartum in women with LEA compared with women without LEA. METHODS: With ethics approval, hypotheses were tested using data from a longitudinal prospective observational cohort study between January 2015 and January 2019 in nulliparous women aged ≥ 18 yr with uncomplicated, singleton pregnancies. Email surveys were completed at baseline (18-20 weeks' gestation) and at three-, six- and 12 months postpartum, including the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS). Maternal, infant, and anesthesia characteristics were abstracted from electronic databases. The EPDS scores at three, six, and 12 months postpartum were analyzed using generalized estimating equations with and without covariates. RESULTS: Of the 909 women who consented to participate, 709 women were included in the study. Antenatal EPDS scores, not LEA, predicted postpartum depressive symptom risk (P < 0.001). The adjusted 95% confidence intervals suggest mean EPDS scores differ from 1.0 point lower in the LEA group at 12 months to 1.5 points higher in the no LEA group at three months on its 0-30 scale. All the confidence intervals included zero at three, six, and 12 months, so were considered non-significant (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study did not identify an association between LEA and risk of depressive symptoms postpartum, although small mean differences between groups cannot be ruled out. Future studies should focus on other modifiable variables that influence the development of PPD.

RéSUMé: CONTEXTE: La douleur constitue un facteur de risque de dépression post-partum (DPP) et l'analgésie péridurale obstétricale (APO) pourrait réduire l'incidence de DPP. Nous avons évalué le risque de symptômes de dépression à trois, six, et 12 mois post-partum chez les femmes ayant reçu une APO comparativement aux femmes sans APO. MéTHODE: Après avoir obtenu l'approbation du comité d'éthique, l'hypothèse a été testée en se fondant sur les données d'une étude de cohorte observationnelle prospective longitudinale réalisée entre janvier 2015 et janvier 2019 auprès des femmes nullipares âgées de ≥ 18 ans avec des grossesses simples et sans complication. Des sondages électroniques ont été complétés au début de l'étude (données de base, 18 à 20 semaines de grossesse), puis à trois, six et douze mois post-partum, et incluaient l'Échelle de dépression postnatale d'Édimbourg (EPDS). Les caractéristiques maternelles, infantiles et anesthésiques ont été extraites des bases de données électroniques. Les scores sur l'EPDS à trois, six, et 12 mois post-partum ont été analysés utilisant des équations d'estimation généralisées avec et sans covariables. RéSULTATS: Parmi les 909 femmes qui ont consenti à participer, 709 femmes ont été incluses dans l'étude. Les scores prénataux sur l'EPDS, et non l'APO, ont prédit le risque de symptômes de dépression post-partum (P < 0,001). Les intervalles de confiance ajustés de 95 % suggèrent que les scores moyens sur l'EPDS différaient de 1,0 point de moins dans le groupe APO à 12 mois à 1,5 point de plus dans le groupe sans APO à trois mois sur l'échelle de 0 à 30. Tous les intervalles de confiance englobaient le zéro à trois, six et 12 mois, et ont donc été considérés comme non significatifs (P > 0,05). CONCLUSION: Cette étude n'a pas identifié d'association entre l'APO et le risque de symptômes dépressifs post-partum, bien que de petites différences moyennes entre les groupes ne puissent être exclues. Les études futures devraient se concentrer sur d'autres variables modifiables qui influencent l'apparition de la DPP.