Analgesic effect of intra-articular magnesium sulphate compared with bupivacaine after knee arthroscopic menisectomy

AbstractThis work aimed to evaluate the analgesic efficacy of intra-articular injection of magnesium sulphate (4%) compared with equivalent volume of bupivacaine (0.5%) after outpatient knee arthroscopic meniscectomy. Forty patients were randomly assigned to two groups. Group M (n=20) received intra-articular magnesium sulphate 4%, group B (n=20) received bupivacaine (0.5%). Analgesic effect was evaluated by analgesic duration, and by measuring pain intensity at 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24h both at rest and on knee movement to 90°. The primary outcome variable was pain intensity on the VAS at 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24h post arthroscopy at rest and on movement (flexion of knee to 90°), although the magnesium group had lower time weighted averages (TWAs) at rest and on movement, these TWAs were not statistically significant. The median duration of postoperative analgesia was significantly longer in the patients treated with magnesium sulphate (528min) than in the bupivacaine group (317min) (p<0.0001), with less number of patients needing supplementary analgesia in magnesium group (8/20) than those of the bupivacaine group (16/20) (p<0.022). Also analgesic consumption was significantly lower in the magnesium sulphate group (p<0.002). We concluded that the use of magnesium sulphate is rational and effective in reducing pain, and is more physiological and shortens convalescence after outpatient arthroscopic meniscectomy, however our hypotheses that analgesic efficacy of intra-articular isotonic magnesium sulphate would be superior to intra-articular local anaesthetic cannot be supported with this study

European Vitreoretinal Society Macular Hole Study, Prognostic Factors for Anatomical and Functional Success

Background: To identify prognostic preoperative and intraoperative factors for anatomical and visual success of idiopathic macular hole (MH) surgery. Methods: We conducted a non-randomized, collaborative multicenter study using data of 4207 MH surgery from 140 surgeons. Main study outcomes were anatomical closure and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improvement postoperative at 6-12 months. Results: Information on anatomical success was available for 4138 eyes of 4207 operations. Anatomical closure of MH was achieved in 85.7% (3546 eyes). Closure was higher in smaller MH (stages 1-2 versus stage 3: OR=0.35; stage 2 versus stage 4: OR=0.16, and in MH with shorter duration before the operation (OR=0.94). Macular Holes were more likely to close when dyes were used to facilitate internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling (odds ratio=1.73 to 3.58). The most important predictors of postoperative BCVA were the preoperative BCVA (estimate=0.39, p&lt;0.001) and closure of the macular hole (estimate=0.34, p&lt;0.001). We observed Larger improvement in BCVA in combined vitrectomy and phacoemulsification (estimate = 0.10) and post cataract surgery in phakic eyes (estimate=0.05). Retinal tears occurred in 5.1% of eyes, and were less with use of trocars (OR= -1.246) and in combined vitrectomy/ phacoemulsification surgery (OR= -0.688). Conclusion: This international survey confirmed that staining with dyes improves anatomical results but not visual outcomes. After surgery, visual acuity improved during the first year, and final visual acuity was better in both pseudophakic eyes and eyes that underwent cataract surgery during the first year following MH repair

A Database Study of Visual Outcomes and Intraoperative Complications of Postvitrectomy Cataract Surgery

PURPOSE: To analyze the visual outcomes and rate of intraoperative complications of phacoemulsification surgery after prior pars plana vitrectomy (PPV). DESIGN: Retrospective, multicenter database study. PARTICIPANTS: Eyes that underwent phacoemulsification between June 2005 and March 2015 at 8 sites in the United Kingdom. METHODS: Study eyes were classified as vitrectomized (prior PPV group) or nonvitrectomized (reference group) depending on the vitreous state at the time of cataract surgery. Eyes with multiple intraocular surgeries or history of ocular diseases known to cause cataract progression or increased risk of intraoperative complications during phacoemulsification were excluded. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) visual acuity (VA), rate of intraoperative complications, and time interval to cataract surgery. RESULTS: Eyes in the prior PPV group (n = 2221) had worse preoperative logMAR VA (0.96±0.60 vs. 0.62±0.52, P \u3c 0.0001), were from younger patients, and had longer axial lengths than the nonvitrectomized group (n = 136 533). At all postoperative time points measured up to 24 weeks, mean vision was poorer in the prior PPV group (0.41±0.47 vs. 0.17±0.29 at 4-12 weeks, P \u3c 0.0001) and a smaller proportion of eyes achieved postoperative VA ≤0.30 logMAR (Snellen, ≥20/40) (60.8% vs. 86.5% at 4-12 weeks, P \u3c 0.0001). The rate of posterior capsular rupture was not different between the prior PPV (1.5%) and the nonvitrectomized (1.7%) groups, but the incidences of zonular dialysis (1.3% vs. 0.6%) and dropped nuclear fragments (0.6% vs. 0.2%) were higher in the prior PPV group (P \u3c 0.0001). The mean time interval between PPV and cataract surgery was 399 days. CONCLUSIONS: We found a significant improvement in VA with postvitrectomy cataract surgery. However, compared with eyes without prior PPV, there was a worse mean postoperative vision of 0.2 logMAR units, a higher rate of zonular dialysis and dropped nuclear fragments, and a similar rate of posterior capsule rupture

Association between Dietary Salt Intake and Progression in the Gastric Precancerous Process

Gastric cancer is the third leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Studies investigating the effect of salt on gastric cancer have mainly used self-reported measures, which are not as accurate as sodium/creatinine ratios because individuals may not know the amount of salt in their food. Using data from a prospective cohort study, we investigated the effect of salt intake on progression to gastric precancerous lesions. Salt intake was estimated by urinary sodium/creatinine ratios, self-reported frequencies of adding salt to food, and total added table salt. We repeated the analyses among groups with and without Helicobacter pylori infection. We did not observe a positive association between salt intake, measured by urinary sodium/creatinine ratio, and overall progression in the gastric precancerous process (adjusted risk ratio (RR): 0.94; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.76&#8211;1.15). We did observe an association between salt intake and increased risk for progression to dysplasia or gastric cancer overall (RR: 1.32; 95% CI: 0.96&#8211;1.81), especially among those who continued to have H. pylori infection at the five-month follow-up (adjusted RR: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.12&#8211;2.09), and among those who had persistent H. pylori infection over 12 years (adjusted RR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.09&#8211;2.05). Salt intake may increase the risk of gastric dysplasia or gastric cancer in individuals with H. pylori infection

Using Machine Learning to Predict Progression in the Gastric Precancerous Process in a Population from a Developing Country Who Underwent a Gastroscopy for Dyspeptic Symptoms

Background. Gastric cancer is the fourth most common cancer and the third most common cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Morbidity and mortality from gastric cancer may be decreased by identification of those that are at high risk for progression in the gastric precancerous process so that they can be monitored over time for early detection and implementation of preventive strategies. Method. Using machine learning, we developed prediction models for gastric precancerous progression in a population from a developing country with a high rate of gastric cancer who underwent gastroscopies for dyspeptic symptoms. In the data imputed for completeness, we divided the data into a training and a validation test set. Using the training set, we used the random forest method to rank potential predictors based on their predictive importance. Using predictors identified by the random forest method, we conducted best subset linear regressions with the leave-one-out cross-validation approach to select predictors for overall progression and progression to dysplasia or cancer. We validated the models in the test set using leave-one-out cross-validation. Results. We observed for all models that complete intestinal metaplasia and incomplete intestinal metaplasia were the strongest predictors for further progression in the precancerous process. We also observed that a diagnosis of no gastritis, superficial gastritis, or antral diffuse gastritis at baseline was a predictor of no progression in the gastric precancerous process. The sensitivities and specificities were 86% and 79% for the general model and 100% and 82% for the location-specific model, respectively. Conclusion. We developed prediction models to identify gastroscopy patients that are more likely to progress in the gastric precancerous process, among whom routine follow-up gastroscopies can be targeted to prevent gastric cancer. Future external validation is needed

High-normal blood pressure is associated with visit-to-visit blood pressure variability in the US adults

Objectives: High-normal blood pressure and visit-to-visit blood pressure variability are common in clinical settings. They are associated with cardiovascular outcomes. No population based studies have assessed the association between these two phenomena. Our objective was to test the relationship of high-normal blood pressure with visit-to-visit blood pressure variability. Design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: We used data from the cross-sectional Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to test the relationship between high-normal blood pressure and visit-to-visit blood pressure variability; we conducted multivariable regression analyses to evaluate the relationship between these two variables. Results: The analysis included 6,071 participants. The participants’ mean age was 37.16 years. The means of visit-to-visit systolic and diastolic blood pressure variability were 5.84 mmHg and 5.26 mmHg. High-normal blood pressure was significantly associated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure variability (p values <0.05). Conclusions: High-normal blood pressure is associated with visit-to-visit blood pressure variability. Additional research is required to replicate the reported results in prospective studies and evaluate approaches to reduce blood pressure variability observed in clinical settings among patients with high-normal blood pressure to reduce the subsequent complications of blood pressure variability