Anesthesia in Patient with Lead Poisoning: Case Report

SummaryBackground and objectivesLead poisoning, also Saturnism, results from chronic lead poisoning, common after occupational exposure. Projectiles retained in the body may result in increased levels of plasma lead with numerous clinical implications, particularly neurological. We report a case of a symptomatic patient, undiagnosed, whose diagnosis was made during the preanesthesia evaluation.Case reportThe patient was attended at our hospital to remove a bullet lodged in his left knee 14 years ago, presenting with polyneuropathy without investigation. During the preanesthetic visit, saturnism was hypothesized and confirmed by high plasma lead levels (129μg.dL-1). Surgery was performed under general anesthesia before starting lead chelation. During anesthesia, the patient developed apnea, without chest-wall rigidity after administration of fentanyl (50μg).ConclusionLead poisoning interferes with the function of various organs and systems, alters oxidative metabolism and intracellular signaling mechanisms. Neurological involvement, with reduced neural conduction, deserves special attention from anesthesiologists

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear un derstanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5–7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8–11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world’s most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepre sented in biodiversity databases.13–15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may elim inate pieces of the Amazon’s biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological com munities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple or ganism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region’s vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most ne glected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lostinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5,6,7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8,9,10,11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases.13,14,15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may eliminate pieces of the Amazon's biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological communities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple organism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region's vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most neglected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lost

COVID-19 symptoms at hospital admission vary with age and sex: results from the ISARIC prospective multinational observational study

Background: The ISARIC prospective multinational observational study is the largest cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. We present relationships of age, sex, and nationality to presenting symptoms. Methods: International, prospective observational study of 60 109 hospitalized symptomatic patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 recruited from 43 countries between 30 January and 3 August 2020. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate relationships of age and sex to published COVID-19 case definitions and the most commonly reported symptoms. Results: ‘Typical’ symptoms of fever (69%), cough (68%) and shortness of breath (66%) were the most commonly reported. 92% of patients experienced at least one of these. Prevalence of typical symptoms was greatest in 30- to 60-year-olds (respectively 80, 79, 69%; at least one 95%). They were reported less frequently in children (≤ 18 years: 69, 48, 23; 85%), older adults (≥ 70 years: 61, 62, 65; 90%), and women (66, 66, 64; 90%; vs. men 71, 70, 67; 93%, each P < 0.001). The most common atypical presentations under 60 years of age were nausea and vomiting and abdominal pain, and over 60 years was confusion. Regression models showed significant differences in symptoms with sex, age and country. Interpretation: This international collaboration has allowed us to report reliable symptom data from the largest cohort of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Adults over 60 and children admitted to hospital with COVID-19 are less likely to present with typical symptoms. Nausea and vomiting are common atypical presentations under 30 years. Confusion is a frequent atypical presentation of COVID-19 in adults over 60 years. Women are less likely to experience typical symptoms than men

Efeitos da Cetamina S(+) em dose subanestésica sobre a função e a histologia renal, em modelo de isquemia e reperfusão em ratos

O pós-condicionamento em modelo de isquemia e reperfusão já mostrou evidências de efeito renoprotetor, mas ainda há alguma controvérsia sobre os protocolos e seus resultados. A administração de cetamina S(+) em dose subanestésica em infusão contínua, como estratégia anti-inflamatória, ainda não foi testada na lesão renal aguda, bem como sua interação com o pós-condicionamento isquêmico não é conhecida. Testamos a hipótese de que a cetamina S(+) atenua o dano tubular e melhora a função renal em ratos sob pós-condicionamento. Quarenta e um ratos machos Wistar (≥300g) foram divididos aleatoriamente em quatro grupos: GS-Sham; GC-Cetamina S(+) em dose subanestésica em infusão contínua; GP-Pós-condicionamento isquêmico; GCP-Cetamina S(+) em dose subanestésica em infusão contínua e pós-condicionamento. Todos os animais foram submetidos à nefrectomia direita. Nos ratos submetidos ao pós-condicionamento (GP e GCP) foi realizada oclusão da artéria renal esquerda por 30 minutos. A reperfusão plena foi precedida por três ciclos de 2 min de reperfusão, seguido por 2 min de reoclusão. A pressão arterial, a frequência cardíaca e a temperatura foram controladas durante o experimento. A hidratação foi realizada com solução de Ringer lactato em infusão contínua intravenosa (3,0 mL.Kg-1.h-1), além de bolus após cada coleta. A função renal foi avaliada pela dosagem plasmática de NGAL, creatinina e ureia em três momentos: C1 (após estabilização), C2 (após 30 min de reperfusão completa) e C3 (após 24h). Dano tubular foi avaliado pela histologia renal. Foram utilizados os critérios de RIFLE e AKIN para avaliação evolutiva da creatinemia entre momentos. A creatinina e a ureia apresentaram aumento estatisticamente significativo nos grupos com pós-condicionamento isquêmico (GS e GC), mas não a NGAL (p = 0,08). Dano tubular significativo foi encontrado apenas nos...Postconditioning against ischaemia-reperfusion injury has shown renoprotective effects, but there is still some controversy about protocols and its outcomes. The potencial application of subanesthetic S(+) ketamine continuous infusion as an antiinflammatory strategy, is not yet available in acute kidney injury, as well as the interaction with ischaemic postconditioning (IP). We tested the hypothesis that it attenuates tubular damage and improves renal function in IP in rats. Forty-one male Wistar rats (≥300g) were randomized into four groups: GS-sham; GK-subanesthetic S(+) ketamine; GP-posconditioning and GKP-subanesthetic S(+) ketamine and postconditioning. All animals were subjected to right nephrectomy but only in postconditioned rats 30-min left kidney arterial occlusion was performed, in which complete reperfusion were preceded by three cycles of 2 min of reperfusion followed by 2 min of reocclusion. Animals were studied for 24 h. Renal function was assessed by measurement of serum NGAL, creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) at three moments: C1 (after stabilization), C2 (after 30-min complete reperfusion) and C3 (after 24h). Tubular damage was evaluated by renal histology. RIFLE and AKIN criteria were used to evaluate creatinine among moments. Creatinine and BUN significantly increased in IP groups as compared to rats in GS and GK, but not NGAL (P=0,08). Despite significant tubular damage found only in IP groups, there was no significant difference between IP and S(+) ketamine/IP. RIFLE and AKIN criteria showed identical functional lesions. S(+) ketamine infusion does not attenuate tubular damage or improve renal function. However, IP groups show identical results and postconditioning is unable to show a renoprotective effect in this mode

Plexopatia lombar após histerectomia abdominal: relato de caso Plexopatía lumbar después de la histerectomía abdominal: relato de caso Lumbar plexopathy after abdominal hysterectomy: case report

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: As lesões neurológicas diagnosticadas no período pós-operatório muitas vezes são atribuídas ao ato anestésico, embora possam também decorrer do ato cirúrgico. O objetivo deste relato foi apresentar o caso de uma paciente submetida à intervenção cirúrgica pélvica que evoluiu com quadro de plexopatia lombar e discutir as possíveis causas. RELATO DO CASO: Paciente do sexo feminino, 38 anos, 58 kg, 1,63 m de altura, estado físico ASA I, internada para tratamento de leiomiomatose uterina, com indicação de histerectomia total abdominal. A monitorização inicial incluiu oxímetro de pulso, pressão arterial não-invasiva, eletrocardioscópio e diurese. Após punção venosa no membro superior esquerdo com cateter 18G, foram administrados, por via venosa, cefazolina (2 g), dipirona (2 g), dexametasona (10 mg) e metoclopramida (10 mg). A anestesia peridural foi realizada com agulha Tuohy 16G, no espaço L3-L4, na linha mediana com a paciente em decúbito lateral esquerdo. Foram administrados 15 mL de ropivacaína a 0,75% e 2 mg de morfina, a seguir posicionado cateter para analgesia pós-operatória. A intervenção cirúrgica não teve intercorrência, mantendo-se a paciente estável sob o ponto de vista cardiovascular. Na visita pós-anestésica, oito horas após o procedimento, a paciente não deambulava e apresentava monoparesia no membro inferior esquerdo. Após investigações clínicas e radiológicas foi descartada a hipótese diagnóstica de síndrome radicular. Como não houve regressão do quadro, 30 dias após foi realizada eletroneuromiografia que foi compatível com plexopatia lombar de possível origem traumática. CONCLUSÕES: O anestesiologista deve estar atento às complicações neurológicas que podem surgir no pós-operatório, participando da elucidação das causas, do tratamento e da sua evolução.<br>JUSTIFICATIVA Y OBJETIVOS: Las lesiones neurológicas diagnosticadas en el período postoperatorio muchas veces se atribuyen al acto anestésico, aunque puedan también decorrer del acto quirúrgico. El objetivo de este relato fue presentar el caso de una paciente sometida a la intervención quirúrgica pélvica que evolucionó con un cuadro de plexopatía lumbar y discutir las posibles causas. RELATO DEL CASO: Paciente del sexo femenino, 38 años, 58 kg, 1,63 m de altura, estado físico ASA I, internada para tratamiento de leiomiomatosis uterina, con indicación de histerectomía total abdominal. La monitorización inicial incluyó oxímetro de pulso, presión arterial no invasiva, electrocardioscopio y diuresis. Después de la punción venosa en el miembro superior izquierdo con catéter 18G, fueron administrados, por vía venosa, cefazolina (2 g), dipirona (2 g), dexametasona (10 mg) y metoclopramida (10 mg). La anestesia peridural fue realizada con aguja Tuohy 16G, en el espacio L3-L4, en la línea mediana con la paciente en decúbito lateral izquierdo. Fueron administrados 15 mL de ropivacaína a 0,75% y 2 mg de morfina, a continuación posicionado catéter para analgesia postoperatoria. La intervención quirúrgica no tuvo intercurrencia, manteniendo a la paciente estable bajo el punto de vista cardiovascular. En la visita posanestésica, 8 horas después del procedimiento, la paciente no deambulaba y presentaba monoparesia en el miembro inferior izquierdo. Después de las investigaciones clínicas y radiológicas fue descartada la hipótesis diagnóstica de síndrome radicular. Al no haber regresión del cuadro, 30 días después fue realizada una electroneuromiografía que quedo compatible con plexopatía lumbar de posible origen traumática. CONCLUSIONES: El anestesiólogo debe estar atento a las complicaciones neurológicas que puedan surgir en el postoperatorio, participando de la elucidación de las causas, del tratamiento y de su evolución.<br>BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Very often, neurological injuries diagnosed postoperatively are attributed to the anesthesia, but they can also be secondary to the surgery itself. The aim of this report was to present the case of a patient who underwent a pelvic surgery and developed lumbar plexopathy, and to discuss the possible causes. CASE REPORT: A woman patient, 38 years old, 58 kg, 1.63 m, physical status ASA I, was admitted to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy for treatment of uterine leiomyomatosis. Initial monitoring included pulse oxymetry, non-invasive blood pressure, electrocardioscope, and urine output. After venous cannulation in the left upper limb with an 18G catheter, cefazoline (2 g), dypirone (2 g), dexamethasone (10 mg), and metochlopramide (10 mg) were administered. With the patient in left lateral decubitus, a 16G Tuohy needle was inserted in the L3-L4 space, in the median line, for the epidural block. Fifteen milliliters of 0.75% ropivacaine and 2 mg of morphine were administered, followed by placement of the catheter for postoperative analgesia. The surgery was uneventful, and the patient's cardiovascular parameters were stable. Eight hours after the procedure, at the postanesthetic follow-up, the patient could not walk and presented monoparesis in the left lower limb. The hypothesis of radicular syndrome was ruled out after clinical and radiological evaluation. Since symptoms did not resolve, an electroneuromyography was done 30 days later, and was compatible with lumbar plexopathy, which was possibly caused by trauma. CONCLUSIONS: The anesthesiologist must be aware of the postoperative neurological complications and should be part of the efforts to diagnose their causes, of the treatment, and its evolution