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Uncategorized Published - 18 March, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
What Is the Optimal Transfusion Threshold After Cardiac Surgery?

Authors: Spertus J., N Engl J Med 2015 Mar 12; 372:1069 A randomized trial suggests no significant differences between liberal and restricted thresholds — but leaves room for debate. The optimal hemoglobin threshold for transfusion after surgical procedures is a longstanding controversy. Observational studies of patients undergoing cardiac surgery have suggested worse outcomes with liberal transfusion thresholds […]

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Uncategorized Published - 18 March, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Postoperative Mortality Among HIV-Infected Patients

Authors: King JT Jr et al., JAMA Surg 2015 Feb 25; Thirty-day mortality, although relatively low, was still higher than for HIV-uninfected patients. Now that HIV-infected individuals have a near-normal life expectancy, they are increasingly likely to undergo surgical procedures. How do their short-term surgical outcomes compare with those of HIV-uninfected patients? To answer this question, investigators studied […]

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Uncategorized Published - 18 March, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Zoster Vaccine Efficacy: How Long?

Authors: Whitley RJ., Clin Infect Dis 2015 Mar 15; 60:910 This is for our providers that take care of chronic pain patients. After 10 years, vaccination lost most of its power. Short-term follow-up of participants in placebo-controlled studies of the herpes zoster (HZ) vaccine confirmed that the vaccine was efficacious for at least 5 years (NEJM JW […]

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Uncategorized Published - 17 March, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
FDA Clears Hydrocodone With Abuse-Deterrent Properties

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the extended-release (ER) single-entity opioid analgesic hydrocodone bitartrate (Hysingla ER, Purdue Pharma) with abuse-deterrent properties in line with the FDA’s 2013 draft guidance to industry, the agency announced. “Hysingla ER has properties that are expected to reduce, but not totally prevent, abuse of the drug when […]

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Uncategorized Published - 17 March, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Rocuronium Blockade Reversal With Sugammadex vs. Neostigmine

Randomized Study in Chinese and Caucasian Subjects Authors: Xinmin Wu et al Published in BMC Anesthesiol. 2014;14(53) Background This study compared efficacy and safety of the selective relaxant binding agent sugammadex (2 mg/kg) with neostigmine (50 μg/kg) for neuromuscular blockade (NMB) reversal in Chinese and Caucasian subjects. Methods This was a randomized, active-controlled, multicenter, safety-assessor-blinded study (NCT00825812) in […]

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Uncategorized Published - 17 March, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Comparison of pain outcomes between two anti-GD2 antibodies in patients with neuroblastoma

Article of our pain providers. Published in Pediatr Blood Cancer © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Author(s): Anghelescu D, Goldberg J, Faughnan L, Wu J, Mao S, Furman W, Santana V, Navid F Treatments discussed: ch14.18, morphine BACKGROUND Addition of anti-GD2 antibody ch14.18 to the treatment of neuroblastoma has improved outcomes. The most common side effect of ch14.18 […]

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Uncategorized Published - 17 March, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Symptom Burden Best Predictor of Concussion Recovery

This is for our pain clinic providers. The best predictor of a speedy recovery after a sports-related concussion is simply the initial symptom burden as measured by the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS), a new study suggests. Other measures, including computerized neurocognitive testing, are not predictive, according to the study results. “The bottom line is that […]

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Uncategorized Published - 17 March, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Legally Prescribed Opioid Use May Increase Mortality in Patients With Chronic Pain

A study published in the November issue of the journal Pain found an increased risk of death associated with chronic pain without opioid treatment, as well as an even higher risk among those prescribed opioids for long-term use and a somewhat lower risk associated with short-term use. “Our study provides the first evidence that directly […]

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Uncategorized Published - 16 March, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Lower-Dose Diclofenac Improves Pain in Osteoarthritis

This is for our providers treating chronic pain patients. For patients with osteoarthritis, a formulation of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac, developed with SoluMatrix fine-particle technology (Zorvolex, Iroko Pharmaceuticals), improves health-related quality of life, physical function, and pain, according to a phase 3 open-label study. “We re-engineered diclofenac to enable lower doses to be used, […]

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Uncategorized Published - 16 March, 2015    By - Dr Clemens
Regional Better Than General Anesthesia in Study of Post-Op M&M

Patients undergoing elective surgery may fare better if they receive regional anesthesia (RA) instead of general anesthesia (GA), according to researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, in Nashville, Tenn. The study found that 0.81% of adults receiving RA died within 30 days of surgery, compared with 1.13% of those receiving GA (abstract JS01). It’s a […]

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