The investigators induced muscle paralysis in patients with the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) by administering a neuromuscular blocking agent, cisatracurium besylate. As compared with ...placebo, cisatracurium resulted in a lower adjusted 90-day mortality without more severe sequelae of neuromuscular blockade.
The acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is characterized by hypoxemic respiratory failure; it affects both medical and surgical patients.
1
Despite rigorous physiological management,
2
in most studies, ARDS has been fatal in 40 to 60% of patients.
3
–
7
Neuromuscular blocking agents are used in a large but highly variable proportion of patients with ARDS.
8
–
12
Current guidelines indicate that neuromuscular blocking agents are appropriate for facilitating mechanical ventilation when sedation alone is inadequate, most notably in patients with severe gas-exchange impairments.
10
In a four-center randomized, controlled trial of gas exchange in 56 patients with ARDS,
13
infusion of a neuromuscular blocking agent . . .
Purpose
To investigate whether neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA) exert beneficial effects in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) by reason of their action on respiratory mechanics, ...particularly transpulmonary pressures (
P
L
).
Methods
A prospective randomised controlled study in patients with moderate to severe ARDS within 48 h of the onset of ARDS. All patients were monitored by means of an oesophageal catheter and followed up for 48 h. Moderate ARDS patients were randomised into two groups according to whether they were given a 48-h continuous infusion of cisatracurium besylate or not (control group). Severe ARDS patients did not undergo randomisation and all received cisatracurium besylate per protocol. The changes during the 48-h study period in oxygenation and in respiratory mechanics, including inspiratory and expiratory
P
L
and driving pressure, were assessed and compared. Delta
P
L
(∆
P
L
) was defined as inspiratory
P
L
minus expiratory
P
L
.
Results
Thirty patients were included, 24 with moderate ARDS and 6 with severe ARDS. NMBA infusion was associated with an improvement in oxygenation in both moderate and severe ARDS, accompanied by a decrease in both plateau pressure and total positive end-expiratory pressure. The mean inspiratory and expiratory
P
L
were higher in the moderate ARDS group receiving NMBA than in the control group. In contrast, there was no change in either driving pressure or ∆
P
L
related to NMBA administration.
Conclusions
NMBA could exert beneficial effects in patients with moderate ARDS, at least in part, by limiting expiratory efforts.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
The French Society of Intensive Care Medicine (SRLF), jointly with the French-Speaking Group of Paediatric Emergency Rooms and Intensive Care Units (GFRUP) and the French-Speaking Association of ...Paediatric Surgical Intensivists (ADARPEF), worked out guidelines for the management of central venous catheters (CVC), arterial catheters and dialysis catheters in intensive care unit.
For adult patients
: Using GRADE methodology, 36 recommendations for an improved catheter management were produced by the 22 experts. Recommendations regarding catheter-related infections’ prevention included the preferential use of subclavian central vein (GRADE 1), a one-step skin disinfection(GRADE 1) using 2% chlorhexidine (CHG)-alcohol (GRADE 1), and the implementation of a quality of care improvement program. Antiseptic- or antibiotic-impregnated CVC should likely not be used (GRADE 2, for children and adults). Catheter dressings should likely not be changed before the 7th day, except when the dressing gets detached, soiled or impregnated with blood (GRADE 2− adults). CHG dressings should likely be used (GRADE 2+). For adults and children, ultrasound guidance should be used to reduce mechanical complications in case of internal jugular access (GRADE 1), subclavian access (Grade 2) and femoral venous, arterial radial and femoral access (Expert opinion). For children, an ultrasound-guided supraclavicular approach of the brachiocephalic vein was recommended to reduce the number of attempts for cannulation and mechanical complications. Based on scarce publications on diagnostic and therapeutic strategies and on their experience (expert opinion), the panel proposed definitions, and therapeutic strategies.
Background
Exposure to air pollutants promotes inflammation, cancer, and mortality in chronic diseases. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a common condition among intensive care unit ...patients and is associated with a high mortality rate. ARDS is characterized by significant lung inflammation, which can be replicated in animal models by acute exposure to high doses of various air pollutants. Recently, several clinical studies have been conducted in different countries to investigate the role of chronic or acute air pollutant exposure in enhancing both ARDS incidence and severity.
Results
Chronic exposure studies have mainly been conducted in the US and France. The results of these studies suggest that some air pollutants, notably ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter, increase susceptibility to ARDS and associated mortality. Furthermore, their impact may differ according to the cause of ARDS. A cohort study conducted in an urbanized zone in China showed that exposure to very high levels of air pollutants in the few days preceding intensive care unit admission was associated with an increased incidence of ARDS. The effects of acute exposure are more debatable regarding ARDS incidence and severity.
Conclusion
There is a likely relationship between air pollutant exposure and ARDS incidence and severity. However, further studies are required to determine which pollutants are the most involved and which patients are the most affected. Due to the prevalence of ARDS, air pollutant exposure may have a significant impact and could be a key public health issue.
Ultra-lung-protective ventilation may be useful during veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (vv-ECMO) for severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) to minimize ventilator-induced ...lung injury and to facilitate lung recovery. The objective was to compare pulmonary and systemic biotrauma evaluated by numerous biomarkers of inflammation, epithelial, endothelial injuries, and lung repair according to two ventilator strategies on vv-ECMO.
This is a prospective randomized controlled study. Patients were randomized to receive during 48 h either ultra-lung-protective ventilation combining very low tidal volume (1-2 mL/kg of predicted body weight), low respiratory rate (5-10 cycles per minute), positive expiratory transpulmonary pressure, and 16 h of prone position or lung-protective-ventilation which followed the ECMO arm of the EOLIA trial (control group).
The primary outcome was the alveolar concentrations of interleukin-1-beta, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, surfactant protein D, and blood concentrations of serum advanced glycation end products and angiopoietin-2 48 h after randomization. Enrollment was stopped for futility after the inclusion of 39 patients. Tidal volume, respiratory rate, minute ventilation, plateau pressure, and mechanical power were significantly lower in the ultra-lung-protective group. None of the concentrations of the pre-specified biomarkers differed between the two groups 48 h after randomization. However, a trend to higher 60-day mortality was observed in the ultra-lung-protective group compared to the control group (45 vs 17%, p = 0.06).
Despite a significant reduction in the mechanical power, ultra-lung-protective ventilation during 48 h did not reduce biotrauma in patients with vv-ECMO-supported ARDS. The impact of this ventilation strategy on clinical outcomes warrants further investigation. Trial registration Clinical trial registered with www.
gov ( NCT03918603 ). Registered 17 April 2019.
The optimal treatment duration for ventilator-associated pneumonia is based on one study dealing with late-onset of the condition. Shortening the length of antibiotic treatment remains a major ...prevention factor for the emergence of multiresistant bacteria.
To demonstrate that 2 different antibiotic treatment durations (8 versus 15 days) are equivalent in terms of clinical cure for early-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia.
Randomized, prospective, open, multicenter trial carried out from 1998 to 2002.
The primary endpoint was the clinical cure rate at day 21. The mortality rate was evaluated on days 21 and 90.
225 patients were included in 13 centers. 191 (84.9%) patients were cured: 92 out of 109 (84.4%) in the 15 day cohort and 99 out of 116 (85.3%) in the 8 day cohort (difference = 0.9%, odds ratio = 0.929). 95% two-sided confidence intervals for difference and odds ratio were -8.4% to 10.3% and 0.448 to 1.928 respectively. Taking into account the limits of equivalence (10% for difference and 2.25 for odds ratio), the objective of demonstrative equivalence between the 2 treatment durations was fulfilled. Although the rate of secondary infection was greater in the 8 day than the 15 day cohort, the number of days of antibiotic treatment remained lower in the 8 day cohort. There was no difference in mortality rate between the 2 groups on days 21 and 90.
Our results suggest that an 8-day course of antibiotic therapy is safe for early-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia in intubated patients.
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01559753.
Full text
Available for:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV) are common viruses that can affect critically ill patients who are not immunocompromised. The aim of this study was to determine whether the ...identification of CMV and/or HSV in mechanically ventilated critically ill patients suspected of having pneumonia was associated with an increased mortality.
Prospective epidemiological study.
Medical intensive care unit of a tertiary medical center.
Ninety-three patients with suspected pneumonia.
Patients with suspected pneumonia had bronchoalveolar lavage and blood samples taken to confirm the diagnosis. Antigenemia was used to detect CMV in the blood. Bronchoalveolar lavage samples were submitted to testing using quantitative real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction.
We identified 22 patients with a CMV infection, 26 patients with an HSV infection and 45 patients without CMV or HSV infection (control group). Mortality at day 60 was higher in patients with a CMV infection than in patients from the control group (55% vs. 20%, P<0.01). Mortality at day 60 was not significantly increased in the group with HSV infection. Duration of ICU stay and ICU mortality were significantly higher in patients with CMV infections when compared to patients from the control group, whereas ventilator free days were significantly lower in patients with CMV infections when compared to patients from the control group.
In critically ill patients, a CMV infection is associated with an increased mortality. Further interventional studies are needed to evaluate whether treatment could improve the prognosis.
Full text
Available for:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) may contribute to the mortality associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We aimed to determine the incidence, outcome, and risk factors of ...bacterial VAP complicating severe ARDS in patients ventilated by using a strictly standardized lung-protective strategy.
This prospective epidemiologic study was done in all the 339 patients with severe ARDS included in a multicenter randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind trial of cisatracurium besylate in severe ARDS patients. Patients with suspected VAP underwent bronchoalveolar lavage to confirm the diagnosis.
Ninety-eight (28.9%) patients had at least one episode of microbiologically documented bacterial VAP, including 41 (41.8%) who died in the ICU, compared with 74 (30.7%) of the 241 patients without VAP (P = 0.05). After adjustment, age and severity at baseline, but not VAP, were associated with ICU death. Cisatracurium besylate therapy within 2 days of ARDS onset decreased the risk of ICU death. Factors independently associated with an increased risk to develop a VAP were male sex and worse admission Glasgow Coma Scale score. Tracheostomy, enteral nutrition, and the use of a subglottic secretion-drainage device were protective.
In patients with severe ARDS receiving lung-protective ventilation, VAP was associated with an increased crude ICU mortality which did not remain significant after adjustment.
Background
Before the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in France, undocumented migrants had a higher risk than general population for being admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) ...because of acute respiratory failure or severe infection. Specific data concerning the impact of COVID-19 on undocumented migrants in France are lacking. We aimed to analyze the mortality and respiratory severity of COVID-19 in this specific population.
We retrospectively included all undocumented adult migrants admitted in French ICUs from March 2020 through April 2021 using the French nationwide hospital information system (Programme de Médicalisation des Systèmes d’Information). We focused on admissions related to COVID-19. Undocumented migrants were compared to the general population, first in crude analysis, then after matching on age, severity and main comorbidities. The primary outcome was the ICU mortality from COVID-19. Secondary objectives were the incidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), the need for mechanical ventilation (MV), the duration of MV, ICU and hospital stay.
Results
During the study period, the rate of ICU admission among patients hospitalized for COVID-19 was higher for undocumented migrants than for general population (463/1627 (28.5%) vs. 81 813/344 001 (23.8%);
p
< 0.001). Although ICU mortality was comparable after matching (14.3% for general population vs. 13.3% for undocumented migrants;
p
= 0.50), the incidence of ARDS was higher among undocumented migrants (odds ratio, confidence interval (OR (CI)) 1.25 (1.06–1.48);
p
= 0.01). Undocumented migrants needed more frequently invasive MV (OR (CI) 1.2 (1.01–1.42);
p
= 0.04 than general population. There were no differences between groups concerning duration of MV, ICU and hospital length of stay.
Conclusion
During the first waves of COVID-19 in France, undocumented migrants had a mortality similar to the general population but a higher risk for ICU admission and for developing an ARDS. These results highlight the need for reinforcing prevention and improving primary healthcare access for people in irregular situation.
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