Respiratory care
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Observational Study
ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME OUTCOMES IN NON-RESEARCH SUBJECTS ASSESSED BY GENERALIZED PROSPECTIVE TRIAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND ADHERANCE TO LUNG-PROTECTIVE VENTILATION.
ARDS mortality is lower among subjects participating in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) compared to subjects in observational studies. Excluding potential subjects with inordinately high mortality risk is necessary to prevent masking the impact of potentially effective treatments. We inquired whether observed mortality differed between RCT-eligible and RCT-ineligible subjects managed with varying degrees of lung-protective ventilation in a non-research setting. ⋯ Mortality in non-research, RCT-eligible subjects was substantially lower compared to RCT-ineligible subjects. Managing non-research patients with ARDS by keeping plateau pressure ≤ 30 cm H2O and formal use of a lung-protective ventilation protocol significantly reduces mortality risk.
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High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen therapy has been broadly used. However, no consensus has been achieved on the practical implementation of HFNC and how to provide aerosol delivery during HFNC therapy in adult patients. ⋯ The clinical utilization of HFNC was variable, as were indications, flow settings, and criteria for adjustment. Many practices associated with concomitant aerosol therapy were not consistent with available evidence for optimal use. More efforts are warranted to close the knowledge gap.
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Body mass index (BMI) can be an important indicator for health outcomes among critically ill patients. However, the association between BMI and ventilator dependence at ICU discharge among these patients remains unknown. We aimed to evaluate the association between BMI at ICU admission and ventilator dependence at the time of ICU discharge. As secondary outcomes, we used ICU mortality, hospital mortality, and implementation of tracheostomy during ICU stay. ⋯ Critically ill underweight subjects had a higher risk of ventilator dependence at ICU discharge compared to normal-weight subjects, even after adjusting for potential confounders and inter-ICU variance. The association between BMI and ventilator dependence should be examined using information on subjects' nutritional status and frailty in further studies.
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ARDS in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is characterized by microcirculatory alterations in the pulmonary vascular bed, which could increase dead-space ventilation more than in non-COVID-19 ARDS. We aimed to establish if dead-space ventilation is different in patients with COVID-19 ARDS when compared with patients with non-COVID-19 ARDS. ⋯ Indirect measurements of dead space were higher in subjects with COVID-19 ARDS compared with subjects with non-COVID-19 ARDS. The best compliance of the respiratory system was similar in both ARDS forms provided that different PEEPs were applied. A wide range of compliance is present in every ARDS type; therefore, the setting of mechanical ventilation should be individualized patient by patient and not based on the etiology of ARDS.
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Observational Study
Measuring Adherence to Long-Term Noninvasive Ventilation.
Obtaining benefits from long-term noninvasive ventilation (NIV) relies on achieving adequate adherence to treatment. Reported adherence to NIV is variable and could be influenced by high-volume users and attrition of nonusers and those who die. This observational study aimed to describe patterns of use and adherence rates in new unselected users of NIV. ⋯ Average daily usage may conceal true prevalence of adherence or nonadherence to NIV within a population. Reporting both average daily use data and categorical adherence rates (using a threshold of 4 h/d) may improve transparency of reported outcomes from clinical trials and identifies a therapeutic target for home mechanical ventilation services for quality improvement.