Articles: respiratory-distress-syndrome.
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Despite more than 25 years of extensive research, the mortality of ARDS patients remains high. The inflammatory process within the lung and the associated gas exchange disturbances require an aggressive ventilatory regimen, which itself may harm the lung. Therapeutic measures which are used to reduce iatrogenic damage to the lung are pressure controlled mechanical ventilation in combination with PEEP and permissive hypercapnia, dehydration and extracorporeal gas exchange. ⋯ In ARDS, inhalation of NO may cause a predominantly selective vasodilation in blood vessels of ventilated lung regions, resulting in an increase in PaO2 and a decrease in pulmonary artery pressure. The effect of NO on the pulmonary vasculature also induces a reduction in right ventricular afterload and also in pulmonary capillary pressure, which may lead to a faster resolution of pulmonary edema. However, in spite of the promising results of these new strategies, further studies are needed to evaluate their influence on morbidity and mortality.
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Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in trauma victims carries a mortality on the order of 50%. An early feature is an increased capillary permeability causing an extravasation of plasma proteins and water, leading to interstitial edema. In the kidney, the increase in microvascular permeability is manifested as increased albumin excretion detectable by sensitive immunoassay. ⋯ These data indicate that the capillary leak associated with the subsequent development of pulmonary dysfunction and ARDS can be detected within 8 hours of admission at the patient's bedside, thus providing a means of early identification of patients at greatest risk and allowing for early intervention.
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Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ADRS) is a severe, life-threatening consequence of certain pulmonary and systemic insults. It is thought to result from a dramatic change in the permeability of the alveolar-capillary membrane, allowing the movement of fluid and proteins into alveolar air spaces. ⋯ However, the poor compliance of the ARDS-affected lung can greatly increase the risk of ventilator induced lung injury. This has led to a concern that traditional ventilation strategies may in fact be perpetuating the very conditions they attempt to compensate for.
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Pediatric pulmonology · Jun 1997
Clinical TrialExperience with intubated patients does not affect the accidental extubation rate in pediatric intensive care units and intensive care nurseries.
Accidental extubation is a potentially serious event for pediatric or neonatal patients with respiratory failure, especially in clinical settings in which personnel capable of performing reintubation may not be readily available. Thus the rate of accidental extubation in small intensive care units that operate without 24-hour in-house physician availability may be an important quality assurance indicator. The objective of this study were to determine the accidental extubation rate at a single small pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and compare it with published reports. ⋯ The dependence of the observed accidental extubation rate on unit size and institutional experience with intubated patients, as measured by the average number of intubated patients, was examined. We found no evidence that the accidental extubation rate is higher in smaller units or units with less institutional experience. Low rates can be achieved in small units with low acuity.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Jun 1997
Delayed derecruitment after removal of PEEP in patients with acute lung injury.
A step decrease in positive end-expiratory airway pressure (PEEP) is not followed by an instantaneous loss of the PEEP-induced increase in end-expiratory lung volume (EELV). Rather, the reduction of EELV is delayed, while adverse PEEP effects on hemodynamics are immediately attenuated upon the drop in airway pressure. Step PEEP increments were applied to the lungs of patients with acute lung injury. It was investigated retrospectively whether enlargement of end-expiratory lung volume and changes in lung mechanics persist 45 min after removal of the PEEP increment. ⋯ A subgroup of patients with acute lung injury, the characteristics of which remain to be defined, benefit from prolonged recruitment effects up to 45 min after removal of a PEEP increment, while sequelae of continuously increased airway pressures are minimised.