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This review explores the complex interactions between sedation and invasive ventilation and examines the potential of volatile anesthetics for lung- and diaphragm-protective sedation. In the early stages of invasive ventilation, many critically ill patients experience insufficient respiratory drive and effort, leading to compromised diaphragm function. Compared with common intravenous agents, inhaled sedation with volatile anesthetics better preserves respiratory drive, potentially helping to maintain diaphragm function during prolonged periods of invasive ventilation. In turn, higher concentrations of volatile anesthetics reduce the size of spontaneously generated tidal volumes, potentially reducing lung stress and strain and with that the risk of self-inflicted lung injury. Taken together, inhaled sedation may allow titration of respiratory drive to maintain inspiratory efforts within lung- and diaphragm-protective ranges. Particularly in patients who are expected to require prolonged invasive ventilation, in whom the restoration of adequate but safe inspiratory effort is crucial for successful weaning, inhaled sedation represents an attractive option for lung- and diaphragm-protective sedation. A technical limitation is ventilatory dead space introduced by volatile anesthetic reflectors, although this impact is minimal and comparable to ventilation with heat and moisture exchangers. Further studies are imperative for a comprehensive understanding of the specific effects of inhaled sedation on respiratory drive and effort and, ultimately, how this translates into patient-centered outcomes in critically ill patients., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Mechanical ventilation in myasthenic crisis is not standardized and is at high risk of failure. We investigated liberation from mechanical ventilation during myasthenic crisis using a prolonged spontaneous breathing trials (SBT) and sequential pulmonary function tests (PFT). In this retrospective monocenter study, we included patients admitted for a first episode of myasthenic crisis between January 2001 and January 2018. The primary outcome was the incidence of weaning failure upon first extubation in our cohort of patients with MC. Secondary objectives were to determine risk factors and outcome associated with weaning failure upon first extubation in MC. We also compared the characteristics of patients with prolonged weaning. 126 episodes of MC were analyzed. Patient's age was 64 [42-76] years with 72/126 (56.5%) being women. The median delay between weaning initiation and first extubation was 6 [3-10] days and the median total length of MV was 14 [10-23] days. 118/126 (93.7%) patients underwent prolonged SBT of 8 h or more prior to first extubation. The overall weaning failure rate was 18/126 (14.3%). Extubation was more often successful when the factor precipitating the myasthenic crisis was identified (86/108 (79.6%) vs. 8/18 (44.4%); p = 0.004), whereas PFT was similar in failure or successes. Most weaning failures upon first extubation attempt (11/18; 61%) were attributed to an insufficient stabilization of myasthenia gravis. Duration of mechanical ventilation, an infectious trigger and maximal inspiratory pressure upon intubation were independent risk factors for prolonged weaning. In myasthenic crisis, a standardized protocol including prolonged SBT and respiratory function tests might improve the success of first extubation without prolonging mechanical ventilation. The results of this single center study warrant further evaluation in interventional trials., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Advances in intensive care over the past few decades have significantly improved the chances of survival for patients with acute critical illness. However, this progress has also led to a growing population of patients who are dependent on intensive care therapies, including prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV), after the initial acute period of critical illness. These patients are referred to as the "chronically critically ill" (CCI). CCI is a syndrome characterized by prolonged mechanical ventilation, myoneuropathies, neuroendocrine disorders, nutritional deficiencies, cognitive and psychiatric issues, and increased susceptibility to infections. It is associated with high morbidity and mortality as well as a significant increase in healthcare costs. In this article, we will review disease burden, outcomes, psychiatric effects, nutritional and ventilator weaning strategies as well as the role of palliative care for CCI with a specific focus on those requiring PMV., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Objective: To identify the influence of obesity on mortality, time to weaning from mechanical ventilation and mobility at intensive care unit discharge in patients with COVID-19., Methods: This retrospective cohort study was carried out between March and August 2020. All adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit in need of ventilatory support and confirmed to have COVID-19 were included. The outcomes included mortality, time on mechanical ventilation, and mobility at intensive care unit discharge., Results: Four hundred and twenty-nine patients were included, 36.6% of whom were overweight and 43.8% of whom were obese. Compared with normal body mass index patients, overweight and obese patients had lower mortality (p = 0.002) and longer intensive care unit survival (log-rank p < 0.001). Compared with patients with a normal body mass index, overweight patients had a 36% lower risk of death (p = 0.04), while patients with obesity presented a 23% lower risk (p < 0.001). There was no association between obesity and time on mechanical ventilation. The level of mobility at intensive care unit discharge did not differ between groups and showed a moderate inverse correlation with length of stay in the intensive care unit (r = -0.461; p < 0.001)., Conclusion: Overweight and obese patients had lower mortality and higher intensive care unit survival rates. The duration of mechanical ventilation and mobility level at intensive care unit discharge did not differ between the groups.

Background: Re-intubation is necessary in 2% to 30% of cases of patients receiving a planned extubation. This procedure is associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation, a greater need for tracheostomy, a higher incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia, and higher mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of re-intubation within 48 h on mortality after planned extubation by using a randomized controlled trial database., Methods: Secondary analysis of a multi-center randomized trial, which evaluated the effect of reconnection to mechanical ventilation for 1 h after a successful spontaneous breathing trial, followed by extubation. The study included adult subjects who received invasive mechanical ventilation for > 12 h. The subjects were divided into an extubation failure group and an extubation success group. The outcome was in-hospital mortality. Two multivariate logistic regression models were constructed to identify independent factors associated with mortality., Results: Among the 336 subjects studied, extubation failed in 52 (15.4%) and they were re-intubated within 48 h. Most re-intubations occurred between 12 and 24 h after planned extubation (median [interquartile range] 16 [6-36] h). Mortality of the extubation failure group was higher both in the ICU (32.6% vs 6.6%; odds ratio [OR] 6.77, 95% CI 3.22-14.24; P < .001) and in-hospital (42.3% vs 14.0%; OR 4.47, 95% CI 2.34-8.51; P < .001) versus the extubation success group. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that re-intubation within 48 h was independently associated with both ICU mortality (OR 6.10, 95% CI 2.84-13.07; P < .001) and in-hospital mortality (OR 3.36, 95% CI 1.67-6.73; P = .001). In-hospital mortality was also associated with rescue noninvasive ventilation after extubation (OR 2.44, 95% CI 1.25-4.75; P = .009)., Conclusions: Re-intubation within 48 h after planned extubation was associated with mortality in subjects who were critically ill., Competing Interests: The authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 by Daedalus Enterprises.)

Background: The endeavor of liberating patients from ventilator dependence within respiratory care centers (RCCs) poses considerable challenges. Multiple factors contribute to this process, yet establishing an effective regimen for pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) remains uncertain. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate existing rehabilitation protocols, ascertain associations between clinical factors and patient outcomes, and explore the influence of these protocols on the outcomes of the patients to shape suitable rehabilitation programs., Methods: Conducted at a medical center in northern Taiwan, the retrospective study examined 320 newly admitted RCC patients between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2017. Each patient received a tailored PR protocol, following which researchers evaluated weaning rates, RCC survival, and 3-month survival as outcome variables. Analyses scrutinized differences in baseline characteristics and prognoses among three PR protocols: protocol 1 (routine care), protocol 2 (routine care plus breathing training), and protocol 3 (routine care plus breathing and limb muscle training)., Results: Among the patients, 28.75% followed protocol 1, 59.37% protocol 2, and 11.88% protocol 3. Variances in age, body-mass index, pneumonia diagnosis, do-not-resuscitate orders, Glasgow Coma Scale scores (≤ 14), and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE) scores were notable across these protocols. Age, APACHE scores, and abnormal blood urea nitrogen levels (> 20 mg/dL) significantly correlated with outcomes-such as weaning, RCC survival, and 3-month survival. Elevated mean hemoglobin levels linked to increased weaning rates (p = 0.0065) and 3-month survival (p = 0.0102). Four adjusted models clarified the impact of rehabilitation protocols. Notably, the PR protocol 3 group exhibited significantly higher 3-month survival rates compared to protocol 1, with odds ratios (ORs) ranging from 3.87 to 3.97 across models. This association persisted when comparing with protocol 2, with ORs between 3.92 and 4.22., Conclusion: Our study showed that distinct PR protocols significantly affected the outcomes of ventilator-dependent patients within RCCs. The study underlines the importance of tailored rehabilitation programs and identifies key clinical factors influencing patient outcomes. Recommendations advocate prospective studies with larger cohorts to comprehensively assess PR effects on RCC patients., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Backgrounds: Increased respiratory drive has been demonstrated to correlate with weaning failure, which could be quantified by electrical activity of the diaphragm (EAdi). We described the physiological process of EAdi-based parameters during the spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) and evaluated the change of EAdi-based parameters as potential predictors of weaning failure., Methods: We conducted a prospective study in 35 mechanically ventilated patients who underwent a 2-hour SBT. EAdi and ventilatory parameters were continuously measured during the SBT. Diaphragm ultrasound was performed before the SBT and at the 30 min of the SBT. Three EAdi-based parameters were calculated: neuro-ventilatory efficiency, neuro-excursion efficiency and neuro-discharge per min., Results: Of the thirty 35 patients studied, 25 patients were defined as SBT success, including 22 patients weaning successfully and 3 patients reintubated. Before the SBT, neuro-excursion efficiency differed significantly between two groups and had the highest predictive value for SBT failure (AUROC 0.875, p < 0.01). Early increases in EAdi were observed in SBT, which are more prominent in SBT failure group. One minute, changes in EAdi and neuro-discharge per min also predicted weaning outcome (AUROCs 0.944 and 0.918, respectively)., Conclusions: EAdi-based parameters, especially neuro-excursion efficiency and changes in neuro-discharge per min, may detect impending weaning failure earlier than conventional indices. EAdi monitoring provides physiological insights and a more tailored approach to facilitate successful weaning. Further research should validate these findings and explore the utility of combined EAdi and diaphragm ultrasound assessment in weaning ICU patients from mechanical ventilation., Trial Registration: Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov on 20 September 2022 (Identifier: NCT05632822)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: There is growing evidence for the usefulness of the lung ultrasound score (LUS) in neonatal intensive care. We evaluated whether the LUS is predictive of outcomes in infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)., Study Design: Neonates less than 34 weeks of gestational age were eligible for this prospective, multicenter cohort study. The outcomes of interest were the need for mechanical ventilation (MV) at <72 hours of life, the need for surfactant (SF), successful weaning from continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), extubation readiness, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Lung scans were taken at 0 to 6 hours of life (Day 1), on Days 2, 3, and 7, and before CPAP withdrawal or extubation. Sonograms were scored (range 0-16) by a blinded expert sonographer. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to estimate the prediction accuracy of the LUS., Results: A total of 647 scans were obtained from 155 newborns with a median gestational age of 32 weeks. On Day 1, a cutoff LUS of 6 had a sensitivity (Se) of 88% and a specificity (Sp) of 79% to predict the need for SF (AUC = 0.86), while a cutoff LUS of 7 predicted the need for MV at <72 hours of life (Se = 89%, Sp = 65%, AUC = 0.80). LUS acquired prior to weaning off CPAP was an excellent predictor of successful CPAP withdrawal, with a cutoff level of 1 (Se = 67%, Sp = 100%, AUC = 0.86)., Conclusion: The LUS has significant predictive ability for important outcomes in neonatal RDS., Key Points: · Lung ultrasound has significant prognostic abilities in neonatal RDS.. · Early sonograms (0-6 h of life) accurately predict the requirement for SF and ventilation.. · Weaning off CPAP is effective when the LUS (range 0-16) is less than or equal to 1.., Competing Interests: P.S., M.S., W.B., I.S-K., P.K., and R.B. received honoraria from Chiesi Poland for lecturing and participation on advisory boards. R.H. is employed by Chiesi Poland, the sponsor of the study. The remaining authors report no conflict of interest., (The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).)

Depending on the definitional criteria used, approximately 5% to 10% of critical adults will require prolonged mechanical ventilation with longer-term outcomes that are worse than those ventilated for a shorter duration. Outcomes are affected by patient characteristics before critical illness and its severity but also by organizational characteristics and care models. Definitive trials of interventions to inform care activities, such as ventilator weaning, upper airway management, rehabilitation, and nutrition specific to the prolonged mechanical ventilation patient population, are lacking. A structured and individualized approach developed by the multiprofessional team in discussion with the patient and their family is warranted., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to declare relevant to this publication., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The PRiVENT project aims to improve the care of invasively ventilated patients and to reduce the number of out-of-hospital long-term ventilated patients. PRiVENT offers intensive care units the opportunity to exchange information with experts from specialized weaning centers in interprofessional weaning boards and weaning consults and to exploit the full weaning potential of the patients. In the context of the accompanying process evaluation, the PRiVENT intervention components will be examined for sustainability, scalability and effectiveness, and the interprofessional collaboration between intensive care units and the responsible weaning centers will be investigated in order to identify potentials for the care of invasively managed patients., Methods: In a qualitative cross-sectional study, semistructured, problem-oriented interviews were conducted with care providers of participating ICUs. The data were digitally recorded, pseudonymized and verbatim transcribed. Data analysis was based on Brown and Clarke's Thematic Analysis and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. MAXQDA 2020 software was used to organize the data., Results: Fourteen interviews were conducted with ICU care providers. The early transfer of patients to a weaning center and the integration of pulmonary expertise into routine care were identified as positively perceived potentials of the weaning boards and weaning consults. Especially in critically ill, multimorbid patients suffering from COVID-19, the expertise of the weaning centers was considered helpful. Due to heavy workloads, nurses were unable to participate in weaning boards and weaning consults., Conclusion: Interprofessional collaboration between weaning centers and ICUs in weaning boards and weaning consults can improve the care of invasively ventilated patients. Strategies to promote the involvement of nurses should be discussed and developed., Competing Interests: Joachim Szecsenyi ist Gründer des aQUA Institutes. Franziska Trudzinski gibt folgende Interessenkonfilkte an: 1. Payment or honoraria for lectures, presentations, speakers bureaus, manuscript writing or educational events: Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, GlaxoSmithKline, Grifols, Novartis, CSL Behring, Streamed up RG Gesellschaft für Information und Organisation mbH. 2. Participation on a Data Safety Monitoring Board or Advisory Board: CSL Behring, GlaxoSmithKline., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the effect of early pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) training on the improvement of respiratory function in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) after weaning of invasive mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit (ICU)., Methods: The retrospective cohort research method was used. The clinical information of adult patients with ARDS receiving invasive mechanical ventilation admitted to the ICU of Qingdao Municipal Hospital from January 2019 to March 2023 was collected. The patients were divided into a control group and an observation group according to off-line training program. The control group received traditional training after weaning, and the observation group received the early PR training after weaning. Other treatments and nursing were implemented according to the routine of the ICU. The scores of the short physical performance battery (SPPB) on day 3-day 6 of the weaning training, respiratory muscle strength, level of interleukin-6 (IL-6), number of aspirations of sputum after weaning, length of stay after weaning, rehospitalization rate within 6 months after discharge, and pulmonary function indicators at discharge and 3 months after discharge [peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity ratio (FEV1/FVC), and vital capacity (VC)] of the two groups of patients were compared. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve was drawn to analyze the cumulative survival rate of patients 6 months after discharge., Results: A total of 50 of which 25 cases received the traditional training after weaning, 25 cases received the early PR training after weaning. There was no significant difference in gender, age, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II), oxygenation index upon admission, etiological diagnosis of ARDS upon admission, time of invasive ventilation, mode of invasive mechanical ventilation, pulmonary function indicators at discharge, and other baseline data of the two groups. The SPPB questionnaire scores and respiratory muscle strength in both groups were increased gradually with the extended offline training time, the serum level of IL-6 in both groups were descend gradually with the extended offline training time, especially in the observation group [SPPB questionnaire score in the observation group were 7.81±0.33, 8.72±0.53, 9.44±0.31, 10.57±0.50, while in the control group were 7.74±0.68, 8.73±0.37, 8.72±0.40, 9.33±0.26, effect of time: F = 192.532, P = 0.000, effect of intervention: F = 88.561, P = 0.000, interaction effect between intervention and time: F = 24.724, P = 0.000; respiratory muscle strength (mmHg, 1 mmHg≈0.133 kPa) in the observation group were 123.20±24.84, 137.00±26.47, 149.00±24.70, 155.40±29.37, while in the control group were 129.00±20.34, 126.00±24.01, 132.20±25.15, 138.60±36.67, effect of time: F = 5.926, P = 0.001, effect of intervention: F = 5.248, P = 0.031, interaction effect between intervention and time: F = 3.033, P = 0.043; serum level of IL-6 in the observation group were 80.05±6.81, 74.76±9.33, 63.66±10.19, 56.95±4.72, while in the control group were 80.18±7.21, 77.23±9.78, 71.79±10.40, 66.51±6.49, effect of time: F = 53.485, P = 0.000, effect of intervention: F = 22.942, P = 0.000, interaction effect between intervention and time: F = 3.266, P = 0.026]. Compared with the control group, the number of aspirations of sputum after weaning of patients in the observation group significantly decreased (number: 22.46±1.76 vs. 27.31±0.90), the length of ICU stay after weaning significantly became shorter (days: 6.93±0.95 vs. 8.52±2.21), and the rehospitalization rate within 6 months after discharge significantly decreased [20.00% (5/25) vs. 48.00% (12/25)]. There were significant differences. The pulmonary function indicators 3 months after discharge of two groups of patients significantly increased compared with those at discharge and those of the observation group were significantly higher than those of the control group [PEF (L/min): 430.20±95.18 vs. 370.00±108.44, FEV1/FVC ratio: 0.88±0.04 vs. 0.82±0.05, VC (L): 3.22±0.72 vs. 2.74±0.37, all P < 0.05]. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that the cumulative survival rate of patients 6 months after discharge of patients in the observation group was significantly higher than that of patients in the control group [76.9% vs. 45.5%, hazard ratio (HR) = 0.344, P = 0.017]., Conclusions: Early PR training can significantly improve the respiratory function of patients with ARDS after weaning of invasive mechanical ventilation. Continuous active respiratory training after discharge can improve the respiratory function of patients and effectively decrease mortality.

Tremendous advancements in neonatal respiratory care have contributed to the improved survival of extremely preterm infants (gestational age ≤ 28 weeks). While mechanical ventilation is often considered one of the most important breakthroughs in neonatology, it is also associated with numerous short and long-term complications. For those reasons, clinical research has focused on strategies to avoid or reduce exposure to mechanical ventilation. Nonetheless, in the extreme preterm population, 70-100% of infants born 22-28 weeks of gestation are exposed to mechanical ventilation, with nearly 50% being ventilated for ≥ 3 weeks. As contemporary practices have shifted towards selectively reserving mechanical ventilation for those patients, mechanical ventilation weaning and extubation remain a priority yet offer a heightened challenge for clinicians. In this review, we will summarize the evidence for different strategies to expedite weaning and assess extubation readiness in preterm infants, with a particular focus on extremely preterm infants., Competing Interests: Disclosure Authors do not have any financial and personal relationships to disclose., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Purpose: To assess the value of the driving pressure variation rate (ΔP%) in predicting the outcome of weaning from invasive mechanical ventilation in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome., Methods: In this case-control study, a total of 35 patients with moderate-severe acute respiratory distress syndrome were admitted to the intensive care unit between January 2022 and December 2022 and received invasive mechanical ventilation for at least 48 h were enrolled. Patients were divided into successful weaning group and failed weaning group depending on whether they could be removed from ventilator support within 14 days. Outcome measures including driving pressure, PaO 2 :FiO 2 , and positive end-expiratory pressure, etc. were assessed every 24 h from day 0 to day 14 until successful weaning was achieved. The measurement data of non-normal distribution were presented as median (Q 1 , Q 3 ), and the differences between groups were compared by Wilcoxon rank sum test. And categorical data use the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test to compare. The predictive value of ΔP% in predicting the outcome of weaning from the ventilator was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic curves., Results: Of the total 35 patients included in the study, 17 were successful vs. 18 failed in weaning from a ventilator after 14 days of mechanical ventilation. The cut-off values of the median ΔP% measured by Operator 1 vs. Operator 2 in the first 4 days were ≥ 4.17% and 4.55%, respectively (p < 0.001), with the area under curve of 0.804 (sensitivity of 88.2%, specificity of 64.7%) and 0.770 (sensitivity of 88.2%, specificity of 64.7%), respectively. There was a significant difference in mechanical ventilation duration between the successful weaning group and the failure weaning group (8 (6, 13) vs. 12 (7.5, 17.3), p = 0.043). The incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia in the successful weaning group was significantly lower than in the failed weaning group (0.2‰ vs. 2.3‰, p = 0.001). There was a significant difference noted between these 2 groups in the 28-day mortality (11.8% vs. 66.7%, p = 0.003)., Conclusion: The median ΔP% in the first 4 days of mechanical ventilation showed good predictive performance in predicting the outcome of weaning from mechanical ventilation within 14 days. Further study is needed to confirm this finding., (Copyright © 2024 Chinese Medical Association. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The association between protein intake and the need for mechanical ventilation (MV) is controversial. We aimed to investigate the associations between protein intake and outcomes in ventilated critically ill patients., Design: Analysis of a subset of a large international point prevalence survey of nutritional practice in ICUs., Setting: A total of 785 international ICUs., Patients: A total of 12,930 patients had been in the ICU for at least 96 hours and required MV by the fourth day after ICU admission at the latest., Interventions: None., Measurements and Main Results: We modeled associations between the adjusted hazard rate (aHR) of death in patients requiring MV and successful weaning (competing risks), and three categories of protein intake (low: < 0.8 g/kg/d, standard: 0.8-1.2 g/kg/d, high: > 1.2 g/kg/d). We compared five different hypothetical protein diets (an exclusively low protein intake, a standard protein intake given early (days 1-4) or late (days 5-11) after ICU admission, and an early or late high protein intake). There was no evidence that the level of protein intake was associated with time to weaning. However, compared with an exclusively low protein intake, a standard protein intake was associated with a lower hazard of death in MV: minimum aHR 0.60 (95% CI, 0.45-0.80). With an early high intake, there was a trend to a higher risk of death in patients requiring MV: maximum aHR 1.35 (95% CI, 0.99-1.85) compared with a standard diet., Conclusions: The duration of MV does not appear to depend on protein intake, whereas mortality in patients requiring MV may be improved by a standard protein intake. Adverse effects of a high protein intake cannot be excluded., Competing Interests: Drs. Hartl and Elke received funding from Fresenius Kabi. Dr. Hartl received funding from Biotest. Dr. Kopper disclosed work for hire; he disclosed affiliation with the Munich Center for Machine Learning and LMU/TU Munich. Dr. Elke received funding from Baxter. The remaining authors have disclosed that they do not have any potential conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: The lung ultrasound score was developed for rapidly assessing the extent of lung ventilation, and it can predict failure to wean various types of patients off mechanical ventilation. Whether it is also effective for COVID-19 patients is unclear., Methods: This single-center, prospective, observational study was conducted to assess the ability of the 12-region lung ultrasound score to predict failure to wean COVID-19 patients off ventilation. In parallel, we assessed whether right hemidiaphragmatic excursion or previously published predictors of weaning failure can apply to these patients. Predictive ability was assessed in terms of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC)., Results: The mean age of the 35 patients in the study was (75 ± 9) years and 12 patients (37%) could not be weaned off mechanical ventilation. The lung ultrasound score predicted these failures with an AUC of 0.885 (95% CI 0.770-0.999, p < 0.001), and a threshold score of 10 provided specificity of 72.7% and sensitivity of 92.3%. AUCs were lower for previously published predictors of weaning failure, and right hemidiaphragmatic excursion did not differ significantly between the two groups., Conclusion: The lung ultrasound score can accurately predict failure to wean critically ill COVID-19 patients off mechanical ventilation, whereas assessment of right hemidiaphragmatic excursion does not appear helpful in this regard., Trial Registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05706441., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests in this work., (© 2024 Wang et al.)

Objective: We aimed to explore the predictive values of ultrasonic diaphragm thickening fraction (DTF) combined with integrative weaning index (IWI) in weaning patients with mechanical ventilation., Methods: Patients with mechanical ventilation who received oral endotracheal intubation from September 2020 to September 2021 were included in this retrospective study. Before the start of the spontaneous breathing test (SBT), IWI was calculated according to the blood gas analysis parameters and parameters read in volume control mode. After the start of SBT, DTF was calculated according to the end-expiratory thickness and end-inspiratory thickness of the right diaphragm. The receiver operating curve (ROC) was used to evaluate the predictive value of DTF and IWI for successful weaning, and the sensitivity and specificity were calculated according to the best critical value., Results: The sensitivity, specificity, and best cutoff value of DTF to predict successful weaning was 0.772, 0.727, and 0.293, respectively, and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.72 (95%CI 0.59-0.86, p = 0.003). The sensitivity, specificity, and best cutoff value of IWI to predict successful weaning was 0.614, 0.909, 53.00, respectively, and AUC was 0.82 (95%CI 0.72-0.91, p < 0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, and best cutoff value of the combination of DTF and IWI to predict successful weaning was 0.614, 0.909, 17.848, respectively, and AUC was 0.84 (95%CI 0.75-0.93, p < 0.001)., Conclusion: DTF and IWI can guide the selection of weaning, while DTF combined with IWI can improve the effect of weaning prediction and provide support for patients' weaning safety., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Although multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDR) are common in patients undergoing prolonged weaning, there is little data on their impact on weaning and patient outcomes., Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients who underwent prolonged weaning and were at a university weaning centre from January 2018 to December 2020. The influence of MDR colonisation and infection on weaning success (category 3a and 3b), successful prolonged weaning from invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) with or without the need for non-invasive ventilation (NIV) compared with category 3c (weaning failure 3cI or death 3cII) was investigated. The pathogen groups considered were: multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria (MDRGN), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp. (VRE)., Results: A total of 206 patients were studied, of whom 91 (44.2%) showed evidence of MDR bacteria (32% VRE, 1.5% MRSA and 16% MDRGN), with 25 patients also meeting the criteria for MDR infection. 70.9% of the 206 patients were successfully weaned from IMV, 8.7% died. In 72.2% of cases, nosocomial pneumonia and other infections were the main cause of death. Patients with evidence of MDR (infection and colonisation) had a higher incidence of weaning failure than those without evidence of MDR (48% vs. 34.8% vs. 21.7%). In multivariate analyses, MDR infection (OR 4.9, p = 0.004) was an independent risk factor for weaning failure, along with male sex (OR 2.3, p = 0.025), Charlson Comorbidity Index (OR 1.2, p = 0.027), pH (OR 2.7, p < 0.001) and duration of IMV before admission (OR 1.01, p < 0.001). In addition, MDR infection was the only independent risk factor for death (category 3cII), (OR 6.66, p = 0.007)., Conclusion: Patients with MDR infection are significantly more likely to die during the weaning process. There is an urgent need to develop non-antibiotic approaches for the prevention and treatment of MDR infections as well as clinical research on antibiotic stewardship in prolonged weaning as well as in ICUs., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The transition to spontaneous breathing puts patients who are undergoing ventilator withdrawal at high risk for developing respiratory distress. A patient-centered algorithmic approach could standardize this process and meet unique patient needs because a single approach (weaning vs. one-step extubation) does not capture the needs of a heterogenous population undergoing this palliative procedure. Objectives: (1) Demonstrate that the algorithmic approach can be effective to ensure greater patient respiratory comfort compared to usual care; (2) determine differences in opioid or benzodiazepine use; (3) predict factors associated with duration of survival. Design/Settings/Measures: A stepped-wedge cluster randomized design at five sites was used. Sites crossed over to the algorithm in random order after usual care data were obtained. Patient comfort was measured with the Respiratory Distress Observation Scale© (RDOS) at baseline, at ventilator off, and every 15-minutes for an hour. Parenteral morphine and lorazepam equivalents from the onset of the process until patient death were calculated. Results: Usual care data n  = 120, algorithm data n  = 48. Gender and race were evenly distributed. All patients in the usual care arm underwent a one-step ventilator cessation; 58% of patients in the algorithm arm were weaned over an average of 18 ± 27 minutes as prescribed in the algorithm. Patients had significantly less respiratory distress in the intervention arm ( F  = 10.41, p  = 0.0013, effective size [es] = 0.49). More opioids ( t  = -2.30, p  = 0.023) and benzodiazepines ( t  = -2.08, p  = 0.040) were given in the control arm. Conclusions: The algorithm was effective in ensuring patient respiratory comfort. Surprisingly, more medication was given in the usual care arm; however, less may be needed when distress is objectively measured (RDOS), and treatment is initiated as soon as distress develops as in the algorithm. Clinical Trial Registration number: NCT03121391.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the impact of an intervention using voice recording of family members on pain, anxiety, and agitation in patients undergoing weaning from mechanical ventilation., Methods: A randomized control pre-post experimental design was implemented to 53 participants, with 27 and 26 participants in the experimental and control groups, respectively. A 70-second voice recording of a family member, repeated three times at 10-minute intervals was used as an intervention for the experimental group. Meanwhile, participants in the control group used headset for 30 minutes. Structured instruments were utilized to measure pain, anxiety, agitation, and the weaning process. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test and the Mann-Whitney U test, or χ² test, were used for data analysis., Results: The experimental group exhibited significant decrease in pain (Z = -3.53, p < .001), anxiety (t = 5.45, p < .001), and agitation (Z = -2.99, p = .003) scores compared with those of the control group. However, there was no significant difference between groups in the weaning process' simplification (χ² = 0.63, p = .727)., Conclusion: Intervention using family members' voice recording effectively reduces pain, anxiety, and agitation in patients undergoing weaning from mechanical ventilation. This can be actively utilized to provide a more comfortable process for patients., Competing Interests: Song, Eun Kyeung has been the editorial board member of JKAN since 2024 but has no role in the review process. Except for that, no potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (© 2024 Korean Society of Nursing Science.)

Objective: To investigate the correlation between diaphragmatic-rapid shallow breathing index (D-RSBI) and lung ultrasound score (LUS) in elderly patients with mechanical ventilation and its predictive value for weaning results., Methods: A retrospective study was conducted. The clinical data of elderly patients (age > 60 years old) with invasive positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) admitted to the department of intensive care unit (ICU) of the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University from January 2021 to June 2022 were enrolled. According to the outcome of withdrawal, the patients were divided into successful and failed groups. The differences in gender, age, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II), D-RSBI and LUS before weaning and extubation were compared between the two groups. Pearson correlation was used to analyze the correlation between D-RSBI and LUS. The predictive value of D-RSBI and LUS on weaning results of elderly patients with IPPV was analyzed by receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve)., Results: A total of 398 elderly patients with IPPV were enrolled, including 300 successful weaning patients and 98 failed weaning patients. There were no significant differences in gender and age between the failed group and successful group [male: 55.1% (54/98) vs. 59.0% (177/300), age (years old): 67.02±5.03 vs. 66.96±4.99, both P > 0.05]. APACHE II score in the failed group was significantly higher than that in the successful group (17.09±3.30 vs. 16.06±3.81, P < 0.05), and the D-RSBI and LUS score before extubation were significantly higher than those in the successful group [D-RSBI (time×min -1 ×mm -1 ): 2.19±0.33 vs. 1.60±0.22, LUS: 17.30±3.04 vs. 11.97±3.20, both P < 0.01]. All patients showed a significant positive correlation between D-RSBI and LUS score (r = 0.406, P = 0.000). ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of D-RSBI for predicting weaning outcomes in elderly IPPV patients was 0.920, with a 95% confidence interval (95%CI) of 0.881-0.958 and P = 0.000. When the cut-off value was 1.85 times×min -1 ×mm -1 , the sensitivity was 88.7% and the specificity was 86.7%. The AUC of LUS score for predicting weaning outcome in elderly IPPV patients was 0.875, with a 95%CI of 0.839-0.912 and P = 0.000. When the cut-off value was 14.50, the sensitivity was 75.7% and the specificity was 84.7%., Conclusions: There is a significant correlation between D-RSBI and LUS score in elderly mechanically ventilated patients, both of them can predict weaning outcome in elderly patients with mechanical ventilation.

Introduction: Weaning failure is common in mechanically ventilated patients, and whether ultrasound (US) can predict weaning outcome remains controversial. This review aims to evaluate the diaphragmatic function measured by US as a predictor of weaning outcome., Methods: PubMed was searched to identify original articles about the use of diaphragmatic US in ICU patients. A total of 61 citations were retrieved initially; available data of 26 studies were included in this review., Results: To assess diaphragmatic dysfunction in adults, six studies evaluated excursion, five evaluated thickening fraction, and both in nine. Despite heterogeneity in the diagnostic accuracy of diaphragm US among the studies, the sonographic indices showed good diagnostic performance for predicting weaning outcome., Conclusions: Diaphragmatic US can be a useful and accurate tool to detect diaphragmatic dysfunction in critically ill patients and predict weaning outcome., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.)

Objective: Unplanned invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) is associated with high mortality in lung cancer patients. We aimed to identify factors associated with weaning from IMV, intensive care unit (ICU) survival and 1-year survival in lung cancer patients requiring unplanned IMV., Design: Retrospective observational study (2007-2017)., Setting: University-affiliated ICU., Patients: Lung cancer patients requiring unplanned IMV., Intervention: None., Main Variables of Interest: Weaning from IMV, ICU and 1-year survival., Results: Of the 136 patients included in the analysis (age 64 (9) years, male 110 (81%), metastatic disease 97 (62%)), 52 (38%) were weaned from IMV, 51 (38%) were discharged from ICU and 22 (16%) were alive at 1year. The main indication for intubation was acute respiratory failure. In multivariate analysis, PaO 2 /FiO 2 >175mmHg at ICU admission and intubation before ICU admission were associated with successful weaning from IMV while intubation for cardiac arrest was associated with weaning failure. Same factors were associated with ICU survival. Absence of metastasis at ICU admission and lung resection surgery were independently associated with 1-year survival., Conclusions: A significant proportion of patients with lung cancer treated with unplanned IMV could be weaned from IMV and survived to ICU discharge, especially in the absence of severe hypoxemia at ICU admission. The low one-year survival was mostly driven by metastatic status., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To assess the role of diastolic dysfunction and fluid balance in weaning failure., Design: Prospective, observational, single center., Setting: Intensive care unit of a university hospital., Patients: Adult patients on mechanical ventilation for more than 48 h who underwent a spontaneous breathing trial (SBT)., Interventions: Echocardiography was performed immediately before and at the end of SBT. Patients were classified into two groups according to weaning outcome., Main Variable of Interest: Weaning failure., Results: Among 89 patients included, weaning failure occurred in 33 patients (37%). Isolated diastolic dysfunction at the end of the SBT was more frequent in the failure group (39.3% vs. 17.8%, p = 0.025). Average daily fluid balance from ICU admission until first SBT was less negative in patients who failed than in those who succeed in the weaning (-648 mL [-884 to -138] vs. -893 mL [-1284 to -501], p = 0.007). Average daily fluid balance from the first SBT until the ICU discharge was more negative in the weaning failure than in the success group (-973 mL [-1493 to -201] vs. -425 mL [-1065 to 12], p = 0.034). Cox regression analysis showed that diastolic dysfunction was not an independent factor related to weaning failure but needed the association of positive fluid balance and age., Conclusions: Weaning failure due to diastolic dysfunction is highly related to fluid balance, and the deleterious effect of fluid balance on diastolic function is associated with age The timing of fluid removal could play a key role in this scenario., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.)

Background: Weaning from invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) of preterm newborns (PTNB) is one of the critical stages of life support in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) has been used to facilitate weaning from IMV and includes continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) without or with inspiratory pressure support (bilevel NPPV). Nevertheless, there is little information about their adherence and success rate during weaning process., Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, weaning data from patients admitted to a NICU from the northeast region of Brazil were analyzed. Sample was composed of PTNB submitted to IMV and divided in two groups according to the weaning strategy adopted: bilevel NPPV or NCPAP. Weaning failure was defined as returning to IMV within less than 48 h after extubation., Results: Fifty-seven PTNB were included. Majority were females, had caesarean delivery, very low weight upon birth (760-1480 g) and neonatal hypoxemia scores (Apgar) <7 in the first minute. Respiratory distress syndrome occurred in 56.7% of PTNB whilst respiratory infections occurred in 35.1% of patients. Bilevel NPPV was the most chosen modality of weaning. No difference in success rate was found between bilevel NPPV and NCPAP (P=0.17)., Conclusions: In this study, the application of noninvasive ventilation in preterm newborns for weaning from IMV was similar success rate between bilevel NPPV and NCPAP.

Diaphragm dysfunction is a highly prevalent phenomenon in patients receiving mechanical ventilation, mainly due to ventilatory over-assistance and the development of diaphragm disuse atrophy. Promoting diaphragm activation whenever possible and facilitating an adequate interaction between the patient and the ventilator is encouraged at the bedside to avoid myotrauma and further lung injury. Eccentric contractions of the diaphragm are defined as muscle activation while muscle fibers are lengthening within the exhalation phase. There is recent evidence that suggests that eccentric activation of the diaphragm is very frequent and may occur during post-inspiratory activity or under different types of patient-ventilator asynchronies, which include ineffective efforts, premature cycling, and reverse triggering. The consequences of this eccentric contraction of the diaphragm may have opposite effects, depending on the level of breathing effort. For instance, during high or excessive effort, eccentric contractions can result in diaphragm dysfunction and injured muscle fibers. Conversely, when eccentric contractions of the diaphragm occur along with low breathing effort, a preserved diaphragm function, better oxygenation, and more aerated lung tissue are observed. Despite this controversial evidence, evaluating the level of breathing effort at the bedside seems crucial and is highly recommended to optimize ventilatory therapy. The impact of eccentric contractions of the diaphragm on the patient's outcome remains to be elucidated., Competing Interests: The authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 by Daedalus Enterprises.)

Mechanical ventilation is ubiquitous in critical care, and duration of ventilator liberation is variable and multifactorial. While ICU survival has increased over the last two decades, positive-pressure ventilation can cause harm to patients. Weaning and discontinuation of ventilatory support is the first step in ventilator liberation. Clinicians have a wealth of evidence-based literature at their disposal; however, more high-quality research is needed to describe outcomes. Additionally, this knowledge must be distilled into evidence-based practice and applied at the bedside. A proliferation of research on the subject of ventilator liberation has been published in the last 12 months. Whereas some authors have reconsidered the value of applying the rapid shallow breathing index in weaning protocols, others have begun to investigate new indices to predict liberation outcomes. New tools such as diaphragmatic ultrasonography have begun to appear in the literature as a tool for outcome prediction. A number of systematic reviews with both meta-analysis and network meta-analysis that synthesize the literature on ventilator liberation have also been published in the last year. This review describes changes in performance, monitoring of spontaneous breathing trials, and evaluations of successful ventilator liberation., Competing Interests: Mr Roberts has disclosed no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 by Daedalus Enterprises.)

Mechanical ventilation weaning within intensive care units (ICU) is a difficult process, while crucial when considering its impact on morbidity and mortality. Failed extubation and prolonged mechanical ventilation both carry a significant risk of adverse events. We aimed to determine predictive factors of extubation success using data-mining and artificial intelligence. A prospective physiological and biomedical signal data warehousing project. A 21-beds medical Intensive Care Unit of a University Hospital. Adult patients undergoing weaning from mechanical ventilation. Hemodynamic and respiratory parameters of mechanically ventilated patients were prospectively collected and combined with clinical outcome data. One hundred and eight patients were included, for 135 spontaneous breathing trials (SBT) allowing to identify physiological parameters either measured before or during the trial and considered as predictive for extubation success. The Early-Warning Score Oxygen (EWSO 2 ) enables to discriminate patients deemed to succeed extubation, at 72-h and 7-days. Cut-off values for EWSO2 (AUC = 0.80; Se = 0.75; Sp = 0.76), mean arterial pressure and heart-rate variability parameters were determined. A predictive model for extubation success was established including body-mass index (BMI) on inclusion, occlusion pressure at 0,1 s. (P0.1) and heart-rate analysis parameters (LF/HF) both measured before SBT, and heart rate during SBT (global performance 62%; 83%). The data-mining process enabled to detect independent predictive factors for extubation success and to develop a dynamic predictive model using artificial intelligence. Such predictive tools may help clinicians to better discriminate patients deemed to succeed extubation and thus improve clinical performance., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Extubation failure (EF) is a significant concern in mechanically ventilated newborns, and predicting its occurrence is an ongoing area of research. To investigate the predictors of EF in newborns undergoing planned extubation, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library for studies published in English from the inception of each database to March 2023. The PRISMA guidelines were followed in all phases of this systematic review. The Risk of Bias Assessment for Nonrandomized Studies tool was used to assess methodological quality. Thirty-four studies were included, 10 of which were overall low risk of bias, 15 of moderate risk of bias, and 9 of high risk of bias. The studies reported 43 possible predictors in six broad categories (intrinsic factors; maternal factors; diseases and adverse conditions of the newborn; treatment of the newborn; characteristics before and after extubation; and clinical scores and composite indicators). Through a qualitative synthesis of 43 predictors and a quantitative meta-analysis of 19 factors, we identified five definite factors, eight possible factors, and 22 unclear factors related to EF. Definite factors included gestational age, sepsis, pre-extubation pH, pre-extubation FiO 2 , and respiratory severity score. Possible factors included age at extubation, anemia, inotropic use, mean airway pressure, pre-extubation PCO 2 , mechanical ventilation duration, Apgar score, and spontaneous breathing trial. With only a few high-quality studies currently available, well-designed and more extensive prospective studies investigating the predictors affecting EF are still needed. In the future, it will be important to explore the possibility of combining multiple predictors or assessment tools to enhance the accuracy of predicting extubation outcomes in clinical practice., (© 2023. Società Italiana di Pediatria.)

Objective: To explore the predictive value of diaphragmatic thickening fraction (DTF) combined with Medical Research Council-score (MRC score) on the outcome of weaning from mechanical ventilation in ICU-acquired weakness (ICU-AW) patients., Methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted. The clinical data of mechanically ventilated patients with an MRC score of less than 48 admitted to the department of critical care medicine of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College from January 2022 to March 2023 were collected, including general information, ultrasound indicators, MRC scores, main clinical outcomes, and weaning outcomes. Patients were divided into successful weaning group and failed weaning group according to whether the patient could maintain effective autonomous breathing for at least 48 hours without using an invasive or non-invasive ventilator. The clinical data of the two groups were compared. Receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve) was plotted to analyze the predictive value of DTF and MRC score alone or in combination for successful weaning of patients., Results: A total of 87 patients were enrolled, of which 58 were successful weaning and 29 were failed weaning. There were no statistically significant differences in general data such as gender, age, underlying disease, heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), pH value, blood lactic acid (Lac), oxygenation index (PaO 2 /FiO 2 ), and severity scores between the two groups. Compared with the failed weaning group, the DTF and MRC scores of patients in the successful weaning group were significantly increased [DTF: (26.02±2.68)% vs. (22.79±5.40)%, MRC score: 38.90±2.78 vs. 33.24±3.78, both P < 0.05]. The duration of mechanical ventilation and the length of ICU stay of patients in the successful weaning group were significantly shorter than those in the failed weaning group [duration of mechanical ventilation (hours): 102.21±32.60 vs. 113.14±41.34, length of ICU stay (days): 6.48±2.18 vs. 10.11±4.01, both P < 0.05], and the re-intubation rate and ICU hospitalization cost were significantly lowered [re-intubation rate: 6.90% (4/58) vs. 27.59% (8/29), ICU hospitalization cost (10 000 RMB): 4.99±0.87 vs. 7.85±2.45, both P < 0.05]. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of DTF and MRC score for predicting successful weaning in ICU-AW mechanical ventilation patients was 0.839 [95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 0.746-0.931] and 0.799 (95%CI was 0.701-0.899), respectively. Using DTF ≥ 25.01% as the optimal cut-off value to predict successful weaning, the sensitivity was 82.76%, and the specificity was 72.41%. Predicting successful weaning based on an optimal cut-off value of MRC score of ≥ 35.50 had a sensitivity of 79.31% and a specificity of 70.69%. Based on the DTF ≥ 25.01% combined with MRC score ≥ 35.50, it was predicted that the weaning would be successful, with an AUC of 0.887 (95%CI was 0.812-0.962), sensitivity increased to 89.70%, and specificity increased to 79.30%., Conclusions: The DTF and MRC score have good guiding value for the selection of weaning timing and predicting the weaning outcomes in ICU-AW patients. Compared with independent DTF and MRC score, the combination of DTF and MRC score improves the predictive value of successful weaning in ICU-AW patients.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to characterize differences in directives to limit treatments and discontinue invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) in elderly (65-80 years) and very elderly (> 80 years) intensive care unit (ICU) patients., Methods: We prospectively described new written orders to limit treatments, IMV discontinuation strategies [direct extubation, direct tracheostomy, spontaneous breathing trial (SBT), noninvasive ventilation (NIV) use], and associations between initial failed SBT and outcomes in 142 ICUs from 6 regions (Canada, India, United Kingdom, Europe, Australia/New Zealand, United States)., Results: We evaluated 788 (586 elderly; 202 very elderly) patients. Very elderly (vs. elderly) patients had similar withdrawal orders but significantly more withholding orders, especially cardiopulmonary resuscitation and dialysis, after ICU admission [67 (33.2%) vs. 128 (21.9%); p = 0.002]. Orders to withhold reintubation were written sooner in very elderly (vs. elderly) patients [4 (2-8) vs. 7 (4-13) days, p = 0.02]. Very elderly and elderly patients had similar rates of direct extubation [39 (19.3%) vs. 113 (19.3%)], direct tracheostomy [10 (5%) vs. 40 (6.8%)], initial SBT [105 (52%) vs. 302 (51.5%)] and initial successful SBT [84 (80%) vs. 245 (81.1%)]. Very elderly patients experienced similar ICU outcomes (mortality, length of stay, duration of ventilation) but higher hospital mortality [26 (12.9%) vs. 38 (6.5%)]. Direct tracheostomy and initial failed SBT were associated with worse outcomes. Regional differences existed in withholding orders at ICU admission and in withholding and withdrawal orders after ICU admission., Conclusions: Very elderly (vs. elderly) patients had more orders to withhold treatments after ICU admission and higher hospital mortality, but similar ICU outcomes and IMV discontinuation. Significant regional differences existed in withholding and withdrawal practices., (© 2023. Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: To describe the characteristics, treatment and outcome, in particular weaning from mechanical ventilation (MV), of critically ill Patients with prior psychiatric conditions (PPC)., Methods: Single center, 6-year, retrospective study comparing critically ill PPC to randomly sex and age matched cohort without PPC (1:1 ratio). Main outcome measure- adjusted mortality rates. Secondary outcome measures- unadjusted mortality, rates of MV, extubation failure and amount/dose of pre-extubation sedatives/analgesics., Results: Included were 214 patients per group. PPC adjusted mortality rates were higher in the ICU (14.0% vs 4.7%; OR 3.058 [95%CI 1.380, 6.774]; p = 0.006) and in-hospital (26.6% vs 13.1%; OR 2.639 [95% CI 1.496, 4.655]; p = 0.001). PPC had higher MV rates (63.6% vs 51.4%; p = 0.011). These patients were more likely to have more than two weaning attempts (29.4% vs 10.9%; p < 0.001), more commonly treated with >2 sedative drugs in the 48-h pre-extubation (39.2% vs 23.3%; p = 0.026) and received more propofol in the 24-h pre-extubation. PPC were more likely to self-extubate (9.6% vs 0.9%; p = 0.004) and had lower likelihood of success in planned extubations (50.0% vs 76.4%; p < 0.001)., Conclusion: Critically ill PPC had higher mortality rates than their matched counterparts. They also had higher MV rates and were more difficult to wean., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Reintubation is a common complication in critically ill patients requiring mechanical ventilation. Although reintubation has been demonstrated to be associated with patient outcomes, its time definition varies widely among guidelines and in the literature. This study aimed to determine the association between reintubation and patient outcomes as well as the consequences of the time elapsed between extubation and reintubation on patient outcomes., Methods: This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study of critically ill patients conducted between April 2015 and March 2021. Adult patients who underwent mechanical ventilation and extubation in intensive care units (ICUs) were investigated utilizing the Japanese Intensive Care PAtient Database. The primary and secondary outcomes were in-hospital and ICU mortality. The association between reintubation and clinical outcomes was studied using Cox proportional hazards analysis. Among the patients who underwent reintubation, a Cox proportional hazard analysis was conducted to evaluate patient outcomes according to the number of days from extubation to reintubation., Results: Overall, 184,705 patients in 75 ICUs were screened, and 1849 patients underwent reintubation among 48,082 extubated patients. After adjustment for potential confounders, multivariable analysis revealed a significant association between reintubation and increased in-hospital and ICU mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.520, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.359-1.700, and adjusted HR 1.325, 95% CI 1.076-1.633, respectively). Among the reintubated patients, 1037 (56.1%) were reintubated within 24 h after extubation, 418 (22.6%) at 24-48 h, 198 (10.7%) at 48-72 h, 111 (6.0%) at 72-96 h, and 85 (4.6%) at 96-120 h. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that in-hospital and ICU mortality was highest in patients reintubated at 72-96 h (adjusted HR 1.528, 95% CI 1.062-2.197, and adjusted HR 1.334, 95% CI 0.756-2.352, respectively; referenced to reintubation within 24 h)., Conclusions: Reintubation was associated with a significant increase in in-hospital and ICU mortality. The highest mortality rates were observed in patients who were reintubated between 72 and 96 h after extubation. Further studies are warranted for the optimal observation of extubated patients in clinical practice and to strengthen the evidence for mechanical ventilation., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) after lung transplantation poses several risks, including higher tracheostomy rates and increased in-hospital mortality. Mechanical power (MP) of artificial ventilation unifies the ventilatory variables that determine gas exchange and may be related to allograft function following transplant, affecting ventilator weaning. We retrospectively analyzed consecutive double lung transplant recipients at a national transplant center, ventilated through endotracheal tubes upon ICU admission, excluding those receiving extracorporeal support. MP and derived indexes assessed up to 36 h after transplant were correlated with invasive ventilation duration using Spearman's coefficient, and we conducted receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to evaluate the accuracy in predicting PMV (>72 h), expressed as area under the ROC curve (AUROC). PMV occurred in 82 (35%) out of 237 cases. MP was significantly correlated with invasive ventilation duration (Spearman's ρ = 0.252 [95% CI 0.129-0.369], p < 0.01), with power density (MP normalized to lung-thorax compliance) demonstrating the strongest correlation ( ρ = 0.452 [0.345-0.548], p < 0.01) and enhancing PMV prediction (AUROC 0.78 [95% CI 0.72-0.83], p < 0.01) compared to MP (AUROC 0.66 [0.60-0.72], p < 0.01). Mechanical power density may help identify patients at risk for PMV after double lung transplantation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Ghiani, Kneidinger, Neurohr, Frank, Hinske, Schneider, Michel and Irlbeck.)

Background: Weaning rate is an important quality indicator of care for patients with prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV). However, diverse clinical characteristics often affect the measured rate. A risk-adjusted control chart may be beneficial for assessing the quality of care., Methods: We analyzed patients with PMV who were discharged between 2018 and 2020 from a dedicated weaning unit at a medical center. We generated a formula to estimate monthly weaning rates using multivariate logistic regression for the clinical, laboratory, and physiologic characteristics upon weaning unit admission in the first two years (Phase I). We then applied both multiplicative and additive models for adjusted p-charts, displayed in both non-segmented and segmented formats, to assess whether special cause variation existed., Results: A total of 737 patients were analyzed, including 503 in Phase I and 234 in Phase II, with average weaning rates of 59.4% and 60.3%, respectively. The p-chart of crude weaning rates did not show special cause variation. Ten variables from the regression analysis were selected for the formula to predict individual weaning probability and generate estimated weaning rates in Phases I and II. For risk-adjusted p-charts, both multiplicative and additive models showed similar findings and no special cause variation., Conclusion: Risk-adjusted control charts generated using a combination of multivariate logistic regression and control chart-adjustment models may provide a feasible method to assess the quality of care in the setting of PMV with standard care protocols., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Formosan Medical Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The optimal approach for transitioning from strict lung protective ventilation to support modes of ventilation when patients determine their own respiratory rate and tidal volume remains unclear. While aggressive liberation from lung protective settings could expedite extubation and prevent harm from prolonged ventilation and sedation, conservative liberation could prevent lung injury from spontaneous breathing., Research Question: Should physicians take a more aggressive or conservative approach to liberation?, Methods: Retrospective cohort study of mechanically ventilated patients from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV database (MIMIC-IV version 1.0) estimating effects of incremental interventions modifying the propensity for liberation to be more aggressive or conservative relative to usual care, with adjustment for confounding via inverse probability weighting. Outcomes included in-hospital mortality, ventilator free days, and ICU free days. Analysis was performed on the entire cohort as well as subgroups differentiated by PaO2/FiO2 ratio, and SOFA., Results: 7433 patients were included. Strategies multiplying the odds of a first liberation relative to usual care at each hour had a large impact on time to first liberation attempt (43 h under usual care, 24 h (0.95 CI = [23,25]) with an aggressive strategy doubling liberation odds, and 74 h (0.95 CI = [69,78]) under a conservative strategy halving liberation odds). In the full cohort, we estimated aggressive liberation increased ICU-free days by 0.9 days (0.95 CI = [0.8,1.0]) and ventilator free days by 0.82 days (0.95 CI = [0.67,0.97]), but had minimal effect on mortality (only a 0.3% (0.95 CI = [-0.2%,0.8%]) difference between minimum and maximum rates). With baseline SOFA≥ 12 (n = 1355), aggressive liberation moderately increased mortality (58.5% [0.95 CI = (55.7%,61.2%)]) compared with conservative liberation (55.1% [0.95 CI = (51.6%,58.6%)])., Interpretation: Aggressive liberation may improve ventilator free and ICU free days with little impact on mortality in patients with SOFA score < 12. Trials are needed., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest This work was conducted by EBK with the support of a KL2 award (an appointed KL2 award) from Harvard Catalyst | The Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center (National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health Award KL2 TR002542). Funding was also provided by the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab and NIH grant 5R01 EB017205. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of Harvard Catalyst, Harvard University and its affiliated academic healthcare centers, or the National Institutes of Health. EBK and DT having received lecturing fees for educational talks from Hamilton Medical Inc. ZS was primarily employed by IBM Research during much of the work., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Neurally adjusted ventilatory assist mode (NAVA) benefit in mechanical ventilation (MV) patients with regard to clinically outcomes is still uncertain. Recent randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have addressed this issue, making it important to assess the real impact of NAVA in relation to these outcomes., Materials and Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs comparing NAVA ventilation mode versus the standard ventilation mode in critically ill adult patients admitted to the ICU with invasive MV. The main outcome was 28-days ventilatory free-days (VFD). Secondary outcomes were weaning failure, mortality, ICU and hospital length of stay and need for tracheostomy., Results: We included 5 RCTs (643 patients). The patients in the NAVA group had increased VFDs compared to the control group: mean difference (MD) 3.42 (95% CI 1.21 to 5.62, I 2  = 0%). NAVA and control groups did not differ in ICU mortality [OR 0.58 (95% CI 0.33 to 1.03), I2 = 41%]. NAVA mode was associated with a reduced incidence of weaning failure [OR 0.51 (95% CI 0.29 to 0.88), I 2  = 0%]. NAVA and control groups did not differ in the number of MV days: MD -1.9 days (95% CI -4.2 to 0.3, I 2  = 0%)., Conclusions: NAVA mode has a modest impact on MV-free days and weaning success, with no association with improvements in other relevant clinical outcomes., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest regarding the manuscript., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Rationale: Limited information exists about the epidemiology, outcomes, and predictors of weaning from mechanical ventilation in patients with spinal cord injury. Objectives: Our aim was to investigate predictors of weaning outcomes for patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) and develop and validate a prognostic model and score for weaning success. Methods: This was a registry-based, multicentric cohort study including all adult patients with tSCI requiring mechanical ventilation (MV) and admitted to one of the intensive care units (ICUs) of the Trauma Registry at St. Michael's Hospital (Toronto, ON, Canada) and the Canadian Rick Hansen Spinal Cord Injury Registry between 2005 and 2019. The primary outcome was weaning success from MV at ICU discharge. Secondary outcomes included weaning success at Days 14 and 28, time to liberation from MV accounting for competing risk of death, and ventilator-free days at 28 and 60 days. Associations between baseline characteristics and weaning success or time to liberation from MV were measured using multivariable logistic and competing risk regressions. A parsimonious model to predict weaning success and ICU discharge was developed and validated via bootstrap. A prediction score for weaning success at ICU discharge was derived, and its discriminative ability was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and compared with the Injury Severity Score (ISS). Results: Of 459 patients analyzed, 246 (53.6%), 302 (65.8%), and 331 (72.1%) were alive and free of MV at Day 14, Day 28, and ICU discharge, respectively; 54 (11.8%) died in the ICU. Median time to liberation from MV was 12 days. Factors associated with weaning success were B lunt injury (odds ratio [OR], 2.96; P  = 0.010), I SS (OR, 0.98; P  = 0.025), C omplete syndrome (OR, 0.53; P  = 0.009), age in Y ears (OR, 0.98; P  = 0.003), and C ervical LE sion (OR, 0.60; P  = 0.045). The BICYCLE score showed a greater area under the curve than the ISS (0.689 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.631-0.743] vs. 0.537 [95% CI, 0.479-0.595]; P  < 0.0001). Factors predicting weaning success also predicted time to liberation. Conclusions: In a large multicentric cohort, 72% of patients with tSCI were weaned and discharged alive from the ICU. Readily available admission characteristics can reasonably predict weaning success and help prognostication.

Background: Endotracheal tube (ETT) scraping or sweeping refers to mucus removal from an ETT that can increase airway resistance. The study objective was to evaluate the effect of ETT scraping on the duration of mechanical ventilation, time to first successful spontaneous breathing trial (SBT), duration of hospital stay, and occurrence of ventilator-associated events (VAEs)., Methods: This was a single-center, randomized clinical trial of adult subjects intubated between October 2019-October 2021. Subjects were randomly assigned to either ETT suctioning via a standard in-line suction catheter (control group) or ETT suctioning and scraping via a suction catheter with balloon-sweeping technology (experimental group). Airway suctioning was performed as clinically indicated, and the ETT was scraped every time a respiratory therapist suctioned the subject. The study outcome was duration of mechanical ventilation, time to first successful SBT, hospital length of stay, and VAE rate. Intent-to-treat statistical analysis was performed., Results: Of 272 randomized subjects, the median age was 63 (interquartile range [IQR] 52-73) y; 143 (53%) were males, and 154 (57%) had a primary diagnosis of acute respiratory failure. There were no significant differences between the groups in median duration (h) of mechanical ventilation (72 [37-187] vs 70.6 [37-148], P = .58). There was no significant difference between the study groups in median time (h) to the first successful SBT (46.7 [IQR 30-87] vs 45.7 [IQR 27-95], P = .81), length of hospital stay ( P = .76), the incidences of ventilator-associated conditions ( P = .13), or infection-related ventilator-associated complications ( P = .47)., Conclusions: ETT suctioning plus scraping, compared to ETT suctioning alone, did not significantly improve the duration of mechanical ventilation, time to first successful SBT, length of hospital stay, and VAEs. These study findings do not support the routine use of ETT scraping for mechanically ventilated patients., Competing Interests: Dr Scott discloses relationships with Teleflex, Aerogen, and Medline Industries, LP. Dr. Kaur discloses a relationship with the American Association for Respiratory Care. Dr Vines discloses relationships with Teleflex Medical, Inc, and the Rice Foundation. The other authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 by Daedalus Enterprises.)

Background: In patients who are ventilator-dependent in the intensive care unit, inspiratory muscle training may improve inspiratory muscle strength and accelerate liberation from the ventilator, but optimal training parameters are yet to be established, and little is known about the impact of inspiratory muscle training on quality of life or dyspnoea. Thus, we sought to ascertain whether inspiratory muscle training, commenced while ventilator-dependent, would improve outcomes for patients invasively ventilated for 7 days or longer., Methods: In this randomised trial with assessor blinding and intention-to-treat analysis, 70 participants (mechanically ventilated ≥7 days) were randomised to receive once-daily supervised high-intensity inspiratory muscle training with a mechanical threshold device in addition to usual care or to receive usual care (control). Primary outcomes were inspiratory muscle strength (maximum inspiratory pressure % predicted) and endurance (fatigue resistance index) at ventilator liberation and 1 week later. Secondary outcomes included quality of life (SF-36v2, EQ-5D), dyspnoea, physical function, duration of ventilation, and in-hospital mortality., Results: Thirty-three participants were randomly allocated to the training group, and 37 to the control group. There were no statistically significant differences in strength (maximum inspiratory pressure) (95% confidence interval [CI]: -7.4 to 14.0) or endurance (fatigue resistance index) (95% CI: -0.003 to 0.436). Quality of life improved significantly more in the training group than in the control group (EQ-5D: 17.2; 95% CI: 1.3-33.0) (SF-36-PCS: 6.97; 95% CI: 1.96-12.00). Only the training group demonstrated significant reductions in dyspnoea (-1.5 at rest, -1.9 during exercise). There were no between-group differences in duration of ventilation or other measures. In-hospital mortality was higher in the control group than in the training group (9 vs 4, 24% vs 12%, p = 0.23)., Conclusions: In patients who are ventilator-dependent, mechanical threshold loading inspiratory muscle training improves quality of life and dyspnoea, even in the absence of strength improvements or acceleration of ventilator liberation., (Copyright © 2022 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: We aimed to (i) describe current weaning and extubation practices in children (protocols to identify weaning candidates, spontaneous breathing trials, and other aspects of care such as sedation weaning) and (ii) understand responsibilities for ventilation weaning decisions across Australia and New Zealand (ANZ)., Methods: A cross-sectional survey of ANZ intensive care units who routinely intubate and ventilate children (<18 years) was conducted. We worked with the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Paediatric Study Group to identify units and potential respondents (senior nurse representative per unit) and to administer questionnaires. Survey questions (n = 35) examined current protocols, practices, unit staffing, and decision-making responsibilities for ventilation weaning and extubation. Open-ended questions examined respondents' experiences of weaning and extubation., Results: A senior nursing respondent from 18/22 intensive care units (82%) completed the survey. Across units, most used sedation assessment tools (88%), and less often, sedation weaning tools (55%). Spontaneous awakening protocols were not used; one unit (5%) reported the use of a spontaneous breathing protocol. Two respondents reported that ventilation weaning protocols (11%) were in use, with 44% of units reporting the use of extubation protocols. Weaning and extubation practices were largely perceived as medically driven, with qualitative data demonstrating a desire from most respondents for greater shared decision-making., Conclusion: In ANZ, ventilation weaning and extubation practices are largely medically driven with variation in the use of protocols to support mechanical ventilation weaning and extubation in children. Our findings highlight the importance of future research to determine the impact of greater collaboration of the multidisciplinary team on weaning practices., (Copyright © 2022 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)