BACKGROUND This study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with cancer requiring nonpalliative ventilatory support. METHODS This was a secondary analysis ...of a prospective cohort study conducted in 28 Brazilian ICUs evaluating adult patients with cancer requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (MV) or noninvasive ventilation (NIV) during the first 48 h of their ICU stay. We used logistic regression to identify the variables associated with hospital mortality. RESULTS Of 717 patients, 263 (37%) (solid tumors = 227; hematologic malignancies = 36) received ventilatory support. NIV was initially used in 85 patients (32%), and 178 (68%) received MV. Additionally, NIV followed by MV occurred in 45 patients (53%). Hospital mortality rates were 67% in all patients, 40% in patients receiving NIV only, 69% when NIV was followed by MV, and 73% in patients receiving MV only ( P < .001). Adjusting for the type of admission, newly diagnosed malignancy (OR, 3.59; 95% CI, 1.28-10.10), recurrent or progressive malignancy (OR, 3.67; 95% CI, 1.25-10.81), tumoral airway involvement (OR, 4.04; 95% CI, 1.30-12.56), performance status (PS) 2 to 4 (OR, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.24-4.59), NIV followed by MV (OR, 3.00; 95% CI, 1.09-8.18), MV as initial ventilatory strategy (OR, 3.53; 95% CI, 1.45-8.60), and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (each point except the respiratory domain) (OR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.03-1.29) were associated with hospital mortality. Hospital survival in patients with good PS and nonprogressive malignancy and without tumoral airway involvement was 53%. Conversely, patients with poor functional capacity and cancer progression had unfavorable outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Patients with cancer with good PS and nonprogressive disease requiring ventilatory support should receive full intensive care, because one-half of these patients survive. On the other hand, provision of palliative care should be considered the main goal for patients with poor PS and progressive underlying malignancy.
To evaluate the effect of the intraoperative use of hydroxyethyl starch on the need for blood products in the perioperative period of oncologic surgery. The secondary end-points included the need for ...other blood products, the clotting profile, the intensive care unit mortality and length of stay.
Retrospective observational analysis in a tertiary oncologic ICU in Brazil including 894 patients submitted to oncologic surgery for a two-year period from September 2007. Patients were grouped according to whether hydroxyethyl starch was used during surgery (hydroxyethyl starch and No-hydroxyethyl starch groups) and compared using a propensity score analysis. A total of 385 propensity-matched patients remained in the analysis (97 in the No-hydroxyethyl starch group and 288 in the hydroxyethyl starch group).
A higher percentage of patients in the hydroxyethyl starch group required red blood cell transfusion during surgery (26% vs. 14%; p = 0.016) and in the first 24 hours after surgery (5% vs. 0%; p = 0.015) but not in the 24- to 48-hour period after the procedure. There was no difference regarding the transfusion of other blood products, intensive care unit mortality or length of stay.
Hydroxyethyl starch use in the intraoperative period of major oncologic surgery is associated with an increase in red blood cell transfusions. There are no differences in the need for other blood products, intensive care unit length of stay or mortality.
Abstract Purpose During the mechanical ventilation weaning process, the spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) is the confirmatory test of patients' capability to breathe unassisted. However, the SBT ...interobserver agreement rate (its reliability) is unknown, and our objective was to evaluate it. Materials and Methods This is a prospective, multicentric and observational study. Patients were included when the SBT criteria were fulfilled. Two physicians and 2 respiratory therapists (RTs) rated each SBT. The SBT interobserver agreement was measured using κ statistic and also the percentage of agreement with its 95% credible interval (CrI) calculated by a Bayesian inference. Results Ninety-three distinct physicians and 91 distinct RTs rated 130 SBTs. The κ coefficient was 0.46 for physicians and 0.57 for RT, indicating a moderate interobserver agreement rate. The percentage of agreement was 87.7% between physicians (95% CrI, 81.0%-92.3%) and 86.2% between RT (95% CrI, 79.2%-91.1%). The physicians' and RT' percentage of agreement were not statistically different ( P = .71). Conclusions The SBT interobserver agreement rate is only moderate for physicians and RT. The percentage of agreement between 2 different SBT observers is 79.2% to 92.3%. Therefore, a relevant percentage of patients will have different extubation decisions depending on the SBT observer.
Diaphragm ultrasound (DUS) has been used to identify diaphragm dysfunction. However, its correlations with respiratory strength and lung function are unclear, even in healthy patients. A total of 64 ...healthy patients (30 males) had lung function and inspiratory strength (maximal inspiratory pressure and sniff nasal inspiratory pressure) measured. Gastric and oesophageal pressures were measured in a subgroup (n = 40). DUS was characterized by mobility (quiet breathing QB and deep breathing DB) and thickness (at functional residual capacity Th
and total lung capacity Th
). We calculated the thickening fraction (TF). During QB, DUS was similar between sexes. However, during DB, females had lower mobility, thickness and TF than males. Mobility at DB, Th
and TF significantly correlated with lung function and inspiratory strength. These correlations were affected by sex. DUS correlated with inspiratory gastric pressure. In healthy patients, DUS correlated with lung function and inspiratory strength during DB. Significant differences between genders were noticeable when DUS was performed during DB.
Delirium risk factors are related to the patients' acute and chronic clinical condition, treatment, and environment. The environmental risk factors are essentially determined by the ICU architectural ...design. Although there are countless architectural variations among the ICUs, all can be classified as single- or multibed rooms. Our objectives were to compare the ICU delirium prevalence and characteristics (coma/delirium-free days, first day in delirium, and delirium motoric subtypes) of critically ill patients admitted in single- or multibed rooms.
Retrospective.
ICU of a teaching oncologic hospital with 31 beds. Twenty-three beds distributed in one multibed room with 13 beds and other with 10 beds. Eight beds distributed in single-bed rooms.
All adult patients admitted from February to November 2011.
None.
We evaluated 1,587 patients and included 1,253 patients. Patients' characteristics at ICU admission and their outcomes along the ICU stay were not different between patients admitted in single- or multibed rooms. One hundred sixty-three patients (13.0%) had delirium, and the prevalence was significantly lower in patients admitted in single-bed rooms (6.8% × 15.1%; p < 0.01). This lower prevalence occurred in patients admitted due to a medical (11.0% × 25.6%; p < 0.01) or postoperative (5.0% × 11.4%; p < 0.01) reason. However, the coma/delirium-free days, the first day in delirium, and the delirium motoric subtypes were not different between the single- and multibed rooms. The risk factors associated with delirium were admission in multibed rooms (odds ratio, 4.03; 95% CI, 2.13-7.62), older age, ICU-acquired infection, and higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3 and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score.
Critically ill patients admitted in single-bed rooms have a lower prevalence of delirium than those admitted in multibed rooms. However, coma/delirium-free days, first day in delirium, and motoric subtypes were not different.
Invasive mechanical ventilation is associated with complications, and its abbreviation is desirable. The imbalance between increased workload, decreased inspiratory muscle strength and endurance is ...an important determinant of ventilator dependence. Low endurance may be present due to respiratory muscle atrophy, critical illness, or steroid use. Specific inspiratory muscle training may increase or preserve endurance. The objective of the study was to test the hypothesis that inspiratory muscle training from the beginning of mechanical ventilation would abbreviate the weaning duration and decrease reintubation rate. As a secondary objective, we described the evolution of inspiratory muscle strength with and without inspiratory muscle training.
Prospective, randomized clinical trial in an adult clinical-surgical intensive care unit. Twelve patients trained the inspiratory muscles twice a day, and 13 patients did not (control). Training was performed adjusting the sensitivity of the ventilator based on the maximal inspiratory pressure. Patients underwent daily surveillance of the maximal inspiratory pressure.
The weaning duration (31 ± 22 hr, control and 23 ± 11 hr, training group; P = .24) and reintubation rate (5 control and 3 training group; P = .39) were not statistically different. The maximal inspiratory pressure of the control group showed a trend toward a modest increase. In contrast, the training group showed a small decrease (P = .34).
In acute critically ill patients, inspiratory muscle training from the beginning of mechanical ventilation neither abbreviated the weaning duration, nor decreased the reintubation rate. Inspiratory muscle strength tended to stay constant, along the mechanical ventilation, with or without this specific inspiratory muscle training.
A ventilação mecânica invasiva é associada a complicações, portanto sua abreviação é desejada. O desbalanço entre o aumento da carga sobre os músculos inspiratórios, a diminuição da força e a resistência muscular é determinante na dependência da ventilação. A baixa resistência muscular pode ser causada por atrofia muscular, pela doença grave ou pelo uso de corticoesteróides. O treinamento da musculatura inspiratória pode aumentar ou preservar a resistência. O objetivo principal do estudo foi testar a hipótese que o treinamento da musculatura inspiratória desde o início da ventilação iria abreviar o desmame da ventilação e diminuir a taxa de reintubação. Como objetivo secundário descrevemos a evolução da pressão inspiratória máxima com e sem treinamento da musculatura inspiratória.
Estudo prospectivo e aleatorizado em unidade de tratamento intensivo Clínico-Cirúrgica. Doze pacientes treinaram a musculatura inspiratória duas vezes ao dia e treze não treinaram (controle). O treinamento foi realizado ajustando a sensibilidade do ventilador, baseando-se na pressão inspiratória máxima. Os pacientes tiveram sua pressão inspiratória máxima verificada diariamente.
A duração do desmame (31 ± 22 controle e 23 ± 11 horas grupo treinamento; p=0.24) não foi estatisticamente diferente. A pressão inspiratória máxima do grupo controle teve leve tendência ao aumento, enquanto o grupo treinamento teve leve tendência à diminuição.
Em pacientes graves, o treinamento da musculatura inspiratória desde o início da ventilação mecânica não abreviou o desmame, nem diminuiu a reintubação. A pressão inspiratória máxima tendeu a manter-se constante ao longo da ventilação mecânica, com ou sem o treinamento inspiratório aplicado.