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PubMed1999

Managing labor using partograms with different action lines: a prospective study of women's views.

BACKGROUND: The precise timing of medical intervention for women in prolonged labor is the subject of considerable debate. The partogram action line is a tool to assist practitioners in the correct diagnosis of prolonged labor. Despite its widespread use, the precise timing of the action line has not been rigorously studied, and women's views have rarely been sought. The aim of this study was to assess the effect on maternal satisfaction of managing labor using partograms with action lines drawn at 2, 3, or 4 hours to the right of the alert line. METHODS: As part of a large pilot randomized controlled trial, women's views were explored using a specifically designed questionnaire that was completed by 615 primiparas 2 days after giving birth. The quantifiable data were analyzed by comparing means using ANOVA followed by the Scheffe test. RESULTS: Women in the 2-hour arm were significantly more satisfied than those in the other two arms (p < 0.001), despite having the most obstetric intervention. CONCLUSIONS: For women in prolonged labor, obstetric intervention can be an acceptable or even favorable option. Midwives and obstetricians need to provide labor management that takes into account the preferences of the women to whom they give care.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Reduced labor force participation among primary care patients with headache.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the long-term impact of headache on labor force participation among primary care patients with headache. DESIGN: A 2-year cohort study comparing employment status of primary care patients with headache and that of patients with back pain. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with headache (n = 662) or back pain (n = 1,024) sampled from persons visiting a primary care physician who completed baseline, 1-year and 2-year follow-up interviews. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The percentage of subjects unemployed at baseline, 1 year or 2 years was determined, excluding the retired and homemakers. Among all patients, the percentage unable to obtain or keep full-time work in the year prior to each interview because of headache or back pain was also assessed. Over the 3-year period covered by the study interviews, 13% of headache and 18% of back pain patients were unable to obtain or keep full-time work because of their pain condition. Among those in the labor force, 12% of headache patients and 12% of back pain patients were unemployed for any reason at one or more interviews. Among the one in five headache patients with a poor long-term outcome, 36% were unable to obtain or keep full-time work because of headache at some time compared with 4% of headache patients with a good outcome. Among headache patients, women, persons aged 18 to 24 years, those with lower levels of education, persons with depressive symptoms, and migraineurs were more likely to have reduced labor force participation owing to headache. CONCLUSIONS: The likelihood of reduced labor force participation among primary care patients with headache was considerable and concentrated among the one in five patients with a poor long-term outcome. Headache patients at a social disadvantage in attaining occupational role stability (e.g., younger women or poorly educated patients) were more likely to report reduced labor force participation.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of standard diluted epinephrine infusion on epidural anesthesia in labor.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Epinephrine is used with local anesthetics to prolong the duration of epidural analgesia and decrease the peak plasma concentrations of local anesthetics. However, the duration of labor may be prolonged because epinephrine reduces uterine activity. We designed a prospective, randomized, and doubleblind study to examine the effects of epinephrine infusion on the quality of analgesia and plasma concentration of local anesthetic, as well as the effect on the uteroplacental circulation, duration of the first or second stage of labor, and fetal outcome. METHODS: Twenty-four parturients received continuous epidural bupivacaine 0.125% (8 mL/h) combined either with epinephrine (40 microg/h) (n = 12) or without epinephrine (n = 12) for analgesia during labor. If patients requested additional analgesia, a bolus of 1% or 1.5% lidocaine (6 to 10 mL) was given. RESULTS: Only the plain bupivacaine group required additional lidocaine. However, epinephrine infusion prolonged the median (range) duration of the second stages of labor: 69 (21 to 231) minutes with epinephrine group versus 31 (8 to 99) minutes without epinephrine group (P < .05), and decreased pH in umbilical artery at the time of delivery. Epinephrine infusion did not change the uterine and umbilical blood flow, which were determined as the resistance indices. Changes in the fetal heart rate and Apgar score were also comparable. Epinephrine significantly reduced the umbilical venous to maternal arterial bupivacaine concentration (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: A standard diluted epinephrine infusion (40 microg/h) into epidural space decreased anesthetic requirements. The possibility of the prolonged duration of labor remains a problem.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Maternal Arnold-Chiari type I malformation and syringomyelia: a labor management dilemma.

Arnold-Chiari type I malformations consists of elongation of the cerebellar tonsils with their displacement below the foramen magnum. Syringomyelia is an associated cyst that accumulates cerebrospinal fluid in the cord that can impinge on local nerve fibers. Pregnant women with either of these disorders are of special concern due to the potential risk of brain stem herniation and or spinal column compression from physiological changes that occur during labor. We present two cases. The first case is a patient with syringomyelia who was admitted in labor with worsening peripheral neurological symptoms. Epidural anesthesia was placed and she underwent an uncomplicated cesarean delivery with resolution of her symptoms postpartum. The second case is a patient with an Arnold-Chiari type I malformation and syringomyelia who presented in labor. The patient had an epidural placed and was allowed to progress to complete dilation and effacement at +2 station. She underwent a successful operative vaginal delivery without voluntary maternal expulsive efforts. Both patients had uncomplicated postpartum courses. Although these are rare disorders with significant potential morbidity, labor can be managed by either mode of delivery with careful patient selection. We caution that this review has insufficient numbers of patients to address the safety and efficacy of either delivery mode but rather focuses on alternatives for delivery. This report is the first to document a case of a patient with an Arnold-Chiari malformation and syringomyelia successfully managed in labor with a vaginal delivery.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

The effects of epidural analgesia on labor, maternal, and neonatal outcomes: a systematic review.

Mothers given an epidural rather than parenteral opioid labor analgesia report less pain and are more satisfied with their pain relief. Analgesic method does not affect fetal oxygenation, neonatal pH, or 5-minute Apgar scores; however, neonates whose mothers received parenteral opioids require naloxone and have low 1-minute Apgar scores more frequently than do neonates whose mothers received epidural analgesia. Epidural labor analgesia does not affect the incidence of cesarean delivery, instrumented vaginal delivery for dystocia, or new-onset long-term back pain. Epidural analgesia is associated with longer second-stage labor, more frequent oxytocin augmentation, hypotension, and maternal fever (particularly among women who shiver) but not with longer first-stage labor. Analgesic method does not affect lactation success. Epidural use and urinary incontinence are associated immediately postpartum but not at 3 or 12 months. The mechanisms of these unintended effects need to be determined to improve epidural labor analgesia.

Analgesia, Epidural↗
PubMed2003

Explaining labor force status following spinal cord injury: the contribution of psychological variables.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relative influence of demographic, injury and psychological characteristics on the labor force status of people living with spinal cord injury. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SUBJECTS: 459 persons who had experienced a traumatic spinal cord injury. All participants were patients of 1 of 2 specialist spinal cord injury services located in south-eastern Australia. METHODS: A survey, administered on average of 11.2 years after their injury, was used to collect the data. The study's main outcome measure was labor force status at the time of survey. Of those invited to participate in the study, 73% agreed to do so. RESULTS: Demographic, injury and psychological variables were found to explain 30% of the variance in the employment criterion: "in the labor force" vs "not in the labor force". Psychological variables contributed significantly to the separation of the 2 labor force groups. CONCLUSION: The inclusion of the selected psychological variables has advanced the understanding of the factors related to return to work following spinal cord injury, however this understanding is still not complete. Future efforts in this field would likely benefit from the inclusion of additional psychological characteristics, as well as environmental factors.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Longitudinal perspective: adverse childhood events, substance use, and labor force participation among homeless adults.

OBJECTIVES: We examined the long-term effects of adverse childhood events on adulthood substance use, social service utilization, and subsequent labor force participation. METHODS: A county-wide probability sample of 397 homeless adults was interviewed three times in a 15-month period. By using a path model, literature-based relationships between adverse childhood events and labor force participation with the mediating effects of adulthood substance use and service use were tested. RESULTS: Adverse childhood events were precursors to adulthood alcohol and drug use. Consistent substance use was negatively associated with long-term labor force participation and with social service utilization among homeless adults. Adverse events at childhood, however, were positively associated with service use. CONCLUSIONS: Adverse childhood events may contribute to negative adulthood consequences, including consistent substance use and reduced labor force participation. Agencies that are involved in halting the abuse or neglect also should participate in more preventive interventions. Job-related assistance is particularly important to facilitate employment and labor force participation among homeless adults.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Computer-assisted work station timing analysis of instrument labor efficiency.

Labor use ratings assigned to instruments by the Workload Recording Method (WRM) do not change with batch size or walk-away time use. The authors evaluated the effect of both on the labor use of the analyzers Paramax B6100 (Baxter Paramax, Irvine, CA) and Ektachem 700 (Eastman Kodak, Rochester, NY) by timing all worked and walk-away intervals on both instruments. Extrapolation of the data to a workload of slightly more than 1.1 million tests showed that reapportionment of tests to various batch sizes caused Paramax-Ektachem labor cost differences to fluctuate between $37,254 and $34,995. When the minimum usable walk-away interval length was varied from 1 to 20 minutes, Ektachem savings over Paramax increased from $8,700 to $61,400. The WRM predicted a constant $29,050 labor cost advantage for Ektachem over Paramax. If other instruments show similar labor use characteristics with respect to batch size and walk-away utility, laboratory managers who do not consider these factors may fail to select the most cost-effective instruments for their laboratories.

Computer Systems↗
PubMed1999

Epidural ropivacaine for the initiation of labor epidural analgesia: a dose finding study.

UNLABELLED: The purpose of our study was to determine the lowest concentration of ropivacaine that offers pain relief for the initiation of labor epidural analgesia. Women in active labor were enrolled in this prospective, randomized, double-blinded study to receive either ropivacaine 0.20% (Group I), ropivacaine 0.15% (Group II), or ropivacaine 0.10% (Group III). After placement of the epidural catheter, 13 mL of the study medication was administered. Fifteen minutes later, the adequacy of analgesia was assessed. If the woman reported that her degree of analgesia was not adequate, an additional 5 mL of the study medication was given, the degree of pain relief was reassessed 15 min later, and the study was concluded. A sequential study design was used to assess the success rates. We found that 26 of 28 (93%) women in Group I had adequate analgesia, compared with only 18 of 28 (64%) in Group II (P = 0.014) and 4 of 12 (33%) in Group III (P = 0.003). We conclude that ropivacaine 0.20% offers adequate analgesia significantly more often than either ropivacaine 0.15% or ropivacaine 0.10%. If one selects ropivacaine as the sole local anesthetic for the initiation of labor epidural analgesia, the minimal concentration should be 0.20%. IMPLICATIONS: The lowest effective concentration of ropivacaine for the initiation of labor epidural analgesia has not been determined. We found that ropivacaine 0.20% offers adequate analgesia significantly more often than either ropivacaine 0.15% or ropivacaine 0.10%. If one selects ropivacaine as the sole local anesthetic for the initiation of labor epidural analgesia, the minimal concentration should be 0.20%.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Ambulatory labor epidural analgesia: bupivacaine versus ropivacaine.

UNLABELLED: Dilute concentrations of bupivacaine combined with fentanyl have recently been used to initiate labor epidural analgesia in an attempt to balance adequate analgesia and minimal maternal motor blockade. Similar concentrations of ropivacaine have not been evaluated. This prospective, randomized, double-blinded study was designed to compare the efficacy of 20 mL of either 0.08% bupivacaine plus 2 microg/mL fentanyl or 0.08% ropivacaine plus 2 microg/mL fentanyl to initiate ambulatory labor epidural analgesia. Forty nulliparous women in early (</=5 cm) established labor received either 20 mL of 0.08% bupivacaine plus 2 microg/mL fentanyl (BF) or 0.08% ropivacaine plus 2 microg/mL fentanyl (RF) to initiate epidural analgesia. One woman (BF) required supplemental analgesia, and two (one BF and one RF) had visual analog scale scores > 0 but < 20 at 20 min. The time (mean +/- SD) to visual analog scale score = 0 was BF (n = 18): 12.0 +/- 4.5 min and RF (n = 19): 12.4 +/- 4.0 min (P > 0.05). Spontaneous micturition was observed in 65% (13 of 20) BF compared with 100% (20 of 20) RF (P < 0.01), and ambulation was demonstrated in 75% (15 of 20) BF compared with 100% (20 of 20) RF (P < 0.03). The incidence of forceps delivery was 35% (7 of 20) BF compared with 10% (2 of 20) RF (P < 0.04). The results of this study indicate that dilute ropivacaine combined with fentanyl effectively initiates epidural analgesia while concurrently preserving maternal ability to void and ambulate. IMPLICATIONS: As compared with a similar dilute concentration of bupivacaine, 20 mL of dilute (0.08%) ropivacaine combined with fentanyl (2 microg/mL) effectively initiates epidural analgesia in nulliparous women in early, established labor while preserving their ability to micturate and ambulate. Of importance, it appears that a true ambulatory epidural analgesic for women in labor is now possible.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

The analgesic effect of sufentanil combined with ropivacaine 0.2% for labor analgesia: a comparison of three sufentanil doses.

UNLABELLED: The combination of opioids with local anesthetics is commonly used for epidural labor analgesia. We examined whether increasing sufentanil in doses of 5, 10, and 15 microg prolonged the duration of labor analgesia produced by ropivacaine. One hundred healthy parturients in the first stage of labor who requested epidural analgesia were enrolled. Parturients were randomized to receive 12 mL ropivacaine 0.2% alone or with sufentanil 5 microg, sufentanil 10 microg, or sufentanil 15 microg. The duration of analgesia, pain score, degree of motor blockade (using a four-point Bromage scale), heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and incidence of nausea and pruritus were recorded. The mean duration of epidural analgesia was 96 +/- 32 min for patients without sufentanil, 134 +/- 27 min for Group 5 (p < 0.01 versus control), 135 +/- 33 min for Group 10 (p < 0.01 versus control), 130 +/- 33 min for Group 15 (p < 0.01 versus control) without differences among sufentanil groups. Between 30 and 90 min, the sufentanil groups (5 microg, 10 microg, and 15 microg) had lower pain scores than the control group (p < 0.01 versus control) but there were no differences among the sufentanil groups. No patient in any group had a Bromage score more than 1. No significant difference was found for opioid-related side effects. We conclude that 5-10 or 15 microg sufentanil induced a similar prolongation of analgesia when combined with ropivacaine 0.2% for initiation of labor analgesia. IMPLICATIONS: We studied the effect of adding one of three possible sufentanil doses to epidural ropivacaine 0.2% for labor analgesia. Adding sufentanil increased the duration of analgesia but there was no advantage in adding more than 5 microg of sufentanil.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Neostigmine combined with bupivacaine, clonidine, and sufentanil for spinal labor analgesia.

UNLABELLED: We previously found that spinal clonidine prolongs labor analgesia when combined with spinal bupivacaine and sufentanil. We sought to determine whether the addition of spinal neostigmine to these drugs would further enhance labor analgesia. By use of a combined spinal/epidural technique, 36 patients were randomized to receive a hyperbaric spinal injection of bupivacaine 2.5 mg plus clonidine 50 microg and sufentanil 10 microg with or without neostigmine 10 microg. Pain, maternal hemodynamics, fetal heart rate, nausea, pruritus, sedation, motor block, sensory levels to pinprick, and maternal oxygen saturation were assessed at regularly specified intervals after spinal injection until additional analgesia was requested. The duration of spinal analgesia was similar between groups (215 +/- 60 min in the Control group versus 205 +/- 62 min in the Neostigmine group). Likewise, pain scores, the duration of labor, Apgar scores, and side effects were similar between groups except that patients administered neostigmine experienced significantly more nausea and vomiting (53% vs 7%, P = 0.01). We conclude that spinal neostigmine 10 microg produces severe nausea and does not potentiate the duration of spinal analgesia in laboring women from spinal bupivacaine, clonidine, and sufentanil. IMPLICATIONS: Spinal neostigmine 10 microg as an adjunct to spinal bupivacaine, clonidine, and sufentanil produces severe nausea and fails to potentiate analgesia in laboring women.

Adjuvants, Anesthesia↗
PubMed1998

The dose-response relation of intrathecal fentanyl for labor analgesia.

BACKGROUND: This study determined the dose-response relation of intrathecal fentanyl for labor analgesia and described the onset, duration, and quality of analgesia when used as the sole analgesic. METHODS: Eighty-four parturients in active labor who requested analgesia were randomized to one of seven treatment groups. They received 5-45 microg intrathecal fentanyl as part of a combined spinal-epidural technique. Visual analog pain scores were recorded before and at intervals after injection patients requested additional analgesia. The occurrence and severity of pruritus, nausea, and vomiting were also recorded. Maternal blood pressure was recorded before injection and at intervals after injection. Fetal heart rate was recorded before and 30 min after injection. RESULTS: By 5 min after injection, pain scores were significantly different among groups (P < 0.001). Mean duration of analgesia increased to 89 min as the dose increased to 25 microg. Maternal diastolic blood pressure was significantly lower 10 and 30 min after injection. There was no difference among groups in the incidence of pruritus; nausea and vomiting were uncommon. Fetal heart rates did not change after injection. A dose-response curve indicates that the median effective dose of intrathecal fentanyl for labor analgesia is 14 microg (95% confidence interval, 13-15 microg). CONCLUSIONS: Intrathecal fentanyl produces rapid, profound labor analgesia with minimal side effects. These data indicate that there is little benefit to increasing the dose beyond 25 microg when it is used as the sole agent for intrathecal labor analgesia.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Epidural analgesia during labor and maternal fever.

BACKGROUND: In recent observational studies, epidural analgesia during labor at patient request has been associated with maternal fever. The authors report a secondary analysis of fever in women who were randomized to receive either epidural or patient-controlled intravenous analgesia during labor. METHODS: Maternal tympanic temperature was measured during spontaneous labor in 715 women at term who were randomized to either epidural analgesia with bupivacaine and fentanyl or to patient-controlled intravenous analgesia with meperidine. Intent-to-treat analysis of women with fever (temperature > or = 38.0 degrees C) versus those without was performed using Student t test and Fisher exact test to determine statistical significance (P < 0.05). RESULTS: Epidural analgesia was associated with maternal fever (odds ratio = 4.0; 95% confidence interval = 2.0-7.7), as was nulliparity (odds ratio = 4.1; 95% confidence interval = 1.8-9.1) and labor longer than 12 h (odds ratio = 5.4; 95% confidence interval = 2.9-9.9). These factors were all independent variables for maternal fever when analyzed using logistic regression. CONCLUSIONS: Epidural analgesia is associated with maternal fever. However, nulliparity and dysfunctional labor are also significant cofactors in the fever attributed to epidural analgesia.

Analgesia, Epidural↗
PubMed2005

Chronobiology of subarachnoid fentanyl for labor analgesia.

BACKGROUND: Chronobiology studies the recurrent biologic rhythms that directly affect how an organism interacts with its environment and how its environment affects the organism. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the time of administration influences the analgesic duration of the commonly used subarachnoid fentanyl for labor analgesia. METHODS: After institutional review board approval and informed consent were obtained, 77 healthy nulliparous women in active labor requesting neuraxial analgesia were assigned to one of two groups, based on the time of combined spinal-epidural analgesia placement: the day group, for the time period from 12:00 to 18:00, and the night group, for the period from 20:00 to 02:00. Combined spinal-epidural analgesia was performed with 20 microg subarachnoid fentanyl. An epidural catheter was inserted but not dosed until patients requested further analgesia. Dynamic data were recorded at 5-min intervals for 20 min initially and then every 15 min. The analgesic duration was defined as the time from subarachnoid fentanyl injection to the time the patient requested further analgesia. RESULTS: Seventy evaluable patients completed the study, with 35 per group. Patient demographics, visual analog pain scale scores, and labor characteristics were similar between groups, but the duration (mean +/- SD) for subarachnoid fentanyl labor analgesia was 92 +/- 34 min for the day group and 67 +/- 21 min for the night group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that chronobiology of subarachnoid fentanyl plays a significant role of up to 27% difference in labor analgesic duration between the two administration time periods studied. Chronobiology should be incorporated in future comparative studies or analysis of previous studies on subarachnoid fentanyl.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Prolonged exposure to industrial noise causes hearing loss but not high blood pressure: a study of 2124 factory laborers in Japan.

To determine the role of noise exposure in the etiology of hypertension, a cross-sectional study was performed by measuring the blood pressure of 2124 male laborers working in a noisy factory. The prevalence of hypertension was 10.2% in group I (85-115 dB), 10.9% in group II (less than 85 dB) and 12.5% in group III (office workers). There was no difference in systolic or diastolic blood pressure among the three groups. There were 358, 439 and 71 laborers in groups I, II and III, respectively, all having worked in the same noise area for more than 10 years. Blood pressure was lower 10 years previously in each group, but the degree of increment did not significantly differ among the three groups. The prevalence of hearing loss was 16.5% in group I, which was significantly higher than that in group II (7.5%) and group III (2.8%). Blood pressure of laborers with hearing loss was equal to that of laborers with intact hearing acuity. There was no significant relationship between hearing loss and the prevalence of hypertension. Thus, prolonged exposure to industrial noise contributes to hearing loss. However, elevation of blood pressure was not found in laborers working in a noisy factory. This finding was not consistant with previously reported findings in the rat. An adaptability to prolonged noise in man may account for this discrepancy.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Labor force participation, income, and the use of short-term hospitals by the elderly.

OBJECTIVES: Between 1970 and 1983, the rate at which the elderly were hospitalized grew by more than 40%, whereas the rate of hospitalization for the younger population was fairly stable. Past attempts to explain the different patterns among the young and the old have focused on technology, insurance, health status, and the supply of hospital services. These attempts mostly have been unsuccessful. In this article, the author examines other possible explanations, namely, that the elderly, who experienced a decline in the rate of participation in the labor force and an increase in income over this period, used increases in available time (i.e., nonwork time) and increases in income to seek out and receive greater amounts of health care. METHODS: Using small-area data from the state of North Carolina and using the method of instrumental variables estimation, the author measures the effects of labor force participation and income on the use of short-term hospitals by the elderly. RESULTS: Areas where the elderly have high income and areas where the elderly are less likely to participate in the labor force are areas where the elderly have high rates of hospital use. CONCLUSIONS: The cross-sectional results of this study are consistent with recent labor force participation, income, and hospital-use trends associated with the elderly. The negative relation between hospital use and labor force participation suggests that public policies encouraging work at late ages, such as the scheduled increase in the normal retirement age of Social Security, may lead to a modest dampening of the demand for hospital care among the elderly.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1998

The labor productivity effects of chronic backache in the United States.

OBJECTIVES: Back pain afflicts approximately 31 million Americans, and is the number one cause of activity limitation in young adults. Little is known about the labor productivity costs associated with this chronic disease. Such information could provide useful input to employers considering alternative health benefits plans for managing their employees' health care needs. The goals of this study were to generate employee-level as well as national estimates of the labor productivity losses associated with chronic back ache. METHODS: Multivariate methods were used to isolate the effects of chronic backache on employment status and disability days. These results were combined with information on earnings to generate labor productivity cost estimates associated with chronic backache. The study used data from the National Medical Care Expenditure Survey (NMES), which provides information on health status, health care utilization and cost, work, disability, and sociodemographic characteristics for a nationally representative sample of the noninstitutionalized civilian population of the United States in 1987. RESULTS: Average annual productivity losses per worker due to chronic backache were $1,230 for male workers, measured in 1996 dollars, and $773 per female worker. These figures translated into aggregate annual productivity losses from chronic backache of approximately $28 billion in the United States. CONCLUSION: The labor productivity losses from chronic backache differed by gender and other sociodemographic characteristics. The aggregate labor productivity losses associated with chronic backache were quite large and comparable to estimates of the direct medical costs associated with treating this chronic illness.

Absenteeism↗