Respiratory care
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Parenteral nutrition is indicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) when dysphagia, loss of appetite, and difficulty protecting the airways cause malnutrition, severe weight loss, dehydration, and increased risk of aspiration pneumonia. The aim of this review is to compare percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG), radiologically inserted G-tube (RIG), and percutaneous radiologic gastrostomy (PRG) in patients with ALS, performed with or without noninvasive ventilation (NIV). We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), the EBSCO Online Research Database, and Scopus up to December 2015. ⋯ Thus, the use of NIV during the implementation of these procedures, especially when used at full ventilatory support settings of pressure preset 18-25 cm H2O, can support alveolar ventilation before, during, and after the procedures and prevent respiratory complications. The procedures investigated appear equivalent, but the methodological quality of the studies could be improved. Possible benefits with regard to nutrition parameters, quality of life, and psychological features need to be further investigated.
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Parenteral nutrition is indicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) when dysphagia, loss of appetite, and difficulty protecting the airways cause malnutrition, severe weight loss, dehydration, and increased risk of aspiration pneumonia. The aim of this review is to compare percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG), radiologically inserted G-tube (RIG), and percutaneous radiologic gastrostomy (PRG) in patients with ALS, performed with or without noninvasive ventilation (NIV). We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), the EBSCO Online Research Database, and Scopus up to December 2015. ⋯ Thus, the use of NIV during the implementation of these procedures, especially when used at full ventilatory support settings of pressure preset 18-25 cm H2O, can support alveolar ventilation before, during, and after the procedures and prevent respiratory complications. The procedures investigated appear equivalent, but the methodological quality of the studies could be improved. Possible benefits with regard to nutrition parameters, quality of life, and psychological features need to be further investigated.
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The use of controlled mechanical ventilation results in a major reduction of diaphragmatic contractile force together with atrophy of diaphragm muscle fibers, which is a condition known as ventilator-induced diaphragmatic dysfunction. Ventilator-induced diaphragmatic dysfunction is one of the major contributors to weaning difficulties and even increased mortality. This review summarizes the current data on the pathogenesis and diagnosis of ventilator-induced diaphragmatic dysfunction, and it outlines the use of ultrasonography for diaphragm evaluation. In addition, current pharmacologic agents used to mitigate ventilator-induced diaphragmatic dysfunction are described, with a particular emphasis on the therapeutic potential of theophylline in patients with ventilator-induced diaphragmatic dysfunction-associated weaning difficulties.