Intensive care unit (ICU)- and mechanical ventilation (MV)-acquired limb muscle and diaphragm dysfunction may both be associated with longer length of stay and worse outcome. Whether they are two ...aspects of the same entity or have a different prevalence and prognostic impact remains unclear.
To quantify the prevalence and coexistence of these two forms of ICU-acquired weakness and their impact on outcome.
In patients undergoing a first spontaneous breathing trial after at least 24 hours of MV, diaphragm dysfunction was evaluated using twitch tracheal pressure in response to bilateral anterior magnetic phrenic nerve stimulation (a pressure <11 cm H
O defined dysfunction) and ultrasonography (thickening fraction TFdi and excursion). Limb muscle weakness was defined as a Medical Research Council (MRC) score less than 48.
Seventy-six patients were assessed at their first spontaneous breathing trial: 63% had diaphragm dysfunction, 34% had limb muscle weakness, and 21% had both. There was a significant but weak correlation between MRC score and twitch pressure (ρ = 0.26; P = 0.03) and TFdi (ρ = 0.28; P = 0.01), respectively. Low twitch pressure (odds ratio, 0.60; 95% confidence interval, 0.45-0.79; P < 0.001) and TFdi (odds ratio, 0.84; 95% confidence interval, 0.76-0.92; P < 0.001) were independently associated with weaning failure, but the MRC score was not. Diaphragm dysfunction was associated with higher ICU and hospital mortality, and limb muscle weakness was associated with longer duration of MV and hospital stay.
Diaphragm dysfunction is twice as frequent as limb muscle weakness and has a direct negative impact on weaning outcome. The two types of muscle weakness have only limited overlap.
Breathlessness that persists despite treatment for the underlying conditions is debilitating. Identifying this discrete entity as a clinical syndrome should raise awareness amongst patients, ...clinicians, service providers, researchers and research funders.Using the Delphi method, questions and statements were generated
expert group consultations and one-to-one interviews (n=17). These were subsequently circulated in three survey rounds (n=34, n=25, n=31) to an extended international group from various settings (clinical and laboratory; hospital, hospice and community) and working within the basic sciences and clinical specialties. The
target agreement for each question was 70%. Findings were discussed at a multinational workshop.The agreed term, chronic breathlessness syndrome, was defined as breathlessness that persists despite optimal treatment of the underlying pathophysiology and that results in disability. A stated duration was not needed for "chronic". Key terms for French and German translation were also discussed and the need for further consensus recognised, especially with regard to cultural and linguistic interpretation.We propose criteria for chronic breathlessness syndrome. Recognition is an important first step to address the therapeutic nihilism that has pervaded this neglected symptom and could empower patients and caregivers, improve clinical care, focus research, and encourage wider uptake of available and emerging evidence-based interventions.
Assessing respiratory mechanics and muscle function is critical for both clinical practice and research purposes. Several methodological developments over the past two decades have enhanced our ...understanding of respiratory muscle function and responses to interventions across the spectrum of health and disease. They are especially useful in diagnosing, phenotyping and assessing treatment efficacy in patients with respiratory symptoms and neuromuscular diseases. Considerable research has been undertaken over the past 17 years, since the publication of the previous American Thoracic Society (ATS)/European Respiratory Society (ERS) statement on respiratory muscle testing in 2002. Key advances have been made in the field of mechanics of breathing, respiratory muscle neurophysiology (electromyography, electroencephalography and transcranial magnetic stimulation) and on respiratory muscle imaging (ultrasound, optoelectronic plethysmography and structured light plethysmography). Accordingly, this ERS task force reviewed the field of respiratory muscle testing in health and disease, with particular reference to data obtained since the previous ATS/ERS statement. It summarises the most recent scientific and methodological developments regarding respiratory mechanics and respiratory muscle assessment by addressing the validity, precision, reproducibility, prognostic value and responsiveness to interventions of various methods. A particular emphasis is placed on assessment during exercise, which is a useful condition to stress the respiratory system.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can cause severe pneumonia requiring invasive mechanical ventilation 1, in the context of atypical acute respiratory distress syndrome ...(ARDS) 2. The magnitude of the epidemic places an unprecedented pressure on intensive care units (ICUs), making avoidance of intubation a critical issue.
COVID-19 pneumonia can be life-threatening. Given the unprecedented burden placed on ICU resources by the epidemic, avoiding intubation is a major issue. This study suggests that CPAP can achieve this objective.
https://bit.ly/2X4Q8Zj
Diaphragmatic insults occurring during intensive care unit (ICU) stays have become the focus of intense research. However, diaphragmatic abnormalities at the initial phase of critical illness remain ...poorly documented in humans.
To determine the incidence, risk factors, and prognostic impact of diaphragmatic impairment on ICU admission.
Prospective, 6-month, observational cohort study in two ICUs. Mechanically ventilated patients were studied within 24 hours after intubation (Day 1) and 48 hours later (Day 3). Seventeen anesthetized intubated control anesthesia patients were also studied. The diaphragm was assessed by twitch tracheal pressure in response to bilateral anterior magnetic phrenic nerve stimulation (Ptr,stim).
Eighty-five consecutive patients aged 62 (54-75) (median interquartile range) were evaluated (medical admission, 79%; Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, 54 44-68). On Day 1, Ptr,stim was 8.2 (5.9-12.3) cm H2O and 64% of patients had Ptr,stim less than 11 cm H2O. Independent predictors of low Ptr,stim were sepsis (linear regression coefficient, -3.74; standard error, 1.16; P = 0.002) and Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (linear regression coefficient, -0.07; standard error, 1.69; P = 0.03). Compared with nonsurvivors, ICU survivors had higher Ptr,stim (9.7 6.3-13.8 vs. 7.3 5.5-9.7 cm H2O; P = 0.004). This was also true for hospital survivors versus nonsurvivors (9.7 6.3-13.5 vs. 7.8 5.5-10.1 cm H2O; P = 0.004). Day 1 and Day 3 Ptr,stim were similar.
A reduced capacity of the diaphragm to produce inspiratory pressure (diaphragm dysfunction) is frequent on ICU admission. It is associated with sepsis and disease severity, suggesting that it may represent another form of organ failure. It is associated with a poor prognosis. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 00786526).
Poor sleep is common in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, where environmental factors contribute to reduce and fragment sleep. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of earplugs and ...eye mask on sleep architecture in ICU patients.
A single-center randomized controlled trial of 64 ICU patients was conducted from July 2012 to December 2013. Patients were randomly assigned to sleep with or without earplugs and an eye mask from inclusion until ICU discharge. Polysomnography was performed on the first day and night following inclusion. The primary outcome was the proportion of stage N3 sleep over total sleep time. Secondary outcomes were other descriptors of sleep and major outcome variables.
In the intervention group, nine (30%) patients did not wear earplugs all night long. The proportion of N3 sleep was 21 7-28% in the intervention group and 11 3-23% in the control group (p = 0.09). The duration of N3 sleep was higher among the patients in the intervention group who wore earplugs all night long than in the control group (74 32-106 vs. 31 7-76 minutes, p = 0.039). The number of prolonged awakenings was smaller in the intervention group (21 19-26 vs. 31 21-47 in the control group, p = 0.02). No significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of clinical outcome variables.
Earplugs and eye mask reduce long awakenings and increase N3 duration when they are well tolerated.
ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02292134 . Registered on 21 Nov 2013.
In ICU patients, dyspnea is one of the most prominent and distressing symptom. We sought to summarize current data on the prevalence and prognostic influence of dyspnea in the ICU setting and to ...provide concise and useful information for dyspnea detection and management.
As opposed to pain, dyspnea has been a neglected symptom with regard to detection and management. Many factors contribute to the pathogenesis of dyspnea. Among them, ventilator settings seem to play a major role. Dyspnea affects half of mechanically ventilated patient and causes immediate intense suffering median dyspnea visual analog scale of 5 (4-7). In addition, it is associated with delayed extubation and with an increased risk of intubation and mortality in those receiving noninvasive ventilation. However, one-third of critically ill patients are noncommunicative, and therefore, at high risk of misdiagnosis. Heteroevaluation scales based on physical and behavioral signs of respiratory discomfort are reliable and promising alternatives to self-report.
Dyspnea is frequent and severe in critically ill patients. Implementation of observational scale will help physicians to access to noncommunicative patient's respiratory suffering and tailor its treatment. Further studies on the prognostic impact and management strategies are needed.
After a fortuitous observation of two cases of chemosensitivity recovery in women with congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) who took desogestrel, we aimed to evaluate the ventilatory ...response to hypercapnia of five CCHS patients with or without treatment consisting of desogestrel (DESO) or levonorgestrel (LEVO). Only two patients became responsive to hypercapnia under treatment, according to their basal vagal heart rate variability. These results suggest that heart rate variability may be promising tool to discriminate patients susceptible to become responsive to hypercapnia under DESO-LEVO treatment.Clinical Trials Identifier NCT01243697.
Full text
Available for:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Diaphragmatic function is a major determinant of the ability to successfully wean patients from mechanical ventilation (MV). Paradoxically, MV itself results in a rapid loss of diaphragmatic strength ...in animals. However, very little is known about the time course or mechanistic basis for such a phenomenon in humans.
To determine in a prospective fashion the time course for development of diaphragmatic weakness during MV; and the relationship between MV duration and diaphragmatic injury or atrophy, and the status of candidate cellular pathways implicated in these phenomena.
Airway occlusion pressure (TwPtr) generated by the diaphragm during phrenic nerve stimulation was measured in short-term (0.5 h; n = 6) and long-term (>5 d; n = 6) MV groups. Diaphragmatic biopsies obtained during thoracic surgery (MV for 2-3 h; n = 10) and from brain-dead organ donors (MV for 24-249 h; n = 15) were analyzed for ultrastructural injury, atrophy, and expression of proteolysis-related proteins (ubiquitin, nuclear factor-κB, and calpains).
TwPtr decreased progressively during MV, with a mean reduction of 32 ± 6% after 6 days. Longer periods of MV were associated with significantly greater ultrastructural fiber injury (26.2 ± 4.8 vs. 4.7 ± 0.6% area), decreased cross-sectional area of muscle fibers (1,904 ± 220 vs. 3,100 ± 329 μm²), an increase of ubiquitinated proteins (+19%), higher expression of p65 nuclear factor-κB (+77%), and greater levels of the calcium-activated proteases calpain-1, -2, and -3 (+104%, +432%, and +266%, respectively) in the diaphragm.
Diaphragmatic weakness, injury, and atrophy occur rapidly in critically ill patients during MV, and are significantly correlated with the duration of ventilator support.
Background
Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are exposed to many sources of discomfort. Although increasing attention is being given to the detection and treatment of pain, very little is given to ...the detection and treatment of dyspnea (defined as “breathing discomfort”).
Methods
Published information on the prevalence, mechanisms, and potential negative impacts of dyspnea in mechanically ventilated patients are reviewed. The most appropriate tools to detect and quantify dyspnea in ICU patients are also assessed.
Results/Conclusions
Growing evidence suggests that dyspnea is a frequent issue in mechanically ventilated ICU patients, is highly associated with anxiety and pain, and is improved in many patients by altering the ventilator settings.
Conclusions
Future studies are needed to better delineate the impact of dyspnea in the ICU and to define diagnostic, monitoring and therapeutic protocols.
Full text
Available for:
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
PDF
