Annals of the American Thoracic Society
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Rationale: The care of critically ill patients often involves complex discussions surrounding prognosis, goals, and end-of-life decision-making. Yet, physician and hospital practice patterns, rather than patient goals, remain a major determinant of the intensity of end-of-life care. For critically ill patients, palliative care may help promote treatments that are concordant with patients' goals, while minimizing the use of invasive and costly intensive care unit resources that may not be consistent with those goals. ⋯ S. dollars [USD]; difference, -7,100 USD; 95% CI, -8.5 to -5.2 thousand USD; P < 0.001), and lower daily hospital cost (5,900 vs. 6,200 USD; difference, -310 USD per day; 95% CI, -420 to -200 USD; P < 0.001) when compared with no palliative care. Conclusions: In a nationally representative sample of adults who died during a hospitalization with septic shock, receipt of palliative care was associated with shorter length of stay and lower total and daily hospital costs. This finding was robust to adjustment for patient- and hospital-level confounders, though unmeasured confounders still could be affecting these findings.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Hospitalization and Critical Care of 109 Decedents with COVID-19 Pneumonia in Wuhan, China.
Rationale: The current outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pneumonia caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Wuhan, China, spreads across national and international borders. The overall death rate of COVID-19 pneumonia in the Chinese population was 4%. Objectives: To describe the process of hospitalization and critical care of patients who died of COVID-19 pneumonia. ⋯ Conclusions: Mortality due to COVID-19 pneumonia was concentrated in patients above the age of 65 years, especially those with major comorbidities. Patients who were admitted to the ICU lived longer than those who were not. Our findings should aid in the recognition and clinical management of such infections, especially with regard to ICU resource allocation.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Effect of Zephyr Endobronchial Valves on Dyspnea, Activity Levels, and Quality of Life at One Year. Results from a Randomized Clinical Trial.
Rationale: Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction with Zephyr Valves improves lung function, exercise tolerance, and quality of life of patients with hyperinflated emphysema and little to no collateral ventilation. Objectives: Post hoc analysis of patient-reported outcomes (PROs), including multidimensional measures of dyspnea, activity, and quality of life, in the LIBERATE (Lung Function Improvement after Bronchoscopic Lung Volume Reduction with Pulmonx Endobronchial Valves used in Treatment of Emphysema) study are reported. Methods: A total of 190 patients with severe heterogeneous emphysema and little to no collateral ventilation in the target lobe were randomized 2:1 to the Zephyr Valve or standard of care. ⋯ Improvements correlated with changes in residual volume and residual volume/TLC ratio. Conclusions: Patients with severe hyperinflated emphysema achieving lung volume reductions with Zephyr Valves experience improvements in multidimensional scores for breathlessness, activity, and psychosocial parameters out to at least 12 months. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01796392).