Weight-adjusted caffeine and β-blocker use in novice versus senior retina surgeons: a self-controlled study of simulated performance

Marina Roizenblatt, Peter Louis Gehlbach, Vinicius da Silveira Saraiva, Mauricio Hiroshi Nakanami, Luciana da Cruz Noia, Sung Eun Song Watanabe, Erika Sayuri Yasaki, Renato Magalhães Passos, Octaviano Magalhães Junior, Rodrigo Antonio Brant Fernandes, Francisco Rosa Stefanini, Rafael Caiado, Kim Jiramongkolchai, Mitchell Wolf, Michel Eid Farah, Rubens Belfort Junior, Mauricio Maia

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Tremor and expertise are potentially influenced variables in vitreoretinal surgery. We investigated whether surgeon experience impacts the association of microsurgical performance with caffeine and β-blockers weight-adjusted intake. Subjects/Methods: Novice and senior surgeons (<2 and >10 practice years, respectively) were recruited in this self-controlled, cross-sectional study. A simulator’s task sequence was repeated over 2 days, 30 min after the following exposures: day 1, placebo, 2.5 mg/kg caffeine, 5.0 mg/kg caffeine, and 0.6 mg/kg propranolol; and day 2, placebo, 0.2 mg/kg propranolol, 0.6 mg/kg propranolol, and 5.0 mg/kg caffeine. Outcomes were total score (0–700, worst-best), simulation time (minutes), intraocular trajectory (centimeters), and tremor-specific score (0–100, worst-best). Results: We recruited 15 novices (9 men [60%], 1.33 ± 0.49 practice years) and 11 seniors (8 men [72.7%], 16.00 ± 4.24 practice years). Novices performed worse after 2.5 mg/kg caffeine and improved following 0.2 mg/kg propranolol in total score (557 vs. 617, p = 0.009), trajectory (229.86 vs. 208.07, p = 0.048), time (14.9 vs. 12.7, p = 0.048), and tremor-score (55 vs. 75, p = 0.009). Surgical performance improved with propranolol post-caffeine but remained worse than 0.2 mg/kg propranolol in total score (570 vs. 617, p = 0.014), trajectory (226.59 vs. 208.07, p = 0.033), and tremor-score (50 vs. 75, p = 0.029). Seniors’ tremor-score was lower after 2.5 mg/kg caffeine compared to 0.2 mg/kg propranolol (8 vs. 37, p = 0.015). Tremor-score following propranolol post-caffeine remained inferior to 0.6 mg/kg propranolol alone (17 vs. 38, p = 0.012). Conclusion: While caffeine and propranolol were associated with performance changes among novices, only tremor was affected in seniors, without dexterity changes. The pharmacologic exposure impact on surgical dexterity seems to be offset by increased experience.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2909-2914
Number of pages6
JournalEye (Basingstoke)
Volume37
Issue number14
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2023

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Sensory Systems
  • Ophthalmology

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