The uses of right heart catheterization in cardio-pulmonary disease: State-of-the-art.

The right heart catheterization (RHC) remains an important diagnostic tool for a spectrum of cardiovascular disease processes including pulmonary hypertension (PH), shock, valvular heart disease, and unexplained dyspnea. While it gained widespread utilization after its introduction, the role of the RHC has evolved to provide valuable information for the management of advanced therapies in heart failure (HF) and cardiogenic shock (CS) to name a few. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview on the indications, utilization, complications, interpretation, and calculations associated with RHC.

Effectiveness of Nebulized Tranexamic Acid in Patients with Moderate-to-Massive Hemoptysis at a Tertiary Academic Medical Center.

The management of severe hemoptysis mainly consists of invasive interventional procedures, including angiographic bronchial artery embolization, various endobronchial interventions, and sometimes surgery. However, there are limited effective noninvasive medical therapies available. The objective of this analysis was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of nebulized tranexamic acid (TXA) administration compared with conventional management in patients with hemoptysis.

Causes, Consequences, and Treatments of Sleep and Circadian Disruption in the ICU: An Official American Thoracic Society Research Statement.

Sleep and circadian disruption (SCD) is common and severe in the ICU. On the basis of rigorous evidence in non-ICU populations and emerging evidence in ICU populations, SCD is likely to have a profound negative impact on patient outcomes. Thus, it is urgent that we establish research priorities to advance understanding of ICU SCD.

Randomized Phase 2 Placebo-Controlled Trial of Nintedanib for the Treatment of Radiation Pneumonitis.

Purpose: Radiation pneumonitis (RP) is the most common dose-limiting toxicity for thoracic radiation therapy. Nintedanib is used for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which shares pathophysiological pathways with the subacute phase of RP. Our goal was to investigate the efficacy and safety of nintedanib added to a prednisone taper compared with a prednisone taper alone in reducing pulmonary exacerbations in patients with grade 2 or higher (G2+) RP.

Impact of COVID-19 on Patients with Cancer Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.

Introduction: To evaluate the impact of Sars-Cov-2 infection on mortality and immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) toxicity in patients with cancer receiving ICIs compared to those not receiving ICIs.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective matched cohort study of 25 patients receiving ICIs within 1 year of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis between March 20, 2020, and June 3, 2020, at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Mass General Brigham. Cases were matched 1:1 with controls based on age, sex, and anticancer therapy within the prior 6 months.

Sleep Assessment in Critically Ill Adults: Established Methods and Emerging Strategies.

Unlabelled: Sleep is a biological mandate with an integral role in optimizing functions that maintain psychological and physical health. During critical illness, however, sleep may be disrupted at best and elusive at worst. Sleep improvement efforts and research endeavors evaluating interventions to improve sleep in critically ill adults are hampered by limited methods available to measure sleep in this setting.

Characterization of Nocturnal Neuroactive Medication Use and Related Sleep Documentation in Critically Ill Adults.

We retrospectively characterized scheduled, newly initiated, nocturnal neuroactive medication use, and related clinician documentation, in a cohort of consecutive adults admitted greater than or equal to 24 hours to seven different medical/surgical ICUs at two academic centers who had not received a scheduled nocturnal neuroactive medication prior to admission, over a 5-month period (April 1, 2017, to August 31, 2017). A total of 207 different newly initiated, scheduled nocturnal neuroactive medication orders were written (melatonin agonist 101 [48.8%], antipsychotic 80 [38.

Lessons from Pharmacovigilance: Pulmonary Immune-Related Adverse Events After Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy.

Purpose: To characterize pulmonary toxicities associated with the use of novel immune checkpoint inhibitors METHODS: Adverse event reports from immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting PD-1/L1 and CTLA-4 were captured from the W.H.O pharmacovigilance database (VigiBase) up until Dec.

Patients' and Their Caregivers' Interest in Learning About Post-ICU Syndrome and Seeking Help for It.

Critical Illness Recovery Programs report low attendance. We aimed to provide information about postintensive care syndrome and to learn which patients would pursue help in a Critical Illness Recovery Clinic. All patients who checked in to our Lung Center were given a survey regarding their ICU experience and offered information about postintensive care syndrome and an appointment in the clinic.

Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of Inhaled Epoprostenol and Inhaled Nitric Oxide for Refractory Hypoxemia in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficacy and safety of inhaled epoprostenol and inhaled nitric oxide in patients with refractory hypoxemia secondary to coronavirus disease 2019.

Design: Retrospective single-center study.

Setting: ICUs at a large academic medical center in the United States.

A Systematic Review of Risk Factors for Sleep Disruption in Critically Ill Adults.

Objectives: Numerous risk factors for sleep disruption in critically ill adults have been described. We performed a systematic review of all risk factors associated with sleep disruption in the ICU setting.

Data Sources: PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

Enablers and Barriers to Implementing ICU Follow-Up Clinics and Peer Support Groups Following Critical Illness: The Thrive Collaboratives.

Objectives: Data are lacking regarding implementation of novel strategies such as follow-up clinics and peer support groups, to reduce the burden of postintensive care syndrome. We sought to discover enablers that helped hospital-based clinicians establish post-ICU clinics and peer support programs, and identify barriers that challenged them.

Design: Qualitative inquiry.

Key mechanisms by which post-ICU activities can improve in-ICU care: results of the international THRIVE collaboratives.

Objective: To identify the key mechanisms that clinicians perceive improve care in the intensive care unit (ICU), as a result of their involvement in post-ICU programs.

Methods: Qualitative inquiry via focus groups and interviews with members of the Society of Critical Care Medicine's THRIVE collaborative sites (follow-up clinics and peer support). Framework analysis was used to synthesize and interpret the data.

A bronchial-airway gene-expression classifier to improve the diagnosis of lung cancer: Clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness analysis.

Bronchoscopy is the safest procedure for lung cancer diagnosis when an invasive evaluation is required after imaging procedures. However, its sensitivity is relatively low, especially for small and peripheral lesions. We assessed benefits and costs of introducing a bronchial gene-expression classifier (BGC) to improve the performance of bronchoscopy and the overall diagnostic process for early detection of lung cancer.

Models of Peer Support to Remediate Post-Intensive Care Syndrome: A Report Developed by the Society of Critical Care Medicine Thrive International Peer Support Collaborative.

Objectives: Patients and caregivers can experience a range of physical, psychologic, and cognitive problems following critical care discharge. The use of peer support has been proposed as an innovative support mechanism.

Design: We sought to identify technical, safety, and procedural aspects of existing operational models of peer support, among the Society of Critical Care Medicine Thrive Peer Support Collaborative.

Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Pain, Agitation/Sedation, Delirium, Immobility, and Sleep Disruption in Adult Patients in the ICU.

Objective: To update and expand the 2013 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Pain, Agitation, and Delirium in Adult Patients in the ICU.

Design: Thirty-two international experts, four methodologists, and four critical illness survivors met virtually at least monthly. All section groups gathered face-to-face at annual Society of Critical Care Medicine congresses; virtual connections included those unable to attend.

Methodologic Innovation in Creating Clinical Practice Guidelines: Insights From the 2018 Society of Critical Care Medicine Pain, Agitation/Sedation, Delirium, Immobility, and Sleep Disruption Guideline Effort.

Objectives: To describe novel guideline development strategies created and implemented as part of the Society of Critical Care Medicine's 2018 clinical practice guidelines for pain, agitation (sedation), delirium, immobility (rehabilitation/mobility), and sleep (disruption) in critically ill adults.

Design: We involved critical illness survivors from start to finish, used and expanded upon Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology for making recommendations, identified evidence gaps, and developed communication strategies to mitigate challenges.

Setting/subjects: Thirty-two experts from five countries, across five topic-specific sections; four methodologists, two medical librarians, four critical illness survivors, and two Society of Critical Care Medicine support staff.

Laboratory Tests and X-ray Imaging in a Surgical Intensive Care Unit: Checking the Checklist.

Context: Patients in the surgical intensive care unit (ICU) frequently undergo laboratory and imaging testing. These tests can lead to iatrogenic anemia and radiation exposure. Many of these tests may be unnecessary for the management of a patient's illness in the surgical ICU, and their ordering may be a reflex rather than in response to a clinical question.

Clinical management and outcomes of patients with Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome pulmonary fibrosis evaluated for lung transplantation.

Pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive, fatal manifestation of Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS). Some patients with advanced HPS pulmonary fibrosis undergo lung transplantation despite their disease-associated bleeding tendency; others die while awaiting donor organs. The objective of this study is to determine the clinical management and outcomes of a cohort with advanced HPS pulmonary fibrosis who were evaluated for lung transplantation.

Safety of Propofol for Oxygenator Exchange in Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

The purpose of this analysis is to describe the safety of propofol administration in adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) patients. We performed a prospective cohort analysis of patients using ECMO at Brigham and Women's Hospital between February 2013 and October 2015. Patients were included if they used ECMO for at least 48 hours.

Evaluation of sedatives, analgesics, and neuromuscular blocking agents in adults receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of sedative, analgesic, and neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) in patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support.

Materials And Methods: This was a 2-year, prospective, observational study of adult intensive care unit patients on ECMO support for more than 48hours.

Results: We analyzed 32 patients, including 15 receiving VA (venoarterial) ECMO and 17 VV (venovenous) ECMO.

The Impact of Interventions to Improve Sleep on Delirium in the ICU: A Systematic Review and Research Framework.

Objective: This study aimed to assess whether interventions targeted at improving sleep in the ICU were associated with reductions in ICU delirium. Secondary outcomes include duration of delirium and ICU length of stay.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, WorldCat, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts were searched from inception to January 2016.