Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Feb 2018
Meta AnalysisPrevention of Ventilator-Associated and Early Postoperative Pneumonia Through Tapered Endotracheal Tube Cuffs: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Microaspiration of subglottic secretions is considered a major pathogenic mechanism of hospital-acquired pneumonia, either early postoperative or ventilator-associated pneumonia. Tapered endotracheal tube cuffs have been proposed to provide a better seal of the extraluminal airway, thereby preventing microaspiration and possibly hospital-acquired pneumonia. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the value of endotracheal tubes with tapered cuffs in the prevention of hospital-acquired pneumonia. ⋯ Application of tapered endotracheal tube cuffs did not reduce hospital-acquired pneumonia incidence among ICU and postoperative patients. Further research should examine the impact of concomitant use of tapered cuffs with continuous cuff pressure monitoring and subglottic secretion drainage.
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Critical care medicine · Feb 2018
Meta Analysis Comparative StudyAssociation of Driving Pressure With Mortality Among Ventilated Patients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
A recent post hoc analysis suggested that driving pressure may be more important than traditional ventilatory variables in determining outcome in mechanically ventilated patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the risk of mortality for higher versus lower driving pressure. ⋯ Our study confirmed an association between higher driving pressure and higher mortality in mechanically ventilated patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. These findings suggest a possible range of driving pressure to be evaluated in clinical trials. Future research is needed to ascertain the benefit of ventilatory strategies targeting driving pressure in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.
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Critical care medicine · Feb 2018
Meta Analysis Comparative StudyShould Transfusion Trigger Thresholds Differ for Critical Care Versus Perioperative Patients? A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials.
To address the significant uncertainty as to whether transfusion thresholds for critical care versus surgical patients should differ. ⋯ The safety of restrictive transfusion strategies likely differs for critically ill patients versus perioperative patients. Further trials investigating transfusion strategies in the perioperative setting are necessary.
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Critical care medicine · Feb 2018
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyPredictors of Intubation in Patients With Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure Treated With a Noninvasive Oxygenation Strategy.
In patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, noninvasive ventilation and high-flow nasal cannula oxygen are alternative strategies to conventional oxygen therapy. Endotracheal intubation is frequently needed in these patients with a risk of delay, and early predictors of failure may help clinicians to decide early. We aimed to identify factors associated with intubation in patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure treated with different noninvasive oxygenation techniques. ⋯ In patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure breathing spontaneously, the respiratory rate was a predictor of intubation under standard oxygen, but not under high-flow nasal cannula oxygen or noninvasive ventilation. A PaO2/FIO2 below 200 mm Hg and a high tidal volume greater than 9 mL/kg were the two strong predictors of intubation under noninvasive ventilation.
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Critical care medicine · Feb 2018
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyTemperature Variability in a Modern Targeted Temperature Management Trial.
The Eurotherm3235 trial showed that therapeutic hypothermia was deleterious in patients with raised intracranial pressure following traumatic brain injury. We sought to ascertain if increased temperature variability within the first 48 hours, or for 7 days post randomization, were modifiable risk factors associated with poorer outcome. ⋯ When targeting normothermia, temperature variability may be a statistically significant variable in an ordinal analysis adjusted for baseline covariates.