The effects of auricular electroacupuncture on obesity in female patients--a prospective randomized placebo-controlled pilot study.

Background: Obesity is a chronic condition related to serious morbidity and mortality of increasing incidence and prevalence. Several studies show a significantly higher weight loss with acupuncture treatment. This is the first prospective, randomized, double-blinded study, testing the effects of auricular electroacupuncture on weight loss in obese female patients.

3,5-Di-t-butyl catechol is a potent human ryanodine receptor 1 activator, not suitable for the diagnosis of malignant hyperthermia susceptibility.

3,5-Di-t-butyl catechol (DTCAT) releases Ca(2+) from rat skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles. Hence, it is a candidate for use as a substitute for halothane or caffeine in the in vitro contracture test for the diagnosis of susceptibility to malignant hyperthermia (MH). To characterize the effect of DTCAT at cell level, Ca(2+) release experiments were performed on cultured, human skeletal muscle myotubes using the fluorescent Ca(2+) indicator fura2-AM.

Novel double and single ryanodine receptor 1 variants in two Austrian malignant hyperthermia families.

Background: Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a potentially lethal genetic disorder in response to volatile anesthetics and depolarizing muscle relaxants. To support the claim that a novel genetic variant causes MH, it is necessary to demonstrate that it has significant effects on the sensitivity of the ryanodine receptor (RYR1) calcium channel. In this study we focused on 2 Austrian families with strong MH disposition and new RYR1 variants.

Auricular acupuncture effectively reduces state anxiety before dental treatment--a randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to analyse whether auricular acupuncture, acupuncture at the outer ear, could reduce state anxiety before dental treatment.

Methods: This prospective, randomised patient-blinded study with 182 patients compared anxiety before dental treatment following auricular acupuncture at the relaxation-, tranquillizer- and master cerebral points (auricular acupuncture group) versus acupuncture at sham points (finger-, shoulder- and tonsil points; sham group) and a non-intervention control group. Anxiety was assessed using the Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory (German version) before auricular acupuncture and 20 min thereafter, immediately before dental treatment.

The efficacy of spontaneous and controlled ventilation with various cricothyrotomy devices: a quantitative in vitro assessment in a model lung.

Background: Guidelines for the management of a difficult airway recommend performing a cricothyrotomy in a "can't intubate/can't ventilate" situation. We investigated the tidal volumes delivered by controlled and spontaneous ventilation by seven commercially available cricothyrotomy sets (cuffed: Quicktrach II, Portex Cricothyroidotomy Kit, and Melker cuffed cannula and uncuffed: Airfree, 4.0-mm ID Quicktrach, 6.

Malignant hyperthermia susceptibility in a patient with mitochondrial disorder.

Occasionally, patients with mitochondrial disorder (MID) develop malignant hyperthermia (MH)-like reactions or show an abnormal halothane-caffeine in-vitro contracture test. In a 66 year old Caucasian male with facial dysmorphism, epilepsy, chronic muscle cramps, repeatedly elevated creatine-kinase, Dupuytren contracture, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a MID was found upon the clinical presentation, blood chemical investigations, and the muscle biopsy findings. Upon request of the anesthesiologists prior to surgery of a hernia cicatrices a halothane-caffeine in-vitro contracture test was carried out according to the protocol of the European MH Group (EMHG), showing abnormal hypercontractility to halothane and caffeine, resulting in the diagnosis susceptible MH according to the EMHG guidelines.

Novel ryanodine receptor mutation that may cause malignant hyperthermia.

Background: Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a hypermetabolic condition caused by a genetic disposition leading to increased Ca release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum after exposure to triggering agents. In the authors' ongoing evaluation of patients undergoing MH testing in Austria, they detected a family with a new variant of the ryanodine receptor 1. Guidelines suggest that genetic tests are possible only for individuals from families in which the mutations are known.

Median effective local anesthetic doses of plain bupivacaine and ropivacaine for spinal anesthesia administered via a spinal catheter for brachytherapy of the lower abdomen.

Background And Objectives: Continuous spinal anesthesia via a spinal catheter allows adjusting the duration and extent of anesthesia to surgical needs, maintenance of hemodynamic stability, and good postoperative analgesia. This study was designed to determine the median effective local anesthetic dose of plain ropivacaine and bupivacaine administered intrathecally for interstitial brachytherapy of the lower abdomen using the Dixon up-and-down method.

Methods: Forty patients were randomly allocated to receive either intrathecal bupivacaine 5 mg per mL or ropivacaine 10 mg per mL via a 24-gauge spinal catheter at the L3-4 interspace.

Perioperative auricular electroacupuncture has no effect on pain and analgesic consumption after third molar tooth extraction.

Background: Auricular acupuncture (AA) has been shown to alleviate acute and chronic pain. We investigated the effects of auricular electroacupuncture (AE) on pain and analgesic drug consumption in the first 48 h after unilateral mandibular third molar tooth extraction under local anesthesia in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in 149 patients.

Methods: Patients received either AA with electrical stimulation (AE, n = 76) or without (AA, n = 37) electrical stimulation at an alternating frequency of 2/100 Hz or a sham AE with metal plates instead of needles and no electrical stimulation, no-needle (NN, n = 36) at the AA points 1 (tooth), 55 (Shen men) and 84 (mouth) during the entire study period.

P-Stim auricular electroacupuncture stimulation device for pain relief.

Acupuncture is now accepted as a complementary analgesic treatment. Auricular acupuncture is a distinct form of acupuncture. Electrical stimulation of acupoints (electroacupuncture) increases the effects of acupuncture.

Electrical stimulation of auricular acupuncture points is more effective than conventional manual auricular acupuncture in chronic cervical pain: a pilot study.

Unlabelled: In this prospective, randomized, double-blinded, controlled study, we tested the hypothesis that auricular electroacupuncture relieves pain more effectively than conventional manual auricular acupuncture. We studied 21 chronic cervical pain patients without radicular symptoms with insufficient pain relief (visual analogue scale >5) treated with standardized analgesic therapy. All patients received disposable acupuncture needles on the dominant side on the following acupuncture points: cervical spine, shen men, and cushion.

Effect of prostacyclin on platelets, polymorphonuclear cells, and heterotypic cell aggregation during hemofiltration.

Objectives: Hemodialysis activates both platelets and leukocytes, which play a role in the development of multiple organ dysfunctions in critically ill patients. Prostacyclin inhibits both cell types. To examine the hypothesis that prostacyclin prevents cellular activation during clinical hemofiltration, we investigated the expression of activation markers on platelets and leukocytes using whole blood flow cytometry.