Variability of Dosing and Number of Medications Needed to Achieve Adequate Sedation in Mechanically Ventilated Pediatric Intensive Care Patients
CTS-CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE
Authors: Tillman, Emma M.; Ipe, Joseph; Weaver, Kelly J.; Skaar, Todd C.; Rowan, Courtney M.; Slaven, James E.
Abstract
Children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) often require multiple medications to achieve comfort and sedation. Although starting doses are available, these medications are typically titrated to the desired effect. Both oversedation and undersedation are associated with adverse events. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate cumulative medication burden necessary to achieve comfort in patients in the PICU and determine relevant predictors of medication needs. In order to account for all of the sedative medications,z-scores were used to assess the population average dose of each medication and compare each patient day to this population average. Sedation regimens for 130 patients in the PICU were evaluated. Mean overall infusion rates of fentanyl, morphine, and hydromorphone were 1.67 +/- 0.81 mu g/kg/hour, 0.12 +/- 0.08 mg/kg/hour, and 17.84 +/- 13.4 mu g/kg/hour, respectively. The mean infusion rate of dexmedetomidine was 0.59 +/- 0.28 mu g/kg/hour, and midazolam was 0.14 +/- 0.1 mg/kg/hour. Summationz-sores were used to rank the amount of sedation medication needed to achieve comfort for each individual patient for his/her PICU stay in relation to the entire sample. Patient age, weight, and length of mechanical ventilation were all significant predictors of sedation requirement. This study will provide data necessary to develop a model of cumulative medication burden needed to achieve appropriate sedation in this population. This descriptive model in appropriately ranking patients based on sedative needs is the first step in exploring potential genetic factors that may provide an insight into homing in on the appropriate sedation regimen.
Opioid Prescribing in Patients Undergoing Neck Dissections With Short Hospitalizations
OTOLARYNGOLOGY-HEAD AND NECK SURGERY
Authors: Banik, Grace L.; Kraimer, Kristen L.; Shindo, Maisie L.
Abstract
Objective To evaluate postoperative opioid prescribing in patients undergoing neck dissections with short hospitalizations. Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Tertiary academic hospital. Methods The study population included patients who underwent lateral neck dissections with or without an associated head and neck procedure and required hospitalization for <= 3 days from 2012 to 2019. Interventions to decrease opioid utilization, including preoperative counseling, multimodality pain management, and multidisciplinary collaboration, were implemented in September 2016. Patients were divided into 2 groups: preintervention (group 1) and postintervention (group 2). The mean quantity of opioids prescribed during hospitalization, at discharge, and in refills was calculated in morphine milligram equivalents (MME). Results A total of 407 patients were included in the analysis: 223 patients in group 1 and 184 patients in group 2 (42.3% female, 89.4% white; average age, 55.2 years [95% CI, 53.6-56.9]). The mean opioid quantity prescribed in unilateral neck dissection alone decreased from 353.9 MME (95% CI, 266.7-441.2) in group 1 to 113.3 MME (95% CI, 87.8-138.7) in group 2 (P< .001; effect size, 1.0). Statistically significant decreases in mean opioid quantity prescribed were also observed in unilateral neck dissection in combination with thyroidectomy, parotidectomy, glossectomy, or tonsillectomy. The percentage of patients requiring opioid prescription refills was not statistically different between the groups. Conclusion This study demonstrates that the quantity of opioids prescribed in patients undergoing neck dissections and associated head and neck procedures with short hospitalizations can be reduced to as low as 100 to 125 MME with preoperative counseling, multimodality pain management, and multidisciplinary collaboration.