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Daily Report

Daily Anesthesiology Research Analysis

03/01/2025
3 papers selected
3 analyzed

A multicentre phase 3 RCT (PRIME-AIR) tested a perioperative lung expansion bundle in open abdominal surgery, achieving high protocol adherence and higher intraoperative PEEP exposure. New translational work shows microtubule-modulating drugs bidirectionally alter isoflurane sensitivity and emergence in mice, and a comprehensive population PK model of IV lidocaine with metabolite kinetics proposes fat-free mass–based dosing to rapidly attain target concentrations.

Summary

A multicentre phase 3 RCT (PRIME-AIR) tested a perioperative lung expansion bundle in open abdominal surgery, achieving high protocol adherence and higher intraoperative PEEP exposure. New translational work shows microtubule-modulating drugs bidirectionally alter isoflurane sensitivity and emergence in mice, and a comprehensive population PK model of IV lidocaine with metabolite kinetics proposes fat-free mass–based dosing to rapidly attain target concentrations.

Research Themes

  • Perioperative lung protection and postoperative pulmonary complications
  • Precision anesthetic dosing and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling
  • Drug–microtubule interactions influencing anesthetic sensitivity

Selected Articles

1. Perioperative lung expansion and pulmonary outcomes after open abdominal surgery versus usual care in the USA (PRIME-AIR): a multicentre, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial.

83Level IRCT
The Lancet. Respiratory medicine · 2025PMID: 40020692

In this multicentre phase 3 RCT of adults undergoing major open abdominal surgery at intermediate/high PPC risk, adherence to a perioperative lung expansion bundle was high (72–98%). The intervention increased intraoperative mean PEEP relative to usual care; 751 participants were analyzed in the mITT cohort.

Impact: A large, rigorously conducted NIH-funded RCT addressing PPC mitigation can influence perioperative ventilation bundles and standard practice in open abdominal surgery.

Clinical Implications: Supports structured, individualized intraoperative lung expansion strategies with demonstrable implementation fidelity. Pending full outcome details, programs can emulate high-adherence protocols and PEEP titration strategies in at-risk open abdominal surgeries.

Key Findings

  • Multicentre phase 3 RCT enrolled 794 patients; mITT analysis included 751 (379 intervention, 372 usual care).
  • Adherence to bundle components was high (72–98%).
  • Intervention group received higher intraoperative mean PEEP (reported mean 7.5 cmH2O) than usual care.
  • Eligibility targeted ARISCAT ≥26 and BMI <35 kg/m² for elective open abdominal surgeries ≥2 hours.

Methodological Strengths

  • Multicentre randomized phase 3 design with NIH funding and mITT analysis.
  • High protocol adherence and standardized intraoperative management bundle.

Limitations

  • Abstract does not report definitive PPC outcome effect sizes in the provided excerpt.
  • Generalizability limited to BMI <35 kg/m² and open abdominal procedures ≥2 hours; blinding of intraoperative teams is inherently challenging.

Future Directions: Report detailed PPC severity and incidence outcomes, subgroup effects (e.g., ARISCAT strata), and implementation across diverse BMI and laparoscopic populations.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) are a leading cause of morbidity, death, and increased use of health-care resources. We aimed to determine whether a perioperative lung expansion bundle including individualised intraoperative management reduces PPC severity in patients undergoing major open abdominal surgery compared with usual care. METHODS: In this multicentre, randomised controlled phase 3 trial (PRIME-AIR), we enrolled adult patients (age ≥18 years) scheduled for an elective open abdominal surgery that would last at least 2 h, who were at intermediate or high risk for PPCs on the basis of their Assess Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia (ARISCAT) score (a score of ≥26), and who had a BMI below 35 kg/m FINDINGS: Between Jan 24, 2020, and April 5, 2023, we screened 1462 patients, of whom 794 were enrolled and randomly assigned to treatment. The mITT population included 751 participants, of whom 379 (50%) were in the intervention bundle group and 372 (50%) were in the usual care group. Mean age was 61·8 years (SD 12·8); 360 (48%) of 751 patients were female and 391 (52%) were male; 572 (76%) were White, 44 (6%) were Black, 35 (5%) were Asian, and ten (1%) were other races or more than one race. Adherence to bundle components was high (72-98%). Patients in the intervention bundle group received higher mean PEEP (7·5 cmH INTERPRETATION: In patients with a BMI of less than 35 kg/m FUNDING: US National Institutes for Health National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

2. Population Pharmacokinetics of IV Lidocaine and its Metabolites in Adult Surgical Patients.

70Level IIICohort
Pharmaceutical research · 2025PMID: 40021547

In 98 adult surgical patients with 1,520 samples, lidocaine followed a 3-compartment model; metabolites MEGX and GX fit 2-compartment models. Clearance was 45.9 L/h with a 60% postoperative decrease, and simulations support fat-free mass–based dosing to target 1.5 mg/L rapidly.

Impact: Provides a clinically actionable joint parent–metabolite PK model with dosing guidance using fat-free mass, enabling safer, target-driven perioperative lidocaine use.

Clinical Implications: Adopt fat-free mass–based bolus/infusion regimens to achieve ~1.5 mg/L rapidly while accounting for postoperative clearance reductions, fluid shifts, and body composition.

Key Findings

  • Lidocaine PK fit a 3-compartment model; MEGX and GX each fit 2-compartment models.
  • Typical lidocaine clearance was 45.9 L/h and decreased by 60% postoperatively; central volume 25.2 L.
  • Intercompartmental clearances: 142 L/h and 5.81 L/h; volumes 44.4 L and 29.3 L; peripheral V1 expanded with intraoperative fluids.
  • FFM-based dosing (2.5 mg/kg over 30 min, then 2 mg/kg over 1 h, then 1.5 mg/kg/h) rapidly achieved a 1.5 mg/L target.

Methodological Strengths

  • Rich sampling (1,520 concentration–time points) with joint parent–metabolite modeling.
  • Allometric scaling with both total body mass and fat-free mass; simulation of clinical dosing regimens.

Limitations

  • Surgical cohorts limited to donor nephrectomy and cholecystectomy; external validation pending.
  • No concurrent pharmacodynamic endpoints or clinical outcomes to define optimal target concentrations.

Future Directions: Externally validate the model across diverse surgeries, hepatic/renal phenotypes, and integrate PK-PD to refine target concentrations and safety thresholds.

BACKGROUND: Perioperative lidocaine infusions show potential as a systemic analgesic and to enhance postoperative recovery. This study characterised the pharmacokinetics (PK) of lidocaine and its metabolites, monoethylglycinexylidide (MEGX) and glycinexylidide (GX), in adult surgical patients using non-linear mixed-effects modelling. METHODS: Thirty-four donor nephrectomy and 64 cholecystectomy patients received intraoperative IV lidocaine. Plasma samples were collected perioperatively and analysed in NONMEM. Covariate effects and alternative dosing regimens were investigated. RESULTS: 1,520 concentration-timepoints were analysed. Lidocaine PK was best fitted with a 3-compartment model, while MEGX and GX used a 2-compartment model. All parameters were scaled allometrically with total body mass and fat-free mass (FFM). Lidocaine had a typical clearance of 45.9 L/h, decreasing by 60% postoperatively, and a central volume of 25.2 L. Peripheral compartments 1 and 2 exhibited intercompartmental clearances of 142 L/h and 5.81 L/h, with volumes of 44.4 L and 29.3 L, respectively. Peripheral compartment 1's volume expanded with intraoperative fluid administration. Simulations suggested an FFM-based dosing regimen (bolus: 2.5 mg/kg over 30 min, single infusion: 2 mg/kg over 1 h, maintenance infusion: 1.5 mg/kg/h) quickly achieved and maintained a lidocaine target plasma concentration of 1.5 mg/L. CONCLUSIONS: The joint parent-metabolites model adequately describes the disposition of lidocaine and its metabolites, incorporating allometric scaling and key covariates. It provides a foundation for optimising lidocaine dosing and guiding investigations to establish target plasma concentrations for safe and effective use in the general surgical population. Further research is warranted to refine and evaluate the model's utility in other surgical populations.

3. Microtubule-modulating drugs alter sensitivity to isoflurane in mice.

67Level VBasic/Mechanistic
BMC anesthesiology · 2025PMID: 40021968

Chronic exposure to microtubule-active agents altered isoflurane sensitivity and timing: epothilone D and vinblastine increased sensitivity (leftward EC50), morphine decreased sensitivity (rightward EC50), and paclitaxel modestly decreased sensitivity. Vinblastine shortened induction latency and morphine prolonged it; both shortened emergence versus saline.

Impact: Reveals a mechanistic link between microtubule modulation and anesthetic responsiveness with practical implications for patients on MT-targeting chemotherapy or prolonged opioids.

Clinical Implications: Consider altered MAC-like requirements and induction/emergence profiles in patients chronically exposed to microtubule agents or opioids; titrate isoflurane cautiously and monitor depth closely.

Key Findings

  • Epothilone D and vinblastine increased isoflurane sensitivity (EC50 0.75 and 0.74 vs saline 0.97–0.98).
  • Morphine reduced sensitivity (EC50 1.16 vs saline 0.97–0.98); paclitaxel caused a modest rightward shift (EC50 1.05).
  • At 1.2% isoflurane, morphine prolonged induction latency (275±50 s) and vinblastine shortened it (96.5±26 s) vs saline (211±39 s).
  • Emergence latency was shorter with morphine (58±20 s) and vinblastine (98±43 s) than saline (176±50 s).

Methodological Strengths

  • Controlled chronic drug exposure with quantitative EC50 estimation using LORR dose–response.
  • Assessment of both induction and emergence latency at fixed isoflurane concentration.

Limitations

  • Male CD1 mouse model limits generalizability to humans and females.
  • LORR is a surrogate for consciousness and may not capture all anesthetic endpoints; mechanistic assays were not performed.

Future Directions: Translate findings to human pharmacology with clinical MAC assessments in chemotherapy and chronic opioid populations; explore cellular MT metrics and neural circuitry mechanisms.

BACKGROUND: Microtubules (MTs) have been postulated as one of the molecular targets underlying loss of consciousness induced by inhalational anesthetics. Microtubule-targeting chemotherapy drugs and opioids affect MT stability and function. However, the impact of prolonged administration of these drugs on anesthetic potency and anesthesia induction and emergence times remain unelucidated. METHODS: Epothilone D, paclitaxel, vinblastine or opioid morphine were administered alone for a prolonged period (> 2 weeks) to male CD1 mice and their sensitivity to incremental concentrations of isoflurane were examined using loss of righting reflex (LORR) response as a measure of sensivity. The induction and emergence time after administration and termination of fixed concentration of isoflurance (1.2%) were also assessed. RESULTS: Compared with saline treatment, epothilone D and vinblastine induced a leftward (more sensitive) shift of LORR response curves (95% confidence intervals for EC50: epothilone D, 0.75[0.73, 0.77] vs. saline, 0.97[0.96, 0.98]; vinblastine, 0.74[0.73, 0.75] vs. saline, 0.98[0.97, 0.99]). In contrast, morphine caused a rightward (more resistant) LORR response curve (morphine, 1.16[1.15, 1.17] vs. saline, 0.97[0.96, 0.98]), while paclitaxel produced a marginal but significant rightward shift of LORR (paclitaxel, 1.05[1.03, 1.06] vs. saline, 0.98[0.97, 0.99]). At concentration of 1.2% isoflurane, morphine treatment prolonged (275 ± 50) and vinblastine treatment reduced (96.5 ± 26) the anesthetic induction latency (in second) relative to saline treatment (211 ± 39). The latency of emergence from anesthesia was shorter in morphine (58 ± 20) and vinblastine-treated (98 ± 43) mice compared to saline (176 ± 50) treatment. The induction or emergence latencies of epothilone D or paclitaxel treatment did not differ from saline treatment between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Microtubule-modulating drugs can affect not only sensitivity but also induction and emergence times to inhalational anesthetic isoflurane in mice. This study highlights a possible role of MTDs in modulating anesthetic effects in disparate directions, which has implications for anesthetic concentrations that should be used for induction, maintenance and emergence of anesthesia. These findings in rodents may have relevance to the perioperative care of cancer patients who receive MT-targeting chemotherapy drugs or even opioids for pain for prolonged periods.