Ventilatory support in the intensive care unit

This article focuses on the functional features of positive-pressure ventilators, the modes of invasive and non-invasive mechanical ventilation, and the main ventilator settings. It also highlights the potential complications of mechanical ventilation, the basic principles of weaning, and the pathophysiological basis of patient-ventilator dyssynchrony.     

右美托咪啶与芬太尼联合对ICU 腹部外科术后机械通气患者镇静镇痛的效果比较

目的:探讨右美托咪啶与芬太尼联合在ICU腹部外科术后机械通气患者中的应用效果及对镇静、镇痛作用的影响。方法:选择2018年5月—2019年6月ICU腹部外科术后机械通气患者62例,随机分为对照组(n=31例)和观察组(n=31例)。两组均采用芬太尼持续静脉泵入,对照组采用咪达唑仑镇静镇痛,观察组采用右美托咪啶镇静镇痛,比较两组镇痛镇静效果、镇静剂使用剂量、苏醒及达到镇静所需时间、血流动力学水平及安全性。结果:两组T2、T3时间点VAS评分分别为(2.40±0.31 vs 2.43±0.32和2.01±0.12 vs 2.05±0.15)、Ramsay量表评分分别(3.21±0.35 vs 3.20±0.33和3.01±0.25vs 3.00±0.24)均低于T1时间点(VAS评分2.94±0.69 vs 2.96±0.71;Ramsay量表评分3.57±0.61 vs 3.58±0.62)(P0.05);观察组右美托咪啶联合芬太尼镇痛镇静达到镇静所需时间(34.29±3.56) min长于对照组(23.63±3.21)(t=5.535,P=0.043);观察组镇静剂使用剂量(220.59±15.25)μg、苏醒时间(3.29±0.69)min均少(短)于对照组镇静剂使用剂量(386.44±18.92)μg、苏醒时间(7.56±1.21)min(t=6.294、6.092,P=0.023、0.025);两组T1、T2时间点心率[观察组T1(88.47±9.76)次/min、T2(86.41±9.43)次/min;对照组T1(89.53±10.41)次/min、T2(87.46±9.58)次/min]均高于T0时间点[观察组(78.78±4.35)次/min、对照组(79.12±4.41)次/min](P0.05);观察组T1、T2时间点MVP(79.58±5.71、87.53±6.76)mmHg高于对照组(74.12±4.69、75.26±5.61)mmHg(t=9.613、7.223,P=0.011、0.016);观察组的不良反应发生率为6.45%,与对照组的12.90%差异无统计学意义(χ~2=1.214, P=0.643)。结论:将右美托咪啶联合芬太尼用于ICU腹部外科术后机械通气患者中能获得良好的镇痛、镇静效果,缩短苏醒及达到镇静所需时间,血流动力学相对稳定,药物安全性较高,值得推广应用。     

Is routine extubation overnight safe in cardiac surgery patients?

Objectives

Expedient extubation after cardiac surgery has been associated with improved outcomes, leading to postoperative extubation frequently during overnight hours. However, recent evidence in a mixed medical-surgical intensive care unit population demonstrated worse outcomes with overnight extubation. This study investigated the impact of overnight extubation in a statewide, multicenter Society of Thoracic Surgeons database.

经鼻间歇正压通气防治早产儿呼吸窘迫综合征的临床研究

目的探讨经鼻间歇正压通气(NIPPV)在防治早产儿呼吸窘迫综合征(RDS)中的应用价值。方法选择2017年6月至2018年12月梧州市人民医院RDS早产儿90例,其中男性48例,女性42例;胎龄(29.03±0.58)周;出生体质量(996.91±98.52)g;病程(3.48±0.56)h;临床分级Ⅰ级58例,Ⅱ级32例;Apgar评分(6.85±1.06)分。依据随机数字表分为NIPPV组和持续气道正压通气(NCPAP)组,每组45例。NIPPV组给予NIPPV治疗,NCPAP组给予NCPAP治疗,若两组治疗后不能维持患儿生命体征则使用肺表面活性物质(PS)或行有创机械通气。结果NIPPV组和NCPAP组治疗12、24 h后和治疗结束时动脉血氧分压(PaO2)、氧合指数(OI)明显高于治疗前。NIPPV组治疗12、24 h后PaO2、OI明显高于NCPAP组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。NIPPV组和NCPAP组治疗结束时PaO2、OI比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);NIPPV组PS使用率(22.22%vs 44.44%)、有创通气率(17.78%vs 40.00%)、氧疗时间[(71.42±7.62)h vs(85.62±9.24)h]、有创通气时间[(46.78±5.32)h vs(55.27±6.14)h]、住院时间[(30.42±3.65)d vs(35.62±3.89)d]、并发症率(31.11%vs 53.33%)明显低于NCPAP组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论NIPPV可有效改善RDS早产儿通气功能,有利于减少PS使用、有创通气及并发症,值得临床推广。     

Modern theatre design and usage: do joint replacements need laminar flow?

Since the introduction of laminar flow to theatre systems by Charnley, it has become a necessity in arthroplasty surgery. His initial work in the 1960s and 70s created improvements in terms of reducing overall rates of periprosthetic joint replacement, but it has been hard to ascertain if this stems from the laminar flow itself or improvements in asepsis and the utilization of perioperative antibiotics. The aim of this paper is therefore to establish if laminar flow is still a necessary addition to modern theatre design, particularly in joint replacement surgery, irrespective of other surgical factors. A wide variety of studies were utilized to form an objective analysis of whether laminar flow is essential to asepsis in theatre design. It explores a number of smaller earlier studies and ends with two large trials which provide evidence that laminar flow may in fact have a deleterious effect on the potential for peri-prosthetic joint infection (PJI). The article discusses potential reasons for these findings and seeks to explain them in context of overall asepsis during joint replacement surgery.     

Lipase elevation on admission predicts worse clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19

Background and objectivesHyperlipasemia is highly prevalent among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of lipase activity, measured at the time of admission, on the clinical course and mortality in COVID-19 patients.MethodsThe population of this study comprised 12,139 patients who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 between June 2020 and June 2021 in a pandemic hospital. Of these, 8819 patients were excluded from the study due to missing data, four patients were excluded due to a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis (according to the revised Atlanta criteria), and 72 patients were excluded due to alcohol use or having a history of chronic pancreatitis. The final study sample consisted of the remaining 3244 COVID-19 patients. Laboratory results, intensive care unit (ICU) follow-up periods, the need for mechanical ventilation, and mortality rates were compared between the normal lipase activity and high lipase activity groups.ResultsThere were 968 (29.8%) patients with high lipase activity at the time of admission. The rate of ICU admission was 36.1% vs. 9.9% (p < 0.001), mechanical ventilation requirement rates were 33.7% vs. 8.3% (p < 0.001), and mortality rates were as 24.6% vs. 6.4% (p < 0.001) in the high lipase activity group compared to the normal lipase activity group. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that high lipase activity was an independent factor in predicting mortality in hospitalized COVID-19 patients (odds ratio [OR]: 3.191, p < 0.001).ConclusionElevated lipase activity without acute pancreatitis at the time of admission in COVID-19 patients was determined as an independent predictor of poor prognosis.     

经鼻高流量氧气湿化治疗老年慢性阻塞性肺疾病急性加重合并呼吸衰竭的可行性研究

ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibility of transnasal heated humidified high flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy (HFNC) in the treatment of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) with respiratory failure in elderly patients. MethodsA total of 176 elderly patients with AECOPD complicated with respiratory failure who were hospitalized at Peking University Shougang Hospital from December 2016 to January 2022 were enrolled, including 82 patients in an HFNC group and 94 patients in an NPPV group. After treatment, pulse oxygen saturation (SPO₂), arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO₂), oxygenation index (OI), respiratory rate (RR), heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), comfort score, discharge rate, rate of endotracheal intubation, rate of transfer to intensive care unit (ICU), and mortality were compared between the two groups. The independent sample t-test was used for comparison between the two groups. Statistical data are expressed in percentage or number of cases and the χ² test was used for their comparisons. ResultsThe SPO₂ values at 30 min, 1 h, and 6 h were significantly higher in the HFNC group than in the NPPV group (t=-2.049,-2.618, and -3.314, P=0.043, 0.010, and 0.001, respectively). SPO₂ before discharge was significantly lower than that of the NPPV group (t=2.162, P=0.033), but OI at each time point and before discharge had no statistical significance (P＞0.05). MAP at 6 h was significantly higher in the HFNC group than in the NPPV group (t=-2.209, P=0.029), but within the normal range. HRs at 2 h and 3 h in the HFNC group were significantly higher than those of the NPPV group (t=-2.199 and -2.336, P=0.030 and 0.021, respectively). There were no significant differences in RR, HR, or MAP between the two groups at other time points and before discharge (P＞0.05). There was no significant difference in PaCO2 between the two groups (P＞0.05). Comfort score in the HFNC group was significantly higher than that of the NPPV group (t=-46.807, P＜0.001). There were no significant differences in discharge rate, ICU transfer rate, endotracheal intubation rate, and mortality between the two groups (P＞0.05). ConclusionHFNC is as effective as NPPV in treating elderly patients with AECOPD complicated with type Ⅰ or mild type Ⅱ respiratory failure, and HFNC is more comfortable than NPPV.     

Could non-HDL-cholesterol be a better marker of atherogenic dyslipidemia in obstructive sleep apnea?

Background/objectiveObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is independently associated with dyslipidemia, a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol is accepted as a major independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol is a better marker of atherogenic dyslipidemia and recommended as a target of lipid lowering therapy. We aimed to assess the prevalence of atherogenic dyslipidemia, and relationship between OSA severity and serum LDL-cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol levels in OSA patients.MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated treatment naïve 2361 subjects admitted to the sleep laboratory of a university hospital for polysomnography. All subjects’ lipid profile including total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and non-HDL-cholesterol were measured.ResultsOut of 2361 patients (mean age 49.6 ± 11.9 years; 68.9% male, apnea-hypopnea index 36.6 ± 28.4/h), 185 (7.8%) had no OSA and 2176 (92.2%) had OSA. Atherogenic dyslipidemia prevalence was high (57–66%) in OSA patients, and especially increased in severe OSA compared to other groups (p < 0.05). Though total and LDL-cholesterol did not differ between those with and without OSA, non-HDL-cholesterol (p = 0.020), and triglycerides (p = 0.001) were higher and HDL-cholesterol levels (p = 0.018) were lower in OSA patients than non-OSA. Non-HDL-cholesterol was significantly correlated with OSA severity (p < 0.001) and hypoxia parameters (p < 0.01), whereas LDL-cholesterol showed no correlation.ConclusionsAtherogenic dyslipidemia is highly prevalent and non-HDL-cholesterol levels are significantly increased, predominantly in severe OSA patients. Non-HDL-cholesterol but not LDL-cholesterol, is significantly correlated with OSA severity and hypoxia parameters. Therefore, it could be better to use non-HDL-cholesterol, which is a guideline recommended target of lipid therapy, as a marker of atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk in OSA patients.