Association of renin angiotensin antagonists with adverse perioperative events in patients undergoing elective orthopaedic surgery: a case-control study

Hemodynamic effects of withholding vs. continuing angiotensin II receptor blockers on the day of prone positioning spinal surgery in elderly patients

Introduction

The hemodynamic effects of withholding vs. continuing angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) before surgery in elderly patients undergoing spinal surgery in a prone position during anesthesia induction to skin incision are still unknown.

Methods

In this prospective study, 80 patients undergoing spinal surgery in a prone position with general anesthesia, aged 60-79 years, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) II or III, were enrolled. Patients who had ARBs only in their preoperative medication list were randomly divided into two groups at a 1:1 ratio: In Group A, ARBs were continued on the morning of surgery, while in Group B, they were withhold. Norepinephrine was infused to maintain the blood pressure at the baseline level of ±20% during anesthesia induction in all patients. The primary outcome was the consumption of norepinephrine in each group from anesthesia induction to skin incision. The secondary outcomes include changes in invasive arterial blood pressure and heart rate, the fluid infusion volumes, the amounts of anesthetic drugs, and the total time from induction to skin incision.

Results

There were no significant differences in the demographics, the fluid infusion volumes, the amounts of anesthetic drugs, the total time from induction to skin incision, and hemodynamics at different time points (p > 0.05), while significant differences were found in norepinephrine consumption between the two groups (p < 0.001). Compared with Group B, the consumption of norepinephrine increased significantly in Group A (93.3 ± 29.8 vs. 124.1 ± 38.7 μg, p = 0.000). In addition, the same trend was illustrated in the pumping rate of norepinephrine between Group B (0.04 ± 0.01 μg·kg-1·min-1) and Group A (0.06 ± 0.02 μg·kg-1·min-1) (p = 0.004).

Conclusion

Our study conducted in elderly patients with hypotension undergoing prone spinal surgery demonstrated a greater pumping rate of norepinephrine during anesthesia induction in patients with ARBs continuing before surgery than those withholding, indicating that it was more difficult to maintain hemodynamic stability.Clinical Trial Registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=141081, ChiCTR2100053583.

Preoperative Management of Cardiovascular Medications: A Society for Perioperative Assessment and Quality Improvement (SPAQI) Consensus Statement

Cardiovascular conditions such as hypertension, arrhythmias, and heart failure are common in patients undergoing anesthesia for surgical or other procedures. Numerous guidelines from various specialty societies offer variable recommendations for the perioperative management of these medications. The Society for Perioperative Assessment and Quality Improvement identified a need to provide multidisciplinary evidence-based recommendations for preoperative medication management. The society convened a group of 13 members with expertise in perioperative medicine and training in anesthesiology or internal medicine. The aim of this consensus effort is to provide perioperative clinicians with guidance on the management of cardiovascular medications commonly encountered during the preoperative evaluation. We used a modified Delphi process to establish consensus. Twenty-one classes of medications were identified: α-adrenergic receptor antagonists, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors, β-adrenoceptor blockers, calcium-channel blockers, centrally acting sympatholytic medications, direct-acting vasodilators, loop diuretics, thiazide diuretics, potassium-sparing diuretics, endothelin receptor antagonists, cardiac glycosides, nitrodilators, phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, class III antiarrhythmic agents, potassium-channel openers, renin inhibitors, class I antiarrhythmic agents, sodium-channel blockers, and sodium glucose cotransportor-2 inhibitors. We provide recommendations for the management of these medications preoperatively.

Characteristics and outcomes of rapid response team activations for hypotension in orthopaedic patients

BACKGROUND

Hypotension following orthopaedic surgery has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Rapid response teams (RRT) review patients on hospital wards with hypotension.

AIM

To evaluate the epidemiology of hypotensive RRT activations in adult orthopaedic patients to identify contributing factors and areas for future quality improvement.

METHODS

Timing of RRT activations, presumed causes of hypotension and associated treatments were assessed.

RESULTS

Among 963 RRT activations in 605 patients over 3 years, the first calls of 226 of 605 patients were due to hypotension, and 213 (94.2%) of 226 had sufficient data for analysis. The median age was 79 (interquartile range 66-87) years; 58 (27.2%) were male, and comorbidities were common. Most (68%) surgery was emergent, and 75.1% received intraoperative vasopressors for hypotension. Most activations occurred within 24 h of surgery, and hypovolaemia, infection and arrhythmias were common presumed causes. Fluid boluses occurred in 173 (81.2%), and the time between surgery and RRT activation was 10 (4.0-26.5) h. in cases where fluid boluses were given, compared with 33 (15.5-61.5) h. where they were not (P < 0.001). Blood transfusion (30, 14.1%) and withholding of medications were also common. Hospital mortality was 8.5% (18), and 13.6% (29) were admitted to critical care at some stage. In-hospital death was associated with older age, functional dependence, arrhythmia and presumed infection.

CONCLUSIONS

Hypotension-related RRT calls in orthopaedic patients are common. Future interventional studies might focus on perioperative fluid therapy and vaso-active medications, as well as withholding of anti-hypertensive medications preoperatively.

Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: The number of total hip arthroplasties (THA) performed across the world is growing rapidly. We performed this meta-analysis to evaluate the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing THA. Methods: A literature search was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Database from inception until July 2018 to identify studies assessing the incidence of AKI (using standard AKI definitions of RIFLE, AKIN, and KDIGO classifications) in patients undergoing THA. We applied a random-effects model to estimate the incidence of AKI. The protocol for this meta-analysis is registered with PROSPERO (no. CRD42018101928). Results: Seventeen cohort studies with a total of 24,158 patients undergoing THA were enrolled. Overall, the pooled estimated incidence rates of AKI and severe AKI requiring dialysis following THA were 6.3% (95% CI: 3.8%–10.2%) and 0.5% (95% CI: 0.1%–2.3%). Subgroup analysis based on the countries by continent was performed and demonstrated the pooled estimated incidence of AKI following THA of 9.2% (95% CI: 5.6%–14.8%) in Asia, 8.1% (95% CI: 4.9%–13.2%) in Australia, 7.4% (95% CI: 3.2%–16.3%) in Europe, and 2.8% (95% CI: 1.2%–17.0%) in North America. Meta-regression of all included studies showed significant negative correlation between incidence of AKI following THA and study year (slope = −0.37, p <0.001). There was no publication bias as assessed by the funnel plot and Egger’s regression asymmetry test with p = 0.13 for the incidence of AKI in patients undergoing THA. Conclusion: The overall estimated incidence rates of AKI and severe AKI requiring dialysis in patients undergoing THA are 6.3% and 0.5%, respectively. There has been potential improvement in AKI incidence for patients undergoing THA over time.

Consequences of continuing renin angiotensin aldosterone system antagonists in the preoperative period: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Patients who use angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs)/angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) are prone to developing side effects like hypotension and even refractory hypotension during anesthesia use, and whether ACEIs/ARBs should be continued or discontinued in such patients remains debatable. The present systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to clarify the consequences of continuing or withholding these drugs, especially with regards to the incidence of intraoperative hypotension, in patients who continue to use ACEIs/ARBs on the day of their scheduled surgery.

Methods

Studies with data pertinent to the incidence of intraoperative hypotension during anesthesia use in patients who continued the use of ACEIs/ARBs on the day of their scheduled surgery were considered for inclusion.

Results

Thirteen studies reporting on the incidences of intraoperative hypotension between patients who continued receiving ACEIs/ARBs and those who did not on the day of their surgical procedure were included. The pooled effects showed that hypotension during anesthesia was more likely to develop in patients who continued to take ACEIs/ARBs when compared to those who did not (RR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.21–1.64). However, there were no significant differences between these groups of patients with regards to postoperative complications including ST-T abnormalities, myocardial injury, myocardial infarction, stroke, major adverse cardiac events, acute kidney injury, or death (RR = 1.25, 95% CI: 0.76–2.04). The differences remained similar in subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses.

Conclusions

No sufficient available evidence to recommend discontinuing ACEIs/ARBs on the day of surgery was found in this literature review and meta-analysis. However, anesthetists should be cautious about the risk for intraoperative hypotension in patients chronically receiving ACEIs/ARBs, and should know how to treat it effectively.