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Biomedical subjects

S J Stefani

Publications and source records attributed to S J Stefani.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1984

Maternal and neonatal effects of epidural morphine for labor and delivery.

To determine the efficacy of epidural morphine during labor and delivery, 40 healthy parturients who requested epidural analgesia were randomly given either a single injection of morphine sulfate (2 mg, n = 9; 5 mg, n = 10; or 7.5 mg, n = 11) or 0.5% bupivacaine (n = 10). Bupivacaine provided excellent analgesia in all patients. Morphine (2 or 5 mg) did not produce adequate analgesia and needed to be supplemented by local anesthesia. Morphine (7.5 mg) gave satisfactory analgesia in 7 of 11 patients until the end of the first stage of labor, and, in an additional patient, for almost 13 hr, at which time cephalopelvic disproportion was diagnosed. In all patients given epidural morphine, local anesthesia was needed for the second stage of labor if instrumentation or episiotomy was required. The only side effect was pruritus, which occurred in three patients. Epidural morphine did not produce neonatal depression, as evidenced by Apgar scores and neurologic and adaptive capacity scores. We conclude that 7.5 mg of epidural morphine can give satisfactory pain relief during labor but not delivery, and that 2 or 5 mg of morphine is ineffective. Although 0.5% bupivacaine provided better anesthesia, epidural morphine might prove useful for selected patients.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗
PubMed1983

Maternal catecholamines decrease during labor after lumbar epidural anesthesia.

To determine whether epidural anesthesia during labor affects maternal circulating catecholamines, blood samples were obtained from 15 patients at the peak of and immediately after two consecutive painful contractions. A lumbar epidural local anesthetic without epinephrine was then administered. After the onset of analgesia, four blood samples were again drawn. All samples were analyzed by a radioenzymatic assay for epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations. Before anesthesia, the mean (+/-SEM) plasma epinephrine level was 280 +/- 49 pg/ml, and the mean norepinephrine level was 866 +/- 122 pg/ml. After anesthesia, epinephrine levels decreased 56% (p less than 0.01). Although norepinephrine levels decreased approximately 19%, this reduction was not statistically significant. At the height of a contraction, catecholamine levels did not differ significantly from those occurring between contractions. Lumbar epidural anesthesia during labor reduces maternal epinephrine levels, probably by eliminating the psychological and physical stress associated with painful uterine contractions or by denervating the adrenal medulla. Whatever the mechanism, reducing pain and activity of the sympathetic nervous system should increase uterine blood flow.

Anesthesia, Epidural↗
PubMed1982

A new neurologic and adaptive capacity scoring system for evaluating obstetric medications in full-term newborns.

A variety of examinations are currently available for evaluating the neurobehavior of the newborn. These exams are often difficult and time-consuming to perform, require extensive training of the examiners, and produce results that may be difficult to interpret. The authors describe a new Neurologic and Adaptive Capacity Score (NACS) for full-term neonates and compare it with the Scanlon Early Neonatal Neurobehavioral Scale (ENNS), the most widely used test for evaluating effects of obstetric medication on the neonate. The NACS was designed as a screening test to detect central nervous system depression from drugs and also to differentiate these effects from those found after birth trauma and perinatal asphyxia. The NACS is based on 20 criteria, each of which is given a score of 0, 1, or 2. These criteria assess five general areas: 1) adaptive capacity; 2) passive tone; 3) active tone; 4) primary reflexes; and 5) alertness, crying, and motor activity (general observations). In contrast to the ENNS, the NACS places more emphasis on motor tone, avoids the use of noxious stimuli (pinprick, repeated Moro examinations), takes half the time to perform, and provides for any given baby a single number that immediately identifies a depressed or vigorous neonate.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1982

Neonatal neurobehavioral effects of inhalation analgesia for vaginal delivery.

The authors studied the neonatal neurobehavioral effects of nitrous oxide:oxygen and enflurane:oxygen inhalation analgesia for vaginal delivery. Parturients were assigned randomly to receive no inhalation agent (Group 1, n = 21); enflurane, 0.3 to 0.8 per cent, and oxygen (Group 2, n = 22); or nitrous oxide, 30 to 50 per cent, and oxygen (Group 3, n = 18). Infants were tested at 15 min, 2 h, and 24 h of age using the Neurologic and Adaptive Capacity Score (NACS); and at 2 and 24 h using the Early Neonatal Neurobehavioral Scale (ENNS). No significant differences in neurobehavioral status occurred. For all groups, scores tended to be lowest at two hours of age. We conclude that neither enflurane nor nitrous oxide analgesia adversely affects neonatal neurobehavioral status at 15 min, 2 h, or 24 h of age.

Alphaprodine↗