Need For Non-invasive Ventilation Research Articles

The HEARTRISK6 Scale: Predicting Short-Term Serious Outcomes in Emergency Department Acute Heart Failure Patients

BackgroundAcute heart failure (AHF) is a common emergency department (ED) presentation that may have poor outcomes but often does not require hospital admission. There is little evidence to guide dispositional decisions. ObjectivesThe authors sought to create a risk score for predicting short-term serious outcomes (SSO) in patients with AHF. MethodsWe pooled data from 3 prospective cohorts: 2 published studies and one new cohort. The 3 cohorts prospectively enrolled patients who required treatment for AHF at 10 tertiary care hospital EDs. The primary outcome was SSO, defined as death <30 days, intubation or noninvasive ventilation (NIV), myocardial infarction, or relapse to ED <14 days. The logistic regression model evaluated 13 predictors, used an AIC-based step-down procedure, and bootstrapped internal validation. ResultsOf the 2,246 patients in the 3 cohorts (N = 559; 1,100; 587), the mean age was 77.4 years, 54.5% were male, 3.1% received intravenous nitroglycerin, 5.2% received ED NIV, and 48.6% were admitted to the hospital. There were 281 (12.5%) SSOs including 70 deaths (3.1%) with many in discharged patients. The final HEARTRISK6 Scale included 6 variables: valvular heart disease, tachycardia, need for NIV, creatinine, troponin, and failed reassessment (walk test). Choosing HEARTRISK6 total-point admission thresholds of ≥1 or ≥2 would yield, respectively, sensitivities of 88.3% (95% CI: 83.9%-91.8%) and 71.5% (95% CI: 65.9%-76.7%) and specificities of 24.7% (95% CI: 22.8%-26.7%) and 50.1% (95% CI: 47.9%-52.4%) for SSO. ConclusionsUsing 3 large prospectively collected datasets, we created a concise and sensitive risk scale for patients with AHF in the ED. Implementation of the HEARTRISK6 scale could lead to safer and more efficient disposition decisions.

Remote pulmonary function testing allows for early identification of need for non-invasive ventilation in a subset of persons with ALS

The traditional ALS multidisciplinary clinical practice of quarterly respiratory assessment may leave some individuals in danger of developing untreated respiratory insufficiency between visits or beginning non-invasive ventilation (NIV) later than would be optimal. Remote, or home-based, pulmonary function testing (rPFT) allows patients with ALS to perform regular respiratory testing at more frequent intervals in the home. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical benefit of weekly rPFT compared to standard, quarterly in-clinic respiratory assessments: the number of individuals with earlier identification of NIV need, the magnitude of this advance notice, and the individual factors predicting benefit. Participants with ALS (n = 39) completed rPFT training via telemedicine and then completed one year of weekly self-guided assessments in the home. Over this period, 17 individuals exhibited remotely-measured FVC dropping below 50% of predicted, the value often used for recommendation of NIV initiation. In 13 individuals with clinical detection of this event, the median and range of advance notice of need for NIV was 53 (−61–294) days. Prescription of NIV occurred for 21 individuals on the study, six of whom began NIV as a result of remote testing, prior to indication of need as determined by in-person assessments. Weekly home assessments appeared to be of greatest clinical value in a subset of patients with low baseline respiratory test values and rapid respiratory decline. This has potential implications for clinical management of ALS as well as the conduct of clinical trials that rely on respiratory endpoints.

Use of the Serum Level of Cholinesterase as a Prognostic Marker of Nonfatal Clinical Outcomes in Patients Hospitalized with Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) contributes to a poor prognosis. Reliable biomarkers to predict adverse outcomes during hospitalization are important. To investigate the relationship between the serum cholinesterase (ChE) level and adverse clinical outcomes, including hypoxemia severity, hypercapnia, duration of hospital stay (DoHS), and noninvasive ventilation (NIV) requirement, in patients with AECOPD. Patients hospitalized with AECOPD in the Wuhu Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine between January 2017 and December 2021 were included. A total of 429 patients were enrolled. The serum ChE level was significantly lower in patients with hypercapnia, who required NIV during hospitalization and who had a DoHS of >10 days, with an oxygenation index < 300. The ChE level was correlated negatively with the C-reactive protein level and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and correlated positively with the serum albumin level. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that a serum ChE level of ≤4116 U/L (OR = 2.857, 95% CI = 1.46-5.58, p = 0.002) was associated significantly with NIV requirement. The serum ChE level was correlated significantly with complicating severe hypoxemia, hypercapnia, prolonged DoHS, and the need for NIV in patients hospitalized with AECOPD. The serum ChE level is a clinically important risk-stratification biomarker in patients hospitalized with AECOPD.

Characteristics and Outcomes of Coronavirus Disease- 2019 Among Pregnant Women in Saudi Arabia; a Retrospective Study.

Pregnancy-related coronavirus disease 2019 infection ranges from asymptomatic to very serious illness. This study aimed to determine the impact of the COVID-19 infection on pregnant women in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia. Retrospective observational study of women who had COVID-19 positive test in pregnancy admitted in King Fahd Hospital, Abu Arish General Hospital, and Sabya General Hospital, Jazan, Saudi Arabia during the period between March 2020 and March 2022. Data were extracted from the patient's records. Frequency and percentage distributions were calculated for categorical variables. Descriptive studies and regression analysis were conducted to evaluate the association between selected variables and pregnancy outcomes. Of the 33 pregnant women with confirmed infection, the majority were in their second and third trimester, with approximately 42.4% requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission and oxygen therapy. The most prevalent symptoms were high respiratory rate and low blood pressure, often accompanied by fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Live births resulted in 54.5% of the cases, while two maternal deaths were reported. Significant associations were found between the need for non-invasive ventilation and timing of infection (p = 0.026), the mode of delivery and timing of infection (p = 0.036), and the mode of delivery and body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.007). COVID-19 poses significant risks to pregnant women, particularly in the third trimester, and emphasized the importance of early identification of high-risk pregnancies, strategic planning, and enhanced monitoring during antenatal care.

Role of multidrug-resistant bacteria in weaning from invasive mechanical ventilation

BackgroundAlthough multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDR) are common in patients undergoing prolonged weaning, there is little data on their impact on weaning and patient outcomes.MethodsThis is a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients who underwent prolonged weaning and were at a university weaning centre from January 2018 to December 2020. The influence of MDR colonisation and infection on weaning success (category 3a and 3b), successful prolonged weaning from invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) with or without the need for non-invasive ventilation (NIV) compared with category 3c (weaning failure 3cI or death 3cII) was investigated. The pathogen groups considered were: multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria (MDRGN), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp. (VRE).ResultsA total of 206 patients were studied, of whom 91 (44.2%) showed evidence of MDR bacteria (32% VRE, 1.5% MRSA and 16% MDRGN), with 25 patients also meeting the criteria for MDR infection. 70.9% of the 206 patients were successfully weaned from IMV, 8.7% died. In 72.2% of cases, nosocomial pneumonia and other infections were the main cause of death. Patients with evidence of MDR (infection and colonisation) had a higher incidence of weaning failure than those without evidence of MDR (48% vs. 34.8% vs. 21.7%). In multivariate analyses, MDR infection (OR 4.9, p = 0.004) was an independent risk factor for weaning failure, along with male sex (OR 2.3, p = 0.025), Charlson Comorbidity Index (OR 1.2, p = 0.027), pH (OR 2.7, p < 0.001) and duration of IMV before admission (OR 1.01, p < 0.001). In addition, MDR infection was the only independent risk factor for death (category 3cII), (OR 6.66, p = 0.007).ConclusionPatients with MDR infection are significantly more likely to die during the weaning process. There is an urgent need to develop non-antibiotic approaches for the prevention and treatment of MDR infections as well as clinical research on antibiotic stewardship in prolonged weaning as well as in ICUs.

Long-lasting effects of COVID-19 pandemic on hospitalizations and severity of bronchiolitis

Bronchiolitis is a common cause of hospitalization in infants. The long-lasting impact of hygiene and social behavior changes during the pandemic on this disease is debated. We investigated the prevalence of hospitalized cases, clinical severity, and underlying risk factors before and during pandemic. The study was conducted in 27 hospitals in Italy and included infants hospitalized for bronchiolitis during the following four periods: July 2018-March 2019, July 2020-March 2021, July 2021-March 2022, and July 2022-March 2023. Data on demographics, neonatal gestational age, breastfeeding history, underlying chronic diseases, presence of older siblings, etiologic agents, clinical course and outcome were collected. A total of 5330 patients were included in the study. Compared to 2018–19 (n = 1618), the number of hospitalizations decreased in 2020–21 (n = 121). A gradual increase was observed in 2021–22 (n = 1577) and 2022–23 (n = 2014). A higher disease severity (need and length of O2-supplementation, need for non-invasive ventilation, hospital stay) occurred in the 2021–22 and, especially, the 2022–23 periods compared to 2018–19. This tendency persisted after adjusting for risk factors associated with bronchiolitis severity. Conclusions: Compared to adults, COVID-19 in infants is often asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and rarely results in hospitalization. This study indicates that the pandemic has indirectly induced an increased burden of bronchiolitis among hospitalized infants. This shift, which is not explained by the recognized risk factors, suggests the existence of higher infant vulnerability during the last two seasons.What is known:• The pandemic led to a change in epidemiology of respiratory diseases• Large data on severity of bronchiolitis and underlying risk factors before and during COVID-19 pandemic are scarceWhat is new:• Compared to pre-pandemic period, hospitalizations for bronchiolitis decreased in 2020–21 and gradually increased in 2021–22 and 2022–23• Compared to pre-pandemic period, higher disease burden occurred in 2021–22 and, especially, in 2022–23. This tendency persisted after adjusting for risk factors associated with bronchiolitis severity• The interplay among viruses, preventive measures, and the infant health deserves to be further investigated

CONSUMO DE VITAMINA D DURANTE A PANDEMIA DE COVID – 19 E IMPACTOS NA SAÚDE: UMA REVISÃO SISTEMÁTICA

During the COVID-19 pandemic, vitamin D consumption was highly indicated by the actions on the immune system. This study describes vitamin D intake during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on health through systematic review, following the Prisma method. Five databases were used (PubMed, BVS, Scopus, CAPES and Embase). Of the 163 articles found, 11 were selected after eligibility criteria. Nine associated vitamin D deficiency with COVID-19, one assessed vitamin D administration in survivor rate and one analyzed the amount and values of vitamin D acquisition. Vitamin D levels in the pandemic are lower, as is exposure to the sun, the main form of vitamin synthesis. Studies have shown lower levels in more severe cases and greater need for non-invasive ventilation. Further studies of high levels of evidence are recommended.

Elevated levels of serum uric acid and its correlation with unfavorable out-comes in individuals who experience acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive airway disease.

Objective: To evaluate the correlation between increased levels of blood uric acid and unfavorable outcomes in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Methodology: This Prospective Cohort study was conducted at Pulmonology Department of Jinnah Hospital; Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore from Dec 2019 to May 2020. Total 142 patients (71 from exposed and 71 from un-exposed group) that satisfied the inclusion criteria were studied. Depending upon level of serum uric acid at the time of admission, before initiation of therapy, these patients were considered as exposed and unexposed. Demographics and all-cause mortality, ICU admission, need for non-invasive ventilation (NIV) and length of hospital stay (LOS) for AECOPD within 30 days was logged.Results: The 95% confidence interval for the relative risk (RR) of all-cause mortality in the exposed group (raised serum uric acid at the time of admission) was 6.50 with a p-value of 0.003. Patients from exposed group also needed to stay in the hospital longer and more frequently, needed noninvasive breathing and ICU admittance at 30 days. There were in-creased number of exacerbations among exposed group as compared to unexposed (p-value = 0.002).Conclusion: The raised serum uric acid at the time of admission is linked to higher chance of morbidity and death in pa-tients of AECOPD. This finding may be helpful in identifying high risk patients so that intensive and rigorous treatment may be initiated early.Key words: COPD, AECOPD, Serum Uric Acid, Chronic Smokers.

Chinese expert consensus on standardized inhaler device application in stable chronic airway diseases (2023)

Chinese expert consensus on standardized inhaler device application in stable chronic airway diseases (2023)

Home Noninvasive Ventilation in Myasthenia Gravis.

Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) plays an important role in avoiding endotracheal intubation during myasthenic crisis, yet there are few published data concerning long-term home NIV in stable out-patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of NIV in a cohort of subjects with stable MG and to analyze contributing factors that could predict the need of NIV. We performed a cross-sectional study that included subjects diagnosed with MG managed in the respiratory care unit over the previous year. Subjects underwent clinical analysis including demographic, clinical, and functional respiratory data. Of the 50 subjects included, 35 (70%) were positive for nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antibodies, and 68% had a diagnosis of generalized MG. Bulbar symptoms developed in 16 (32%), and 10 (20%) subjects needed long-term home NIV. The only variable predicting the need for long-term NIV was MG severity measured with Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA), mainly grades IIB (odds ratio 0.14 [95% CI 0.02-0.85], P = .03) and IIIB (odds ratio 0.02 [95% CI 0.01-0.34], P = .01). Home NIV was needed in a substantial percentage of medically stable subjects with MG, mainly in those with generalized type and with oropharyngeal and/or respiratory muscle involvement (MGFA grades IIB and IIIB).

Quantitative brainstem and spinal MRI in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: implications for predicting noninvasive ventilation needs.

Respiratory complications resulting from motor neurons degeneration are the primary cause of death in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Predicting the need for non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in ALS is important for advance care planning and clinical trial design. The aim of this study was to assess the potential of quantitative MRI at the brainstem and spinal cord levels to predict the need for NIV during the first six months after diagnosis. Forty-one ALS patients underwent MRI and spirometry shortly after diagnosis. The need for NIV was monitored according to French health guidelines for 6 months. The performance of four regression models based on: clinical variables, brainstem structures volumes, cervical spinal measurements, and combined variables were compared to predict the need for NIV within this period. Both the clinical model (R2 = 0.28, AUC = 0.85, AICc = 42.67, BIC = 49.8) and the brainstem structures' volumes model (R2 = 0.30, AUC = 0.85, AICc = 40.13, BIC = 46.99) demonstrated good predictive performance. In addition, cervical spinal cord measurements model similar performance (R2 = 0.338, AUC = 0.87, AICc = 37.99, BIC = 44.49). Notably, the combined model incorporating predictors from all three models yielded the best performance (R2 = 0.60, AUC = 0.959, AICc = 36.38, BIC = 44.8). These findings are supported by observed positive correlations between brainstem volumes, cervical (C4/C7) cross-sectional area, and spirometry-measured lung volumes. Our study shows that brainstem volumes and spinal cord area are promising measures to predict respiratory intervention needs in ALS.

Comparable cytokine release ex-vivo by whole blood from COVID-19 patients with and without non-invasive ventilation

T cells are key players in the resolution of the infection by SARS-CoV-2. A delay in their activation can lead to severe COVID-19. The present work aimed to identify differences in cytokine release by T cells ex-vivo between COVID-19 patients in the acute phase, showing diverse disease severity. Concentrations of IFNγ, Granzyme B, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, IL-18, IP-10, MCP-1, and TNFα were evaluated after stimulation ex-vivo of whole blood samples with peptides from SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and a mitogen as well as without stimulation. Samples derived from hospitalized COVID-19 patients and SARS-CoV-2 vaccinated controls (CTR). Patients were classified on disease severity considering the necessity of non-invasive ventilation (NIV). Samples from patients requiring NIV revealed a similar release of cytokines compared with patients without NIV. COVID-19 patients showed higher spontaneous production of IFNγ and IP-10, lower production of MCP-1 after SARS-CoV-2 peptide stimulation and lower production of IFNγ, IL-10, IL-17A, Granzyme B, IP-10 after mitogenic stimulus compared with CTR. In conclusion, differences in T cell responses evaluated ex-vivo by a whole blood-based cytokine release assay do not appear to explain the need for non-invasive ventilation in COVID-19 patients.

Open and Thoracoscopic Aortopexy for Airway Malacia in Children: 15 Year Single Centre Experience

ObjectivesThe objective was to report and analyse the characteristics and results of open aortopexy and thoracoscopic aortopexy for the treatment of airway malacia in a paediatric population. MethodsWe report a retrospective consecutive case series of paediatric patients undergoing aortopexy for the treatment of airway malacia at a quaternary referral centre between December 2006 and January 2021. Outcome measures included days to extubation, continued need for non-invasive ventilation, further intervention in the form of tracheostomy and death. Results169 patients underwent aortopexy: 147 had open procedures (135 via median/limited median sternotomy and 12 thoracotomy) and 22 thoracoscopic. Mean follow up was 8.46 yrs (range 1–20 yrs). Most common site of airway malacia was the trachea (n = 106, 62.7 %), and 48 (28.4 %) had additional involvement at the bronchi with tracheobronchomalacia (TBM). 15 (8.9 %) had bronchomalacia (BM) only. Incidence of bronchial disease was lower in the thoracoscopic than open group (13.6 % vs 40.82 %; p < 0.0001). Mean time to extubation was 1.45 days, 2.59 days, 5.23 days in tracheomalacia, TBM and BM groups, respectively (p = 0.0047). Mean time to extubation was 1.35 days, 2 days, 3.67 days, and 5 days in patients with external vascular compression, TOF/OA, primary airway malacia, and laryngeal reconstruction, respectively (p = 0.0002). There were 21 deaths across the cohort, and all were in the open group. 71.4 % (n = 15) had bronchial involvement of their airway malacia. ConclusionsOpen and thoracoscopic aortopexy are effective treatments for airway malacia in children. We have identified that involvement of the bronchi is a risk factor for adverse outcomes, and the optimum treatment for this patient cohort is still debatable. Level of EvidenceIV. Type of StudyRetrospective Study.

Respiratory function in a large cohort of treatment-naïve adult spinal muscular atrophy patients: a cross-sectional study

Due to poor data in literature, we aimed to investigate the respiratory function in a large cohort of naïve Italian adult (≥18 years) SMA patients in a multi-centric cross-sectional study. The following respiratory parameters were considered: forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and need for non-invasive ventilation (NIV). We included 145 treatment-naïve adult patients (SMA2=18, SMA3=125; SMA4=2), 58 females (40 %), with median age at evaluation of 37 years (range 18–72). Fifty-six (37 %) and 41 (31 %) patients had abnormal (<80 %) values of FVC and FEV1, respectively. Fourteen (14 %) patients needed NIV, started at median age of 21 (range 4–68). Motor function, measured by Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale Expanded and Revised Upper Limb Module as well as SMA2, loss of walking ability, surgery for scoliosis, use of NIV, and cough assisting device (CAD) were all significantly associated to lower FVC and FEV1 values, while no association with age at baseline, disease duration, gender or 6 min walking test was observed, except for a correlation between FVC and age in SMA3 walkers (p < 0.05). In conclusion, respiratory function in adult SMA patients is relatively frequently impaired, substantially stable, and significantly correlated with motor function and disease severity.

Evaluation of the association between inflammatory markers and the prognosis of Covid-19

ABSTRACT Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) triggers the immune system and causes changes in the serum level of inflammatory markers such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein, ferritin, interleukin-6, LDH, D-dimer, and procalcitonin (PCT); in this study, we investigate the association between the serum level of inflammatory markers and the prognosis of COVID-19, which included mortality and intensive care unit (ICU) admission of patients Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 COVID-19 patients hospitalized at Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Babol, from March 2020 to March 2021. Demographic indicators and inflammatory markers were recorded in the questionnaire and were investigated based on disease outcome, length of hospitalization, need for non-invasive ventilation (NIV), and need for hospitalization in the ICU and ventilator. Patients who died or were discharged within the first 24 hours of hospitalization (before the test) were excluded from the study. Finally, the data were recorded in SPSS Statistics 26.0 and then analyzed. Results: The average age of patients with COVID-19 hospitalized in the hospital was 57.92 ± 16.18. The prevalence of death due to coronavirus disease in hospitalized patients was 8.5%. Besides, 23.5% of patients were hospitalized in the ICU and 28.5% required NIV. Based on the disease’s outcome, a significant difference was found in the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), so the NLR was significantly higher in patients who died due to coronavirus. Moreover, the levels of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), D-dimer, LDH, and PCT in deceased individuals were considerably higher compared to those who recovered. Conclusion: NLR, ESR, D-dimer level, LDH, and PCT are among the markers that affect COVID-19 patient outcomes. The increment of any of these markers will lead to an increase in the risk of death and also the need for ICU admission.

Performance of risk scores in patients with acute exacerbations of COPD.

Acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) are common causes of hospitalization. Various scoring systems have been proposed to classify the risk of clinical deterioration or mortality in hospitalized patients with AECOPD. We sought to investigate whether clinical deterioration and mortality scores at admission can predict adverse events occurring during hospitalization and after discharge of patients with AECOPD. We performed a retrospective study of patients admitted with AECOPD. The National Early Warning Score 2 (NEWS2), the NEWS288-92%, the Dyspnea, Eosinopenia, Consolidation, Acidemia, and atrial Fibrillation (DECAF) score, and the modified DECAF (mDECAF) score were calculated at admission. We assessed the sensitivity, specificity, and overall performance of the scores for the following outcomes: in-hospital mortality; need for invasive mechanical ventilation or noninvasive ventilation (NIV); long hospital stays; hospital readmissions; and future AECOPD. We included 119 patients admitted with AECOPD. The median age was 75 years, and 87.9% were male. The NEWS288-92% was associated with an 8.9% reduction in the number of individuals classified as requiring close, continuous observation, without an increased risk of death in the group of individuals classified as being low-risk patients. The NEWS288-92% and NEWS2 scores were found to be adequate in predicting the need for acute NIV and longer hospital stays. The DECAF and mDECAF scores were found to be better at predicting in-hospital mortality than the NEWS2 and NEWS288-92%. The NEWS288-92% safely reduces the need for clinical monitoring in patients with AECOPD when compared with the NEWS2. The NEWS2 and NEWS288-92% appear to be good predictors of the length of hospital stay and need for NIV, but they do not replace the DECAF and mDECAF scores as predictors of mortality.

Analysis of the Use of Non-Invasive Lung Ventilation Support in Newborns and Young Children after Cardiac Surgery

Background. Non-invasive ventilatory support for artificial lung ventilation (ALV) in infants with congenital heart disease after cardiac surgery helps to reduce the duration of invasive ALV, reduce the number of mechanical and infectious complications, and reduce or eliminate the need for sedation.&#x0D; The aim. To analyze the experience of using non-invasive ventilatory support after surgical correction of congenital heart disease in infants and compare its effectiveness with invasive mechanical ventilation.&#x0D; Materials and methods. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the use of non-invasive ALV and its effectiveness compared to invasive mechanical ventilation in children under 1 year of age after cardiac surgery from 2020 to 2022 at the Department of Cardiac Arrest in Newborns and Young Children of the National Amosov Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine. During this period, 134 patients were operated on (38 children under 1 month old, 96 children under 1 year old). In the postoperative period, 85 children (55.9%) needed prolonged mechanical ventilation (more than 24 hours), of which non-invasive ventilation support was used in 32 patients (37.6%) and invasive ventilation in 53 (62.3%) patients.&#x0D; Results. The patients on non-invasive ALV (n = 32) had lower weight (p = 0.23), shorter ventilation time (p = 0.56), and the time spent at the intensive care unit (p = 0.61), required less sedation (p = 0.29), and had lower mortality (p = 0.42) compared to the group of children who received only invasive ventilatory support (n = 53), but this difference was not statistically significant. The need for non-invasive ventilation was higher in 9 (28.12%) infants than in 8 (15.09%) other infants and was statistically significant (p &lt; 0.001).&#x0D; Conclusions. Our study showed that the use of non-invasive ALV can shorten the length of stay at the intensive care unit and the time spent on ventilation, reduce or avoid the use of sedation, and prevent pulmonary complications (infectious and mechanical) with long-term treatment. However, there was no significant difference between non-invasive and invasive ventilation in terms of mortality.

A Study of Hypomagnesemia in Patients Admitted to the ICU.

Introduction After potassium, magnesium (Mg2+) is the most prevalent cation found intracellularly in the human body. The maintenance of excitability by Mg2+ and other cations is crucial for the neuromuscular junction to operate normally. Magnesium shortages are frequently overlooked compared to other electrolyte disorders such as hyponatremia, hypokalemia, and hypocalcemia. The present study aimed to study the factors and effects of hypomagnesemia amongintensive care unit (ICU) patients who are critically ill at atertiary care hospital. Methods This is a prospective observational study done among the patients who got admittedto the Medical ICUat Maharajahs Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS), Nellimarla, Vizianagaram, from January 2020 to June 2021. A total of 100 patients were included in the study, of which 50 were cases and 50 were controls. The cases are those patients admitted to the medical ICU with critical illness and hypomagnesemia, and the controls are selected from those patients admitted with critical illness to the medical ICU with normal magnesium levels. Patients with severe infections, including sepsis, respiratory failure, cardiac failure,renal failure, cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), poisonings, and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), were included in the study. Patients who were treated with magnesium before admission to our ICU were excluded from this study. Serum magnesium was tested within24 hours of admission and is correlated with the outcomes of the patients in terms of APACHE II score, length of ICU stay, and requirementand duration ofventilatory support. Results Out of a total of 50 cases, 29 (58%) are of males. The mean age of cases was57.6 ∓ 8.2 years. Most cases were admitted due to organ failure (30%), followed by sepsis (26%) and poisoning (22%). The mean magnesium levels were 1.19 mg/dL among the cases, which was significantly lower when compared to the control group (2.16 mg/dL) (p-value= 0.01). The mean length of stay in the ICU was 6.12∓5.16 days in cases, whereas it was 5.28∓3.37 days in the control group (p-value = 0.33). 12% of cases needed non-invasive ventilation (NIV) when compared to 8% of controls (p-value= 0.50). 48% of the cases needed invasive ventilator support when compared to 28% in the control group (p-value= 0.03). The duration of invasive ventilation was higher among the cases (mean = 10 ∓3-17 days) compared to the controls(mean = 3 ∓2-4 days);p-value = 0.001.Mortality was higher in the case groupat 28% (14) and was 10% (5) in the control group (p-value = 0.02). Conclusion The need for invasive ventilation and duration of invasive ventilation were significantly higher among thepatients with hypomagnesemia compared to the patients with normal magnesium levels (p-value<0.05).Mortality was higher in the cases than in the controls (p-value<0.05).

Prone position versus usual care in hypoxemic COVID-19 patients in medical wards: a randomised controlled trial

BackgroundBenefit of early awake prone positioning for COVID-19 patients hospitalised in medical wards and who need oxygen therapy remains to be demonstrated. The question was considered at the time of COVID-19 pandemic to avoid overloading the intensive care units. We aimed to determine whether prone position plus usual care could reduce the rate of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) or intubation or death as compared to usual care alone.MethodsIn this multicentre randomised clinical trial, 268 patients were randomly assigned to awake prone position plus usual care (N = 135) or usual care alone (N = 132). The primary outcome was the proportion of patients who underwent NIV or intubation or died within 28 days. Main secondary outcomes included the rates of NIV, of intubation or death, within 28 days.ResultsMedian time spent each day in the prone position within 72 h of randomisation was 90 min (IQR 30–133). The proportion of NIV or intubation or death within 28 days was 14.1% (19/135) in the prone position group and 12.9% (17/132) in the usual care group [odds ratio adjusted for stratification (aOR) 0.43; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.14–1.35]. The probability of intubation, or intubation or death (secondary outcomes) was lower in the prone position group than in the usual care group (aOR 0.11; 95% CI 0.01–0.89 and aOR 0.09; 95% CI 0.01–0.76, respectively) in the whole study population and in the prespecified subgroup of patients with SpO2 ≥ 95% on inclusion (aOR 0.11; 95% CI 0.01–0.90, and aOR 0.09; 95% CI 0.03–0.27, respectively).ConclusionsAwake prone position plus usual care in COVID-19 patients in medical wards did not decrease the composite outcome of need for NIV or intubation or death.Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04363463. Registered 27 April 2020.

Evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern over a period of Delta and Omicron cocirculation, among patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in an Italian reference hospital: Impact on clinical outcomes.

Despite the higher transmissibility of Omicron Variant of Concern (VOC), several reports have suggested lower risk for hospitalization and severe outcomes compared to previous variants of SARS-CoV-2. This study, enrolling all COVID-19 adults admitted to a reference hospital who underwent both the S-gene-target-failure test and VOC identification by Sanger sequencing, aimed to describe the evolving prevalence of Delta and Omicron variants and to compare the main in-hospital outcomes of severity, during a trimester (December 2021 to March 2022) of VOCs' cocirculation. Factors associated with clinical progression to noninvasive ventilation (NIV)/mechanical ventilation (MV)/death within 10 days and to MV/admission to intensive care unit (ICU)/death within 28 days, were investigated through multivariable logistic regressions. Overall, VOCs were: Delta n = 130/428, Omicron n = 298/428 (sublineages BA.1 n = 275 and BA.2 n = 23). Until mid-February, Delta predominance shifted to BA.1, which was gradually displaced by BA.2 until mid-March. Participants with Omicron VOC were more likely to be older, fully vaccinated, with multiple comorbidities and to have a shorter time from symptoms' onset, and less likely to have systemic symptoms and respiratory complications. Although the need of NIV within 10 days and MV within 28 days from hospitalization and the admission to ICU were less frequent for patients with Omicron compared to those with Delta infections, mortality was similar between the two VOCs. In the adjusted analysis, multiple comorbidities and a longer time from symptoms' onset predicted 10-day clinical progression, while complete vaccination halved the risk. Multimorbidity was the only risk factor associated with 28-day clinical progression. In our population, in the first trimester of 2022, Omicron rapidly displaced Delta in COVID-19 hospitalized adults. Clinical profile and presentation differed between the two VOCs and, although Omicron infections showed a less severe clinical picture, no substantial differences for clinical progression were found. This finding suggests that any hospitalization, especially in more vulnerable individuals, may be at risk for severe progression, which is more related to the underlying frailty of patients than to the intrinsic severity of the viral variant.