Respiratory care
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Protocol-driven therapy has been successful in managing patients with asthma on pediatric wards, but there is wide variability in ICU-level management that is often provider-dependent. This study aimed to determine if a standardized protocol for critical asthma treatment could improve clinical outcomes. ⋯ Implementation of an asthma protocol in the pediatric ICU did not result in significant improvements in time on continuous albuterol or hospital and pediatric ICU LOS, likely due to low adherence to the protocol. However, in subjects who did adhere to the protocol there were significant reductions in the outcome measures.
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Diaphragmatic respiratory effort during mechanical ventilation is an important determinant of patient outcome, but direct measurement of diaphragmatic contractility requires specialized instrumentation and technical expertise. We sought to determine whether routinely collected clinical variables can predict diaphragmatic contractility and stratify the risk of diaphragm atrophy. ⋯ Diaphragmatic contractility and the risk of diaphragm atrophy could not be reliably determined from routinely collected clinical variables and ventilator settings. A single measurement of diaphragm thickening fraction measured within 48 h of initiating mechanical ventilation can be used to stratify the risk of diaphragm atrophy during mechanical ventilation.
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High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) has gained widespread use for acute hypoxemic respiratory failure on the basis of recent publications that demonstrated fewer intubations and perhaps lower mortality in certain situations. However, a subset of patients initiated on HFNC for respiratory failure ultimately do require intubation. Our goal was to identify patient-level features predictive of this outcome. ⋯ A negative fluid balance while on HFNC discriminated well between those who required intubation versus those who were successfully weaned.
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The ratio of dead space to tidal volume (VD/VT) is a clinically relevant parameter in ARDS; it has been shown to predict mortality, and it determines the extent to which extracorporeal CO2 removal reduces tidal volume (VT) and driving pressure (ΔP). VD/VT can be estimated with volumetric capnography, but empirical formulas using demographic and physiological information have been proposed to estimate VD/VT without the need of additional equipment. It is unknown whether estimated and measured VD/VT produce similar estimates of the predicted effect of extracorporeal CO2 removal on ΔP. ⋯ VD/VT and VD,est/VT showed low levels of agreement and cannot be used interchangeably in clinical practice. Nevertheless, the predicted decrease in ΔP due to extracorporeal CO2 removal was similar when computed from either estimated or measured VDalv/VT.
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Treatments for ARDS that improve patient outcomes include use of lung-protective ventilation, prone ventilation, and conservative fluid management. Implementation of ARDS protocols via educational programs might improve adherence and outcomes. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of an ARDS protocol implementation on outcomes and adherence with ARDS guidelines. ⋯ ARDS protocol implementation was associated with improved survival and rate of adherence.