Respiratory care
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Multicenter Study
Respiratory Therapist Intubation Practice in Pediatric ICUs: A Multicenter Registry Study.
Tracheal intubation by respiratory therapists (RTs) is a well-established practice that has been described primarily in adult and neonatal patients. However, minimal data exist regarding RTs' intubation performance in pediatric ICUs. The purpose of this study was to describe the current landscape of intubations performed by RTs in pediatric ICUs. ⋯ RTs infrequently intubate in pediatric ICUs, with success rates similar to other providers but higher adverse event rates. RTs were more likely to use video laryngoscopy than other providers. RTs' intubation participation, success, and adverse event rates varied greatly across pediatric ICUs.
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Editorial Comment
Innovation in Aerosol Drug Delivery During Adult Mechanical Ventilation.
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Several algorithms exist to facilitate spirometric interpretation in clinical practice, yet there is a lack of consensus on how spirometric criteria for asthma, COPD, and restrictive disorders should be incorporated into spirometry interpretation algorithms suitable for use in day-to-day primary care management. The purpose of this review was to identify and describe the variability that exists among spirometry interpretation algorithms and how this might be relevant to the interpretation of spirometric data of common conditions encountered in primary care. ⋯ Of the 26 spirometry interpretation algorithms identified, 5 were deemed impractical for day-to-day use in primary care (19%), 23 lacked a logic string leading to the postbronchodilator FEV1/FVC (88%), 4 relied on postbronchodilator change in FEV1 to distinguish between asthma and COPD (15%), 24 lacked a prompt for bronchodilator challenge when FEV1/FVC was considered to be at a normal level (92%), 12 did not indicate whether the data represented a prebronchodilator or postbronchodilator scenario (46%), 7 did not include a logic string that considers mixed obstructive/restrictive defect (27%), 23 did not contain a prompt to refer for methacholine challenge testing when spirometry appeared normal (88%), and 2 spirometry interpretation algorithms did not include a logic string leading to restrictive disorder (8%). Our review suggests that there is considerable variability among spirometry interpretation algorithms available as diagnostic aids and that there is a need for standardization of spirometry interpretation algorithms in primary care.
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Some patients with acute heart failure (AHF) who are treated initially with noninvasive ventilation (NIV) will require endotracheal intubation, which indicates NIV failure. The incidence and prognosis of NIV failure in patients with AHF are not well characterized. ⋯ Intubation after initial NIV treatment was required in 1.5% of subjects hospitalized with AHF and treated with NIV, and was associated with high in-hospital mortality. These findings can guide future prospective interventional trials and quality improvement ventures.
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Little is known to what extent attitudes of ICU clinicians are influenced by new insights and recommendations to be more conservative with oxygen therapy. Our aim was to investigate whether implementation of a conservative oxygenation guideline structurally changed self-reported attitudes and actual clinical practice. ⋯ Implementing a conservative oxygenation guideline was an effective method that changed self-reported attitudes and actual clinical practice and improved adherence to conservative oxygenation targets in a short period of time.