Impact of spontaneous breathing during mechanical ventilation in acute respiratory distress syndrome

Airway Occlusion Pressure and P0.1 to Estimate Inspiratory Effort and Respiratory Drive in Ventilated Children

OBJECTIVE

To compare the level of agreement between proximal (near the subject) and distal (inside the ventilator) measured airway occlusion pressure at 100 ms (P0.1) and occlusion pressure (Δ Pocc ), and to study the correlation between Δ Pocc and peak-to-trough esophageal pressure (Δ Pes ).

DESIGN

Secondary analysis of prospectively collected physiology dataset (2021-2022).

SETTING

Medical-surgical 20-bed PICU.

PATIENTS

Children younger than 18 years with and without acute lung injury ventilated greater than 24 hours and spontaneously breathing with appropriate triggering of the ventilator.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Data from three expiratory hold maneuvers (with a maximum of three breaths during each maneuver) in 74 subjects (118 measurements) with median age 3 months (interquartile range 1-17), and primary respiratory failure due to a pulmonary infection in 41/74 (55.4%) were studied. The median proximal ∆ Pocc was 6.7 cm H 2 O (3.1-10.7) and median P0.1 4.9 cm H 2 O (4.1-6.0) for the first breath from the maneuver; both increased significantly ( p < 0.001) with the subsequent two breaths during the same maneuver. Median distal ∆ Pocc was 6.8 (2.9-10.8) and P0.1 4.6 (3.9-5.6) cm H 2 O; both increased significantly ( p < 0.001) with the two subsequent breaths. Proximal and distal Δ Pocc ( r > 0.99, p < 0.001) and P0.1 ( r > 0.80, p < 0.001) were correlated. Correlation between ventilator displayed and Y-piece measured Δ Pocc ( r > 0.99) and P0.1 ( r = 0.85) was good. Mean ( sd ) difference for Δ Pocc was 0.13 (0.21); levels of agreement were -0.28 and 0.54. For P0.1, mean ( sd ) difference was -0.36 (1.14) and levels of agreement -2.61 and 1.88. There was a high correlation between Δ Pes and ∆ Pocc ( r = 0.92) for the same breath and a good correlation with Δ Pes from the preceding breath ( r = 0.76). There was a poor correlation with the transpulmonary pressure ( r = 0.37).

CONCLUSIONS

Δ Pocc is not affected by measurement site, whereas P0.1 may be overestimated or underestimated. Δ Pocc was highly correlated with the peak-to-trough esophageal pressure, supporting the concept that inspiratory effort can also be quantified noninvasively by measuring Δ Pocc .

2024 Year in Review-Pediatric Mechanical Ventilation

Children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit frequently require invasive mechanical ventilation, a critical intervention central to managing severe respiratory failure and supporting gas exchange. This Year in Review article highlights notable articles on pediatric mechanical ventilation published between 2023 and 2024, curated for clinicians and researchers dedicated to optimizing respiratory care. Key topics include lung-protective ventilation strategies, ventilator liberation practices, assessments of pulmonary function, cardiopulmonary interactions, and the impact of quality improvement initiatives on safety and outcomes, emphasizing the role of structured interventions to reduce preventable adverse events. Together, these studies underscore the complexity of pediatric mechanical ventilation and the importance of individualized, evidence-based strategies in advancing respiratory care for critically ill children.

Pressure Support Ventilation During Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support in Patients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

In the initial phases of veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO) support for severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), ultraprotective controlled mechanical ventilation (CMV) is typically employed to limit the progression of lung injury. As patients recover, transitioning to assisted mechanical ventilation can be considered to reduce the need for prolonged sedation and paralysis. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of transitioning to pressure support ventilation (PSV) during VV ECMO and to explore variations in respiratory mechanics and oxygenation parameters following the transition to PSV. This retrospective monocentric study included 191 adult ARDS patients treated with VV ECMO between 2009 and 2022. Within this population, 131 (69%) patients were successfully switched to PSV during ECMO. Pressure support ventilation was associated with an increase in respiratory system compliance ( p = 0.02) and a reduction in pulmonary shunt fraction ( p < 0.001). Additionally, improvements in the cardiovascular Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score and a reduction in pulmonary arterial pressures ( p < 0.05) were recorded. Ninety-four percent of patients who successfully transitioned to PSV were weaned from ECMO, and 118 (90%) were discharged alive from the intensive care unit (ICU). Of those who did not reach PSV, 74% died on ECMO, whereas the remaining patients were successfully weaned from extracorporeal support. In conclusion, PSV is feasible during VV ECMO and potentially correlates with improvements in respiratory function and hemodynamics.

Extracorporeal Support for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) has a long history in the management of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The objectives of this review are to summarize the rationale and evidence for ECLS in ARDS including its role in reducing ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI), suggest best practice management strategies during ECLS, and identify areas that require additional research to better inform patient care.

Lung and Diaphragm Protection During Mechanical Ventilation in Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome often require mechanical ventilation to maintain adequate gas exchange and to reduce the workload of the respiratory muscles. Although lifesaving, positive pressure mechanical ventilation can potentially injure the lungs and diaphragm, further worsening patient outcomes. While the effect of mechanical ventilation on the risk of developing lung injury is widely appreciated, its potentially deleterious effects on the diaphragm have only recently come to be considered by the broader intensive care unit community. Importantly, both ventilator-induced lung injury and ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction are associated with worse patient-centered outcomes.

What every paediatrician needs to know about mechanical ventilation

Invasive mechanical ventilation (MV) is one of the most practiced interventions in the intensive care unit (ICU) and is unmistakably lifesaving for children with acute respiratory failure (ARF). However, if delivered inappropriately (i.e. ignoring the respiratory system mechanics and not targeted to the need of the individual patient at a specific time point in the disease trajectory), the side effects will outweigh the benefits. Decades of experimental and clinical investigations have resulted in a better understanding of three important detrimental effects of MV. These are ventilation-induced lung injury (VILI), patient self-inflicted lung injury (P-SILI), and ventilation-induced diaphragmatic injury (VIDD). VILI, P-SILI, and VIDD have in common that they occur when there is either too much or too little ventilatory assistance.Conclusion: The purpose of this review is to give the paediatrician an overview of the challenges to prevent these detrimental effects and titrate MV to the individual patient needs.

A cluster randomized trial on inspiratory effort-targeted pressure support adjustment strategy in patients undergoing assisted mechanical ventilation: protocol for the IT-PSV study

Background

Pressure support ventilation (PSV) is one of the most frequently used ventilator modes in the intensive care unit (ICU). The successful implementation of PSV depends on matching the patient's inspiratory effort with the ventilator support. In clinical practice, the pressure support level is usually set and adjusted according to tidal volume and respiratory rate. However, these parameters may not fully represent the patient's effort. Previous studies have shown that pressure muscle index (PMI), which is measured as the difference between the peak and plateau airway pressure during an end-inspiratory airway occlusion, could reliably determine the low and high inspiratory effort during PSV. Herein we present the study protocol for the Inspiratory effort-Targeted Pressure Support Ventilation (IT-PSV) trial to determine the effect of a PMI-targeted pressure support setting strategy on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing PSV.

Methods and analysis

This is a cluster randomized controlled trial. Sixteen ICUs in academic hospitals will be included, eight of which will be randomly allocated to the PMI-targeted group and eight to the tidal volume/respiratory rate-targeted group. Before the initiation of the study, a four-week comprehensive training program, which includes courses of PSV initiation, pressure support adjustment, and weaning process, will be conducted for all staff in the participating ICUs. Adult patients with acute hypoxic respiratory failure and undergoing PSV within 24 h will be included. Pressure support setting and adjustment will follow the strategy according to the grouping. The primary outcome is the ventilator-free days at 28 days after enrollment. The patients will be followed up until successful weaning or separation of mechanical ventilation, death, hospital discharge, or until 28 days after randomization, whichever comes first.

Discussion

The IT-PSV trial will examine the effect of an inspiratory effort-targeted PSV setting strategy on the duration of mechanical ventilation. If positive, it will provide a new physiological-based PSV management that could potentially facilitate protective assisted ventilation.

Clinical trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT06526598.

Estimation of inspiratory effort using airway occlusion maneuvers in ventilated children: a secondary analysis of an ongoing randomized trial testing a lung and diaphragm protective ventilation strategy

BACKGROUND

Monitoring respiratory effort in ventilated patients is important to balance lung and diaphragm protection. Esophageal manometry remains the gold standard for monitoring respiratory effort but is invasive and requires expertise for its measurement and interpretation. Airway pressures during occlusion maneuvers may provide an alternative, although pediatric data are limited. We sought to determine the correlation between change in esophageal pressure during tidal breathing (∆Pes) and airway pressure measured during three airway occlusion maneuvers: (1) expiratory occlusion pressure (Pocc), (2) airway occlusion pressure (P0.1), and (3) respiratory muscle pressure index (PMI) in children. We also sought to explore pediatric threshold values for these pressures to detect excessive or insufficient respiratory effort.

METHODS

Secondary analysis of physiologic data from children between 1 month and 18 years of age with acute respiratory distress syndrome enrolled in an ongoing randomized clinical trial testing a lung and diaphragm protective ventilation strategy (REDvent, R01HL124666). ∆Pes, Pocc, P0.1, and PMI were measured. Repeated measure correlations were used to investigate correlation coefficients between ∆Pes and the three measures, and linear regression equations were generated to identify potential therapeutic thresholds.

RESULTS

There were 653 inspiratory and 713 expiratory holds from 97 patients. Pocc had the strongest correlation with ∆Pes (r = 0.68), followed by PMI (r = 0.60) and P0.1 (r = 0.42). ∆Pes could be reliably estimated using the regression equation ∆Pes = 0.66 [Formula: see text] Pocc (R2 = 0.82), with Pocc cut-points having high specificity and moderate sensitivity to detect respective ∆Pes thresholds for high and low respiratory effort. There were minimal differences in the relationship between Pocc and ∆Pes based on age (infant, child, adolescent) or mode of ventilation (SIMV versus Pressure Support), although these differences were more apparent with P0.1 and PMI.

CONCLUSIONS

Airway occlusion maneuvers may be appropriate alternatives to esophageal pressure measurement to estimate the inspiratory effort in children, and Pocc represents the most promising target.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT03266016; August 23, 2017.

Utilization of spontaneous breathing trial, objective cough test, and diaphragmatic ultrasound results to predict extubation success: COBRE-US trial

BACKGROUND

The results of clinical and weaning readiness tests and the spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) are used to predict the success of the weaning process and extubation.

METHODS

We evaluated the capacity of the cuff leak test, rate of rapid and shallow breathing, cough intensity, and diaphragmatic contraction velocity (DCV) to predict the success of the SBT and extubation in a prospective, multicenter observational study with consecutive adult patients admitted to four intensive care units. We used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to assess the tests' predictive capacity and built predictive models using logistic regression.

RESULTS

We recruited 367 subjects who were receiving invasive mechanical ventilation and on whom 456 SBTs were performed, with a success rate of 76.5%. To predict the success of the SBT, we derived the following equation: (0.56 × Cough) - (0.13 × DCV) + 0.25. When the cutoff point was ≥ 0.83, the sensitivity was 91.5%, the specificity was 22.1%, and the overall accuracy was 76.2%. The area under the ROC curve (AUC-ROC) was 0.63. To predict extubation success, we derived the following equation: (5.7 × SBT) + (0.75 × Cough) - (0.25 × DCV) - 4.5. When the cutoff point was ≥ 1.25, the sensitivity was 96.8%, the specificity was 78.4%, and the overall accuracy was 91.5%. The AUC-ROC of this model was 0.91.

CONCLUSION

Objective measurement of cough and diaphragmatic contraction velocity could be used to predict SBT success. The equation for predicting successful extubation, which includes SBT, cough, and diaphragmatic contraction velocity values, showed excellent discriminative capacity.

Mechanical ventilation during pediatric extracorporeal life support

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To discuss the role of ventilator induced lung injury (VILI) and patient self-inflicted lung injury in ventilated children supported on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

RECENT FINDINGS

While extracorporeal life support is used routinely used every day around the globe to support neonatal, pediatric, and adult patients with refractory cardiac and/or respiratory failure, the optimal approach to mechanical ventilation, especially for those with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), remains unknown and controversial. Given the lack of definitive data in this population, one must rely on available evidence in those with ARDS not supported with ECMO and extrapolate adult observations. Ventilatory management should include, as a minimum standard, limiting inspiratory and driving pressures, providing a sufficient level of positive end-expiratory pressure, and setting a low rate to reduce mechanical power. Allowing for spontaneous breathing and use of pulmonary specific ancillary treatment modalities must be individualized, while balancing the risk and benefits. Future studies delineating the best strategies for optimizing MV during pediatric extracorporeal life support are much needed.

SUMMARY

Future investigations will hopefully provide the needed evidence and better understanding of the overall goal of reducing mechanical ventilation intensity to decrease risk for VILI and promote lung recovery for those supported with ECMO.

ESICM guidelines on acute respiratory distress syndrome: definition, phenotyping and respiratory support strategies

The aim of these guidelines is to update the 2017 clinical practice guideline (CPG) of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM). The scope of this CPG is limited to adult patients and to non-pharmacological respiratory support strategies across different aspects of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), including ARDS due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). These guidelines were formulated by an international panel of clinical experts, one methodologist and patients' representatives on behalf of the ESICM. The review was conducted in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement recommendations. We followed the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to assess the certainty of evidence and grade recommendations and the quality of reporting of each study based on the EQUATOR (Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research) network guidelines. The CPG addressed 21 questions and formulates 21 recommendations on the following domains: (1) definition; (2) phenotyping, and respiratory support strategies including (3) high-flow nasal cannula oxygen (HFNO); (4) non-invasive ventilation (NIV); (5) tidal volume setting; (6) positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) and recruitment maneuvers (RM); (7) prone positioning; (8) neuromuscular blockade, and (9) extracorporeal life support (ECLS). In addition, the CPG includes expert opinion on clinical practice and identifies the areas of future research.

Hiccup-like Contractions in Mechanically Ventilated Patients: Individualized Treatment Guided by Transpulmonary Pressure

Hiccups-like contractions, including hiccups, respiratory myoclonus, and diaphragmatic tremor, refer to involuntary, spasmodic, and inspiratory muscle contractions. They have been repeatedly described in mechanically ventilated patients, especially those with central nervous damage. Nevertheless, their effects on patient-ventilator interaction are largely unknown, and even more overlooked is their contribution to lung and diaphragm injury. We describe, for the first time, how the management of hiccup-like contractions was individualized based on esophageal and transpulmonary pressure measurements in three mechanically ventilated patients. The necessity or not of intervention was determined by the effects of these contractions on arterial blood gases, patient-ventilator synchrony, and lung stress. In addition, esophageal pressure permitted the titration of ventilator settings in a patient with hypoxemia and atelectasis secondary to hiccups and in whom sedatives failed to eliminate the contractions and muscle relaxants were contraindicated. This report highlights the importance of esophageal pressure monitoring in the clinical decision making of hiccup-like contractions in mechanically ventilated patients.

Fundamental concepts and the latest evidence for esophageal pressure monitoring

Transpulmonary pressure is an essential physiologic concept as it reflects the true pressure across the alveoli, and is a more precise marker for lung stress. To calculate transpulmonary pressure, one needs an estimate of both alveolar pressure and pleural pressure. Airway pressure during conditions of no flow is the most widely accepted surrogate for alveolar pressure, while esophageal pressure remains the most widely measured surrogate marker for pleural pressure. This review will cover important concepts and clinical applications for esophageal manometry, with a particular focus on how to use the information from esophageal manometry to adjust or titrate ventilator support. The most widely used method for measuring esophageal pressure uses an esophageal balloon catheter, although these measurements can be affected by the volume of air in the balloon. Therefore, when using balloon catheters, it is important to calibrate the balloon to ensure the most appropriate volume of air, and we discuss several methods which have been proposed for balloon calibration. In addition, esophageal balloon catheters only estimate the pleural pressure over a certain area within the thoracic cavity, which has resulted in a debate regarding how to interpret these measurements. We discuss both direct and elastance-based methods to estimate transpulmonary pressure, and how they may be applied for clinical practice. Finally, we discuss a number of applications for esophageal manometry and review many of the clinical studies published to date which have used esophageal pressure. These include the use of esophageal pressure to assess lung and chest wall compliance individually which can provide individualized information for patients with acute respiratory failure in terms of setting PEEP, or limiting inspiratory pressure. In addition, esophageal pressure has been used to estimate effort of breathing which has application for ventilator weaning, detection of upper airway obstruction after extubation, and detection of patient and mechanical ventilator asynchrony.

Mechanical ventilation post-bilateral lung transplantation: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Evidence from lung protective ventilation (LPV) in the acute respiratory distress syndrome has commonly been applied to guide periprocedural ventilation in lung transplantation. However, this approach may not adequately consider the distinctive features of respiratory failure and allograft physiology in the lung transplant recipient. This scoping review was conducted to systematically map the research describing ventilation and relevant physiological parameters post-bilateral lung transplantation with the aim to identify any associations with patient outcomes and gaps in the current knowledge base.

METHODS

To identify relevant publications, comprehensive literature searches of electronic bibliographic databases were conducted with the guidance of an experienced librarian in MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS and the Cochrane Library. The search strategies were peer-reviewed using the PRESS (Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies) checklist. The reference lists of all relevant review articles were surveyed. Publications were included in the review if they described relevant ventilation parameters in the immediate post-operative period, published between 2000 and 2022 and involved human subjects undergoing bilateral lung transplantation. Publications were excluded if they included animal models, only single-lung transplant recipients or only patients managed with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

RESULTS

A total of 1212 articles were screened, 27 were subject to full-text review and 11 were included in the analysis. The quality of the included studies was assessed to be poor with no prospective multi-centre randomised controlled trials. The frequency of reported retrospective LPV parameters was as follows: tidal volume (82%), tidal volume indexed to both donor and recipient body weight (27%) and plateau pressure (18%). Data suggest that undersized grafts are at risk of unrecognised higher tidal volume ventilation indexed to donor body weight. The most reported patient-centred outcome was graft dysfunction severity in the first 72 h.

CONCLUSION

This review has identified a significant knowledge gap that indicates uncertainty regarding the safest ventilation practice in lung transplant recipients. The risk may be greatest in patients with established high-grade primary graft dysfunction and undersized allografts, and these factors may define a sub-group that warrants further investigation.

Setting and Monitoring of Mechanical Ventilation During Venovenous ECMO

This article is one of ten reviews selected from the Annual Update in Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine 2023. Other selected articles can be found online at  https://www.biomedcentral.com/collections/annualupdate2023 . Further information about the Annual Update in Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine is available from  https://link.springer.com/bookseries/8901 .

Understanding clinical and biological heterogeneity to advance precision medicine in paediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome

Paediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (PARDS) is a heterogeneous clinical syndrome that is associated with high rates of mortality and long-term morbidity. Factors that distinguish PARDS from adult acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) include changes in developmental stage and lung maturation with age, precipitating factors, and comorbidities. No specific treatment is available for PARDS and management is largely supportive, but methods to identify patients who would benefit from specific ventilation strategies or ancillary treatments, such as prone positioning, are needed. Understanding of the clinical and biological heterogeneity of PARDS, and of differences in clinical features and clinical course, pathobiology, response to treatment, and outcomes between PARDS and adult ARDS, will be key to the development of novel preventive and therapeutic strategies and a precision medicine approach to care. Studies in which clinical, biomarker, and transcriptomic data, as well as informatics, are used to unpack the biological and phenotypic heterogeneity of PARDS, and implementation of methods to better identify patients with PARDS, including methods to rapidly identify subphenotypes and endotypes at the point of care, will drive progress on the path to precision medicine.

Personalized medicine targeting different ARDS phenotypes: The future of pharmacotherapy for ARDS?

INTRODUCTION

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) still represents a major challenge with high mortality rates and altered quality of life. Many well-designed studies have failed to improve ARDS outcomes. Heterogeneity of etiologies, mechanisms of lung damage, different lung mechanics, and different treatment approaches may explain these failures. At the era of personalized medicine, ARDS phenotyping is not only a field of research, but a bedside consideration when implementing therapy. ARDS has moved from being a simple syndrome to a more complex area of subgrouping. Intensivists must understand these phenotypes and therapies associated with a better outcome.

AREAS COVERED

After a brief sum-up of the different type of ARDS phenotypes, we will present some relevant therapy that may be impacted by phenotyping. A focus on pharmacotherapy will be realized before a section on non-pharmaceutical strategies. Eventually, we will highlight the limits of our knowledge of phenotyping and the pitfalls of personalized medicine.

EXPERT OPINION

Biological and morphological ARDS phenotypes are now well studied. The future of ARDS therapy will go through phenotyping that allows a personalized medication for each patient. However, a better assessment of these phenotypes is required, and clinical trials should be conducted with an ad-hoc phenotyping before randomization.

Spontaneous Breathing and Pendelluft in Patients with Acute Lung Injury: A Narrative Review

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is characterized by acute-onset rapid-deteriorating inflammatory lung injury. Although the preservation of spontaneous breathing may have physiological benefits in oxygenation, increasing evidence shows that vigorous spontaneous breathing may aggravate lung injury (i.e., patient self-inflicted lung injury). Increased lung stress and pendelluft, which is defined as intrapulmonary gas redistribution without a significant change in tidal volume, are important mechanisms of patient self-inflicted lung injury. The presence of pendelluft may be considered a surrogate marker of vigorous inspiratory effort, which can cause the dependent lung to overstretch. In this review, we summarized three major methods for electrical impedance tomography-based pendelluft monitoring. Future studies are warranted to compare and validate the different methods of pendelluft estimation in patients with ARDS.

Inflammatory biomarkers and pendelluft magnitude in ards patients transitioning from controlled to partial support ventilation

The transition from controlled to partial support ventilation is a challenge in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients due to the risks of patient-self-inflicted lung injury. The magnitude of tidal volume (V_T) and intrapulmonary dyssynchrony (pendelluft) are suggested mechanisms of lung injury. We conducted a prospective, observational, physiological study in a tertiary academic intensive care unit. ARDS patients transitioning from controlled to partial support ventilation were included. On these, we evaluated the association between changes in inflammatory biomarkers and esophageal pressure swing (ΔP_es), transpulmonary driving pressure (ΔP_L), V_T, and pendelluft. Pendelluft was defined as the percentage of the tidal volume that moves from the non-dependent to the dependent lung region during inspiration, and its frequency at different thresholds (- 15, - 20 and - 25%) was also registered. Blood concentrations of inflammatory biomarkers (IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, ANGPT2, RAGE, IL-18, Caspase-1) were measured before (T₀) and after 4-h (T₄) of partial support ventilation. Pendelluft, ΔP_es, ΔP_L and V_T were recorded. Nine out of twenty-four patients (37.5%) showed a pendelluft mean ≥ 10%. The mean values of ΔP_es, ΔP_L, and V_T were - 8.4 [- 6.7; - 10.2] cmH₂O, 15.2 [12.3-16.5] cmH₂O and 8.1 [7.3-8.9] m/kg PBW, respectively. Significant associations were observed between the frequency of high-magnitude pendelluft and IL-8, IL-18, and Caspase-1 changes (T₀/T₄ ratio). These results suggest that the frequency of high magnitude pendelluft may be a potential determinant of inflammatory response related to inspiratory efforts in ARDS patients transitioning to partial support ventilation. Future studies are needed to confirm these results.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome: causes, pathophysiology, and phenotypes

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a common clinical syndrome of acute respiratory failure as a result of diffuse lung inflammation and oedema. ARDS can be precipitated by a variety of causes. The pathophysiology of ARDS is complex and involves the activation and dysregulation of multiple overlapping and interacting pathways of injury, inflammation, and coagulation, both in the lung and systemically. Mechanical ventilation can contribute to a cycle of lung injury and inflammation. Resolution of inflammation is a coordinated process that requires downregulation of proinflammatory pathways and upregulation of anti-inflammatory pathways. The heterogeneity of the clinical syndrome, along with its biology, physiology, and radiology, has increasingly been recognised and incorporated into identification of phenotypes. A precision-medicine approach that improves the identification of more homogeneous ARDS phenotypes should lead to an improved understanding of its pathophysiological mechanisms and how they differ from patient to patient.

Invasive mechanical ventilation in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome receiving extracorporeal support: a narrative review of strategies to mitigate lung injury

Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is indicated in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome and severely impaired gas exchange despite evidence-based lung protective ventilation, prone positioning and other parts of the standard algorithm for treating such patients. Extracorporeal support can facilitate ultra-lung-protective ventilation, meaning even lower volumes and pressures than standard lung-protective ventilation, by directly removing carbon dioxide in patients needing injurious ventilator settings to maintain sufficient gas exchange. Injurious ventilation results in ventilator-induced lung injury, which is one of the main determinants of mortality in acute respiratory distress syndrome. Marked reductions in the intensity of ventilation to the lowest tolerable levels under extracorporeal support may be achieved and could thereby potentially mitigate ventilator-induced lung injury and theoretically patient self-inflicted lung injury in spontaneously breathing patients with high respiratory drive. However, the benefits of this strategy may be counterbalanced by the use of continuous deep sedation and even neuromuscular blocking drugs, which may impair physical rehabilitation and impact long-term outcomes. There are currently a lack of large-scale prospective data to inform optimal invasive ventilation practices and how to best apply a holistic approach to patients receiving veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, while minimising ventilator-induced and patient self-inflicted lung injury. We aimed to review the literature relating to invasive ventilation strategies in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome receiving extracorporeal support and discuss personalised ventilation approaches and the potential role of adjunctive therapies in facilitating lung protection.

SIMEU position paper on non-invasive respiratory support in COVID-19 pneumonia

The rapid worldwide spread of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis has put health systems under pressure to a level never experienced before, putting intensive care units in a position to fail to meet an exponentially growing demand. The main clinical feature of the disease is a progressive arterial hypoxemia which rapidly leads to ARDS which makes the use of intensive care and mechanical ventilation almost inevitable. The difficulty of health systems to guarantee a corresponding supply of resources in intensive care, together with the uncertain results reported in the literature with respect to patients who undergo early conventional ventilation, make the search for alternative methods of oxygenation and ventilation and potentially preventive of the need for tracheal intubation, such as non-invasive respiratory support techniques particularly valuable. In this context, the Emergency Department, located between the area outside the hospital and hospital ward and ICU, assumes the role of a crucial junction, due to the possibility of applying these techniques at a sufficiently early stage and being able to rapidly evaluate their effectiveness. This position paper describes the indications for the use of non-invasive respiratory support techniques in respiratory failure secondary to COVID-19-related pneumonia, formulated by the Non-invasive Ventilation Faculty of the Italian Society of Emergency Medicine (SIMEU) on the base of what is available in the literature and on the authors' direct experience. Rationale, literature, tips & tricks, resources, risks and expected results, and patient interaction will be discussed for each one of the escalating non-invasive respiratory techniques: standard oxygen, HFNCO, CPAP, NIPPV, and awake self-repositioning. The final chapter describes our suggested approach to the failing patient.

Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist in Acute Respiratory Failure-A Narrative Review

Maintaining spontaneous breathing has both potentially beneficial and deleterious consequences in patients with acute respiratory failure, depending on the balance that can be obtained between the protecting and damaging effects on the lungs and the diaphragm. Neurally adjusted ventilatory assist (NAVA) is an assist mode, which supplies the respiratory system with a pressure proportional to the integral of the electrical activity of the diaphragm. This proportional mode of ventilation has the theoretical potential to deliver lung- and respiratory-muscle-protective ventilation by preserving the physiologic defense mechanisms against both lung overdistention and ventilator overassistance, as well as reducing the incidence of diaphragm disuse atrophy while maintaining patient–ventilator synchrony. This narrative review presents an overview of NAVA technology, its basic principles, the different methods to set the assist level and the findings of experimental and clinical studies which focused on lung and diaphragm protection, machine–patient interaction and preservation of breathing pattern variability. A summary of the findings of the available clinical trials which investigate the use of NAVA in acute respiratory failure will also be presented and discussed.

Ultraprotective versus apneic ventilation in acute respiratory distress syndrome patients with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a physiological study

Background

Even an ultraprotective ventilation strategy in severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) might induce ventilator-induced lung injury and apneic ventilation with the sole application of positive end-expiratory pressure may, therefore, be an alternative ventilation strategy. We, therefore, compared the effects of ultraprotective ventilation with apneic ventilation on oxygenation, oxygen delivery, respiratory system mechanics, hemodynamics, strain, air distribution and recruitment of the lung parenchyma in ARDS patients with ECMO.

Methods

In a prospective, monocentric physiological study, 24 patients with severe ARDS managed with ECMO were ventilated using ultraprotective ventilation (tidal volume 3 ml/kg of predicted body weight) with a fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO₂) of 21%, 50% and 90%. Patients were then treated with apneic ventilation with analogous FiO₂. The primary endpoint was the effect of the ventilation strategy on oxygenation and oxygen delivery. The secondary endpoints were mechanical power, stress, regional air distribution, lung recruitment and the resulting strain, evaluated by chest computed tomography, associated with the application of PEEP (apneic ventilation) and/or low V_T (ultraprotective ventilation).

Results

Protective ventilation, compared to apneic ventilation, improved oxygenation (arterial partial pressure of oxygen, p < 0.001 with FiO₂ of 50% and 90%) and reduced cardiac output. Both ventilation strategies preserved oxygen delivery independent of the FiO₂. Protective ventilation increased driving pressure, stress, strain, mechanical power, as well as induced additional recruitment in the non-dependent lung compared to apneic ventilation.

Conclusions

In patients with severe ARDS managed with ECMO, ultraprotective ventilation compared to apneic ventilation improved oxygenation, but increased stress, strain, and mechanical power. Apneic ventilation might be considered as one of the options in the initial phase of ECMO treatment in severe ARDS patients to facilitate lung rest and prevent ventilator-induced lung injury.

Trial registration: German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00013967). Registered 02/09/2018. https://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do?navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00013967.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40560-022-00604-9.

Awakening in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge to lung transplantation

Although the rate of lung transplantation (LTx), the last treatment option for end-stage lung disease, is increasing, some patients waiting for LTx need a bridging strategy for LTx due to the limited number of available donor lungs. For a long time, mechanical ventilation has been employed as a bridge to LTx because the outcome of using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as a bridging strategy has been poor. However, the outcome after mechanical ventilation as a bridge to LTx was poor compared with that in patients without bridges. With advances in technology and the accumulation of experience, the outcome of ECMO as a bridge to LTx has improved, and the rate of ECMO use as a bridging strategy has increased over time. However, whether the use of ECMO as a bridge to LTx can achieve survival rates similar to those of non-bridged LTx patients remains controversial. In 2010, one center introduced awake ECMO strategy for LTx bridging, and its use as a bridge to LTx has been showing favorable outcomes to date. Awake ECMO has several advantages, such as maintenance of physical activity, spontaneous breathing, avoidance of endotracheal intubation, and reduced use of sedatives and analgesics, but it may cause serious problems. Nonetheless, several studies have shown that awake ECMO performed by a multidisciplinary team is safe. In cases where ECMO or mechanical ventilation is required due to unavoidable exacerbation in patients awaiting LTx, the application of awake ECMO performed by an appropriately trained ECMO multi-disciplinary team can be useful.

Assessment of respiratory support decision and the outcome of invasive mechanical ventilation in severe COVID-19 with ARDS

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing pandemic. Invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) is essential for the management of COVID-19 with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We aimed to assess the impact of compliance with a respiratory decision support system on the outcomes of patients with COVID-19-associated ARDS who required IMV.

Methods

In this retrospective, single-center, case series study, patients with COVID-19-associated ARDS who required IMV at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, China, from January 8th, 2020, to March 24th, 2020, with the final follow-up date of April 20th, 2020, were included. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, imaging, and management information were collected and analyzed. Compliance with the respiratory support decision system was documented, and its relationship with 28-day mortality was evaluated.

Results

The study included 46 COVID-19-associated ARDS patients who required IMV. The median age of the 46 patients was 68.5 years, and 31 were men. The partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO₂)/fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO₂) ratio at intensive care unit (ICU) admission was 104 mmHg. The median total length of IMV was 12.0 (interquartile range [IQR]: 6.0-27.3) days, and the median respiratory support decision score was 11.0 (IQR: 7.8-16.0). To 28 days after ICU admission, 18 (39.1%) patients died. Survivors had a significantly higher respiratory support decision score than non-survivors (15.0 [10.3-17.0] vs. 8.5 (6.0-10.3), P = 0.001). Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to assess the discrimination of respiratory support decision score to 28-day mortality, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.796 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.657-0.934, P = 0.001) and the cut-off was 11.5 (sensitivity = 0.679, specificity = 0.889). Patients with a higher score (>11.5) were more likely to survive at 28 days after ICU admission (log-rank test, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

For severe COVID-19-associated ARDS with IMV, following the respiratory support decision and assessing completion would improve the progress of ventilation. With a decision score of >11.5, the mortality at 28 days after ICU admission showed an obvious decrease.

Early Neuromuscular Blockade in Moderate-to-Severe Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Objectives

The use of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) in pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (PARDS) is common but unsupported by efficacy data. We sought to compare the outcomes between patients with moderate-to-severe PARDS receiving continuous NMBA during the first 48 hours of endotracheal intubation (early NMBA) and those without.

Design

Secondary analysis of data from the Randomized Evaluation of Sedation Titration for Respiratory Failure (RESTORE) clinical trial, a pediatric multicenter cluster randomized trial of sedation.

Setting

Thirty-one PICUs in the United States.

Patients

Children 2 weeks to 17 years receiving invasive mechanical ventilation (MV) for moderate-to-severe PARDS (i.e., oxygenation index >= 8 and bilateral infiltrates on chest radiograph on days 0-1 of endotracheal intubation).

Interventions

NMBA for the entire duration of days 1 and 2 after intubation.

Measurements and Main Results

Among 1,182 RESTORE patients with moderate-to-severe PARDS, 196 (17%) received early NMBA for a median of 50.0% ventilator days (interquartile range, 33.3-60.7%). The propensity score model predicting the probability of receiving early NMBA included high-frequency oscillatory ventilation on days 0-2 (odds ratio [OR], 7.61; 95% CI, 4.75-12.21) and severe PARDS on days 0-1 (OR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.50-3.12). After adjusting for risk category, early use of NMBA was associated with a longer duration of MV (hazard ratio, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.48-0.68; p < 0.0001), but not with mortality (OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 0.92-2.85; p = 0.096) compared with no early use of NMBA. Other outcomes including cognitive, functional, and physical impairment at 6 months post-PICU discharge were similar. Outcomes did not differ when comparing high versus low NMBA usage sites or when patients were stratified by baseline PaO2/FIO2 less than 150.

Conclusions

Early NMBA use was associated with a longer duration of MV. This propensity score analysis underscores the need for a randomized controlled trial in pediatrics.

Predictors for extubation failure in COVID-19 patients using a machine learning approach

INTRODUCTION

Determining the optimal timing for extubation can be challenging in the intensive care. In this study, we aim to identify predictors for extubation failure in critically ill patients with COVID-19.

METHODS

We used highly granular data from 3464 adult critically ill COVID patients in the multicenter Dutch Data Warehouse, including demographics, clinical observations, medications, fluid balance, laboratory values, vital signs, and data from life support devices. All intubated patients with at least one extubation attempt were eligible for analysis. Transferred patients, patients admitted for less than 24 h, and patients still admitted at the time of data extraction were excluded. Potential predictors were selected by a team of intensive care physicians. The primary and secondary outcomes were extubation without reintubation or death within the next 7 days and within 48 h, respectively. We trained and validated multiple machine learning algorithms using fivefold nested cross-validation. Predictor importance was estimated using Shapley additive explanations, while cutoff values for the relative probability of failed extubation were estimated through partial dependence plots.

RESULTS

A total of 883 patients were included in the model derivation. The reintubation rate was 13.4% within 48 h and 18.9% at day 7, with a mortality rate of 0.6% and 1.0% respectively. The grandient-boost model performed best (area under the curve of 0.70) and was used to calculate predictor importance. Ventilatory characteristics and settings were the most important predictors. More specifically, a controlled mode duration longer than 4 days, a last fraction of inspired oxygen higher than 35%, a mean tidal volume per kg ideal body weight above 8 ml/kg in the day before extubation, and a shorter duration in assisted mode (< 2 days) compared to their median values. Additionally, a higher C-reactive protein and leukocyte count, a lower thrombocyte count, a lower Glasgow coma scale and a lower body mass index compared to their medians were associated with extubation failure.

CONCLUSION

The most important predictors for extubation failure in critically ill COVID-19 patients include ventilatory settings, inflammatory parameters, neurological status, and body mass index. These predictors should therefore be routinely captured in electronic health records.

Long- and short-term clinical impact of awake extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as bridging therapy for lung transplantation

Background

As lung transplantation (LTx) is becoming a standard treatment for end-stage lung disease, the use of bridging with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is increasing. We examined the clinical impact of being awake during ECMO as bridging therapy in patients awaiting LTx.

Methods

In this single-center study, we retrospectively reviewed 241 consecutive LTx patients between October 2012 and March 2019; 64 patients received ECMO support while awaiting LTx. We divided into awake and non-awake groups and compared.

Results

Twenty-five patients (39.1%) were awake, and 39 (61.0%) were non-awake. The median age of awake patients was 59.0 (interquartile range, 52.5–63.0) years, and 80% of the group was men. The awake group had better post-operative outcomes than the non-awake group: statistically shorter post-operative intensive care unit length of stay [awake vs. non-awake, 6 (4–8.5) vs. 18 (11–36), p < 0.001], longer ventilator free days [awake vs. non-awake, 24 (17–26) vs. 0 (0–15), p < 0.001], and higher gait ability after LTx (awake vs. non-awake, 92% vs. 59%, p = 0.004), leading to higher 6-month and 1-year lung function (forced expiratory volume in 1 s: awake vs. non-awake, 6-month, 77.5% vs. 61%, p = 0.004, 1-year, 75% vs. 57%, p = 0.013). Furthermore, the awake group had significantly lower 6-month and 1-year mortality rates than the non-awake group (6-month 12% vs. 38.5%, p = 0.022, 1-year 24% vs. 53.8%, p = 0.018).

Conclusions

In patients with end-stage lung disease, considering the long-term and short-term impacts, the awake ECMO strategy could be useful compared with the non-awake ECMO strategy.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12931-021-01905-7.

Trends in Pediatric Patient-Ventilator Asynchrony During Invasive Mechanical Ventilation

OBJECTIVES

To explore the level and time course of patient-ventilator asynchrony in mechanically ventilated children and the effects on duration of mechanical ventilation, PICU stay, and Comfort Behavior Score as indicator for patient comfort.

DESIGN

Secondary analysis of physiology data from mechanically ventilated children.

SETTING

Mixed medical-surgical tertiary PICU in a university hospital.

PATIENTS

Mechanically ventilated children 0-18 years old were eligible for inclusion. Excluded were patients who were unable to initiate and maintain spontaneous breathing from any cause.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Twenty-nine patients were studied with a total duration of 109 days. Twenty-two study days (20%) were excluded because patients were on neuromuscular blockade or high-frequency oscillatory ventilation, yielding 87 days (80%) for analysis. Patient-ventilator asynchrony was detected through analysis of daily recorded ventilator airway pressure, flow, and volume versus time scalars. Approximately one of every three breaths was asynchronous. The percentage of asynchronous breaths significantly increased over time, with the highest prevalence on the day of extubation. There was no correlation with the Comfort Behavior score. The percentage of asynchronous breaths during the first 24 hours was inversely correlated with the duration of mechanical ventilation. Patients with severe patient-ventilator asynchrony (asynchrony index > 10% or > 75th percentile of the calculated asynchrony index) did not have a prolonged duration of ventilation.

CONCLUSIONS

The level of patient-ventilator asynchrony increased over time was not related to patient discomfort and inversely related to the duration of mechanical ventilation.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome: focusing on secondary injury

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is one of the most common severe diseases seen in the clinical setting. With the continuous exploration of ARDS in recent decades, the understanding of ARDS has improved. ARDS is not a simple lung disease but a clinical syndrome with various etiologies and pathophysiological changes. However, in the intensive care unit, ARDS often occurs a few days after primary lung injury or after a few days of treatment for other severe extrapulmonary diseases. Under such conditions, ARDS often progresses rapidly to severe ARDS and is difficult to treat. The occurrence and development of ARDS in these circumstances are thus not related to primary lung injury; the real cause of ARDS may be the “second hit” caused by inappropriate treatment. In view of the limited effective treatments for ARDS, the strategic focus has shifted to identifying potential or high-risk ARDS patients during the early stages of the disease and implementing treatment strategies aimed at reducing ARDS and related organ failure. Future research should focus on the prevention of ARDS.

Awake Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Which Clinical Issues Should Be Taken Into Consideration

With the goal of protecting injured lungs and extrapulmonary organs, venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) has been increasingly adopted as a rescue therapy for patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) when conventional mechanical ventilation failed to provide effective oxygenation and decarbonation. In recent years, it has become a promising approach to respiratory support for awake, non-intubated, spontaneously breathing patients with respiratory failure, referred to as awake ECMO, to avoid possible detrimental effects associated with intubation, mechanical ventilation, and the adjunctive therapies. However, several complex clinical issues should be taken into consideration when initiating and implementing awake ECMO, such as selecting potential patients who appeared to benefit most; techniques to facilitating cannulation and maintain stable ECMO blood flow; approaches to manage pain, agitation, and delirium; and approaches to monitor and modulate respiratory drive. It is worth mentioning that there had also been some inherent disadvantages and limitations of awake ECMO compared to the conventional combination of ECMO and invasive mechanical ventilation. Here, we review the use of ECMO in awake, spontaneously breathing patients with severe ARDS, highlighting the issues involving bedside clinical practice, detailing some of the technical aspects, and summarizing the initial clinical experience gained over the past years.

Self-inflicted lung injury: is it possible to identify the risk? A case report

A respiração espontânea pode ser prejudicial para pacientes com pulmões previamente lesados, especialmente na vigência de síndrome do desconforto respiratório agudo. Mais ainda, a incapacidade de assumir a respiração totalmente espontânea durante a ventilação mecânica e a necessidade de voltar à ventilação mecânica controlada se associam com mortalidade mais alta. Existe uma lacuna no conhecimento em relação aos parâmetros que poderiam ser úteis para predizer o risco de lesão pulmonar autoinflingida pelo paciente e detecção da incapacidade de assumir a respiração espontânea. Relata-se o caso de um paciente com lesão pulmonar autoinflingida e as correspondentes variáveis, básicas e avançadas, de monitoramento da mecânica do sistema respiratório, além dos resultados fisiológicos e clínicos relacionados à respiração espontânea durante ventilação mecânica. O paciente era um homem caucasiano com 33 anos de idade e história clínica de AIDS, que apresentou síndrome do desconforto respiratório agudo e necessitou ser submetido à ventilação mecânica invasiva após falha do suporte ventilatório não invasivo. Durante os períodos de ventilação controlada, adotou-se estratégia de ventilação protetora, e o paciente mostrou evidente melhora, tanto do ponto de vista clínico quanto radiográfico. Contudo, durante cada período de respiração espontânea sob ventilação com pressão de suporte, apesar dos parâmetros iniciais adequados, das regulagens rigorosamente estabelecidas e do estrito monitoramento, o paciente desenvolveu hipoxemia progressiva e piora da mecânica do sistema respiratório, com deterioração radiográfica claramente correlacionada (lesão pulmonar autoinflingida pelo paciente). Após falha de três tentativas de respiração espontânea, o paciente faleceu por hipoxemia refratária no 29° dia. Neste caso, as variáveis básicas e avançadas convencionais não foram suficientes para identificar a aptidão para respirar espontaneamente ou predizer o risco de desenvolver lesão pulmonar autoinflingida pelo paciente durante a ventilação de suporte parcial.

Diaphragm thickening fraction predicts noninvasive ventilation outcome: a preliminary physiological study

BACKGROUND

A correlation between unsuccessful noninvasive ventilation (NIV) and poor outcome has been suggested in de-novo Acute Respiratory Failure (ARF) patients. Consequently, it is of paramount importance to identify accurate predictors of NIV outcome. The aim of our preliminary study is to evaluate the Diaphragmatic Thickening Fraction (DTF) and the respiratory rate/DTF ratio as predictors of NIV outcome in de-novo ARF patients.

METHODS

Over 36 months, we studied patients admitted to the emergency department with a diagnosis of de-novo ARF and requiring NIV treatment. DTF and respiratory rate/DTF ratio were measured by 2 trained operators at baseline, at 1, 4, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h of NIV treatment and/or until NIV discontinuation or intubation. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the ability of DTF and respiratory rate/DTF ratio to distinguish between patients who were successfully weaned and those who failed.

RESULTS

Eighteen patients were included. We found overall good repeatability of DTF assessment, with Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC) of 0.82 (95% confidence interval 0.72-0.88). The cut-off values of DTF for prediction of NIV failure were < 36.3% and < 37.1% for the operator 1 and 2 (p < 0.0001), respectively. The cut-off value of respiratory rate/DTF ratio for prediction of NIV failure was > 0.6 for both operators (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

DTF and respiratory rate/DTF ratio may both represent valid, feasible and noninvasive tools to predict NIV outcome in patients with de-novo ARF. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02976233, registered 26 November 2016.

Intubation timing as determinant of outcome in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome by SARS-CoV-2 infection

Purpose

To determine whether time-to-intubation was associated with higher ICU mortality in patients with COVID-19 on mechanical ventilation due to respiratory insufficiency.

Materials and methods

We conducted an observational, prospective, single-center study of patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection hospitalized with moderate to severe ARDS, connected to mechanical ventilation in the ICU between March 17 and July 31, 2020. We examined their general and clinical characteristics. Time-to-intubation was the time from hospital admission to endotracheal intubation.

Results

We included 183 consecutive patients; 28% were female, and median age was 62 years old. Eighty-eight patients (48%) were intubated before 48 h (early) and ninety-five (52%) after 48 h (late). Patients intubated early had similar admission PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio (123 vs 99; p = 0.179) but were younger (59 vs 64; p = 0.013) and had higher body mass index (30 vs 28; p = 0.006) compared to patients intubated late. Mortality was higher in patients intubated late (18% versus 43%), with admission PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio < 100 mmHg (OR 5.2; p = 0.011), of older age (OR 1.1; p = 0.001), and with previous use of ACE inhibitors (OR 4.8; p = 0.026).

Conclusions

In COVID-19 patients, late intubation, Pafi <100, older age, and previous ACE inhibitors use were associated with increased ICU mortality.

The Role of High Flow Nasal Cannula in COVID-19 Associated Pneumomediastinum and Pneumothorax

Background: Pneumomediastinum, subcutaneous emphysema and pneumothorax are not rarely observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such complications can worsen gas exchange and the overall prognosis in critical patients. The aim of this study is to investigate what predisposing factors are related to pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax in SARS-CoV2-Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), what symptoms may predict a severe and potentially fatal complication and what therapeutical approach may provide a better outcome. Methods: In this single center cohort study, we recorded data from 45 critically ill COVID-19 patients who developed one or more complicating events among pneumomediastinum, subcutaneous emphysema and pneumothorax. All patients showed ARDS and underwent non-invasive ventilation (NIV) at baseline. Patients with mild to moderate ARDS and pneumomediastinum/pneumothorax (n = 25) received High Flow Nasal Cannula (HFNC), while patients with severe ARDS and pneumomediastinum/pneumothorax underwent HFNC (n = 10) or invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) (n = 10). Results: Pneumomediastinum/pneumothorax developed in 10.5% of subjects affected by SARS-coV2-ARDS. Dyspnea affected 40% and cough affected 37% of subjects. High resolution computed tomography of the chest showed bilateral diffuse ground glass opacities (GGO) in 100% of subjects. Traction bronchiolectasis, reticulation, crazy paving and distortion were observed in 64%. Furthermore, 36% showed subcutaneous emphysema. Non-severe ARDS cases received HFNC, and 76% patients recovered from pneumomediastinum/pneumothorax over a median follow up of 5 days. Among severe ARDS cases the recovery rate of pneumomediastinum/pneumothorax was 70% with the HFNC approach, and 10% with IMV. Conclusion: HFNC is a safe and effective ventilatory approach for critical COVID-19 and has a positive role in associated complications such as pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax.

Pleural Pressure Targeted Positive Airway Pressure Improves Cardiopulmonary Function in Spontaneously Breathing Patients With Obesity

BACKGROUND

Increased pleural pressure affects the mechanics of breathing of people with class III obesity (BMI > 40 kg/m²).

RESEARCH QUESTION

What are the acute effects of CPAP titrated to match pleural pressure on cardiopulmonary function in spontaneously breathing patients with class III obesity?

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

We enrolled six participants with BMI within normal range (control participants, group I) and 12 patients with class III obesity (group II) divided into subgroups: IIa, BMI of 40 to 50 kg/m²; and IIb, BMI of ≥ 50 kg/m². The study was performed in two phases: in phase 1, participants were supine and breathing spontaneously at atmospheric pressure, and in phase 2, participants were supine and breathing with CPAP titrated to match their end-expiratory esophageal pressure in the absence of CPAP. Respiratory mechanics, esophageal pressure, and hemodynamic data were collected, and right heart function was evaluated by transthoracic echocardiography.

RESULTS

The levels of CPAP titrated to match pleural pressure in group I, subgroup IIa, and subgroup IIb were 6 ± 2 cmH₂O, 12 ± 3 cmH₂O, and 18 ± 4 cmH₂O, respectively. In both subgroups IIa and IIb, CPAP titrated to match pleural pressure decreased minute ventilation (IIa, P = .03; IIb, P = .03), improved peripheral oxygen saturation (IIa, P = .04; IIb, P = .02), improved homogeneity of tidal volume distribution between ventral and dorsal lung regions (IIa, P = .22; IIb, P = .03), and decreased work of breathing (IIa, P < .001; IIb, P = .003) with a reduction in both the work spent to initiate inspiratory flow as well as tidal ventilation. In five hypertensive participants with obesity, BP decreased to normal range, without impairment of right heart function.

INTERPRETATION

In ambulatory patients with class III obesity, CPAP titrated to match pleural pressure decreased work of breathing and improved respiratory mechanics while maintaining hemodynamic stability, without impairing right heart function.

TRIAL REGISTRY

ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT02523352; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov.

[Patient self-inflicted lung injury (P-SILI) : From pathophysiology to clinical evaluation with differentiated management]

Die Etablierung der unterstützten Spontanatmung gilt allgemein als eine vorteilhafte und wenig gefährdende Phase der Beatmungstherapie. Allerdings geben neuere Erkenntnisse Hinweise auf eine potenzielle Schädigung durch exzessive Spontanatembemühungen vor allem bei akuter Lungenschädigung. Das Syndrom wird unter dem Begriff „patient self-inflicted lung injury“ zusammengefasst. Ärzte, Pflegepersonen und Atmungstherapeuten sollten für diese Thematik sensibilisiert werden. Parameter, die mittels Ösophagusdruckmessung oder einfacher Manöver am Respirator bestimmt werden können, sind bei der Entscheidung zur Durchführung und zur Überwachung von Spontanatmung auch in den akuten Phasen der Lungenschädigung hilfreich. Weiterhin gibt es im Umgang mit hohem Atemantrieb oder erhöhter Atemanstrengung therapeutische Möglichkeiten, diesen zu begegnen.

Neuromuscular blockade management in patients with COVID-19

This narrative review evaluates the evidence for using neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA) in patients being treated for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). While large prospective randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) are lacking at this point in time, smaller observational studies and case series are reviewed to ascertain the indications and utility of NMBAs. Additionally, large RCTs that address similar clinical scenarios are reviewed and the authors translate these findings to patients with COVID-19. Specifically, NMBAs can be helpful during endotracheal intubation to minimize the risk of patient coughing and possibly infecting healthcare personnel. NMBAs can also be used in patients to promote patient-ventilator synchrony while reducing the driving pressure needed with mechanical ventilation (MV), particularly in patients with the severe clinical presentation (Type H phenotype). Prone positioning has also become a cornerstone in managing refractory hypoxemia in patients with SARS-CoV-2 acute respiratory distress syndrome, and NMBAs can be useful in facilitating this maneuver. In the perioperative setting, deep levels of neuromuscular blockade can improve patient outcomes during laparoscopic operations and may theoretically reduce the risk of aerosolization as lower insufflation pressures may be utilized. Regardless of the indication, quantitative neuromuscular monitoring remains the only reliable method to confirm adequate recovery following cessation of neuromuscular blockade. Such monitors may serve a unique purpose in patients with COVID-19 as automation of measurements can reduce healthcare personnel-patient contact that would occur during periodic subjective evaluation with a peripheral nerve stimulator.

The Impact of Preintubation Noninvasive Ventilation on Outcomes in Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

OBJECTIVES

There is evidence that noninvasive ventilation decreases the need for invasive mechanical ventilation. However, children with pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome who fail noninvasive ventilation may have worse outcomes than those who are intubated without exposure to noninvasive ventilation. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of preintubation noninvasive ventilation on children with pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome.

DESIGN

Secondary analysis of data from the Randomized Evaluation of Sedation Titration for Respiratory Failure trial.

SETTING

Thirty-one PICUs in the United States.

PATIENTS

Children 2 weeks to 17 years old with pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome receiving invasive mechanical ventilation, excluding those admitted with tracheostomies.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Of 2,427 subjects receiving invasive mechanical ventilation, preintubation noninvasive ventilation was used in 995 (41%). Compared with subjects without preintubation noninvasive ventilation use, subjects with preintubation noninvasive ventilation use were more likely to have a history of seizures (10% vs 8%; p = 0.04) or cancer (11% vs 6%; p < 0.001) and have moderate or severe pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome by the end of their first full day of invasive mechanical ventilation (68% vs 60%; p < 0.001). Adjusting for age, severity of illness on PICU admission, and baseline functional status, preintubation noninvasive ventilation use resulted in longer invasive mechanical ventilation duration (median 7.0 vs 6.0 d), longer PICU (10.8 vs 8.9 d), and hospital (17 vs 14 d) lengths of stay, and higher 28-day (5% vs 4%) and 90-day (8% vs 5%) inhospital mortalities (all comparisons p < 0.001). Longer duration of noninvasive ventilation before intubation was associated with worse outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

In children with pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome, preintubation noninvasive ventilation use is associated with worse outcomes when compared with no preintubation noninvasive ventilation use. These data can be used to inform the design of clinical studies to evaluate best noninvasive ventilation practices in children with pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Hypercapnia in the critically ill: insights from the bench to the bedside

Carbon dioxide (CO2) has long been considered, at best, a waste by-product of metabolism, and at worst, a toxic molecule with serious health consequences if physiological concentration is dysregulated. However, clinical observations have revealed that 'permissive' hypercapnia, the deliberate allowance of respiratory produced CO2 to remain in the patient, can have anti-inflammatory effects that may be beneficial in certain circumstances. In parallel, studies at the cell level have demonstrated the profound effect of CO2 on multiple diverse signalling pathways, be it the effect from CO2 itself specifically or from the associated acidosis it generates. At the whole organism level, it now appears likely that there are many biological sensing systems designed to respond to CO2 concentration and tailor respiratory and other responses to atmospheric or local levels. Animal models have been widely employed to study the changes in CO2 levels in various disease states and also to what extent permissive or even directly delivered CO2 can affect patient outcome. These findings have been advanced to the bedside at the same time that further clinical observations have been elucidated at the cell and animal level. Here we present a synopsis of the current understanding of how CO2 affects mammalian biological systems, with a particular emphasis on inflammatory pathways and diseases such as lung specific or systemic sepsis. We also explore some future directions and possibilities, such as direct control of blood CO2 levels, that could lead to improved clinical care in the future.

Estimation of change in pleural pressure in assisted and unassisted spontaneous breathing pediatric patients using fluctuation of central venous pressure: A preliminary study

Background

It is important to evaluate the size of respiratory effort to prevent patient self-inflicted lung injury and ventilator-induced diaphragmatic dysfunction. Esophageal pressure (Pes) measurement is the gold standard for estimating respiratory effort, but it is complicated by technical issues. We previously reported that a change in pleural pressure (ΔPpl) could be estimated without measuring Pes using change in CVP (ΔCVP) that has been adjusted with a simple correction among mechanically ventilated, paralyzed pediatric patients. This study aimed to determine whether our method can be used to estimate ΔPpl in assisted and unassisted spontaneous breathing patients during mechanical ventilation.

Methods

The study included hemodynamically stable children (aged <18 years) who were mechanically ventilated, had spontaneous breathing, and had a central venous catheter and esophageal balloon catheter in place. We measured the change in Pes (ΔPes), ΔCVP, and ΔPpl that was calculated using a corrected ΔCVP (cΔCVP-derived ΔPpl) under three pressure support levels (10, 5, and 0 cmH₂O). The cΔCVP-derived ΔPpl value was calculated as follows: cΔCVP-derived ΔPpl = k × ΔCVP, where k was the ratio of the change in airway pressure (ΔPaw) to the ΔCVP during airway occlusion test.

Results

Of the 14 patients enrolled in the study, 6 were excluded because correct positioning of the esophageal balloon could not be confirmed, leaving eight patients for analysis (mean age, 4.8 months). Three variables that reflected ΔPpl (ΔPes, ΔCVP, and cΔCVP-derived ΔPpl) were measured and yielded the following results: -6.7 ± 4.8, − -2.6 ± 1.4, and − -7.3 ± 4.5 cmH2O, respectively. The repeated measures correlation between cΔCVP-derived ΔPpl and ΔPes showed that cΔCVP-derived ΔPpl had good correlation with ΔPes (r = 0.84, p< 0.0001).

Conclusions

ΔPpl can be estimated reasonably accurately by ΔCVP using our method in assisted and unassisted spontaneous breathing children during mechanical ventilation.

Sigh in Patients With Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure and ARDS: The PROTECTION Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND

Sigh is a cyclic brief recruitment maneuver: previous physiologic studies showed that its use could be an interesting addition to pressure support ventilation to improve lung elastance, decrease regional heterogeneity, and increase release of surfactant.

RESEARCH QUESTION

Is the clinical application of sigh during pressure support ventilation (PSV) feasible?

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

We conducted a multicenter noninferiority randomized clinical trial on adult intubated patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure or ARDS undergoing PSV. Patients were randomized to the no-sigh group and treated by PSV alone, or to the sigh group, treated by PSV plus sigh (increase in airway pressure to 30 cm H₂O for 3 s once per minute) until day 28 or death or successful spontaneous breathing trial. The primary end point of the study was feasibility, assessed as noninferiority (5% tolerance) in the proportion of patients failing assisted ventilation. Secondary outcomes included safety, physiologic parameters in the first week from randomization, 28-day mortality, and ventilator-free days.

RESULTS

Two-hundred and fifty-eight patients (31% women; median age, 65 [54-75] years) were enrolled. In the sigh group, 23% of patients failed to remain on assisted ventilation vs 30% in the no-sigh group (absolute difference, -7%; 95% CI, -18% to 4%; P = .015 for noninferiority). Adverse events occurred in 12% vs 13% in the sigh vs no-sigh group (P = .852). Oxygenation was improved whereas tidal volume, respiratory rate, and corrected minute ventilation were lower over the first 7 days from randomization in the sigh vs no-sigh group. There was no significant difference in terms of mortality (16% vs 21%; P = .337) and ventilator-free days (22 [7-26] vs 22 [3-25] days; P = .300) for the sigh vs no-sigh group.

INTERPRETATION

Among hypoxemic intubated ICU patients, application of sigh was feasible and without increased risk.

TRIAL REGISTRY

ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT03201263; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov.

Additional work of breathing from trigger errors in mechanically ventilated children

Background

Patient–ventilator asynchrony is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. A direct causative relationship between Patient–ventilator asynchrony and adverse clinical outcome have yet to be demonstrated. It is hypothesized that during trigger errors excessive pleural pressure swings are generated, contributing to increased work-of-breathing and self-inflicted lung injury. The objective of this study was to determine the additional work-of-breathing and pleural pressure swings caused by trigger errors in mechanically ventilated children.

Methods

Prospective observational study in a tertiary paediatric intensive care unit in an university hospital. Patients ventilated > 24 h and < 18 years old were studied. Patients underwent a 5-min recording of the ventilator flow–time, pressure–time and oesophageal pressure–time scalar. Pressure–time–product calculations were made as a proxy for work-of-breathing. Oesophageal pressure swings, as a surrogate for pleural pressure swings, during trigger errors were determined.

Results

Nine-hundred-and-fifty-nine trigger errors in 28 patients were identified. The additional work-of-breathing caused by trigger errors showed great variability among patients. The more asynchronous breaths were present the higher the work-of-breathing of these breaths. A higher spontaneous breath rate led to a lower amount of trigger errors. Patient–ventilator asynchrony was not associated with prolonged duration of mechanical ventilation or paediatric intensive care stay.

Conclusions

The additional work-of-breathing caused by trigger errors in ventilated children can take up to 30–40% of the total work-of-breathing. Trigger errors were less common in patients breathing spontaneously and those able to generate higher pressure–time–product and pressure swings.

Trial registration

Not applicable.

A Rationale for Use of High Flow Nasal Cannula for Select Patients With Suspected or Confirmed Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 Infection

Infection with the novel 2019 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is associated with the development of a viral pneumonia with severe hypoxemia and respiratory failure. In many cases these patients will require mechanical ventilation; but in others the severity of disease is significantly less and may not need invasive support. High flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is a widely used modality of delivering high concentrations of oxygen and airflow to patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure, but its use in patients with SARS-CoV-2 is poorly described. Concerns with use of HFNC have arisen including aerosolization of viral particles to healthcare workers (HCW) to delaying intubation and potentially worsening of outcomes. However, use of HFNC in other coronavirus pandemics and previous experimental evidence suggest HFNC is low risk and may be effective in select patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. With the significant increase in resource utilization in care of patients with SARS-CoV-2, identification of those that may benefit from HFNC allowing allocation of ventilators to those more critically ill is of significant importance. In this manuscript, we review pertinent literature regarding the use of HFNC in the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and address many concerns regarding its use.

Progression of regional lung strain and heterogeneity in lung injury: assessing the evolution under spontaneous breathing and mechanical ventilation

BACKGROUND

Protective mechanical ventilation (MV) aims at limiting global lung deformation and has been associated with better clinical outcomes in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients. In ARDS lungs without MV support, the mechanisms and evolution of lung tissue deformation remain understudied. In this work, we quantify the progression and heterogeneity of regional strain in injured lungs under spontaneous breathing and under MV.

METHODS

Lung injury was induced by lung lavage in murine subjects, followed by 3 h of spontaneous breathing (SB-group) or 3 h of low V_t mechanical ventilation (MV-group). Micro-CT images were acquired in all subjects at the beginning and at the end of the ventilation stage following induction of lung injury. Regional strain, strain progression and strain heterogeneity were computed from image-based biomechanical analysis. Three-dimensional regional strain maps were constructed, from which a region-of-interest (ROI) analysis was performed for the regional strain, the strain progression, and the strain heterogeneity.

RESULTS

After 3 h of ventilation, regional strain levels were significantly higher in 43.7% of the ROIs in the SB-group. Significant increase in regional strain was found in 1.2% of the ROIs in the MV-group. Progression of regional strain was found in 100% of the ROIs in the SB-group, whereas the MV-group displayed strain progression in 1.2% of the ROIs. Progression in regional strain heterogeneity was found in 23.4% of the ROIs in the SB-group, while the MV-group resulted in 4.7% of the ROIs showing significant changes. Deformation progression is concurrent with an increase of non-aerated compartment in SB-group (from 13.3% ± 1.6% to 37.5% ± 3.1%), being higher in ventral regions of the lung.

CONCLUSIONS

Spontaneous breathing in lung injury promotes regional strain and strain heterogeneity progression. In contrast, low V_t MV prevents regional strain and heterogeneity progression in injured lungs.

Neuromuscular Blockade Applicability in Early Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Neuromuscular blockade with deep sedation appears to offer no advantage to patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome who can be managed with lighter sedation. In those patients requiring deep sedation, the addition of neuromuscular blockade may be beneficial.