Anesthesia • November 21, 2023
A new retrospective cohort study published online in the September, 2023 issue of Anesthesiology is the first to link use of phenylephrine, a drug commonly used to control intraoperative hypotension, with higher incidence of postoperative delirium compared to ephedrine. The study, first-authored by Dr. Haobo Ma and Elena Ahrens, and senior-authored by Dr. Maximilian Schaefer, indicated 34% higher odds of postoperative delirium in the phenylephrine group when compared with a group given another vasopressor, ephedrine. Delirium after surgery is associated with poor outcomes, including longer hospital stay, long-term cognitive decline and a 1.5-fold higher risk of one-year mortality.
Dr. Daniel Talmor, Chair of the Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine at BIDMC, received a 7-year, multi-million-dollar award from NIH/NHLBI for an ambitious new study, "PREVENT VILI," aimed at improving mechanical ventilation for critically ill patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). He will work with collaborators from BIDMC, Columbia University and MGH, to lead this clinical trial that will enroll 1,100 patients at over 20 hospitals during the next 7 years. PREVENT VILI will compare standard mechanical ventilation to an individualized ventilation strategy focusing on lung stress to improve outcomes for ARDS patients. This trial builds on a previous study, "EPVent2" trial (JAMA 2019), and may create a personalized approach to managing ARDS that reduces morbidity and mortality as well as costs and strain on the healthcare system.
Medicine • November 14, 2023
Dr. Smith, a devoted mentor who served as Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency and Associate Vice Chair for Education, will help expand our core educational mission across the Department.
About • November 7, 2023
About • October 17, 2023
About • October 13, 2023
