Respiratory care
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Currently, >20 million people in the United States have asthma, and approximately 15 million adults have been diagnosed with COPD, with approximately the same number not yet having been diagnosed with this condition. Moreover, the overall burden of respiratory diseases is still increasing, in part due to environmental factors, such as air pollution. At the same time, the number of patients requiring hospitalization as well as the number of individuals admitted to ICUs from emergency departments has been on the rise over the last decade. ⋯ However, due to increasing scrutiny of health-care expenditures and limited resources, there is a growing need to document the impact of health-care providers in terms of clinical outcomes. As a profession, RTs should continue to describe the impact they have on patient outcomes and the value they bring to our health-care system. Promoting such investigative outcomes research, along with enhancing the professional aspects of the field of respiratory care, will ensure that the value of RTs does not go unappreciated.
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Observational Study
Role of Integrated Pulmonary Index in Identifying Extubation Failure.
The integrated pulmonary index (IPI) utilizes an algorithm based on the measurement of end-tidal carbon dioxide, breathing frequency, heart rate, and oxygen saturation to provide an assessment of the patient's ventilatory status. This clinical trial was designed to determine whether lower IPI values were associated with extubation failure. ⋯ Declining IPI measurements postextubation are predictive of extubation failure. Further clinical trials are needed to assess the role of IPI in guiding interventions in extubated patients.
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Review
The Use of Speaking Valves in Children With Tracheostomy Tubes: What is the Scope of the Literature?
One-way speaking valves have been successfully used to restore audible meaningful speech in adult patients after tracheostomy tube placement. One-way speaking valves have also been used in pediatric patients after tracheostomy tube placement with promising results. We conducted a scoping review to synthesize and summarize the current evidence on the use of one-way tracheostomy tube speaking valves in the pediatric population to identify knowledge gaps that could inform future research programs and facilitate evidence-based clinical decision making. ⋯ Eligibility criteria for trials of speaking valves were inconsistent across all studies and included a combination of clinical assessment coupled with published indications. Much of the literature has focused on tolerance/successful use of speaking valves in children with a tracheostomy with limited evidence on its impact on verbal communication. Current evidence on the use of speaking valves in children with a tracheostomy, its indication, and its impact on verbal communication is inadequate, mandating further research in this area.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Impact of a Noninvasive Ventilation Protocol in Hospitalized Children With Acute Respiratory Failure.
Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) has proven to be useful in the management of children with acute respiratory failure as a result of acute lower respiratory infection. Despite this, evidence addressing the initiation and/or discontinuation criteria of NIV in children remains limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the usefulness and clinical impact of an NIV protocol in hospitalized children with acute respiratory failure because of acute lower respiratory infection. ⋯ We observed that the implementation of an NIV management protocol that integrates initiation and discontinuation criteria for NIV is feasible. However, its use showed no advantages over a non-protocolized strategy.