Drug management of low back pain.
Matsudaira K, Kawaguchi H.
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo.
NSAIDs and muscle relaxants / relaxant effectively reduce acute nonspecific low back pain (LBP), different types of both drugs being equally effective. In general, there is no strong evidence for the effectiveness of medication for chronic nonspecific LBP. However, there is a possibility that administration of antidepressants is an intervention worthy of consideration in cases of LBP with no identifiable organic cause and resistant to other treatments.


Propofol is superior to thiopental for intubation without muscle relaxants.
Taha S, Siddik-Sayyid S, Alameddine M, Wakim C, Dahabra C, Moussa A, Khatib M, Baraka A.
Department of Anesthesiology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, P.O. Box 11 0236 Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. st01@aub.edu.lb
PURPOSE: To compare intubating conditions and cardiovascular changes following induction of anesthesia and tracheal intubation in patients receiving either lidocaine-remifentanil-propofol or lidocaine-remifentanil-thiopental prior to induction. METHODS: In a randomized, double-blind study 76 healthy adult patients were assigned to one of two groups: lidocaine 1.5 mg.kg(-1), remifentanil 2 mug.kg(-1) and propofol 2 mg.kg(-1) (Group P) or lidocaine 1.5 mg.kg(-1), remifentanil 2 mug.kg(-1) and thiopental 5 mg.kg(-1) (Group T). Ninety seconds after the administration of the hypnotic agent, laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation were attempted. Intubating conditions were assessed as excellent, good or poor on the basis of ease of ventilation, jaw relaxation, position of the vocal cords, and patient's response to intubation and slow inflation of the tracheal cuff. The mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were measured 45 sec after hypnotic agent administration, immediately after tracheal intubation, two and five minutes after intubation. RESULTS: Excellent intubating conditions were obtained in 84% of Group P patients and 50% of Group T patients (P < 0.05). The percentage decrease from baseline MAP was significantly higher in Group P than in Group T postinduction (27.4% +/- 11.6 vs 21.8% +/- 10.0) and immediately postintubation (19.0% +/- 16.7 vs 11.2% +/- 14.9). The percentage change from baseline HR was significantly higher in Group P than in Group T postinduction (13.8% +/- 9.7 vs 0.5% +/- 12.4), immediately postintubation (8.7% +/- 13.7 vs 2.1% +/- 13.1), and two minutes postintubation (7.04% +/- 14.3 vs 3.5% +/- 14.3). CONCLUSION: Lidocaine-remifentanil-propofol is superior to lidocaine-remifentanil-thiopental for tracheal intubation without muscle relaxants. However, it induces more hypotension and bradycardia.


Evaluation and treatment of low back pain in family practice.
Rives PA, Douglass AB.
Pain Care Institute, Owensboro, KY, USA. prives@adelphia.net
Almost all working adults, more than half in any given year, experience low back pain. Although the differential diagnosis is extensive, most symptoms have biomechanical causes and resolve promptly with little intervention, although recurrence is common. History and physical examination are important in distinguishing potential causes and identifying "red flags" for more serious conditions. Diagnostic imaging should be ordered only when necessary because of the high incidence of radiologic abnormalities in asymptomatic persons. Once serious illness is ruled unlikely, first-line drug therapy with acetaminophen, a cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitor or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug is recommended. Short-term use of muscle relaxants / relaxant may be considered, but they can be sedating. Patients should stay as active as possible. Comorbid conditions such as sleep disorders, anxiety, or depression should be treated, and psychosocial issues should be addressed. Opioids should be prescribed if other treatments have been insufficiently effective and if there is evidence of improved function with opioid treatment that outweighs adverse effects. Adjuvant antidepressants and anticonvulsants should be considered, especially in chronic or neuropathic pain. If a structural defect is identified and a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure is available, consider referral. If symptoms have not improved within 4 to 6 weeks, re-evaluation and additional diagnostic workup should be considered.

Electroconvulsive therapy in myasthenia gravis.
Calarge CA, Crowe RR.
The University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Iowa city, Iowa 52242-1057, USA. chadi-calarge@uiowa.edu
BACKGROUND: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular disease sometimes associated with severe psychiatric complications. The use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in MG raises certain challenges. METHODS: We describe a patient with MG and a steroid-induced major depressive episode with psychotic features treated with ECT. We also review the literature on similar cases and on the safety of ECT with muscle relaxation in this condition. RESULTS: The use of ECT in patients with MG is a viable therapeutic option when psychiatric complications secondary to MG or its treatment do not respond to psychotropic medications. CONCLUSION: ECT with muscle relaxants / relaxant could be administered safely, with appropriate precautions kept in mind.


Use of botulinum toxin-A for musculoskeletal pain in patients with whiplash associated disorders

BACKGROUND: Whiplash associated disorder is commonly linked to motor vehicle accidents and sports injuries. Cervical injury is attributed to rapid extension followed by neck flexion. The exact pathophysiology of whiplash is uncertain but probably involves some degree of aberrant muscle spasms and may produce a wide range of symptoms. The most commonly prescribed pharmacological agents for initial treatment of whiplash-associated pain are oral muscle relaxants / relaxant and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. However, potential systemic adverse effects limit these agents. Physical interventions such as mobilization, manipulation, and exercises have proved beneficial for pain and dysfunction but only on a time-limited basis. Little evidence suggests that physical therapy specifically aimed at the musculature (e.g., transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, ultrasonography, heat, ice, and acupuncture) improves prognosis in acute whiplash associated disorder. A new approach to treatment is the use of botulinum toxin, which acts to reduce muscle spasms. METHODS/DESIGN: This is a prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial and botulinum toxin-A (Botox) injections will be compared with placebo injections. The primary objective is to determine the efficacy of Botox in the management of musculoskeletal pain in whiplash associated disorders. DISCUSSION: Botulinum toxin type-A toxin has been studied in small trials on whiplash associated disorder patients and has generally been found to relieve pain and improve range of motion. Specifically, we seek to assess the efficacy of Botox in reducing pain and to improve the cervical spine range of movement, during the 6-month trial period.

Retrospective review of Tizanidine ( Zanaflex ) ( Zanaflex ) overdose.

BACKGROUND: Tizanidine ( Zanaflex ) is a centrally acting muscle relaxant / relaxants with a novel mechanism of action and structurally related to clonidine. There are no large case series of Tizanidine ( Zanaflex ) exposure. METHODS: Retrospective review of all ingestions involving Tizanidine ( Zanaflex ) reported to a poison control center from January 2000 through February 2003. Exclusion criteria were polydrug ingestion, no follow-up or lost to follow-up. RESULTS: There were 121 cases of which 45 patients met entrance criteria. Mean age was 32 years (range 1 to 80). Thirty-seven patients were evaluated in a health care facility of which 27 were admitted for medical care. Clinical effects included lethargy (n = 38), bradycardia (n = 14), hypotension (n = 8), agitation (n = 7), confusion (n = 5), vomiting (n = 3), and coma (n = 2). Mean dose ingested by history was 72 mg (S.D. + 86). The lowest dose associated with hypotension was 28mg, which occurred in a 63-year-old female with a BP of 88/52 and a HR of 54. The lowest dose associated with coma was between 60 mg and 120 mg, which occurred in a 30-year-old female with a HR of 30 and BP of 81/48. There were 6 patients < 6 yrs. The lowest dose with bradycardia and drowsiness in a small child was 16 mg in a 2 YO (weight unknown). All other cases in children < 6 yrs involved ingestion of a single tablet (2 or 4 mg) with only mild drowsiness reported. Therapy in this series was primarily supportive and included pressors in 3 cases and intubation in 3 cases. Naloxone was administered to 7 patients. There was no response to naloxone in 5 patients, poor documentation of response in one, and arousal in one patient. All patients recovered without residual complications. CONCLUSION: Clinical manifestations of Tizanidine ( Zanaflex ) overdose include alterations of mental status, bradycardia, and hypotension. In this series, outcome was good with supportive therapy.

Comparison of Tc99m-DTPA and indium-111 DTPA studies of baclofen pump function.

Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA.

Skin sensitivity to rocuronium and vecuronium: a randomized controlled prick-testing study in healthy volunteers.

Prick tests are frequently used for the authentication of neuromuscular blocking drugs (NMBDs) as causative drugs for anaphylactic reactions during anesthesia. Unfortunately, the actual threshold concentration for skin testing remains debatable for most NMBDs. We studied the flare and wheal responses to prick tests with rocuronium and vecuronium. Thirty healthy, nonatopic, anesthesia-naive male and female volunteers (14 men and 16 women) from 18 to 40 yr of age were assigned randomly to receive a total of 10 prick tests-4 ascending dilutions (1:1000, 1:100, 1:10, and 1) of rocuronium and vecuronium and 2 controls-on both forearms. An assessor blinded to the assignment monitored systemic and skin responses to NMBDs and measured wheal and flare surfaces immediately after and 15 min after prick tests. None of the volunteers experienced any immediate systemic or cutaneous responses to rocuronium or vecuronium. Although a dilution of 1:1000 of both NMBDs failed to promote any skin response at 15 min, 50% and 40% of the subjects had a positive skin reaction to undiluted rocuronium and vecuronium, respectively. We demonstrated a sex effect related to smaller threshold concentration-induced cutaneous reactions in female volunteers to both muscle relaxants. Our observation questions the reliability of prick testing with undiluted solutions of rocuronium and vecuronium for the diagnosis of allergy. IMPLICATIONS: Building concentration-skin response curves to prick tests with rocuronium and vecuronium in healthy, nonatopic, anesthesia-naive male and female volunteers demonstrated that the nonreactive concentration for both muscle relaxants / relaxant is the 1:1000 dilution of the stock solutions. Our observation calls into question the past practice of prick-testing skin for sensitivity to neuromuscular blocking drugs by using undiluted solutions.

Treatment options in irritable bowel syndrome.

The irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is part of the spectrum of functional bowel disorders characterised by a diverse consortium of abdominal symptoms including abdominal pain, altered bowel function (bowel frequency and/or constipation), bloating, abdominal distension, the sensation of incomplete evacuation and the increased passage of mucus. It is not surprising therefore that no single, unifying mechanism has as yet been put forward to explain symptom production in IBS. The currently favoured model includes both central and end-organ components which may be combined to create an integrated hypothesis incorporating psychological factors (stress, distress, affective disorder) with end-organ dysfunction (motility disorder, visceral hypersensitivity) possibly aggravated by sub-clinical inflammation as a residuum of an intestinal infection. There is currently no universally effective therapy for IBS. Standard therapy generally involves a symptom-directed approach; anti-diarrhoeal agents for bowel frequency, soluble fibre or laxatives for constipation and smooth muscle relaxants / relaxant and anti-spasmodics for pain. New drug development has focused predominantly on agents that modify the effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in the gut, principally the 5-HT(3) receptor antagonists for painful diarrhoea predominant IBS and 5-HT(4) agonists for constipation predominant IBS. More speculative new therapeutic approaches include anti-inflammatory agents, antibiotics, probiotics, antagonists of CCK1 receptors, tachykinins and other novel neuronal receptors.

Strategies in the patient with compromised respiratory function.

Respiratory diseases are commonly divided into restrictive or obstructive lung diseases. For anaesthesiological considerations restrictive lung diseases appear as a static condition with minimal short-term development. Overall, restrictive lung diseases don't lead to acute exacerbations due to the choice of anaesthetic techniques or the choice of anaesthesia-specific agents. Compared to restrictive lung diseases, obstructive lung diseases such as asthma or chronic obstructive lung diseases have a high prevalence and are one of the four most frequent causes of death. Obstructive lung diseases can be significantly influenced by the choice of anaesthetic technique and anaesthetic agent. Basically, the severity of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the degree of bronchial hyperreactivity will determine the perioperative anaesthetic risk. This risk has to be assessed by a thorough preoperative evaluation and will provide the rationale on which to decide the adequate anaesthetic technique. In particular, airway instrumentation can cause severe reflex bronchoconstriction. The use of regional anaesthesia alone or in combination with general anaesthesia can help to avoid airway irritation and even leads to reduced postoperative complications. Prophylactic anti-obstructive treatment, volatile anaesthetics, propofol, opioids, and an adequate choice of muscle relaxants / relaxant minimize the anaesthetic risk when general anaesthesia is required. If intraoperative bronchospasm occurs, despite all precautions, deepening of anaesthesia, repeated administration of beta2-adrenergic agents and parasympatholytics, and a single systemic dose of corticosteroids are the main treatment options.