Effects of two different dexamethasone dosing regimens on ventilator-free days and long-term mortality in COVID-19 patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS: the REMED randomized clinical trial.

Background: Dexamethasone 6 mg in patients with severe COVID-19 has been shown to decrease mortality and morbidity. The effects of higher doses of corticosteroid, that would further increase anti-inflammatory effects, are uncertain. The objective of our study was to assess the effect of 20 mg dexamethasone vs.

TEGEST as promising tool for assessing the risk of perioperative neurocognitive disorders.

Background: Perioperative neurocognitive disorders are often neglected and undiagnosed. There are known risk factors for these disorders (e.g.

Morphine Analgesia, Cannabinoid Receptor 2, and Opioid Growth Factor Receptor Cancer Tissue Expression Improve Survival after Pancreatic Cancer Surgery.

Pancreatic cancer (PDAC) has a poor prognosis despite surgical removal and adjuvant therapy. Additionally, the effects of postoperative analgesia with morphine and piritramide on survival among PDAC patients are unknown, as are their interactions with opioid/cannabinoid receptor gene expressions in PDAC tissue. Cancer-specific survival data for 71 PDAC patients who underwent radical surgery followed by postoperative analgesia with morphine ( = 48) or piritramide ( = 23) were therefore analyzed in conjunction with opioid/cannabinoid receptor gene expressions in the patients' tumors.

Influence of opioid analgesia type on circulating tumor cells in open colorectal cancer surgery (POACC-1): study protocol for a prospective randomized multicenter controlled trial.

Background: Opioids and epidural analgesia are a mainstay of perioperative analgesia but their influence on cancer recurrence remains unclear. Based on retrospective data, we found that cancer recurrence following colorectal cancer surgery correlates with the number of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the early postoperative period. Also, morphine- but not piritramide-based postoperative analgesia increases the presence of CTCs and shortens cancer-specific survival.

Effect of dexamethasone in patients with ARDS and COVID-19 - prospective, multi-centre, open-label, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial (REMED trial): A structured summary of a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: The primary objective of this study is to test the hypothesis that administration of dexamethasone 20 mg is superior to a 6 mg dose in adult patients with moderate or severe ARDS due to confirmed COVID-19. The secondary objective is to investigate the efficacy and safety of dexamethasone 20 mg versus dexamethasone 6 mg. The exploratory objective of this study is to assess long-term consequences on mortality and quality of life at 180 and 360 days.

The role of cannabinoids in the treatment of cancer.

Aim: The aim of this review article is to summarize current knowledge about the role of cannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors in tumor disease modulation and to evaluate comprehensively the use of cannabinoids in cancer patients.

Method: According to the PRISMA protocol, we have included data from a total of 105 articles.

Results: Cannabinoids affect cancer progression by three mechanisms.

[Hospital-acquired pneumonia in the light of current recommendations - is there a space for improving patient care?].

Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) is an infection of the lung parenchyma. It is the second most frequent nosocomial infection and the leading cause of death from infection in critically ill patients. Hospital-acquired and, particularly, ventilator-associated pneumonia prolong the hospital stay and increase treatment costs.

Detection of the etiological agents of hospital-acquired pneumonia - validity and comparison of different types of biological sample collection: a prospective, observational study in intensive care patients.

Background: There is still a lack of evidence as to which method of biological sample collection is optimal for identifying bacterial pathogens causing hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP). Much effort has been made to find an easy and valid approach to be used in clinical practice.

Methods: The primary endpoint of this prospective, observational study was to determine the predictive value of oropharyngeal swab (OS) and gastric aspiration (GA) as simple and non-invasive methods for diagnosing HAP.

Epidemiology of hospital-acquired pneumonia: Results of a Central European multicenter, prospective, observational study compared with data from the European region.

Background: Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) is associated with high mortality. In Central Europe, there is a dearth of information on the prevalence and treatment of HAP. This project was aimed at collecting multicenter epidemiological data on patients with HAP in the Czech Republic and comparing them with supraregional data.

Surgical treatment of superior laryngeal neuralgia: A case report and review of the literature.

Superior laryngeal (SL) neuralgia is paroxysmal pain above the thyrohyoid membrane. We present a case of SL neuralgia that was resistant to conservative treatment and eventually required surgical intervention. The patient was a 39-year-old woman with a 5-year history of debilitating pain above the thyroid cartilage.

[Validity comparison of various biological samples from lower airway and their contribution for the detection of nosocomial pneumonia etiological agents].

Background: The aim of the study was to compare the validity of bronchial secretion sampling and bronchoscopy-assisted protected specimen brushing (PSB) in patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP).

Materials And Methods: In patients with HAP, bronchial secretion samples (aspiration of lower airway secretions from an orotracheal tube with a suctioning catheter) and PSB (bronchoscopy-assisted sampling from the most affected area of the lung, verified by CT scan) were taken at the same time. Both samples were processed by semiquantitative routine microbiological techniques.

[Serious sepsis treatment in intensive care departments in the Czech Republic - EPOSS Project pilot results].

Introduction: Severe sepsis is still associated with significant morbidity and mortality, which is however different, as well as its management, depending on the region. What is the situation in the Czech Republic and what is the character of patients with severe sepsis is currently not known. The aim of the project is to describe the processes of care, outcome and characteristics of patients with severe sepsis admitted to the intensive care department of the Czech Republic.

Radiofrequency upper thoracic sympathectomy in the treatment of critical upper limb ischemia--a case series.

Background: Patients with significant medical and social problems resulting from impaired perfusion of the upper limbs caused by micro- or macro-angiopathy are now frequent in clinical practice. Vasospastic disease of the upper limbs of combined origin is a difficult condition to treat by conservative methods and therapeutic strategies are usually multidisciplinary. In addition to standard pharmacotherapy, treatment may involve regional anaesthesia, thoracoscopic or radiofrequency sympathectomy and surgical treatment of defects, including plastic surgery.

Inter-observer reproducibility of 15 tests used for predicting difficult intubation.

Aim: To determine the inter-observer reproducibility of 15 tests used for predicting difficult tracheal intubation (DI).

Material And Methods: Following local ethics committee approval and informed consent, 101 volunteers were examined by two assessors using 15 tests for predicting DI. The two assessors who were blinded to the results of the other, examined each volunteer independently.

Pulsed radiofrequency therapy versus greater occipital nerve block in the management of refractory cervicogenic headache - a pilot study.

The aim of this pilot study was to compare the efficacy of pulsed radiofrequency to the greater occipital nerve versus a greater occipital nerve block with a mixture of local anaesthetic and steroid in the management of refractory cervicogenic headache. We enrolled 30 patients suffering from refractory cervicogenic headache. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups of fifteen.

Intraoperative reversal of neuromuscular block with sugammadex or neostigmine during extreme lateral interbody fusion, a novel technique for spine surgery.

Purpose: Extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF) is a method for stabilization of the lumbar spine. Intraoperatively, the surgeon identifies the lumbar nerve roots with a stimulator to prevent their injury. The objective of this study was to determine the extent to which shallow rocuronium-induced neuromuscular block must be intraoperatively reversed for reliable identification of nerve roots.

Effect of pulsed radiofrequency therapy on the suprascapular nerve in shoulder pain of various aetiology.

Background: Pulsed radiofrequency treatment (PRF) applied to the suprascapular nerve may provide pain relief for patients suffering from shoulder pain as described in three case series.

Aims: The effect of PRF to the suprascapular nerve was retrospectively analysed on 28 patients with shoulder pain lasting longer than 1 month, with a 6-month follow-up. Group A was treated with PRF and local anaesthetics only while group B was treated with PRF, local anaesthetic and steroid.

Single injection paravertebral block for renal surgery in children.

Background: Continuous paravertebral block (PVB) has been successfully used for postoperative analgesia in children. However, data regarding the efficacy of a single injection technique for major renal surgery are still lacking.

Methods: Following the ethics committee approval and parent informed consent, 24 children (median 10.

Influence of gender on the course of neuromuscular block following a single bolus dose of cisatracurium or rocuronium.

Background And Objective: There is increasing evidence of gender differences in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of aminosteroid neuromuscular blocking agents. Compared to males, females are more susceptible, requiring approximately 30% less rocuronium to achieve the same degree of neuromuscular block. However, little information is available whether this difference is applicable to modern benzylisoquinolines (cisatracurium).

[Tracheal intubation without muscle relaxant--the impact of different sufentanil doses on the quality of intubating conditions: a prospective study].

Background: Following opioid and intravenous anaesthetic, tracheal intubation may be accomplished without any muscle relaxant. In this study, we evaluated the dose requirements for sufentanil with propofol without muscle relaxant administration to obtain clinically acceptable intubation conditions and cardiovascular responses.

Methods And Results: After midazolam (0.

Influence of gender on the onset and duration of rocuronium-induced neuromuscular block.

Aims: To assess the influence of gender on the course of rocuronium-induced neuromuscular block following a single bolus dose of 2 x ED(95) (0.6 mg kg(-1)).

Methods: Following the ethics committee approval and informed consent, 245 patients (121 men, 124 women) scheduled for elective general surgery under TIVA with muscle relaxation were studied.