[Early Pulmonary Rehabilitation after Long Term Mechanical Ventilation]

Einleitung  Unter Frührehabilitation versteht man eine frühzeitig bei- oder nach akuter Erkrankung einsetzende, rehabilitationsmedizinische Behandlung die im § 39SGB V verankert ist. Ziel dieser Untersuchung ist es, die Ergebnisqualität der pneumologischen Frührehabilitation zu untersuchen und darzustellen.

Methoden  Prospektive Erhebung von funktionellen Parametern, Beatmungsstatus und Entlass-Disposition in einer spezialisierten Abteilung für pneumologische Frührehabilitation über den Zeitraum von einem Jahr.

Ergebnisse  Von den 190 Patienten waren 179 (94,2 %) zuvor invasiv beatmet. Während einer Behandlungsdauer von 39 ± 17 Tagen stieg der FAM-Index von 84,4 ± 19,8 auf 118,5 ± 23,3 (Ci 30,9 – 37,3, Cohen’s d 1,58; p < 0,001), der Barthel-Index von 30,5 ± 13,8 auf 58,3 ± 16,2 (Ci 25,4 – 33,8, Cohen’s d 1,4; p < 0,001) und die Wegstrecke von 12,9 ± 40,1 m auf 131,4 ± 85,2 m (Ci 105,6 – 131,4 m, Cohen’s d 1,78; p < 0,001). Die Patienten wurden weniger häufig in eine weitere Anschlussheilbehandlung verlegt, wenn sie beatmet waren.

Diskussion  Patienten in der pneumologischen Frührehabilitation sind bei Aufnahme schwer kompromittiert, es lässt sich aber eine sehr gute Ergebnisqualität erzielen, die unabhängig davon zu sein scheint, ob der Patient eigenständig atmet oder mittels nicht-invasiver oder invasiver Beatmung versorgt wird. Die weitere Disposition dieser Patienten ist vor allem dann schwierig, wenn eine Beatmung vorliegt.

[Guidelines for Non-Invasive and Invasive Home Mechanical Ventilation for Treatment of Chronic Respiratory Failure - Update 2017]

Today, invasive and non-invasive home mechanical ventilation have become a well-established treatment option. Consequently, in 2010 the German Society of Pneumology and Mechanical Ventilation (DGP) has leadingly published the guidelines on "Non-Invasive and Invasive Mechanical Ventilation for Treatment of Chronic Respiratory Failure". However, continuing technical evolutions, new scientific insights, and health care developments require an extensive revision of the guidelines.For this reason, the updated guidelines are now published. Thereby, the existing chapters, namely technical issues, organizational structures in Germany, qualification criteria, disease specific recommendations including special features in pediatrics as well as ethical aspects and palliative care, have been updated according to the current literature and the health care developments in Germany. New chapters added to the guidelines include the topics of home mechanical ventilation in paraplegic patients and in those with failure of prolonged weaning.In the current guidelines different societies as well as professional and expert associations have been involved when compared to the 2010 guidelines. Importantly, disease-specific aspects are now covered by the German Interdisciplinary Society of Home Mechanical Ventilation (DIGAB). In addition, societies and associations directly involved in the care of patients receiving home mechanical ventilation have been included in the current process. Importantly, associations responsible for decisions on costs in the health care system and patient organizations have now been involved.The currently updated guidelines are valid for the next three years, following their first online publication on the home page of the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in German (AWMF) in the beginning of July 2017. A subsequent revision of the guidelines remains the aim for the future.

New trends in nuclear spectrometry

An overview on the status and function of current spectrometry hardware, of detectors having energy-dispersive (spectrometric) properties as well as of the latest developments in quantitative spectrometry software is presented. Making extensive use of modern computing power, new strategies in high-precision spectrum analysis have been developed which enhance the quality of results and also open new fields of spectrometric applications. Three principles have been newly introduced to spectrum analysis software:

[Survey of nursing services with regard to mechanical ventilation at home]

BACKGROUND

Homecare for mechanically ventilated patients is complex and challenging for homecare institutions. The framework conditions of homecare are regulated by a likewise complex social legislation. The German Respiratory Society (DGP) and the German Interdisciplinary Society for Home Care Ventilation (DIGAB) have published recommendations on the structure of homecare for ventilated patients in their recent guideline and recommended a certification of homecare nursing services.

RATIONALE

Prior to a certification process, the homecare task force of the DIGAB conducted a survey in order to compare the current structures with the guideline recommendations.

METHODS

Voluntary disclosure of information by means of a written questionnaire consisting of eleven items was requested.

RESULTS

37 homecare institutions with a total of 78 subsidiaries providing service all over Germany returned their questionnaires. While educational standards are mostly in line with the guideline recommendation, it was found that only 43 % of 812 recorded patients followed up with a specialised weaning centre or centre for ventilation. 84 % of these patients were ventilated invasively. In spite of the fact that all homecare institutions took care of invasively ventilated patients, there was a lack of company-owned standards for specific nursing measures.

CONCLUSIONS

Homecare for ventilated patients in Germany has reached a decent degree of organisation, while follow-up with specialised centres for ventilation, and with that medical specialist care appears to be underserved. The certification process for homecare institutions should be pursued with emphasis in order to create uniform quality standards. The number of invasively ventilated patients in homecare settings is probably higher than previously estimated and could be the result of a lack of weaning capacity.

Inhaled isotonic alkaline versus saline solution and radioaerosol clearance in chronic cough

The aim of the present study was to test the influence of inhaled isotonic Ems salt (brine from the spa of Bad Ems, Germany) compared to isotonic saline on radioaerosol clearance (RC) in patients with chronic cough. Ems salt is an alkaline solution (pH 8.0-9.0) containing largely bicarbonate ions rather than the chloride ions present in isotonic saline (pH 6.4). RC was assessed with a radioaerosol technique using technetium-99m albumin in supine patients. After a 30-min baseline measurement of RC according to a single blind and randomized design, patients inhaled Ems salt (n=22, 20-77 yrs) or isotonic saline (n=21, 34-72 yrs) via a jet nebulizer (Pari Boy) for 10 min and were scanned for an additional 30 min. There was no difference between the two groups before intervention in terms of deposition pattern, lung function and baseline RC rate. After inhalation of Ems salt, the RC rate (1/tau) improved significantly from 0.15+/-0.14 (mean+/-SD) to 0.53+/-0.70 L.h(-1) (p<0.005); no change was found after isotonic saline (0.13+/-0.13 to 0.08+/-0.09 L.h(-1), NS). Voluntary coughs performed after 60 min had no effect on the RC rate. However, in the Ems salt group, significantly more patients reported an inhalation induced cough. Compared to the Ems salt patients, who did not cough during and after inhalation, the RC rate in the cough group was enhanced significantly (0.10+/-0.12 versus 0.73+/-0.83, p=0.017), this effect being seen more frequently in females (p=0.003). It is concluded that Ems salt improves radioaerosol clearance significantly in patients with chronic cough. The underlying mechanism, regarding whether induced cough, increased water content in the mucus or enhanced ciliary beat frequency is the leading cause of Ems salt action, remains unclear.

[Nasal strips without effect on obstructive sleep apnea and snoring]

Recently a nose plaster (NP, Breathe-Right) has been increasingly used in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and snoring. Hence, we examined the use of the NP as a treatment of both OSA and snoring without OSA. The NP has a elastic spine that increases the diameter of the nostril and is thought to reduce the degree of OSA and snoring. According to the polysomnographic data two groups were differentiated: Group A (30 patients with OSA, apnoea index > 10/h, 26 men) and Group B (20 snorers, without OSA, 13 men). After the diagnostic polysomnography the efficacy of the NP was measured with a cardiorespiratory polygraph on the 2 following nights. In the group A the polygraphic data (apnoea index, time of apneas, desaturation index, time of desaturations, mean and nadir SaO2) were studied; in group B the snoring index (snoring events/hour) was measured. A questionnaire scored quality of sleeping, daytime condition and the quality of nose breathing. In neither group were the recorded polygraphic findings different with the NP although with the NP an improved nose breathing was scored in both groups. In group A 90% of the patients scored the daytime sleepiness unchanged and 10 of 30 patients described an improved quality of sleep. In group B there was no change in the frequency of snoring events with the NP. Neither the degree of OSA nor of snoring without OSA were changed by the NP, which can therefore not be considered a treatment of these conditions. However, the majority of the study population were impressed by the symptomatic improvement in nose breathing.

[Value of various intra- and extraoral therapeutic procedures for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring]

BACKGROUND

Recently intra- and extraoral devices are increasingly used in order to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and snoring. We examined the value of some devices according to the literature and our own results.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The mandibular advancing devices aim at increasing upper airway diameter. The active part of the tongue extending device (SnorEx) is a stamp connected to a piston which exerts pressure at the base of the tongue causing its forward displacement; we studied 23 patients. The principle of an optically stimulating system ("eye-cover", Snore-Stop) consists of a microphone and light diods which are integrated in the eye-cover. After detecting acoustic signals (for example snoring) optical stimuli are generated in front of the eyes, which are thought to induce arousals causing a change of body position and the reduction of the snoring and apneas; we measured 24 patients. The principle of the tongue-retainer (Snore-Master) is the fixation of the tongue in a ventral position, which is thought to enlarge the mesopharyngeal area; we studied 14 patients. The nose plaster (Breathe-Right) contains an elastic spine that pulls the alae nasi cranial. This manipulation is thought to increase the diameter of the nostril and reduce the airway resistance. We measured 30 patients with obstructive sleep apnea and 20 snoring subjects without obstructive sleep apnea.

RESULTS

Regarding the mandibular advancing due to different appliance designs and study protocols variable success rates have been documented. In patients with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea a reduction of the sleep related breathing disorder could be shown. Non compliance (NC) to the tongue extending device was 75% (17/23). Non-compliance-patients were characterized by unacceptable local-side-effects of the prosthesis, lacking improvement of symptoms and of the respiratory disturbance index. Both tongue-retainer and -extensor are characterized by a high incidence of local side effects. Neither the eye-cover nor the nose plaster could improve the severity of obstructive sleep apnoe or snoring. In contrast to another study we could not show a significant effect of the tongue-retainer.

CONCLUSIONS

Neither the nose plaster nor the optical stimulating device influenced the degree of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring. There are conflicting data regarding the tongue retainer. The high rate of non-compliant subjects and the low efficacy of the tongue extending prosthesis precludes large-scale use of this treatment modality in patients with obstructive sleep apnoe and snoring. In selected individuals suffering from a mild to moderate degree of obstructive sleep apnea with CPAP-inefficiency and -incompliance the mandibular advancing principle may be an therapeutic alternative to CPAP.