Publications by authors named "Aaron Joffe"

Background: Airway management is a critical component of the care of patients experiencing cardiac arrest, but data from randomized trials on the use of video vs direct laryngoscopy for intubation in the setting of cardiac arrest are limited. Current AHA guidelines recommend placement of an endotracheal tube either during CPR or shortly after return of spontaneous circulation but do not provide guidance around intubation methods, including the choice of laryngoscope.

Research Question: Does use of video laryngoscopy improve the incidence of successful intubation on the first attempt, compared to use of direct laryngoscopy, among adults undergoing tracheal intubation after experiencing cardiac arrest?

Study Design And Methods: This secondary analysis of the Direct versus Video Laryngoscope (DEVICE) trial compared video laryngoscopy versus direct laryngoscopy in the subgroup of patients who were intubated following cardiac arrest.

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Importance: In-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) is a significant public health burden. Rates of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) have been improving, but the best way to care for patients after the initial resuscitation remains poorly understood, and improvements in survival to discharge are stagnant. Existing North American cardiac arrest databases lack comprehensive data on the post-resuscitation period, and we do not know current post-IHCA practice patterns.

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Article Synopsis
  • * The study focused on creating a set of expert guidelines for managing difficult airways in critically ill adults, specifically those with physiologically challenging conditions like obesity and pregnancy.
  • * An international group of airway management specialists used the Delphi method, which involved multiple rounds of surveys, to achieve consensus on 53 out of 61 proposed statements regarding best practices.
  • * Key recommendations included forming a robust intubation team, using videolaryngoscopy, optimizing patient conditions before intubation, and carefully monitoring the patient's status post-intubation to improve overall outcomes.
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Background: Whether video laryngoscopy as compared with direct laryngoscopy increases the likelihood of successful tracheal intubation on the first attempt among critically ill adults is uncertain.

Methods: In a multicenter, randomized trial conducted at 17 emergency departments and intensive care units (ICUs), we randomly assigned critically ill adults undergoing tracheal intubation to the video-laryngoscope group or the direct-laryngoscope group. The primary outcome was successful intubation on the first attempt.

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A recent randomized trial found that using a bougie did not increase the incidence of successful intubation on first attempt in critically ill adults. The average effect of treatment in a trial population, however, may differ from effects for individuals. We hypothesized that application of a machine learning model to data from a clinical trial could estimate the effect of treatment (bougie vs.

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Introduction: Among critically ill patients undergoing orotracheal intubation in the emergency department (ED) or intensive care unit (ICU), failure to visualise the vocal cords and intubate the trachea on the first attempt is associated with an increased risk of complications. Two types of laryngoscopes are commonly available: direct laryngoscopes and video laryngoscopes. For critically ill adults undergoing emergency tracheal intubation, it remains uncertain whether the use of a video laryngoscope increases the incidence of successful intubation on the first attempt compared with the use of a direct laryngoscope.

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Importance: Hypotension is common during tracheal intubation of critically ill adults and increases the risk of cardiac arrest and death. Whether administering an intravenous fluid bolus to critically ill adults undergoing tracheal intubation prevents severe hypotension, cardiac arrest, or death remains uncertain.

Objective: To determine the effect of fluid bolus administration on the incidence of severe hypotension, cardiac arrest, and death.

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Purpose Of Review: Extubation in the intensive care unit (ICU) is associated with a failure rate requiring reintubation in 10-20% patients further associated with significant morbidity and mortality. This review serves to highlight recent advancements and guidance on approaching extubation for patients at risk for difficult or failed extubation (DFE).

Recent Findings: Recent literature including closed claim analysis, meta-analyses, and national society guidelines demonstrate that extubation in the ICU remains an at-risk time for patients.

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Hypoxemia is common during tracheal intubation in intensive care units. To prevent hypoxemia during intubation, 2 methods of delivering oxygen between induction and laryngoscopy have been proposed: bag-mask ventilation and supplemental oxygen delivered by nasal cannula without ventilation (apneic oxygenation). Whether one of these approaches is more effective for preventing hypoxemia during intubation of critically ill patients is unknown.

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Importance: For critically ill adults undergoing emergency tracheal intubation, failure to intubate the trachea on the first attempt occurs in up to 20% of cases and is associated with severe hypoxemia and cardiac arrest. Whether using a tracheal tube introducer ("bougie") increases the likelihood of successful intubation compared with using an endotracheal tube with stylet remains uncertain.

Objective: To determine the effect of use of a bougie vs an endotracheal tube with stylet on successful intubation on the first attempt.

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Background: Pain assessment in brain-injured patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) is challenging and existing scales may not be representative of behavioral reactions expressed by this specific group. This study aimed to validate the French-Canadian and English revised versions of the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT-Neuro) for brain-injured ICU patients.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted in three Canadian and one American sites.

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Background: Patients with traumatic brain injury, cerebral edema, and severe hyponatremia require rapid augmentation of serum sodium levels. Three percent sodium chloride is commonly used to normalize or augment serum sodium level, yet there are limited data available concerning the most appropriate route of administration. Traditionally, 3% sodium chloride is administered through a central venous catheter (CVC) due to the attributed theoretical risk of phlebitis and extravasation injuries when hyperosmolar solution is administered peripherally.

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Article Synopsis
  • Pain from rib fractures can lead to serious lung issues, and both epidural/paravertebral blocks (EPVBs) and serratus anterior plane blocks (SAPBs) are used for pain management but have different challenges in an ICU setting.
  • A study compared the effectiveness of SAPB versus EPVB in critically injured patients with multiple rib fractures, finding that both approaches reduced pain and improved breathing index without showing a significant difference in overall outcomes, although SAPB was easier to perform.
  • The study concludes that while both methods were effective, the small sample size limits definitive conclusions and suggests further research is needed to establish the best pain management approach in these cases.
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The assembly of actin filaments into distinct cytoskeletal structures plays a critical role in cell physiology, but how proteins localize differentially to these structures within a shared cytoplasm remains unclear. Here, we show that the actin-binding domains of accessory proteins can be sensitive to filament conformational changes. Using a combination of live cell imaging and in vitro single molecule binding measurements, we show that tandem calponin homology domains (CH1-CH2) can be mutated to preferentially bind actin networks at the front or rear of motile cells.

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Endotracheal intubation (EI) is a potentially lifesaving but high-risk procedure in critically ill patients. While the ACGME mandates that trainees in pulmonary and critical care medicine (PCCM) achieve competence in this procedure, there is wide variation in EI training across the USA. One study suggests that 40% of the US PCCM trainees feel they would not be proficient in EI upon graduation.

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Macrophage phagocytosis can be triggered by diverse receptor-ligand interactions to clear pathogens and dead cells from a host. Many ways of assaying phagocytosis exist that utilize a variety of phagocytic targets with different combinations of receptor-ligand interactions, making comparisons difficult. To study how phagocytosis is affected by specific changes to the target surface, we developed an in vitro assay based on reconstituted membrane-coated target particles to which known molecules can be added.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and other professional organizations developed updated clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for bariatric surgery, following a standardized protocol and incorporating new evidence from 2013 onwards.
  • - The updated CPGs cover various topics, including a focus on chronic disease models related to obesity, the use of algorithms for decision-making, and the introduction of new bariatric procedures, resulting in 85 recommendations that vary in evidence quality.
  • - The guidelines conclude that bariatric surgery is a safe intervention for obese patients and emphasize the need for evidence-based decision-making and a collaborative healthcare approach, particularly addressing nutrition and metabolism.
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Article Synopsis
  • - The review analyzed 106 articles to evaluate the effectiveness of behavioral pain assessment tools for critically ill adults who cannot communicate, focusing on their scale development, reliability, and clinical use.
  • - Nine specific tools for noncommunicative critically ill adults and four for other groups were compared using a scoring system to assess their quality.
  • - The top-rated tools, such as the Behavioral Pain Scale and Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool, have shown strong psychometric properties and validation across different countries and languages, though more research is needed on other alternatives.
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Article Synopsis
  • The updated clinical practice guidelines (CPG) were created by major health organizations to provide standardized recommendations for managing obesity-related care.
  • Recommendations were refined based on new research from 2013 onward, focusing on various aspects, including the latest bariatric procedures and recovery protocols.
  • Overall, the guidelines highlight that bariatric surgery is a safe option for high-risk obesity patients, emphasizing the importance of evidence-based decision-making and a collaborative approach to patient care.
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The development of these updated clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) was commissioned by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), The Obesity Society, American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, Obesity Medicine Association, and American Society of Anesthesiologists Boards of Directors in adherence with the AACE 2017 protocol for standardized production of CPGs, algorithms, and checklists. Each recommendation was evaluated and updated based on new evidence from 2013 to the present and subjective factors provided by experts. New or updated topics in this CPG include: contextualization in an adiposity-based chronic disease complications-centric model, nuance-based and algorithm/checklist-assisted clinical decision-making about procedure selection, novel bariatric procedures, enhanced recovery after bariatric surgery protocols, and logistical concerns (including cost factors) in the current health-care arena.

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Background: Tracheal intubation is common in the care of critically ill adults and is frequently complicated by hypotension, cardiac arrest, or death. We aimed to evaluate administration of an intravenous fluid bolus to prevent cardiovascular collapse during intubation of critically ill adults.

Methods: We did a pragmatic, multicentre, unblinded, randomised trial in nine sites (eight ICUs and one emergency department) around the USA.

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Background: Difficult or failed intubation is a major contributor to morbidity for patients and liability for anesthesiologists. Updated difficult airway management guidelines and incorporation of new airway devices into practice may have affected patient outcomes. The authors therefore compared recent malpractice claims related to difficult tracheal intubation to older claims using the Anesthesia Closed Claims Project database.

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