Respiratory care
-
Case Reports
Ventilation-Induced Massive Lethal Air Embolism and Subcutaneous Emphysema in a Patient With a Lung Cavern.
The simultaneous occurrence of subcutaneous emphysema and intravascular air due to an air embolism is a rare condition. Here, we report a patient with COPD who developed a severe episode of hemoptysis due to rupture of a previously undiagnosed lung cavern. ⋯ The dramatic amount of intravenous air and subsequent conduction along the venous system to the right heart and pulmonary trunk caused major hemodynamic compromise and ultimately death. The degree of subcutaneous emphysema, especially the massive venous air embolism, was unprecedented.
-
Although noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is increasingly used in general wards, limited information exists about its ability to provide effective ventilation in this setting. We aim to evaluate NIV delivered in the ward by assessing (1) overall time of application and occurrence of adverse events and (2) differences between daytime and nighttime NIV application. ⋯ In selected subjects with hypercapnic acute respiratory failure not fulfilling criteria for ICU admission, the application of NIV in the ward is feasible; in addition, NIV can be safely administered overnight.
-
Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is critically associated with cardiovascular mortality and morbidity, especially in patients with heart failure (HF). However, the majority of SDB patients remain undiagnosed. In contrast, abnormality in heart rate variability has been reported in patients with SDB. To explore an efficient electrocardiogram (ECG)-based screening tool for SDB, we examined the usefulness of cyclic variation in heart rate score (CVHRS) by Holter ECG in subjects with HF. ⋯ CVHRS determined by Holter ECG is a useful screening index for severe SDB in subjects with HF.
-
Patients with kyphoscoliosis and severe respiratory impairment frequently experience reduction in exercise tolerance, limitation in daily life activities, and deterioration in health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) as an add-on treatment to long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) was shown to improve symptoms and HRQOL in these patients. Pulmonary rehabilitation can increase exercise capacity and HRQOL in patients with COPD, but its role in patients with restrictive thoracic disease, such as kyphoscoliosis, is uncertain. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of combining pulmonary rehabilitation with LTOT and NIV treatments on arterial blood gases and the 6-min walk test (6MWT) in a homogeneous group of subjects with kyphoscoliosis. ⋯ A combined intervention including a tailored pulmonary rehabilitation program together with LTOT and NIV seems to be of short-term benefit in subjects with kyphoscoliosis and severe respiratory impairment.
-
The effect of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) on the EuroQol Group's 5-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D) in COPD has been poorly investigated. In addition, conflicting results were reported about the visual analog scale component of EQ-5D (EQ-VAS). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the responsiveness of EQ-VAS to PR and its relationship with clinical and functional parameters in subjects with COPD, as well as to define the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) estimate for the EQ-VAS after PR. ⋯ Our study shows that, in in-patients with stable moderate-to-severe COPD, EQ-VAS is a valid and reliable tool to assess the responsiveness to PR, with an estimated MCID of 8 points. The EQ-VAS can be a practical alternative to more time-consuming measures of health-related quality of life.