Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

Introduction: A requirement in the manual conduction of total intravenous anesthesia is the need to make temporary dosage adjustments to avoid drug accumulation in plasma. For some years there has been interest in using other drugs such as ketamine. Objectives: To compare the temporal variation of ketamine concentration in plasma when applying a variant for calculating the decrease in the infusion rate (Vinf) with an invariable infusion rate. Methods: An analytical study was carried out describing the dosage calculation for manual total intravenous anesthesia, the pharmacokinetic simulation of the behavior of ketamine concentration in plasma in case of being invariably administered with these dosing regimens, in a virtual patient, of 70 kg, according to the Domino model and the analysis of the variant for calculating the decrease of ketamine infusion rate. A statistical significance of 95% was estimated (p<0.05). Results: The variant for calculating the decrease of the infusion rate: Vinf (tn) = Vinf (tn-1) _ [(Vinf (tn-1) x e (1+1/t) t)/100] = Vinf (tn -1) x 0.85 allowed more stable values of plasma concentration, which approximate that of the ideal model (p>0.05), for a time of 6 hours. Conclusions: Probably, the decrease of the ketamine dose, established by the proposed calculation and infusion variant, allows better stability of plasma concentration.

Introduction:Most of the problems in biomedical research are of causal nature. The analysis of these studies should begin with the search for an association between the variables that represent the cause and the effect, and only if the association is significant will the causal inference analysis continue.Objective:To systematize the different statistical techniques that verify a bivariate relationship according to the type of variable.Methods:An exhaustive bibliographic review on the subject was carried out in the biomedical databases hosted in the Internet. The content was organized by sub-topics and a material with a critical synthesis of the most important aspects was elaborated, in which the experience of the authors was also expressed.Results:According to the type of variables, we have presented basic information about the coefficients, hypothesis tests, and graphs used in each case, the association measures to study risk, the features that ensure the validity of an association; chance and bias are also exposed as the mistakes that could be made in the investigation process and that could invalidate the existence of an association. The way of analyzing the association in the implicative statistical analysis is also presented.Conclusions:The knowledge of statisticians to verify a relationship between variables and the selection of statistical techniques is essential for carrying out the initial process of causal inference.Keywords:   statistic techniques; bivariate relations; association; correlation; odd ratios; implicative statistical analysis.

Introduction: Critically ill care units report numerous cases of malnutrition. In order to estimate such statistics, it is necessary to use dietary, anthropometric, biochemical and immunological indicators. Objective: To characterize the nutritional status of postoperative patients admitted to an intensive care unit. Methods: A descriptive, prospective, cross-sectional study was carried out. The values were obtained from the indicators of the type anthropometric (average arm and calf circumference), biochemical (albumin, cholesterol, triglycerides and creatinine) and immunological (total lymphocyte count) of 98 patients admitted to the unit. The nutritional status was evaluated by independent variables. Results: Patients with 1-7 days of stay predominated (71.4%), mechanical ventilation was used in 33.6%, 19.3% of patients died, and the group of intra-abdominal conditions predominated (38.8%). Lymphopenia (68.3%) and hypoalbuminemia (62.2%) were more significant, followed by average arm circumference (AAC) in the malnutrition range (47.9%). There was no association of nutritional variables with the stay, nor the need for mechanical ventilation. All the variables were associated with the state at the time of discharge. Conclusions: A stay of about one week predominated, one third of the sample required ventilatory support, and mortality was low. Among all the nutritional variables studied, no association was found with the stay or the use of mechanical ventilation, but instead with the state at discharge.

Introduction: Severe renal lesion after cardiac surgery remains as an important cause of postoperative morbidity and the occurrence of non-communicable chronic diseases in patients referred for this type of surgical procedure is higher. The incidence of the severe renal lesion depends on the type of surgery and on renal functions before the operation, but many are the factors contribution to the onset of such lesion. Objectives: To expand current knowledge about patients with acute kidney failure in relation to the main aspects of their incidence after cardiac surgery or not associated with extracorporeal circulation and its influence on anesthetic conduction and postoperative behavior in the appearance of the referred kidney damage. Methods: We consulted the bibliographic databases Pubmed, Hinari, Clinical Key, Lilacs, specialty textbooks and doctoral dissertations, from which more than 25 review articles, mostly updated, were taken Results: The decrease in morbidity and mortality depends on the knowledge about risk factors associated with the onset of acute kidney failure in the postoperative period of the cardiovascular surgical intervention, as well as the preparation of the conditions to confront the possible complications. Conclusions: The correct choice of anesthetic technique, as well as the monitoring of hematological and clinical parameters in the perioperative period improves recovery, less stay in the intensive care and cardiology units, considerable saving of resources and greater well-being for patients.

Introduction:To improve hemodynamic stability, coagulation disorders, tissue perfusion, oxygen transport capacity, among others, the transfusion of blood and plasma derivatives is necessary in the critically-ill patient.Objective:To characterize the population of seriously-ill patients who received treatment with blood and hemoderivatives.Methods:A descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out with 199 patients admitted to the intensive care unit of Orlando Pantoja Tamayo General Hospital in Contramaestre Municipality, Santiago de Cuba Province, from January 2016 to April 2019. The variables analyzed were age, sex, causes for hemotherapy, type of blood component used, frequency of administration, adverse reactions, and discharge status. Percentage was used to summarize the information. Also, the chi-square test was used to identify statistical association.Results:There was a predominance of the female sex (56.7%) and of the age 65 years and older, with diagnosis of polytrauma, high digestive bleeding, and sepsis. The red blood cell concentrate was the most used and the frequency of administration, on one occasion, occurred in the category with the highest amount of adverse reactions (56.6%). Administration on four or more occasions increased mortality.Conclusions:The red blood cell concentrate was the most administered hemoderivative. Administration on one occasion that caused the most adverse reactions and most were immediate immunological ones.Keywords: blood transfusion; hemocomponent; polytrauma patients; sepsis

Introduction: The administration of anesthetic agents intravenously started a new modality that involved the administration of anesthetics in the form of continuous infusions. Objective: To update the information on the function of neuromuscular blocking drugs when administered in continuous infusion in total intravenous general anesthesia. Development: Neuromuscular blocking drugs can be administered in continuous infusion to maintain a stable plasma concentration and achieve adequate relaxation of the patient during the surgical procedure, as well as a faster and safer spontaneous recovery, based on the action onset of the drug used, but fundamentally on its maximum effect. Despite this, it is important to administer an initial loading dose that must range from 2 to 3 DE 95 (effective dose to decrease the response to the stimulus in 95% of its initial value) and continue with the administration in continuous infusion as part of the maintenance of anesthesia. Conclusions: Regardless the different criteria among authors, most agree that continuous infusions are effective in maintaining greater blood stability and, therefore, lower doses of neuromuscular blocking drugs, shorter real reversal times and fewer adverse effects.

Introduction: A series of brief distant ischemia periods can limit myocardial damage produced by ischemia or reperfusion. Objective: To analyze the differences between the two groups (control and study) taking into account the consumption of inotropics and/or vasopressors during the intraoperative and postoperative periods, as well as the incidence of major cardiac adverse events and mortality in the postoperative period. Methods: A quasiexperimental, explanatory and comparative study with historical control was conducted on two groups of 247 patients proposed for coronary revascularization. A tourniquet was placed to the right arm, in the study group, alternating three insufflations with three dessufflations with a pressure of 200 mmHg, keeping each for five minutes. This procedure was performed before, during and after the major ischemic event, caused by pinching of the coronary artery. Results: A significant decrease in the consumption of inotropic and vasoactive drugs was achieved. The decrease in the incidence of low reversible cardiac output, ventricular fibrillation, and new acute myocardial infarction was also proven. Conclusions: Distant ischemic conditioning is an important tool to be taken into account for perioperative cardiac protection in coronary revascularization.