Pain characteristics and management of inpatients admitted to a comprehensive cancer centre: a cross-sectional study.

AIMS: This prospective, cross-sectional study aimed to assess cancer pain and its management in an inpatient setting at a comprehensive cancer centre in Denmark. METHODS: One hundred and eighty-eight inpatients with cancer were invited to participate (May/June 2011). Demographics, diagnoses, World Health Organization performance status, health-related quality of life, pain and data regarding analgesic treatment were registered. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-four (71.3%) patients agreed to participate in the study. Most frequent diagnoses were leukaemia (27.6%) and lung cancer (14.2%). A high prevalence of pain was observed, 65.7%. Thirty-two per cent reported moderate to severe pain when it was at its worst, 96% reported no or mild pain when it was at its least. Nearly 22% reported moderate to severe pain when the pain was categorised as average. Breakthrough pain episodes were reported by 30.5%. Adjuvant medication was sparsely used and not always correctly indicated. Out of 88 patients with pain, 62.5% were left untreated according to the Electronic Medication System. Higher health-related quality of life was associated with lower pain intensity. The use of opioids with or without adjuvants was associated with higher pain intensity and higher number of breakthrough pain episodes. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately two thirds of inpatients reported pain and one third had breakthrough pain. A substantial number of patients with pain were left untreated. Opioid-treated patients reported highest pain intensity and number of breakthrough episodes; however, analgesic medication seemed to be underused. Measures to improve pain assessment and management are highly required.

[Course after surgery of subdural hematoma in alcohol abusers]. / Forløbet efter operation for subduralt haematom hos alkoholmisbrugere.

The postoperative course and final outcome after evacuation of subdural haematoma are described in 106 male patients in relation to their alcohol consumption. One-third of the patients were alcohol abusers, drinking at least 60 g of ethanol daily. Despite comparable head trauma, they had a significantly higher incidence of acute subdural haematomas and showed increased postoperative morbidity and mortality compared to the non-alcoholics. The postoperative hospitalization costs were initially higher and the final outcome was significantly worse for the alcohol abusers.

Headache after lumbar iohexol myelography: the influence of a history of headaches and early ambulation.

Whether a history of headache or "early" versus "late" ambulation (no bed rest or bed rest for 24 h) influence the occurrence of headache after lumbar iohexol myelography was studied by blinded interviews in 158 consecutive patients referred for elective lumbar myelography (LM) because of suspected lumbar disc prolapse or spinal stenosis. Headache after LM occurred more often in patients with a history of headache (57%) than in patients without such a history (29%), P < 0.001. Patients with normal myelographic findings complained of headache after LM more often (55%) than patients with abnormal myelograms (31%), P < 0.008. No difference in the incidence of headache after LM was demonstrated in early versus late ambulation.

Total intravenous anaesthesia for direct laryngoscopy: propofol infusion compared to thiopentone combined with midazolam and methohexitone infusion.

Total intravenous anaesthesia for direct laryngoscopy was investigated in 40 patients, randomized into four groups of 10 patients each. First, propofol infusion was compared to thiopentone combined with midazolam. Next, a comparison of propofol infusion with methohexitone infusion was undertaken. The propofol group showed significantly lower peroperative blood pressure compared to the thiopentone/midazolam group. The second propofol group required significantly less alfentanil to stabilize the blood pressure, compared to the methohexitone group. Completeness of recovery, assessed by means of a coin counting test, was faster in the propofol group compared to the thiopentone/midazolam group, while no difference could be demonstrated between the second propofol group and the methohexitone group. It is concluded that propofol seems to be superior to both thiopentone/midazolam and methohexitone with respect to the stability of peroperative blood pressure. Concerning recovery, propofol is superior to thiopentone/midazolam, but offers no advantage over methohexitone.

The influence of alcoholism on outcome after evacuation of subdural haematoma.

The postoperative course and final outcome after evacuation of subdural haematoma are described in 106 male patients in relation to their alcohol consumption. One-third of the patients were alcohol abusers, drinking at least 60 g of ethanol daily. Despite comparable head trauma, they had a significantly higher incidence of acute subdural haematomas and showed increased postoperative morbidity and mortality compared to the non-alcoholics. The postoperative hospitalization costs were initially higher and the final outcome was significantly worse for the alcohol abusers.

Recovery after total intravenous anaesthesia using combined midazolam/alfentanil infusion and reversal with flumazenil.

One of the major problems with total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) is postoperative sedation, possibly with respiratory depression. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the recovery characteristics after TIVA using a continuous infusion of a mixture of midazolam and alfentanil with flumazenil reversal before extubation. This method was compared to balanced anaesthesia using midazolam, alfentanil and nitrous oxide without flumazenil reversal. The degree of sedation was measured by reaction time test, Glasgow Coma Scale, cipher copying test and subtraction test. We found significantly faster reaction times postoperatively in the TIVA group (n = 15) compared to the balanced group (n = 13), despite larger doses of both midazolam (median 21 mg versus 9 mg) and alfentanil (median 5.9 mg versus 4.5 mg). The other tests revealed no difference between the groups. One patient became resedated after flumazenil. We conclude that the TIVA technique described here resulted in slightly better recovery characteristics, offering a usable alternative to balanced anaesthesia.