Current opinion in critical care
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Curr Opin Crit Care · Feb 2025
ReviewHow to protect the diaphragm and the lung with diaphragm neurostimulation.
In the current review, we aim to highlight the evolving evidence on using diaphragm neurostimulation to develop lung and diaphragm protective mechanical ventilation. ⋯ Scientific interest in temporary diaphragm neurostimulation has dramatically evolved in the last few years. Despite a solid physiological rationale and promising preliminary findings confirming a beneficial effect on the diaphragm and lungs, more studies and further technological advances will be needed to establish optimal standardized settings and lead to clinical implementation and improved outcomes.
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Curr Opin Crit Care · Feb 2025
ReviewHow to prevent and how to treat dyspnea in critically ill patients undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation.
To summarize current data regarding the prevalence, risk factors, consequences, assessment and treatment of dyspnea in critically ill patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation. ⋯ As opposed to pain, dyspnea has often been overlooked in terms of detection and management, resulting in its significant underestimation in daily practice. When it is diagnosed, dyspnea can be relieved through straightforward interventions, such as adjusting ventilator settings. Assessing dyspnea in patients undergoing invasive mechanically ventilated may be challenging, especially in noncommunicative patients (RRBS). Implementing a systematic dyspnea assessment in routine, akin to pain, could serve as a first step to reduce RRBS and prevent potential severe psychological consequences. In addition to pharmacological treatments like opioids, a promising approach is to modulate both the sensory (air on the face, trigeminal nerve stimulation) and the affective (relaxing music, hypnosis, directed empathy) components of dyspnea.
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This narrative review discusses the mechanisms connecting gut dysbiosis to adverse clinical outcomes in critically ill patients and explores potential therapeutic strategies. ⋯ The microbiota plays an important role in shaping outcomes for critically ill patients. According to evidence, alterations in the gut and lung microbiota are associated with disease severity, mortality, and overall patient recovery. Evolving research opens possibilities for personalized medicine by tailoring treatments based on individual microbiota profiles, though clinical applications are still developing.