Respiratory care
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During the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, many respiratory therapies were classified as aerosol-generating procedures. This categorization resulted in a broad range of clinical concerns and a shortage of essential medical resources for some patients. In the past 2 years, many studies have assessed the transmission risk posed by various respiratory care procedures. These studies are discussed in this narrative review, with recommendations for mitigating transmission risk based on the current evidence.
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Observational Study
Variation in Use of High-Flow Nasal Cannula and Noninvasive Ventilation Among Patients With COVID-19.
The use of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) and noninvasive ventilation (NIV) for hypoxemic respiratory failure secondary to COVID-19 are recommended by critical-care guidelines; however, apprehension about viral particle aerosolization and patient self-inflicted lung injury may have limited use. We aimed to describe hospital variation in the use and clinical outcomes of HFNC and NIV for the management of COVID-19. ⋯ Hospital variation in the use of HFNC and NIV for acute respiratory failure secondary to COVID-19 was great but was not associated with intubation or mortality. The wide variation and relatively low use of HFNC/NIV observed within our study signaled that implementation of increased HFNC/NIV use in patients with COVID-19 will require changes to current care delivery practices. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration NCT04323787.).
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It remains unknown if pediatric patients failing initial noninvasive ventilation (NIV) experience worse clinical outcomes than those successfully treated with NIV or those primarily intubated. ⋯ We demonstrated that critically ill pediatric subjects unsuccessfully trialed on NIV did not experience increased ICU length of stay or fewer ventilator-free days when compared to those on invasive mechanical ventilation alone, including in the pediatric ARDS subgroup. Our findings are predicated on a median time to intubation of < 2 h in the NIV failure group and the provision of adequate monitoring while on NIV.
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Methacholine challenge testing (MCT) is a common bronchoprovocation technique used to assess airway hyper-responsiveness. We previously demonstrated that the addition of a viral filter to the nebulizer exhalation limb substantially reduced expelled particles during MCT. Our aim was to evaluate whether this modification affects the delivered dose of methacholine. ⋯ The addition of a viral filter to the nebulizer exhalation limb did not affect methacholine dose during bronchoprovocation testing. Routine use of a viral filter should be considered to improve pulmonary function technician safety and infection control measures during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
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Observational Study
Specialized Weaning Unit in the Trajectory of SARS-CoV-2 ARDS: Influence of Limb Muscle Strength on Decannulation and Rehabilitation.
Patients with ARDS due to COVID-19 may require tracheostomy and transfer to a weaning center. To date, data on the outcome of these patients are scarce. The objectives of this study were to determine the factors associated with time to decannulation and limb-muscle strength recovery. ⋯ MRC score at weaning center admission predicted both early decannulation and limb-muscle strength recovery.