Influencing factors of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation in the treatment of respiratory failure: a 10-year study in one single center

Background The utilization of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) is becoming more and more common, especially in patients with acute or chronic respiratory failure. The purpose of our study is to analyze the factors that influence the efficacy of NPPV in the treatment of respiratory failure caused by a variety of etiology. Methods From May 2011 to April 2020, patients treated with NPPV during hospitalization in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University were enrolled. According to the clinical outcome of NPPV treatment and whether converted to invasive mechanical ventilation, patients were divided into the success group and the failure group. The clinical data and the characteristics of NPPV application were compared between the two groups. Results A total of 3312 patients were enrolled, including 2025 patients in the success group and 1287 patients in the failure group. Univariate analysis suggested that there were no statistical differences in patients' age, gender, use of analgesia and/or sedation, complicated with barotrauma, inspiratory positive airway pressure and expiratory positive airway pressure between the success and failure groups (P > 0.05). However, there were statistically significant differences in serum albumin levels, Ca2+ concentration, blood glucose levels, duration of NPPV treatment and length of hospital stay between the success and failure groups (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that serum albumin levels and duration of NPPV treatment had statistical significance on the therapeutic effect of NPPV (P < 0.05). Conclusion Serum albumin levels and duration of NPPV treatment were independent risk factors for the efficacy of NPPV treatment in respiratory failure.

Effects of Pulmonary Surfactant Combined with Noninvasive Positive Pressure Ventilation on KRT-14 and ET-1 Levels in Peripheral Blood and Therapeutic Effects in Neonates with Respiratory Distress Syndrome

This study is aimed at exploring the effect of pulmonary surfactant (PS) combined with noninvasive positive pressure ventilation on the levels of Keratin-14 (KRT-14) and Endothelin-1 (ET-1) in peripheral blood and the therapeutic effect of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS). Altogether 137 cases of neonates with respiratory distress syndrome treated in our hospital from April 2016 to July 2018 were collected. Among them, 64 cases treated with noninvasive positive pressure ventilation were considered as the control group, and 73 cases treated with PS combined with noninvasive positive pressure ventilation were considered as the observation group. The expression of KRT-14 and ET-1 in the two groups was compared. The therapeutic effect, death, complications, and blood gas indexes PaO2, PaCO2, and PaO2/FiO2 in the two groups were compared. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was applied to analyze the diagnostic value of KRT-14 and ET-1 in the therapeutic effect of NRDS. The effective rate of the observation group was higher than that of the control group. After treatment, PaO2 and PaO2/FiO2 in both groups were notably higher than that before treatment, while PaCO2 was notably lower than that before treatment. And after treatment, the levels of PaO2 and PaO2/FiO2 in the observation group were remarkably higher than that in the control group; PaCO2 was notably lower than that in the control group. After treatment, the levels of KRT-14 and ET-1 in the two groups were remarkably lower than those before treatment, and the levels of KRT-14 and ET-1 in the observation group were considerably lower than those in the control group after treatment. ROC curve showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of KRT-14 was 0.791, and the AUC of ET-1 was 0.816. PS combined with noninvasive positive pressure ventilation can notably improve the therapeutic effect of NRDS. KRT-14 and ET-1 levels may be potential therapeutic diagnostic indicators.

Comparative study between noninvasive positive pressure ventilation and invasive mechanical ventilation in patients with respiratory failure

Background Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) has been increasingly used in the management of respiratory failure in intensive care unit (ICU). Aim of the Work is to compare the efficacy and resource consumption of NIPPMV delivered through face mask against invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) delivered by endotracheal tube in the management of patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF). Patients and Methods This prospective randomized controlled study included 78 adults with acute respiratory failure who were admitted to the intensive care unit. The enrolled patients were randomly allocated to receive either noninvasive ventilation or conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV). Results Severity of illness, measured by the simplified acute physiologic score 3 (SAPS 3), were comparable between the two patient groups with no significant difference between them. Both study groups showed a comparable steady improvement in PaO2:FiO2 values, indicating that NIPPV is as effective as CMV in improving the oxygenation of patients with ARF. The PaCO2 and pH values gradually improved in both groups during the 48 hours of ventilation. 12 hours after ventilation, NIPPMV group showed significantly more improvement in PaCO2 and pH than the CMV group. The respiratory acidosis was corrected in the NIPPV group after 24 hours of ventilation compared with 36 hours in the CMV group. NIPPV in this study was associated with a lower frequency of complications than CMV, including ventilator acquired pneumonia (VAP), sepsis, renal failure, pulmonary embolism, and pancreatitis. However, only VAP showed a statistically significant difference. Patients who underwent NIPPV in this study had lower mortality, and lower ventilation time and length of ICU stay, compared with patients on CMV. Intubation was required for less than a third of patients who initially underwent NIV. Conclusion Based on our study findings, NIPPV appears to be a potentially effective and safe therapeutic modality for managing patients with ARF.

Clinical Policies and Procedures for Critical Care Transport during a Respiratory Pandemic

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic of 2020-2021 created unprecedented challenges for clinicians in critical care transport (CCT). These CCT services had to rapidly adjust their clinical approaches to evolving patient demographics, a preponderance of respiratory failure, and transport utilization stratagem. Organizations had to develop and implement new protocols and guidelines in rapid succession, often without the education and training that would have been involved pre-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). These changes were complicated by the need to protect crew members as well as to optimize patient care. Clinical initiatives included developing an awake proning transport protocol and a protocol to transport intubated proned patients. One service developed a protocol for helmet ventilation to minimize aerosolization risks for patients on noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV). While these clinical protocols were developed specifically for COVID-19, the growth in practice will enhance the care of patients with other causes of respiratory failure. Additionally, these processes will apply to future respiratory epidemics and pandemics.

The use of head helmets to deliver noninvasive ventilatory support: a comprehensive review of technical aspects and clinical findings

A helmet, comprising a transparent hood and a soft collar, surrounding the patient’s head can be used to deliver noninvasive ventilatory support, both as continuous positive airway pressure and noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV), the latter providing active support for inspiration. In this review, we summarize the technical aspects relevant to this device, particularly how to prevent CO2 rebreathing and improve patient–ventilator synchrony during NPPV. Clinical studies describe the application of helmets in cardiogenic pulmonary oedema, pneumonia, COVID-19, postextubation and immune suppression. A section is dedicated to paediatric use. In summary, helmet therapy can be used safely and effectively to provide NIV during hypoxemic respiratory failure, improving oxygenation and possibly leading to better patient-centred outcomes than other interfaces.

Fibrinogen, a Promising Marker to Evaluate Severity and Prognosis of Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Background: Fibrinogen is increasingly studied as an inflammatory biomarker in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and there are limited data about the role of fibrinogen to assess the severity of acute exacerbation of COPD. This study aimed to explore whether circulating fibrinogen could be used as a surrogate to measure the severity and predict the prognosis of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD).Methods: A total of 523 AECOPD patients diagnosed at our center from January 2016 to June 2021 were retrospectively enrolled in this study. Electronic medical record of each patient was retrieved to collect data regarding baseline characteristics and laboratory parameters, as well as the use of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) and patients’ prognosis. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to identify the independent factors that associated with fibrinogen values. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve and multivariate logistic regression analysis were applied to further verify the use of fibrinogen to predict NPPV failure. Results: Compared to patients with low levels of fibrinogen (≤3.5g/L), patients with increased fibrinogen levels (>3.5g/L) were associated with increased CRP expression, leukocyte, neutrophil counts and more frequent antibiotics use. In addition, the average fibrinogen level among patients with NPPV failure was significantly increased compared to non-NPPV patients and NPPV success patients. The presence of emphysema, pneumonia, history of long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) and the CRP value were independent risk factors associated with increased fibrinogen levels in AECOPD. Furthermore, our data indicated that fibrinogen could be considered as an reliable biomarker to predict NPPV failure (AUC, 0.890; 95% CI 0.832–0.947) with an odds ratio of 6.1 (95% CI, 1.86-19.98; P=0.03). Conclusions: The level of fibrinogen could be used as a surrogate to measure severity, and among AECOPD patients who required NPPV, higher fibrinogen could independently predict NPPV failure.

Successful management of dyspnea in a patient with stiff person syndrome with noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation: A case report

Approximately half of patients with stiff person syndrome experienced dyspnea due to the involvement of the respiratory muscles. If these muscles are severely affected, respiratory failure can occur. Here, we describe a patient with stiff person syndrome whose nighttime dyspnea was successfully controlled by noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation (NIPPV). A 38-year-old female patient visited the emergency room due to nighttime dyspnea. Her O2 saturation was 93%, and PaCO2 increased to 53.4 mmHg on arterial blood gas analysis. No specific lesion was found on the chest radiograph. We considered that her dyspnea was caused by respiratory muscle stiffness following SPS. For the management of nighttime hypercapnia, we applied NIPPV with volume-targeted assist-control ventilation mode using an oronasal mask interface during sleep. After such treatment, PaCO2 was normalized, and nighttime dyspnea disappeared. We think that NIPPV would be a useful therapeutic option for managing dyspnea induced by stiff person syndrome.