Respiratory care
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The investigation of hospital air quality has been conducted in wards, ICUs, operating theaters, and public areas. Few studies have assessed air quality in respiratory care centers (RCCs), especially in mechanically ventilated patients with open suctioning. ⋯ RCC air quality deserves long-term monitoring and evaluation. Health-care workers must implement self-protection strategies during open suctioning to ensure their occupational health and safety in health-care settings.
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The impulse oscillometry system (IOS) is increasingly used to evaluate lung function, but individual results must be compared with appropriate reference values. We aimed to obtain such reference values in Mexican children and adolescents. ⋯ In this study, we generated reference equations for each IOS variable in healthy children and adolescents. Although these equations were generated in a Mexican population, they are probably also applicable in other Latin American populations with the same ethnic background.
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Editorial Comment
The Complexity of Interpreting Plateau Pressure in ARDS.
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Editorial
Analysis of Radial Artery Catheter Placement by Respiratory Therapists Using Ultrasound Guidance.
The use of ultrasound (US) guidance for radial artery cannulation has been shown to improve first attempt success rate, reduce time to successful cannulation, and reduce complications. We sought to determine whether properly trained respiratory therapists (RTs) could utilize US guidance for the placement of radial artery catheters. Primary outcome measurements were successful cannulation and first attempt success rate. Secondary outcomes included the effect of systolic blood pressure, prior attempts, palpable pulse strength, and gender in relation to US-guided radial artery cannulation success rates. ⋯ RTs can effectively utilize US technology to place radial artery catheters. Systolic blood pressure, prior attempts, and gender are not reliable predictors of success for US-guided radial artery cannulation. Training on the use of US should be strongly encouraged for all practitioners who place radial artery catheters.