Outcomes of COVID-19 Patients Admitted to the Intermediate Respiratory Care Unit: Non-Invasive Respiratory Therapy in a Sequential Protocol.

The intermediate respiratory care units (IRCUs) have a pivotal role managing escalation and de-escalation between the general wards and the intensive care units (ICUs). Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the early detection of patients that could improve on non-invasive respiratory therapies (NRTs) in IRCUs without invasive approaches is crucial to ensure proper medical management and optimize limiting ICU resources. The aim of this study was to assess factors associated with survival, ICU admission and intubation likelihood in COVID-19 patients admitted to IRCUs.

Higher mortality and intubation rate in COVID-19 patients treated with noninvasive ventilation compared with high-flow oxygen or CPAP.

The effectiveness of noninvasive respiratory support in severe COVID-19 patients is still controversial. We aimed to compare the outcome of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and hypoxemic respiratory failure treated with high-flow oxygen administered via nasal cannula (HFNC), continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or noninvasive ventilation (NIV), initiated outside the intensive care unit (ICU) in 10 university hospitals in Catalonia, Spain. We recruited 367 consecutive patients aged ≥ 18 years who were treated with HFNC (155, 42.

Factors predicting survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients on non-invasive ventilation.

Objective: Non invasive ventilation (NIV) improves quality of life and extends survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. However, few data exist about the factors related to survival. We intended to assess the predictive factors that influence survival in patients after NIV initiation.

Comparison Between Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist and Pressure Support Ventilation Levels in Terms of Respiratory Effort.

Objectives: To understand the potential equivalence between neurally adjusted ventilatory assist and pressure support ventilation levels in terms of respiratory muscle unloading. To compare the respiratory pattern, variability, synchronization, and neuromuscular coupling within comparable ranges of assistance.

Design: Prospective single-center physiologic study.

Severe but not mild hypercapnia affects the outcome in patients with severe cardiogenic pulmonary edema treated by non-invasive ventilation.

Background: Patients with severe cardiogenic pulmonary edema (CPE) are frequently hypercapnic, possibly because of associated underlying chronic lung disease (CLD). Since hypercapnia has been associated with outcome, we aimed to identify factors associated to hypercapnia and its role on outcome of patients with CPE and no underlying CLD.

Methods: Observational cohort study using data prospectively collected over a 3-year period.

Sleep continuity: a new metric to quantify disrupted hypnograms in non-sedated intensive care unit patients.

Introduction: Sleep in intensive care unit (ICU) patients is severely altered. In a large proportion of critically ill patients, conventional sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns are replaced by atypical sleep. On the other hand, some non-sedated patients can display usual sleep EEG patterns.

Non-invasive ventilation for acute hypoxemic respiratory failure: intubation rate and risk factors.

Introduction: We assessed rates and predictive factors of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) failure in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for non-hypercapnic acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF).

Methods: This is an observational cohort study using data prospectively collected over a three-year period in a medical ICU of a university hospital.

Results: Among 113 patients receiving NIV for AHRF, 82 had acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and 31 had non-ARDS.

Noninvasive ventilation for acute hypercapnic respiratory failure: intubation rate in an experienced unit.

Background: Failure of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is common in patients with COPD admitted to the ICU for acute hypercapnic respiratory failure (AHRF). We aimed to assess the rate of NIV failure and to identify early predictors of intubation under NIV in patients admitted for AHRF of all origins in an experienced unit.

Methods: This was an observational cohort study using data prospectively collected over a 3-year period after the implementation of a nurse-driven NIV protocol in a 24-bed medical ICU of a French university hospital.

Comparison of sleep quality with mechanical versus spontaneous ventilation during weaning of critically III tracheostomized patients.

Background: In mechanically ventilated patients under mechanical ventilation in the ICU, ventilatory mode or settings may influence sleep quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the direct impact of mechanical ventilation per se on sleep quantity and quality in patients who were able to tolerate separation from mechanical ventilation over prolonged periods.

Design And Setting: Randomized crossover clinical trial in a medical ICU.

Sleep in hypercapnic critical care patients under noninvasive ventilation: conventional versus dedicated ventilators.

Objective: To compare sleep quality between two types of ventilators commonly used for noninvasive ventilation: conventional ICU ventilators and dedicated noninvasive ventilators; and to evaluate sleep during and between noninvasive ventilation sessions in critically ill patients.

Design: Physiological sleep study with a randomized assessment of the ventilator type.

Setting: Medical ICU in a university hospital.

Patient-ventilator asynchrony during noninvasive ventilation: a bench and clinical study.

Background: Different kinds of ventilators are available to perform noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in ICUs. Which type allows the best patient-ventilator synchrony is unknown. The objective was to compare patient-ventilator synchrony during NIV between ICU, transport—both with and without the NIV algorithm engaged—and dedicated NIV ventilators.