To assess the predictive value of the ASA classification for morbidity and mortality during the whole time of post-operative hospitalization, data of 2248 patients undergoing elective surgery were analyzed prospectively. The incidence of post-operative morbidity, considering surgical as well as non-surgical complications, rose from 3.9% in ASA class I to 33.7% in ASA class IV. No patient died in ASA I, whereas 7.2% died in ASA IV. Furthermore, the ASA classes corresponded with the postoperative outcome of the patients, taking into account both the length of stay at the ICU and the postoperative hospitalization. The duration at the ICU increased an average of 0.1 to nearly 4 days and hospitalization from 11.8 to 27.3 in ASA classes I and IV, respectively. The results were confirmed considering separated groups with a different operative stress and risk. ASA-classification is also of conceivable value in estimating the perioperative risk and should therefore be considered prior to surgical intervention.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

An all sulfur analogue of the smallest subunit of F420-non-reducing hydrogenase from Methanococcus voltae--metal binding and structure.

The 25 amino acid long subunit VhuU of the F420-non-reducing hydrogenase from Methanococcus voltae contains selenocysteine within the consensus sequence of known [NiFe] hydrogenases DP(C or U)CxxCxxH (U = selenocysteine). The sulfur-analogue VhuUc was chemically synthesized, purified and its metal binding capability, the catalytic properties, and structural features were investigated. The polypeptide was able to bind nickel, but did not catalyse the heterolytic activation of H2. 2D-NMR spectroscopy revealed an alpha-helical secondary structure for the 15 N-terminal amino acids in 50% TFE. Nickel only binds to the C-terminus, which contains the conserved amino acid motif. Structures derived from the NMR data are compatible with the participation of both sulfur atoms from the conserved cysteine residues in a metal ion binding. Structures obtained from the data sets for Ni.VhuUc as well as Zn.VhuUc showed no further ligands. The informational value for Ni.VhuUc was low due to paramagnetism.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Pain therapy in dogs and cats--clinical experiences with buprenorphine (Temgesic)].

Buprenorphine was used as a post-operative analgesic drug in 40 dogs and 30 cats. The analgesic properties of buprenorphine failed in 20% (dogs) respectively 23.3% (cats) of the cases even after high doses of 0.1 mg/kg in dogs and 0.01 mg/kg in cats. The unsatisfactory results were seen in fracture-patients with a concurrent severe tissue damage. Side effects even after high doses were of no clinical relevance.

Analgesics, Opioid↗