Rates Of Pneumonia In Patients Research Articles

The Effects of Tracheal Suction with N-acetylcysteine on Incidence of Ventilator-associated Pneumonia

Background: Correct endotracheal tube suction is one of the effective methods to prevent ventilator-associated infection. Many studies have reported that normal saline and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in the trachea lead the translocation of bacteria to lower levels and increase the risk of pneumonia. Objectives: The present study sought to examine the effect of tracheal suction with NAC on the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Methods: This single-blind randomized clinical trial study was conducted on 60 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Khatam Al-Anbia Hospital in Zahedan, Iran, in 2020. The patients were selected using the convenience sampling method and assigned into two intervention and control groups by permutation block randomization. Before the intervention, the patients were evaluated using the Modified Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score (MCPIS), and the patients with scores < 5 on this scale were included in the study. Suctioning tracheal secretions in the intervention group was performed by pouring 2 cc of NAC into the tracheal tube during suction. The same suction procedure was performed for the patients in the control group by pouring 2 cc of normal saline into the tracheal tube in a standard way. The intervention was conducted for five days. After the intervention, the MCPIS scale was administered once more for the two groups. The collected data were analyzed using the independent samples t-test and chi-square test with SPSS software (version 25). Results: The independent samples t-test showed no significant difference between the intervention and control groups regarding the incidence of pneumonia (P = 0.31). Conclusions: Despite the effect of NAC on the incidence rate of pneumonia in patients under mechanical ventilation, there was no significant difference between NAC and normal saline in reducing the incidence of pneumonia. However, since NAC leads to no specific complication in patients, it can be safely used in the suction of tracheal lobule secretions in patients under ventilators. In this regard, further studies should examine the use of NAC for suctioning during tracheal tube obstruction by secretions.

Safety of allergen immunotherapy in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection

Objectives: The aims of presenting study were trying to expose the course of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome–related coronavirus) in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR), to compare the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, hospitalization and pneumonia rates in patients with AR receiving allergen immunotherapy (AIT) and patients did not receiving AIT (non-receivers) and to define possible risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 positivity in patients with AR. Methods: A total of 419 patients with AR who were being followed-up in a tertiary allergy clinic between June 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020, were selected for the study. Results: Seventy-nine (18.9%) patients became infected with the SARS-CoV-2 [32 (19.6%) patients in AR patients with AIT and 47 (18.4%) patients in non-receivers] and the rate of pneumonia was 2.4% [12.7% of SARS-CoV-2 (+) patients]. There was no significant difference was determined between the AR patients with AIT and the non-receivers in regard of the rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection, pneumonia and hospitalization (p = 0.864, p = 0.055 and p = 0.075; respectively). There was a significant difference between the groups in terms of gender, duration of disease, sensitivity to allergens (atopy) and serum IgE levels (p = 0.009, p = 0.001, p = 0.001 and p = 0.001; respectively). The accompanying comorbidities, eosinophil cout, AIT and duration of AIT were not found to be associated with an increased risk SARS-CoV-2 PCR positivity. However, female gender was shown to be associated with an decreased risk for SARS-CoV-2 PCR positivity (OR, 0.571; 95% confidence interval, 0.330-0.987; p = 0.045).Conclusions: The course of SARS-CoV-2 is similar in patients with AR who underwent AIT and patients with AR who did not undergo AIT, and AIT does not seem to increase the risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Comparison of Long-Term Pneumonia Risk between Spleen Injury and Non-Spleen Injury after Total Splenectomy-A Population-Based Study.

Patients who undergo splenectomy are at a high risk of infection. We aimed to investigate the rate of pneumonia in patients who underwent splenectomy, specifically comparing those who had splenectomy due to spleen injury and those who had it for other reasons. A population-based cohort study was conducted. Overall, 17,498 patients who underwent splenectomy between 2000 and 2015 were enrolled, including 11,817 patients with a history of spleen injury and 5681 controls without spleen injury. The incidence of pneumonia was calculated at the end of 2016. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to compare the hazard ratio with 95% CI for pneumonia associated with the spleen injury-caused splenectomy and splenectomy due to other causes. The crude HR for patients with splenectomy due to spleen injury to develop pneumonia was 1.649. After adjusting for covariates, the adjusted hazard ratio was 1.567. There were statistically significant differences in all subgroups, except for the group with a tracking duration >10 years. We found an increase in pneumonia risk in the ‘spleen injury’ group when comparing it to that of the ‘other causes’ group, regardless of age, sex, and area of residence.

Influenza and pneumococcus vaccination rates in pediatric dialysis patients in Europe: recommendations vs reality A European Pediatric Dialysis Working Group and European Society for Pediatric Nephrology Dialysis Working Group study

Children on dialysis are under increased risk of influenza and invasive pneumococcal disease. Although vaccination against these microorganisms are recommended in dialysis patients and despite the fact that these vaccines can reduce disease burden and rates of hospitalization due to infection, vaccination rates are below expected and desired. We aimed to evaluate influenza and pneumococcal vaccination and infection rates in European pediatric dialysis centers. In 16 centers from 11 countries, 357 pediatric dialysis patients were evaluated retrospectively during 1 year of observation period between 01.01.2014 and 01.01.2015. In all centers, vaccination policy included immunization of dialysis patients with inactive influenza vaccine and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). Fifty percent of the centers recommended pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine following routine PCV series. A significantly higher pneumococcal vaccination rate (43.9%) was seen in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients compared to those on hemodialysis (HD) (32.9%) (p = 0.035), while the rates for influenza were similar (42.4% and 46.1% respectively, p = 0.496). Among all dialysis patients, 2.2% (n = 8) developed pneumonia and 6.4% (n = 23) was infected by Influenza. Pneumococcic pneumonia rate was 5% for 140 patients who received antipneumococcal vaccine, while only one pneumonia episode was recorded out of 217 unvaccinated patients (p = 0.007). The influenza virus infection rates were similar for patients vaccinated and nonvaccinated (7 % and 6 %, respectively). Although influenza and pneumococcal vaccines are highly recommended in pediatric dialysis patients, vaccination rates were lower than expected. Pneumococcal vaccination rates were higher in PD compared to the patients on HD. The rate of children with influenza infection was higher than pneumonia. The efficacy of influenza and pneumococcal vaccines was highlighted by the low infection rates. Higher pneumonia rates in patients vaccinated against pneumococcus compared to unvaccinated ones might be due to coexisting risk factors.

Reduction in Short- and Long-term Pneumonia Rate With Laryngoplasty for Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis.

To examine the association of laryngoplasty, voice therapy, and pneumonia rate in patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP). Population-based retrospective cohort study. Data were collected from the LHID2000 (Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000), containing the information of 1 million randomly selected patients in Taiwan. In the LHID2000, we identified 439 patients having new diagnoses of UVFP from 1997 to 2013. We grouped the aforementioned patients according to UVFP treatment and probed the occurrence of pneumonia: 305 patients underwent laryngoplasty or voice therapy, and 134 patients did not undergo treatment. Follow-up procedures were executed for the enrollees until death or December 31, 2013, representing the end of the study period. We assessed the association of UVFP treatment and pneumonia by executing Cox proportional hazards regression. The pneumonia cumulative incidence was significantly higher among enrolled patients without treatment than in those receiving treatment (P < .001). The pneumonia incidence was significantly lower in patients receiving UVFP treatment (hazard ratio, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.27-0.88; P = .018), as validated by the Cox proportional hazards model after adjustment. Patients undergoing laryngoplasty with or without voice therapy had a significantly lower incidence of pneumonia at 6 months and 1, 3, and 5 years, whereas those undergoing voice therapy alone did not. Laryngoplasty was associated with a lower incidence of short- and long-term pneumonia in patients with UVFP. Physicians should encourage patients with UVFP at risk of aspiration to receive prompt evaluation as well as treatment.

Influenza and pneumococcus vaccination rates in pediatric dialysis patients in Europe: recommendations vs reality A European Pediatric Dialysis Working Group and European Society for Pediatric Nephrology Dialysis Working Group study.

Children on dialysis are under increased risk of influenza and invasive pneumococcal disease. Although vaccination against these microorganisms are recommended in dialysis patients and despite the fact that these vaccines can reduce disease burden and rates of hospitalization due to infection, vaccination rates are below expected and desired. We aimed to evaluate influenza and pneumococcal vaccination and infection rates in European pediatric dialysis centers. In 16 centers from 11 countries, 357 pediatric dialysis patients were evaluated retrospectively during 1 year of observation period between 01.01.2014 and 01.01.2015. In all centers, vaccination policy included immunization of dialysis patients with inactive influenza vaccine and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). Fifty percent of the centers recommended pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine following routine PCV series. A significantly higher pneumococcal vaccination rate (43.9%) was seen in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients compared to those on hemodialysis (HD) (32.9%) (p = 0.035), while the rates for influenza were similar (42.4% and 46.1% respectively, p = 0.496). Among all dialysis patients, 2.2% (n = 8) developed pneumonia and 6.4% (n = 23) was infected by Influenza. Pneumococcic pneumonia rate was 5% for 140 patients who received antipneumococcal vaccine, while only one pneumonia episode was recorded out of 217 unvaccinated patients (p = 0.007). The influenza virus infection rates were similar for patients vaccinated and nonvaccinated (7 % and 6 %, respectively). Although influenza and pneumococcal vaccines are highly recommended in pediatric dialysis patients, vaccination rates were lower than expected. Pneumococcal vaccination rates were higher in PD compared to the patients on HD. The rate of children with influenza infection was higher than pneumonia. The efficacy of influenza and pneumococcal vaccines was highlighted by the low infection rates. Higher pneumonia rates in patients vaccinated against pneumococcus compared to unvaccinated ones might be due to coexisting risk factors.

The Safety and Efficacy of Inspiratory Muscle Training for Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Uncommonly high rates of pneumonia in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have been observed during recent years. Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) could reduce pneumonia in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and other cardiac surgeries. The relationship between IMT and AMI is unknown. Here, we describe the feasibility and potential benefit of IMT in patients at high risk for pneumonia with AMI who have undergone primary PCI.Methods: Our study is a prospective, randomized, controlled, single-center clinical trial. A total of 60 participants will be randomized into an IMT group and control group with 30 participants in each group. Participants in the IMT group will undergo training for 15 min per session, twice a day, from 12 to 24 h after primary PCI, until 30 days post-randomization; usual care will be provided for the control group. The primary endpoint is the change in inspiratory muscle strength, the secondary endpoint included feasibility, pneumonia, major adverse cardiovascular events, length of stay, pulmonary function tests measure, and quality of life.Discussion: Our study is designed to evaluate the feasibility of IMT and its effectiveness in improving inspiratory muscle strength in participants with AMI who have undergone primary PCI.Clinical Trial Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT04491760.

A synthetic control arm from observational data to estimate the background incidence rate of an adverse event in patients with Alzheimer’s disease matched to a clinical trial population

AbstractBackgroundIdentifying a potential safety issue in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) clinical trials is challenging due to the blinded nature of the studies and the number of adverse events (AEs) that occur in this patient population independent of the investigational treatment. An accurate estimate of the incidence rate of an AE in nontreated individuals with AD may help to identify unexpected safety findings.MethodThe objective of this retrospective case‐control study was to generate a synthetic control arm from observational data to estimate the background incidence rate of one AE (pneumonia) in individuals with AD. We used high‐dimensional propensity scoring to match individuals aged 50 to 89 years with AD with to controls from 01/01/2014 to 31/12/2018 in PharMetrics, a US claims database. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were matched to a Phase III clinical trial in AD evaluating crenezumab. Additional inclusion criteria included at least two diagnoses of AD using ICD‐9/ICD‐10 in 90 days and ≥90 days of continuous enrollment prior to the index date. The main outcome was the 5‐year incidence rate of pneumonia in patients with AD. A zero‐inflated Poisson model was designed to predict the expected count of pneumonia as a function of AD diagnosis, propensity score, patient age at index date, sex, disease history, and comorbidity using the Charlson Comorbidity Index.ResultsIn our preliminary analyses, 31,107 individuals with AD were identified from the database; 19,457 (63%) were female; mean age was 75.7 (SD, 8.3) years. Within 5 years of the reported date of AD diagnosis, 4,692 patients were diagnosed with pneumonia. The incidence rate (95% CI) of pneumonia in individuals with AD was 113.07 (109.84‐116.31) per 1,000 patient‐years. Increasing age (incident rate ratio [IRR], 1.06), being male (IRR, 1.5), and patient comorbidities (IRR, 1.25) were associated with an increased risk of pneumonia in individuals with AD.ConclusionA synthetic control arm from observational data may help to estimate the background incidence rate of one AE, pneumonia, in individuals with AD and can help to identify a potential safety issue in a blinded clinical trial.

Percutaneous left ventricular assist support is associated with less pulmonary congestion and lower rate of pneumonia in patients with cardiogenic shock

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate the impact of acute left ventricular unloading by percutaneous left ventricular assist device on pulmonary congestion and pneumonia in patients with cardiogenic...

Benefits and Risks of Inhaled Corticosteroid Treatment in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Classified by Blood Eosinophil Counts.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) typically includes neutrophilic airway inflammation and eosinophilic inflammation in some cases. Inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) suppresses eosinophilic inflammation of the airway and reduces acute exacerbation (AE). The present study investigated the relationship between ICS and AE in patients with COPD classified by blood eosinophil counts. Overall, 244 patients with COPD were retrospectively evaluated between 2014 and 2017 and classified into two groups based on blood eosinophil counts (≥ 300/μL and < 300/μL). These patients were then reclassified into subgroups of those with and without ICS. Differences in the characteristics and incidence of AE and pneumonia with AE in each subgroup were evaluated retrospectively. All patients with ICS used 320 μg budesonide twice daily. In the group with blood eosinophil counts ≥ 300/μL, patients with ICS had a significantly lower incidence of AE than those without ICS (P = 0.023). Meanwhile, no significant differences were observed in incidence of AE in the group with blood eosinophil counts < 300/μL. In the group with blood eosinophil counts < 300/μL, patients with ICS had a higher incidence of pneumonia with AE (P = 0.009). Conversely, no significant differences were observed in the group with blood eosinophil counts ≥ 300/μL. ICS significantly reduced AE in COPD patients with blood eosinophil counts ≥ 300/μL. Meanwhile, ICS significantly increased pneumonia rate in patients with blood eosinophil count < 300/μL. Blood eosinophil count may be a useful indicator to identify the benefits and risks of ICS in COPD.

Timing of nasogastric tube insertion and the risk of postoperative pneumonia: an international, prospective cohort study.

Aspiration is a common cause of pneumonia in patients with postoperative ileus. Insertion of a nasogastric tube (NGT) is often performed, but this can be distressing. The aim of this study was to determine whether the timing of NGT insertion after surgery (before versus after vomiting) was associated with reduced rates of pneumonia in patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery. This was a preplanned secondary analysis of a multicentre, prospective cohort study. Patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery between January 2018 and April 2018 were eligible. Those receiving a NGT were divided into three groups, based on the timing of the insertion: routine NGT (inserted at the time of surgery), prophylactic NGT (inserted after surgery but before vomiting) and reactive NGT (inserted after surgery and after vomiting). The primary outcome was the development of pneumonia within 30days of surgery, which was compared between the prophylactic and reactive NGT groups using multivariable regression analysis. A total of 4715 patients were included in the analysis and 1536 (32.6%) received a NGT. These were classified as routine in 926 (60.3%), reactive in 461 (30.0%) and prophylactic in 149 (9.7%). Two hundred patients (4.2%) developed pneumonia (no NGT 2.7%; routine NGT 5.2%; reactive NGT 10.6%; prophylactic NGT 11.4%). After adjustment for confounding factors, no significant difference in pneumonia rates was detected between the prophylactic and reactive NGT groups (odds ratio 1.03, 95% CI 0.56-1.87, P=0.932). In patients who required the insertion of a NGT after surgery, prophylactic insertion was not associated with fewer cases of pneumonia within 30days of surgery compared with reactive insertion.

Cardiothoracic Patients with Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis: Pneumonia Rates Following Injection Laryngoplasty.

Recurrent laryngeal nerve injury is a potential complication of cardiothoracic surgery and cause of unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP). Injection laryngoplasty (IL) is an intervention offered to patients with UVFP to alleviate symptoms including dysphagia, dysphonia and weak cough. There is no definitive evidence that IL prevents pneumonia. In this study, we compare rates of pneumonia in patients with UVFP secondary to cardiothoracic surgery who did or did not undergo IL. A retrospective chart review identified patients diagnosed with UVFP by an otolaryngologist using flexible laryngoscopy following cardiothoracic surgery from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2017. Each subject was grouped by IL status and assessed for subsequent pneumonia within 6 months of their diagnosis of UVFP. The association of IL with pneumonia was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression. Of 92 patients who met inclusion criteria, 35 (38%) underwent IL and 57 (62%) did not. Twenty patients developed pneumonia, four who had undergone IL and 16 who had not; 12 patients developed aspiration pneumonia including two having undergone IL and 10 who had not. Those who had IL were less likely to develop total pneumonia compared to those who had not (HR = 0.33, P = .045). The protective effect of IL was not as clearly sustained when measuring for aspiration pneumonia, specifically (HR = 0.34; P = .10). Injection laryngoplasty may reduce the risk of pneumonia in patients with UVFP secondary to cardiothoracic surgery; however, further research is needed to quantify the potential protective nature of IL in this patient population. 3 (A retrospective cohort study).

Facilitating ventilator weaning through rib fixation combined with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in severe blunt chest injury with acute respiratory failure

BackgroundSevere blunt chest injury sometimes induces acute respiratory failure (ARF), requiring ventilator use. We aimed to evaluate the effect of performing rib fixation with the addition of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) on patients with ARF caused by blunt thoracic injury with ventilator dependence.MethodsThis observational study prospectively enrolled patients with multiple bicortical rib fractures with hemothorax caused by severe blunt chest trauma. All patients received positive pressure mechanical ventilation within 24 h after trauma because of ARF. Some patients who received rib fixation with VATS were enrolled as group 1, and the others who received only VATS were designated as group 2. The length of ventilator use was the primary clinical outcome. Rates of pneumonia and length of hospital stay constituted secondary outcomes.ResultsA total of 61 patients were included in this study. The basic demographic characteristics between the two groups exhibited no statistical differences. All patients received operations within 6 days after trauma. The length of ventilator use was shorter in group 1 (3.19 ± 3.37 days vs. 8.05 ± 8.23, P = 0.002). The rate of pneumonia was higher in group 2 (38.1% vs. 75.0%, P = 0.005). The length of hospital stay was much shorter in group 1 (17.76 ± 8.38 days vs. 24.13 ± 9.80, P = 0.011).ConclusionRib fixation combined with VATS could shorten the length of ventilator use and reduce the pneumonia rate in patients with severe chest blunt injury with ARF. Therefore, this operation could shorten the overall length of hospital stay.

Abstract TMP77: Nurse-driven Bedside Swallow Screen Facilitates Identification of Dysphagia in Stroke Patients and Reduces Aspiration Pneumonia

Introduction: Dysphagia occurs in over half of patients who have sustained acute stroke, and can lead to aspiration, subsequent pneumonia, increased length of hospital stay and death. Identification of dysphagia is vital to reduce these risks prior to oral intake or administration of oral medications. Swallow screening is an effective tool to identify at-risk patients. However, the swallow screen is often informal or omitted, resulting in premature oral intake. Nurses are highly skilled healthcare team members that are at the bedside with the patients and can be effectively trained as the first line of defense in identification of dysphagia. Methods: We implemented a nurse-driven swallow screen using the Iowa Model for Evidence-Based Practice. An interprofessional task force consisting of neurologists, nurse practitioners, speech pathologists, bedside nurses, nursing leadership, and nursing education selected a reliable swallow screening tool, which has been validated on the stroke population. Bedside nursing staff was trained and validated on the swallow screening tool. Subjects included all patients with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke admitted to our institution in 2015 (n=220 spanning 12,607 patient days) pre-intervention, and in 2017 (n=263 spanning 12,691 patient days) post-intervention. We evaluated swallow screen completion rate and pneumonia rates on the neurology units. Results: The nurse-driven swallow screen initiative increased the percentage of patients with stroke screened from 73.3% in 2015 to 93.5% in 2017 (p&lt;.001). Pneumonia rates on the neurology unit also decreased following this initiative, with aspiration pneumonia rates decreasing from 9.5 per 10,000 patient days to 4.7 per 10,000 patient days and all pneumonia rates decreasing from 28.6 per 10,000 patient days to 18.9 per 10,000 patient days. Conclusions: Empowering bedside nurses in the swallow screen process significantly improves dysphagia screening rates and decreases pneumonia rates in patients with stroke. In conclusion, implementation of nurse-driven swallow screen at bedside is an effective way to increase dysphagia identification in stroke patients and thereby improve patient care outcomes.

Post-thoracotomy pain syndrome as a risk factor for the development of nosocomial pneumonia

Background. Pain syndrome is the most common complication of thoracotomy. It is the main reason of discomfort in postoperative period and could impair respiratory function. The aim of the study. The aim of our study was to analyze the effect of PTPS on pulmonary function and postoperative pneumonia rate in patients underwent open surgery on the lung cancer. Methods. 300 patients were included in the study operated on in our clinic for lung cancer via thoracotomy approach. All patients were randomly assigned to 3 comparable groups according to the method of anesthesia: thoracic epidural analgesia (HEA), n = 100; paravertebral block (PVB), n = 100; intercostal block (IRB), n = 100. On the 3rd day after the operation, the intensity of the pain syndrome was evaluated by VAS and spirometry was performed. Results. Analysis of the intensity of postoperative pain syndrome showed the superiority of epidural analgesia over other techniques. In patients with pain syndrome with an intensity of more than 30 mm VAS, the FEV1, VC, and chest excursions were significantly lower than in patients with pain up to 30 mm VAS. The development of pain syndrome of more than 70 mm of VAS led to a significant deterioration in VC rate and chest excursion if compare to patients with AHD 31–70 mm of VAS, which increases the risk of infectious complications. Conclusion. An optimal antinociceptive protection in the perioperative period improves respiratory function and helps to reduce pulmonary complications rate. The method of choice in open thoracic surgery for lung cancer is a combined general anesthesia with a high thoracic epidural block.

The use of an emergency department dysphagia screen is associated with decreased pneumonia in acute strokes

BackgroundDysphagia is a common problem for patients after an acute stroke which can lead to hospital acquired pneumonia (HAP) increasing morbidity and mortality. The Joint Commission has directed that stroke certified hospitals perform a dysphagia screen at the time of initial presentation. We sought to evaluate if our ED dysphagia screen was correlated with lower rates of pneumonia in acute stroke patients. MethodsWe conducted a pre-post trial evaluating rates of pneumonia in patients with ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke both before and after the use of our ED dysphagia screen. We defined HAP as a new infiltrate treated with antibiotics. Rates of HAP were compared using the χ2 test. Any patients transferred out of our health system were excluded. ResultsWe evaluated 419 and 469 preintervention hemorrhagic strokes and 1022 and 462 post screen ischemic strokes respectively. In the hemorrhagic groups rates of dysphagia were similar but rates of HAP decreased from 19% to 15% (P < 0.001) in the pre- post groups respectively. In the ischemic stroke groups rates of HAP decreased from 13.8% to 8% in the pre-post groups respectively, (P = 0.007). Rates of intubation were similar in the hemorrhagic groups and were higher in the post screen ischemic stroke cohort. ConclusionThe use of our ED dysphagia screen was associated with a significant reduction in the rates of HAP in both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients. Given the high rates of dysphagia and significant comorbidity and complications for these stroke patients, the use of a screen is warranted.

How effective is stress ulcer prevention for critically ill, hospitalized patients?

EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER For critically ill hospitalized patients, stress ulcer prophylaxis with proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) or histamine 2 (H2) receptor blockers reduces the incidence of upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding up to 56% compared with placebo or no treatment (SOR: A, metaanalysis of RCTs). Evidence is conflicting if PPIs are more effective than H2 blockers. No significant difference was noted in mortality or pneumonia rates in patients treated with PPI or H2 blockers versus placebo or no treatment (SOR: A, 2 meta-analyses, single RCT).

Tube feeding decreases pneumonia rate in patients with severe dementia: comparison between pre- and post-intervention

BackgroundIt is widely supposed that there is no benefit, including extended survival and decreased rate of pneumonia, in patients with severe dementia receiving enteral tube feeding (TF). However, there have been few studies comparing the frequency of pneumonia before and after TF in severe dementia.MethodsNine psychiatric hospitals in Okayama Prefecture participated in this retrospective survey. All inpatients fulfilling the entry criteria were evaluated. All subjects suffered from difficulty in oral intake. Attending physicians thought that the patients could not live without long-term artificial nutrition, and they decided whether or not to make use of long-term artificial nutrition from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014.ResultsWe evaluated 58 patients including 46 with TF and 12 without. The mean age of all patients was 79.6 ± 9.0 years old. Patients with probable Alzheimer’s disease (n = 38) formed the biggest group, and those with vascular dementia the second (n = 14). Median survival times were 23 months among patients with TF and two months among patients without TF. The start of TF decreased the frequency of pneumonia and the use of intravenous antibiotics.ConclusionsTF decreased pneumonia and antibiotic use, even in patients with severe dementia. The results of this study do not necessarily indicate that we should administer TF to patients with severe dementia. We should consider the quality of life of patients carefully before deciding the use or disuse of TF for patients with severe dementia.

High-Frequency Ventilation Modalities as Salvage Therapy for Smoke Inhalation-Associated Acute Lung Injury: A Systematic Review.

Smoke inhalation-associated acute lung injury (SI-ALI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in victims of fire tragedies. To date, there are no evidence-based guidelines on ventilation strategies in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) after smoke inhalation. We reviewed the existing literature for clinical studies of salvage mechanical ventilation (MV) strategies in patients with SI-ALI, focusing on mortality and pneumonia as outcomes. A systematic search was designed in accordance with preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Risk of bias assessment was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS; 0 to 9 stars), with a score ≥7 being the threshold for inclusion in the meta-analysis. A systematic search strategy was used to search 10 databases. Clinical studies were included in which patients: (1) experienced smoke inhalation, (2) treated with MV, and (3) described a concurrent or historical control group. A total of 226 potentially relevant studies were identified, of which 7 studies on high-frequency percussive ventilation (HFPV) met inclusion criteria. No studies met inclusion for meta-analysis (NOS ≥ 7). In studies comparing HFPV to conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV), mortality and pneumonia incidence improved in 3 studies and remained unchanged in 3 others. No change in ventilator days or ICU length of stay was observed; however, oxygenation and work of breathing improved with HFPV. Mechanical ventilation in patients with SI-ALI has not been well studied. High-frequency percussive ventilation may decrease in-hospital mortality and pneumonia incidence when compared to CMV. The absence of "good" quality evidence precluded meta-analysis. Based upon low-quality evidence, there was a very weak recommendation that HFPV use may be associated with lower mortality and pneumonia rates in patients with SI-ALI. Given SI-ALI's unique underlying pathophysiology, and its potential implications on therapy, randomized controlled studies are required to ensure that patients receive the safest and most effective care. The study was registered with PROSPERO International prospective register of systematic reviews (#47015).

Internet-based perioperative exercise program in patients with Barrett\u2019s carcinoma scheduled for esophagectomy [iPEP - study] a prospective randomized-controlled trial

BackgroundPatients undergoing surgery for esophageal cancer have a high risk for postoperative deterioration of lung function and pulmonary complications. This is partly due to one-lung ventilation during thoracotomy. This often accounts for prolonged stay on intensive care units, delayed postoperative reconvalescence and reduced quality of life. Socioeconomic disadvantages can result from these problems. Physical preconditioning has become a crucial leverage to optimize fitness and lung function in patients scheduled for esophagectomy, in particular during the time period of neoadjuvant therapy.Methods/Study designWe designed a prospective multicenter randomized-controlled trial. The objective is to evaluate the impact of an internet-based exercise program on postoperative respiratory parameters and pneumonia rates in patients with Barrett’s carcinoma scheduled for esophagectomy. Patients are randomly assigned to either execute internet-based perioperative exercise program (iPEP), including daily endurance, resistance and ventilation training or treatment as usual (TAU). During neoadjuvant therapy and recovery, patients in the intervention group receive an individually designed intensive exercise program based on functional measurements at baseline. Personal feedback of the supervisor with customized training programs is provided in weekly intervals.DiscussionThis study will evaluate if an intensive individually adapted training program via online supervision during neoadjuvant therapy will improve cardiorespiratory fitness and reduce pulmonary complications following esophagectomy for Barrett’s cancer.Trial registrationNCT02478996, registered 26 May 2015.