Disparities in Lung Protective Ventilation in the United States

Background: Lung-protective ventilation is often used in critically ill patients with acute respiratory failure, including those without acute respiratory distress syndrome. While disparities exist in the delivery of critical care based on gender, race, and insurance status, it is unknown whether there are disparities in the use of lung-protective ventilation. The objective of our study was to determine whether gender-, racial / ethnic-, or insurance status-based disparities exist in the use of lung-protective ventilation for critically ill mechanically ventilated patients in the United States (U.S.).Methods: This was a secondary data analysis of the U.S. Critical Illness and Injury Trials Group Critical Illness Outcomes Study, a prospective multi-center cohort study conducted from 2010 - 2012. The dependent variable of interest was the proportion of patients receiving tidal volume > 8 mL/kg predicted body weight (PBW). The independent variables of interest were gender, insurance status, and race / ethnicity. Results: Our primary analysis included 1,595 mechanically ventilated patients from 59 intensive care units (ICUs) in the U.S. Women were more likely to receive tidal volumes > 8 ml/kg PBW than men (odds ratio [OR] = 3.25, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.58 – 4.09), though this relationship was substantially weakened after adjusting for gender differences in height (OR = 1.26 95% CI = 0.94 – 1.71). The underinsured were significantly more likely to receive tidal volume > 8 ml/kg PBW than the insured in multivariable analysis (odds ratio = 1.54, 95% confidence interval = 1.16 – 2.04). The prescription of > 8 ml/kg PBW tidal volume did not differ by racial or ethnic categories. Conclusions: In this prospective nationwide cohort of critically ill mechanically ventilated patients, women and the underinsured were less likely than their comparators to receive lung protective ventilation, with no apparent differences based on race / ethnicity alone. Differences in height between men and women do not fully explain this disparity. Future research should evaluate whether implicit bias affects tidal volume choice and other management decisions in critical care.

Hyaluronic acid plasma levels during high versus low tidal volume ventilation in a porcine sepsis model

Background Shedding of the endothelial glycocalyx can be observed regularly during sepsis. Moreover, sepsis may be associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which requires lung protective ventilation with the two cornerstones of application of low tidal volume and positive end-expiratory pressure. This study investigated the effect of a lung protective ventilation on the integrity of the endothelial glycocalyx in comparison to a high tidal volume ventilation mode in a porcine model of sepsis-induced ARDS. Methods After approval by the State and Institutional Animal Care Committee, 20 male pigs were anesthetized and received a continuous infusion of lipopolysaccharide to induce septic shock. The animals were randomly assigned to either low tidal volume ventilation, high tidal volume ventilation, or no-LPS-group groups and observed for 6 h. In addition to the gas exchange parameters and hematologic analyses, the serum hyaluronic acid concentrations were determined from central venous blood and from pre- and postpulmonary and pre- and postcerebral circulation. Post-mortem analysis included histopathological evaluation and determination of the pulmonary and cerebral wet-to-dry ratios. Results Both sepsis groups developed ARDS within 6 h of the experiment and showed significantly increased serum levels of hyaluronic acid in comparison to the no-LPS-group. No significant differences in the hyaluronic acid concentrations were detected before and after pulmonary and cerebral circulation. There was also no significant difference in the serum hyaluronic acid concentrations between the two sepsis groups. Post-mortem analysis showed no significant difference between the two sepsis groups. Conclusion In a porcine model of septic shock and ARDS, the serum hyaluronic acid levels were significantly elevated in both sepsis groups in comparison to the no-LPS-group. Intergroup comparison between lung protective ventilated and high tidal ventilated animals revealed no significant differences in the serum hyaluronic acid levels.

Mechanical Ventilation with Dynamic Compliance-Guided Positive End-Expiratory Pressure in Laparoscopic Surgery with Trendelenburg Positioning: A Eandomised Controlled Study

BACKGROUND: The intraoperative cardiorespiratory effect of ventilation with individualised positive end-expiratory pressure guided by dynamic compliance (Cdyn) remains undefined. We investigated whether individualised protective ventilation would protect the heart and lung more efficiently than standard protective ventilation during abdominal laparoscopic surgery with Trendelenburg positioning.METHODS: Forty patients undergoing abdominal laparoscopic surgery were randomly divided into two groups: Group T (titrimetric PEEP) and Group I (intentional PEEP, 5 cmH2O). Parameters of right ventricular function were measured via transoesophageal echocardiography, including tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), early filling-to-late filling ratio of the right ventricle, and right ventricular end-diastolic area/left ventricular end-diastolic area (RVEDA/LVEDA) ratio. Cdyn, driving pressure (∆P), ratio of dead space to tidal volume (VD/VT), and partial pressure of arterial oxygen to inspiratory oxygen fraction (PF) ratio were measured during mechanical ventilation.RESULTS: The RVEDA/LVEDA ratio in all patients increased significantly at T2 compared with T0, but there were no significant differences in TAPSE or E/A ratio between groups during the whole procedure (P>0.05). Cdyn, ∆P, and VD/VT ratios in Group T were significantly improved compared to those in Group I at T2 (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the PF ratio between groups (P>0.05).CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative lung-protective ventilation with Cdyn-guided PEEP improved Cdyn, ∆P, and VD/VT ratio without obvious side effects on right ventricular function compared to standard protective ventilation during laparoscopic surgery with Trendelenburg positioning, which suggests that it is a circulation-friendly way to titrate PEEP for intraoperative lung protective ventilation.TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registration date: 13/09/2020; Trial registration number: ChiCTR2000038212.

Case Report: Respiratory Management With a 47-Day ECMO Support for a Critical Patient With COVID-19

This paper reports a complete case of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), who presented with rapid deterioration of oxygenation during hospitalization despite escalating high-flow nasal cannulation to invasive mechanical ventilation. After inefficacy with lung-protective ventilation, positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) titration, prone position, we administered extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as a salvage respiratory support with ultra-protective ventilation for 47 days and finally discharged the patient home with a good quality of life with a Barthel Index Score of 100 after 76 days of hospitalization. The purpose of this paper is to provide a clinical reference for the management of ECMO and respiratory strategy of critical patients with COVID-19-related ARDS.

The Use of Protective Ventilation in Post-COVID Respiratory Failure

Implementation of the principles of protective ventilation in the intensive care of respiratory failure in patients after COVID-19 can improve the results of treatment of patients with cardiosurgical abnormalities, namely the implementation of surgical treatment in the post-COVID-19 period. The widespread occurrence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the world has led to a sharp decrease in the number of cardiac surgeries and had a negative impact on treatment outcomes. Case description. Patient P., 62 years old, underwent examination and treatment from February 18 to March 3, 2021 at the National Amosov Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine with a diagnosis of infective endocarditis of the aortic valve. Aortic insufficiency. Acute heart failure. Grade III respiratory failure. Condition after bilateral polysegmental COVID-19 pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, GOLD 2. After aortic valve replacement, plasty of aortic root abscess due to infective endocarditis of the aortic valve, the patient was admitted to the intensive care unit for further treatment. In the postoperative period, respiratory failure was observed. Given the COVID-19 pneumonia, mechanical ventilation was performed according to the recommendations for protective ventilation. The duration of mechanical ventilation was 72 hours, followed by a successful transition to self-breathing. Conclusions. Given the initial condition of the patient with COVID-19 pneumonia, protective lung ventilation is reasonable after cardiac surgery. This issue needs further study.

Changes in stroke volume induced by lung recruitment maneuver can predict fluid responsiveness during intraoperative lung-protective ventilation in prone position

Background The present study aimed to evaluate the reliability of hemodynamic changes induced by lung recruitment maneuver (LRM) in predicting stroke volume (SV) increase after fluid loading (FL) in prone position. Methods Thirty patients undergoing spine surgery in prone position were enrolled. Lung-protective ventilation (tidal volume, 6–7 mL/kg; positive end-expiratory pressure, 5 cmH2O) was provided to all patients. LRM (30 cmH2O for 30 s) was performed. Hemodynamic variables including mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate, SV, SV variation (SVV), and pulse pressure variation (PPV) were simultaneously recorded before, during, and at 5 min after LRM and after FL (250 mL in 10 min). Receiver operating characteristic curves were generated to evaluate the predictability of SVV, PPV, and SV decrease by LRM (ΔSVLRM) for SV responders (SV increase after FL > 10%). The gray zone approach was applied for ΔSVLRM. Results Areas under the curve (AUCs) for ΔSVLRM, SVV, and PPV to predict SV responders were 0.778 (95% confidence interval: 0.590–0.909), 0.563 (0.371–0.743), and 0.502 (0.315–0.689), respectively. The optimal threshold for ΔSVLRM was 30% (sensitivity, 92.3%; specificity, 70.6%). With the gray zone approach, the inconclusive values ranged 25 to 75% for ΔSVLRM (including 50% of enrolled patients). Conclusion In prone position, LRM-induced SV decrease predicted SV increase after FL with higher reliability than traditional dynamic indices. On the other hand, considering the relatively large gray zone in this study, future research is needed to further improve the clinical significance. Trial registration UMIN Clinical Trial Registry UMIN000027966. Registered 28th June 2017.