Respiratory care
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The purposes of this study were to verify the correlation between chest expansion and lung function within a larger sample of subjects composed of both healthy subjects and subjects affected by pulmonary disease, and to verify the influence of age, body mass index, and gender on chest expansion. ⋯ Based on these results, one cannot validate the use of chest expansion measurement to define lung function. In centers that have easy access to more precise and complete methods to measure lung function, the measurement of chest expansion for diagnostic purposes seems to be archaic. Additionally, age and body mass index are 2 parameters that can influence chest expansion.
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It has been proposed that neuromuscular or functional electrical stimulation may have effects on respiratory muscles through its systemic effects, similar to those produced by exercise training. However, its impact on the duration of invasive mechanical ventilation has not been adequately defined. We sought to evaluate the effect of neuromuscular or functional electrical stimulation on the duration of invasive mechanical ventilation in critically ill subjects. ⋯ Neuromuscular or functional electrical stimulation may slightly reduce the duration of invasive mechanical ventilation; we are uncertain whether these results are found in subjects with COPD compared to subjects receiving usual care or placebo, and the quality of the body of evidence is low to very low. More RCTs are needed with a larger number of subjects, with more homogeneous diseases and basal conditions, and especially with a more adequate methodological design.
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Multicenter Study
Ventilation Management and Outcomes for Subjects With Neuromuscular Disorders Admitted to ICUs With Acute Respiratory Failure.
Patients with neuromuscular disorders (NMD) share the risk of acute respiratory failure (ARF) leading to ICU admissions. Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is often proposed as an alternative to invasive ventilation. This study describes clinical features, ventilation management, and outcomes of subjects with NMD admitted to ICU and managed for ARF. ⋯ The ICU mortality of NMD subjects with ARF was low, with no impact of bulbar muscles involvement. NIV was proposed for approximately half of the subjects, and it was more effective when ARF was not attributed to bulbar musculature involvement. The long-term outcome was good.
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The ratio of dead space to tidal volume (VD/VT) is associated with mortality in patients with ARDS. Corrected minute ventilation ([Formula: see text]) is a simple surrogate of dead space, but, despite its increasing use, its association with mortality has not been proven. The aim of our study was to assess the association between [Formula: see text] and hospital mortality. We also compared the strength of this association with that of estimated VD/VT and ventilatory ratio. ⋯ [Formula: see text] was independently associated with hospital mortality in subjects with ARDS caused by COVID-19. [Formula: see text] could be used at the patient's bedside for outcome prediction and severity stratification, due to the simplicity of its calculation. These findings need to be confirmed in subjects with ARDS without viral pneumonia and when lung-protective mechanical ventilation is not rigorously applied.
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Clinical alarms play an important role in monitoring physiological parameters, vital signs and medical device function in the hospital intensive care environment. Delays in staff response to alarms are well documented as health care providers become desensitized to increased rates of nuisance alarms. Patients can be at increased risk of harm due to alarm fatigue. Current literature suggests alarms from ventilators contribute significantly to nonactionable alarms. A greater understanding of which specific ventilator alarms are most common and the rates at which they occur is fundamental to improving alarm management. ⋯ The cause and proportion of alarms varied by ventilator and care unit. High-priority alarms were most common with the Avea and medium-priority alarms for the Servo-i. The overall combined ventilator alarm prevalence rate was 22.5 alarms per ventilator-day per patient.