Investigating Potential Correlations between Calcium Metabolism Biomarkers and Periprocedural Clinical Events in Major Cardiovascular Surgeries: An Exploratory Study

Background: There is emerging but conflicting evidence regarding the association between calcium biomarkers, more specifically ionized calcium and the prognosis of intensive care unit (ICU) postoperative cardiac patients. Methods: Our study investigated the relationship between ionized calcium, vitamin D, and periprocedural clinical events such as cardiac, neurologic and renal complications, major bleeding, vasoactive-inotropic score (VIS), and length of ICU and hospitalization. Results: Our study included 83 consecutive subjects undergoing elective major cardiac surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass. The mean age of the participants was 64.9 ± 8.5 years. The majority of procedures comprised isolated CABG (N = 26, 31.3%), aortic valve procedures (N = 26, 31.3%), and mitral valve procedures (N = 12, 14.5%). A difference in calcium levels across all time points (p < 0.001) was observed, with preoperative calcium being directly associated with intraoperative VIS (r = 0.26, p = 0.016). On day 1, calcium levels were inversely associated with the duration of mechanical ventilation (r = -0.30, p = 0.007) and the length of hospital stay (r = -0.22, p = 0.049). At discharge, calcium was inversely associated with length of hospital stay (r = -0.22, p = 0.044). All calcium levels tended to be lower in those who died during the 1-year follow-up (p = 0.054). Preoperative vitamin D levels were significantly higher in those who experienced AKI during hospitalization (median 17.5, IQR 14.5-17.7, versus median 15.3, IQR 15.6-20.5, p = 0.048) Conclusion: Fluctuations in calcium levels and vitamin D may be associated with the clinical course of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. In our study, hypocalcemic patients exhibited a greater severity of illness, as evidenced by elevated VIS scores, and experienced prolonged mechanical ventilation time and hospital stays. Additional larger-scale studies are required to gain a deeper understanding of their impact on cardiac performance and the process of weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass, as well as to distinguish between causal and associative relationships.

The Association between Functional Health Patterns and Frailty in Hospitalized Geriatric Patients

This study investigates the association between the Functional Health Pattern Assessment Screening Tool (FHPAST) and frailty in hospitalized geriatric patients. One hundred and forty patients (mean age 78.2 years, age range 65-90) were screened for frailty using the Frail Scale during hospitalization in the geriatric unit. Among them, 57 patients were identified as prefrail (40.7%), and 83 were identified as frail (59.3%). A comparative analysis between groups in terms of the FHPAST components covering health risk, general well-being, and health promotion was performed. Correlations between FHAPST components, socio-demographic data, frailty criteria, as well as logistic regression to identify variables that better predict frailty were also sought. Frailty was mainly associated with difficulty urinating, limitations in performing activities of daily living and walking, physical discomfort, less positive feelings in controlling one's own life, lower compliance with recommendations from the healthcare provider, and engagement in seeking healthcare services. Patients with difficulty urinating and walking had a probability of 4.38 times (OR = 4.38, CI 95% [1.20-15.94]), p = 0.025) and 65.7 times (OR = 65.7, CI 95% [19.37-223.17], p < 0.001) higher of being frail rather than prefrail. The relationship between frailty and prefrailty in hospitalized geriatric patients and components of nursing Functional Health Patterns (FHP) has yet to be explored. This study provides evidence of the most prevalent needs of frail geriatric patients in hospital settings.

Anaesthesia Management for Giant Intraabdominal Tumours: A Case Series Study

BACKGROUND

Due to a lack of randomised controlled trials and guidelines, and only case reports being available in the literature, there is no consensus on how to approach anaesthetic management in patients with giant intraabdominal tumours.

METHODS

This study aimed to evaluate the literature and explore the current status of evidence, by undertaking an observational research design with a descriptive account of characteristics observed in a case series referring to patients with giant intraabdominal tumours who underwent anaesthesia.

RESULTS

Twenty patients diagnosed with giant intraabdominal tumours were included in the study, most of them women, with the overall pathology being ovarian-related and sarcomas. Most of the patients were unable to lie supine and assumed a lateral decubitus position. Pulmonary function tests, chest X-rays, and thoracoabdominal CT were the most often performed preoperative evaluation methods, with the overall findings that there was no atelectasis or pleural effusion present, but there was bilateral diaphragm elevation. The removal of the intraabdominal tumour was performed under general anaesthesia in all cases. Awake fiberoptic intubation or awake videolaryngoscopy was performed in five cases, while the rest were performed with general anaesthesia with rapid sequence induction. Only one patient was ventilated with pressure support ventilation while maintaining spontaneous ventilation, while the rest were ventilated with controlled ventilation. Hypoxemia was the most reported respiratory complication during surgery. In more than 50% of cases, there was hypotension present during surgery, especially after the induction of anaesthesia and after tumour removal, which required vasopressor support. Most cases involved blood loss with subsequent transfusion requirements. The removal of the tumor requires prolonged surgical and anaesthesia times. Fluid drainage from cystic tumour ranged from 15.7 L to 107 L, with a fluid extraction rate of 0.5-2.5 L/min, and there was no re-expansion pulmonary oedema reported. Following surgery, all the patients required intensive care unit admission. One patient died during hospitalization.

CONCLUSIONS

This study contributes to the creation of a certain standard of care when dealing with patients presenting with giant intraabdominal tumour. More research is needed to define the proper way to administer anaesthesia and create practice guidelines.

Efficiency of Simulation-Based Learning Using an ABC POCUS Protocol on a High-Fidelity Simulator

Critically ill patients with rapidly deteriorating clinical status secondary to respiratory and cardio-vascular compromise are at risk for immediate collapse if the underlying pathology is not recognized and treated. Rapid diagnosis is of utmost importance regardless of the setting. Although there are data to support the use of point-of-care ultrasound in critical patients, there is no consensus about the best educational strategy to implement. We designed a curriculum based on the ABC (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) protocol that covers essential airway, lung, and cardiac ultrasound skills needed for fast diagnosis in critical patients and applied it in high-fidelity simulation-based medical education sessions for anesthesia and intensive care residents year one and two. After theoretical and practical assessments, our results show statistical differences in the theoretical knowledge and above-average results in practical assessment. Our proposed curriculum based on a simple ABC POCUS protocol, with an Airway, Breathing, and Circulation approach, is useful in teaching ultrasound basics regarding airway, lung, and cardiac examination using high-fidelity simulation training to anesthesia and intensive care residents, but further research is needed to establish the utility of Simulation-Based Medical Education in Point of Care Ultrasound in the critical patient.

Rapid Point-of-Care PCR Testing of Drug-Resistant Strains on Endotracheal Aspirate Samples: A Repurposed Effective Tool in the Stepwise Approach of Healthcare-Acquired Pneumonia-A Pilot Study

Healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP) is a common nosocomial infection with high morbidity and mortality. Culture-based detection of the etiologic agent and drug susceptibility is time-consuming, potentially leading to the inadequate use of broad-spectrum empirical antibiotic regimens. The aim was to evaluate the diagnostic capabilities of rapid point-of-care multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays from the endotracheal aspirate of critically ill patients with HCAP. A consecutive series of 29 intensive care unit (ICU) patients with HCAP and a control group of 28 patients undergoing elective surgical procedures were enrolled in the study. The results of the PCR assays were compared to the culture-based gold standard. The overall accuracy of the PCR assays was 95.12%, with a sensitivity of 92.31% and a specificity of 97.67%. The median time was 90 min for the rapid PCR tests (p < 0.001), while for the first preliminary results of the cultures, it was 48 h (46-72). The overall accuracy for rapid PCR testing in suggesting an adequate antibiotic adjustment was 82.98% (95% CI 69.19-92.35%), with a specificity of 90% (95% CI 55.50-99.75%), a positive predictive value of 96.77% (95% CI 83.30-99.92%), and a negative predictive value of 56.25 (95% CII 29.88-80.25%). This method of rapid point-of-care PCR could effectively guide antimicrobial stewardship in patients with healthcare-acquired pneumonia.

Trends in Molecular Diagnosis of Nosocomial Pneumonia Classic PCR vs. Point-of-Care PCR: A Narrative Review

Nosocomial pneumonia is one of the most frequent hospital-acquired infections. One of the types of nosocomial pneumonia is ventilator-associated pneumonia, which occurs in endotracheally intubated patients in intensive care units (ICU). Ventilator-associated pneumonia may be caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens, which increase the risk of complications due to the difficulty in treating them. Pneumonia is a respiratory disease that requires targeted antimicrobial treatment initiated as early as possible to have a good outcome. For the therapy to be as specific and started sooner, diagnostic methods have evolved rapidly, becoming quicker and simpler to perform. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a rapid diagnostic technique with numerous advantages compared to classic plate culture-based techniques. Researchers continue to improve diagnostic methods; thus, the newest types of PCR can be performed at the bedside, in the ICU, so-called point of care testing-PCR (POC-PCR). The purpose of this review is to highlight the benefits and drawbacks of PCR-based techniques in managing nosocomial pneumonia.

The Dynamics of the Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratios Predict Progression to Septic Shock and Death in Patients with Prolonged Intensive Care Unit Stay

Background and objectives: The prognoses of patients experiencing a prolonged stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) are often significantly altered by hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), the early detection of which might be cumbersome. The aim of this study was to investigate the roles of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR), derived-NRL (d-NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte (PLR), and lymphocyte-to-C-reactive protein (LCR) ratios in predicting the progression to septic shock and death. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of a consecutive series of ninety COVID-19 patients with prolonged hospitalization (exceeding 15 days) admitted to the ICU was conducted. The prevalence of culture-proven HAIs throughout their hospital stays was documented. NLR, dNLR, PLR, and LCR were recorded on admission, day 7, and day 14 to assess their discriminative prowess for detecting further progression to septic shock or death. Results: The prevalence of HAIs was 76.6%, 50% of patients met the criteria for septic shock, and 50% died. The median time to the first positive culture was 13.5 days and 20.5 days for developing septic shock. Mechanical ventilation was a key contributing factor to HAI, septic shock, and mortality. On admission and day 7 NLR, dNLR, PLR, and LCR values had no prognostic relevance for events occurring late during hospitalization. However, day-14 NLR, dNLR, and PLR were independent predictors for progression to septic shock and mortality and have shown good discriminative capabilities. The AUCs for septic shock were 0.762, 0.764, and 0.716, while the values for predicting in-hospital death were 0.782, 0.778, and 0.758, respectively. Conclusions: NLR, dNLR, and PLR are quick, easy-to-use, cheap, effective biomarkers for the detection of a more severe disease course, of the late development of HAIs, and of the risk of death in critically ill patients requiring a prolonged ICU stay.

Hyperferritinemia, Low Circulating Iron and Elevated Hepcidin May Negatively Impact Outcome in COVID-19 Patients: A Pilot Study

Inflammation in COVID-19 produces intracellular iron overload with low circulating iron available for metabolic processes. The accumulated intracellular iron generates reactive species of oxygen and results in ferroptosis, a non-programmed cell death. Since no organ is spared, iron dysmetabolism increases the mortality and morbidity. Hepcidin and the mediator interleukin 6 are believed to play a role in the process. Our aim is to evaluate the predictive values of serologic iron and inflammatory parameters in COVID-19 critically ill patients. Hence, 24 patients were included. Hepcidin and interleukin 6, along with routine blood parameters, were determined and outcomes, such as death, multiple organ damage (MOD), anemia, and need for transfusions, were assessed. The results of this pilot study indicate that iron metabolism parameters individually, as well as models consisting of multiple laboratory and clinical variables, may predict the outcomes. Further larger studies are needed to validate the results of this pilot stud. However, this paper identifies a new direction for research.

The Association between Peripheral Blood Cells and the Frailty Syndrome in Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases

Background

Frailty syndrome is characterized by multisystem dysregulation frequently found in older individuals or even in younger patients with chronic disabling diseases such as cardiovascular diseases.

Objective

To determine whether peripheral blood cell count, and its subpopulations, red blood cell and platelets, morphology and different ratios (neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio and red blood distribution width-to-platelet ratio) are associated with cardiac frail patients, and through this to improve the prediction of frailty status in patients with cardiovascular diseases.

Methods

An observational, retrospective, cohort study enrolling 179 patients with cardiovascular disease divided into two groups: non-frail group (100 pts) and frail group (79 pts), a cohort detached from the Frail.RO study. The frailty was evaluated based on the Fried criteria; haematological markers, sociodemographic data, and variables related to cardiovascular diseases and comorbidities were also recorded.

Results

Lower lymphocytes, platelet count, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were significantly associated with a more severe frailty syndrome. Regarding red blood cells, haemoglobin concentration and red cell distribution width significantly correlated with the severity of the frailty syndrome. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for these markers associated with the frailty syndrome revealed an acceptable sensitivity of 66% and specificity of 65% to identify frail individuals. Malnutrition and hypercholesterolemia are relevant predictors for identifying frailty in hospitalized cardiovascular patients.

Conclusion

The evaluation of peripheral blood cell composition routinely measured in clinical practice can represent a valuable, but limited indicator, to diagnose frailty syndrome and eventually, the effects of interventions in frail patients with cardiovascular diseases.

A.B.C. approach proposal for POCUS in COVID-19 critically ill patients

The rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) since December 2019 forced Intensive Care Units to face high numbers of patients admitted simultaneously with limited resources. COVID-19 critically ill patients, especially those on mechanical ventilators, demand special attention as they can develop potential complications with critical hemodynamic and respiratory consequences. Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) might have important roles in assessing the critically ill SARS-CoV-2 patient. Mostly, lung ultrasound has been presented as having a role in diagnosis and monitoring, but airway examination and hemodynamic evaluation are of interest also. We propose an A.B.C. POCUS approach focusing on A-airway (orotracheal intubation), B-breathing (interstitial syn-dromes, pneumothorax, atelectasis, pneumonia), and C-circulation (cardiac function, pulmonary embolism, volume status, deep veins thrombosis). This A.B.C. approach has emerged during ICU care for 22 adult COVID-19 critically ill patients, along with the analysis of recent papers describing ultrasound in COVID-19 patients including the use of ultrasound that is currently applied in the management of the general critically ill population. This A.B.C- POCUS algorithm parallels the well-established clinical A.B.C. algorithms. There are few extensive ultrasonographic studies in COVID-19 critically ill patients up to now, but techniques extrapolated from non-COVID studies seem reasonable even though comparative studies are not available yet.

Clinical Approach to the Patient in Critical State Following Immunotherapy and/or Stem Cell Transplantation: Guideline for the On-Call Physician

The initial management of the hematology patient in a critical state is crucial and poses a great challenge both for the hematologist and the intensive care unit (ICU) physician. After years of clinical practice, there is still a delay in the proper recognition and treatment of critical situations, which leads to late admission to the ICU. There is a much-needed systematic ABC (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) approach for the patients being treated on the wards as well as in the high dependency units because the underlying hematological disorder, as well as disease-related complications, have an increasing frequency. Focusing on score-based decision-making on the wards (Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS), together with Quick Sofa score), active sepsis screening with inflammation markers (C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and presepsin), and assessment of microcirculation, organ perfusion, and oxygen supply by using paraclinical parameters from the ICU setting (lactate, central venous oxygen saturation (ScVO₂), and venous-to-arterial carbon dioxide difference), hematologists can manage the immediate critical patient and improve the overall outcome.

Preoperative difficult airway prediction using suprahyoid and infrahyoid ultrasonography derived measurements in anesthesiology

Airway management is one of the most important skills in everyday practice of anesthesia. Improper airway management might contribute to significant morbidity and mortality. In some patients, clinical parameters do not anticipate all difficulties related to airway management. Ultrasonography (US) might confer a potential screening tool for difficult airway. Suprahyoid and infrahyoid US measurements have been investigated for difficult airway prediction in anesthesiology. The most extensively investigated parameter was the anterior neck soft tissue thickness measured at different levels: anterior to the hyoid bone, epiglottis and vocal cords commissure. Hyomental distances measured with the head placed in neutral, sniffing or maximal hyperextended position and the derived hyomental distance ratios have also been evaluated for difficult airway prediction. For the evaluation of the tongue, measurements such as thickness, cross-sectional area, width, volume and tongue-to-oral cavityratio can be used. Thus, anesthesiologists have many available potential US measurements, which could provide information regarding airway anatomy during the preoperative airway assessment and could serve as potential screening parameters for difficult airway. Still, we do not yet know which of these provides optimal predictive accuracy and larger sample size studiesare required to validate their use in the preoperative evaluation of the airway.

Anaesthesia in early childhood - is the development of the immature brain in danger?

Experimental studies performed on immature animal brains had demonstrated a neurotoxic effect following sedation and general anaesthetics administration. The same magnitude of neurotoxicity has been suggested but not been proven to neonates, infants and small children who have undergone anaesthesia. There is a justified and increasing inquiry regarding the administration of general anaesthesia to paediatric patients.

The body mass index (BMI) is significantly correlated with levels of cytokines and chemokines in cerebrospinal fluid

Cytokines and chemokines regulate many functions in the body including the brain. The interactions between adipose tissue and the central nervous system (CNS) are important for the regulation of energy balance. CNS function is also influenced by age. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of body mass index (BMI) and age on cytokine and chemokine levels in cerebrospinal fluid. Cerebrospinal fluid samples (n=89) were collected from patients undergoing routine surgical procedures. The samples were analyzed using the multiplex proximity extension assay (PEA) in which 92 different cytokines are measured simultaneously using minute sample volume. We found no significant correlations between age and cytokine levels for any of the studied markers. In contrast, at a false discovery rate of 10%, 19 markers were significantly associated with BMI (in decreasing significance: FGF-5, ADA, Beta-NGF, CD40, IL-10RB, CCL19, TGF-alpha, SIRT2, TWEAK, SCF, CSF-1, 4E-BP1, DNER, LIF-R, STAMPB, CXCL10, CXCL6, VEGF-A and CX3CL1). This study reveals a clear effect of BMI on cytokine and chemokine levels in cerebrospinal fluid.

The effect of anaesthetic management on neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL) levels after robotic surgical oncology

PURPOSE

The main objective of this study was to compare the effect of two anaesthetic techniques (general vs combined) on plasma levels of NGAL (Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin) after robotic urogenital oncosurgery. The secondary objective was to correlate NGAL levels with the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI).

METHODS

This was a longitudinal prospective study. Forty patients were included and randomized in 2 groups: group C (N=16 cases; combined general-epidural anesthesia) and group G (N=24 cases; control group with general anesthesia). Demographic data, Charlson Comorbidity Index, Apache II, SOFA and ASA scores were similar in both groups. Serum creatinine was determined preoperatively and every 24 hrs for 4 postoperative days to identify AKI according to RIFLE and AKIN criteria. Serum NGAL was determined at 6 and 12 hrs after induction of anesthesia.

RESULTS

Serum creatinine increased at 24 hrs postoperatively in both groups as compared to baseline, but significant changes were registered only in the G group (p(control) = 0.004). Serum NGAL increased significantly in both groups as compared with baseline levels (pcase=0.0034 vs p(control)=0.0001). The incidence of AKI was 12.50% (95% CI 0.4-34) in the C group and 37.50% (95% CI 17-58) in the G group (p=0.0909), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Impaired renal function and AKI occurred in robot-assisted laparoscopic urogenital oncosurgery under both general and combined anaesthesia. The incidence of AKI was lower in patients undergoing combined anesthesia compared to general anaesthesia after robotic urogenital oncosurgery but the difference did not reach statistical significance. However, plasma levels of NGAL were significantly increased at 6 and 12 hrs in the general anaesthesia group as compared with combined anaesthesia. NGAL may be a better marker in detecting postoperative acute kidney injury. Further studies are needed.

Cathepsin S is increased in cerebrospinal fluid from patients with neuropathic pain—A support of the microglia hypothesis in humans

Aims

Cathepsin S has been reported to be a biomarker of spinal microglial activation, a process suggested to be involved in the pathophysiology of chronic neuropathic pain. So far this has been shown only in animal experiments. The aim of this study was to investigate the concentrations of cathepsin S in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from a well-defined patient cohort suffering from neuropathic pain as compared to controls.

Methods

CSF samples from patients suffering from chronic neuropathic pain (n = 14) were analyzed for cathepsin S levels using commercial sandwich ELISAs (DY1183, R&D Systems, Minneapolis, MN, USA). Control CSF was sampled from patients undergoing minor urological surgical procedures under spinal anaesthesia (n = 70), having no obvious pain suffering.

Results

The neuropathic pain group had significantly higher levels of CSF cathepsin S (median 15189 pg/mL, range 3213–40,040), than the control group (median 5911 pg/mL, range 1909–17,188) (p < 0.005, Mann–Whitney U-test).

Conclusion

The results support the existence of microglial activation in chronic neuropathic pain patients. CSF Cathepsin S may serve as a potential biomarker for this specific mechanism linked to neuropathic pain. In the future, Cathepsin S inhibiting drugs might become a new treatment alternative for neurophatic pain.

The effect of chronic toxicity of pethidine on the spinal cord: an experimental model in rabbits

The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of chronic spinal analgesia with pethidine in a rabbit model. We introduced epidural catheters in twenty New Zealand white rabbits, divided into two groups, and we administered 0.5 mg/kg pethidine or the same volume of normal saline through the catheters, for three consecutive days. Throughout the experiment, the animals were evaluated in terms of neurological status using the Tarlov score. After the rabbit's euthanasia, 4 μm sections of spinal cord stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin were analyzed by a pathologist blinded to the study for neurohistopathological changes. The results were statistically analyzed with Prism 5 software for Windows. No significant differences were noticed between the two groups in as far as body temperature (p=0.295) and weight (p=0.139) were concerned. In the group of animals, which received epidural pethidine, nine rabbits showed histological changes suggestive for neurotoxicity at the lumbar level of the spinal cord. These findings were significantly different compared with the control group which received only saline (no microscopic lesions revealed; p=0.0006). When combining the data from both groups or using the pethidine group alone, there was a significant correlation between the presence of neurological injury (Tarlov score) and the presence of the histopathological lesions in the spinal cord (r=-0.709, p=0.0002 and r=-0.635, p=0.013, respectively). Based on our findings, the chronic epidural administration of pethidine in rabbits induces moderate to severe histological changes on the spinal cord, but further investigations are needed to make a definitive statement about the histological effect of pethidine on the neurological tissue.

Minimally invasive surgical treatment of morbid obesity in patients with specific comorbidities. A case report

The mortality of patients with morbid obesity is 2 to 12 times higher according to age, comorbidities and the degree of obesity. Surgical treatment has proved to be the only type of treatment that has led to favorable long-term results. We present the therapeutic strategy used in a 39 year old obese patient with BMI=39.8 kg/sqm type 2 diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, severe hypercholesterolemia, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and metabolic syndrome. The patient underwent laparoscopic gastric banding with adjustable silicon band.

Spinal anesthesia with meperidine. Effects of added alpha-adrenergic agonists: epinephrine versus clonidine

We determined the effects of intrathecally administered epinephrine and clonidine on the duration and quality of a meperidine spinal block. Forty-five patients scheduled for orthopedic surgery, divided into three groups, received spinal anesthesia with 1 mg/kg 5% meperidine, alone or with 200 microg epinephrine or 2 microg/kg clonidine. Using a double-blind method, the onset, extension, and duration of sensory block (to pinprick) and the duration and degree of motor block (Bromage scale) were assessed. Hemodynamic responses, duration of postoperative analgesia, degree of sedation, and occurrence of side effects were also recorded. The addition of epinephrine to the meperidine solution prolonged the sensory block (P<0.01) but did not affect its onset or extent. A similar potentiating effect was demonstrated for clonidine (P<0.001). The duration and degree of motor block were increased by addition of both epinephrine and clonidine. A tendency toward bradycardia and a decrease of mean arterial pressure was potentiated by clonidine but not by the epinephrine. Only the addition of clonidine prolonged the postoperative analgesia (P<0.001), but was associated with an increased sedation score. The incidence of other side effects did not differ between the groups. We conclude that coadministration of epinephrine or clonidine with meperidine enhances the duration and degree of spinal anesthesia and that adding clonidine prolongs the duration of postoperative analgesia.