Changes in Oxygen Saturation and Mean Arterial Pressure With Inhaled Epoprostenol in Transport.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure have traditionally been considered one of the riskiest patient populations to transport, given the potential for desaturation with movement. We performed a retrospective cohort study to analyze our experience using inhaled epoprostenol in transport, with a primary objective of assessing change in the oxygen saturation throughout the transport. METHODS: The transport records of patients with severe hypoxemic respiratory failure or right heart failure, transported on inhaled epoprostenol, were reviewed. The primary outcome was the change in SpO2 from the start of the inhaled epoprostenol transport to the time of handover of care at the receiving institution. The secondary outcome was the change in the mean arterial pressure (MAP). RESULTS: Comparing the initial SpO2 to the final, there was no significant difference in oxygenation between time 0 and the transfer of care at the receiving hospital at 91% versus 93% (interquartile range [IQR] 86.0-93.5 vs 87.5-96.0, P = .49). Comparing the SpO2 for those who had inhaled epoprostenol started by the transport team showed a larger change at 86% compared to 93% (IQR: 83.0-91.0 vs 86.5-94.5, P = .04). There was no change in the median MAP from time 0 to the end of the transport (77 vs 75 mm Hg, IQR, 67.5-84.8 vs 68.5-85.8, P = .70). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, patients with severe cardiopulmonary compromise transported on inhaled epoprostenol had no significant change in their median oxygen saturations, with the overall population increasing from 91% to 93%. When inhaled epoprostenol was initiated by the transport team, the improvement was clinically and statistically significant with an increase in SpO2 from 86% to 93%, with a final oxygen saturation comparable to those who were on the medication at the time of the team's arrival.

Mortality and Resource Utilization After Critical Care Transport of Patients With Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure.

INTRODUCTION: We performed this study to quantify resources required by mechanically ventilated patients with hypoxemia after critical care transport (CCT) and to assess short-term clinical outcomes. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of transports of patients with severe hypoxemic respiratory failure from referring hospitals to 3 tertiary care hospitals to assess the outcomes including in-hospital mortality, ventilator days, intensive care unit length of stay (LOS), hospital LOS, disposition, and reported neurologic status on hospital discharge as well as medical interventions specific to acute respiratory failure and critical care. RESULTS: Of 230 patients transported with hypoxemic respiratory failure, 152 survived to hospital discharge, for a mortality rate of 34.5%, despite a predicted mortality of 64% by Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score. Twenty-five percent of patients were treated with neuromuscular blockade, 10.1% received inhaled pulmonary vasodilators, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was initiated in 2.6%. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort with hypoxemic respiratory failure transported to tertiary care facilities, patients had a mortality rate comparable to patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome treated with best practices and a mortality rate lower than predicted based on APACHE-II score. The risks of CCT are outweighed by the benefits of transfer to a tertiary care facility, and pretransport hypoxemia should not be used as an absolute contraindication to transport.

Mechanical Ventilation in Critical Care Transport.

OBJECTIVE: Although the benefit of transferring patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure to tertiary care centers has been shown, transporting hypoxemic patients remains controversial, given the risk of desaturation in transit. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of a database of critical care transports (CCTs) of patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure to quantify the number, types, and effects of ventilator changes performed by the CCT teams. We evaluated the changes in fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2), positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), tidal volume, both FiO2 and PEEP, and the administration of a neuromuscular blocking medication to assess for an association with an improvement in the arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) from the sending to the receiving hospitals. RESULTS: Ventilator changes were made in 211 (89%) of the 237 identified transports, with significant changes in the tidal volume, PEEP, and FiO2. Analysis of variance revealed a significant relationship between changes in FiO2, PEEP, tidal volume, FiO2 and PEEP, and the administration of neuromuscular blocking agents and change in PaO2 (F5,1037 = 119.6, P < .001). Multivariable regression analyses showed a significant association between an increase in PaO2 and increasing FiO2, increasing FiO2 and PEEP, and the administration of a neuromuscular blocking medication. CONCLUSION: The CCT team performed multiple changes to ventilators. Complex ventilator management was associated with a higher PaO2 on arrival.

Medication Administration in Critical Care Transport of Adult Patients with Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure.

INTRODUCTION: Critical care transport (CCT) teams must manage a wide array of medications before and during transport. Appreciating the medications required for transport impacts formulary development as well as staff education and training. Problem As there are few data describing the patterns of medication administration, this study quantifies medication administrations and patterns in a series of adult CCTs. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of medication administration during CCTs of patients with severe hypoxemic respiratory failure from October 2009 through December 2012 from referring hospitals to three tertiary care hospitals. RESULTS: Two hundred thirty-nine charts were identified for review. Medications were administered by the CCT team to 98.7% of these patients, with only three patients not receiving any medications from the team. Fifty-nine medications were administered in total with 996 instances of administration. Fifteen drugs were each administered to only one patient. The mean number of medications per patient was 4.2 (SD=1.8) with a mean of 1.9 (SD=1.1) drug infusions per patient. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that, even within a relatively homogeneous population of patients transferred with hypoxemic respiratory failure, a wide range of medications were administered. The CCT teams frequently initiated, titrated, and discontinued continuous infusions, in addition to providing numerous doses of bolused medications.

Improved Oxygenation After Transport in Patients With Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to measure the rate and magnitude of changes in oxygenation that occur in patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure after transport by a critical care transport team. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of 239 transports of patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure requiring a fraction of inspired oxygen (Fio2) > 50% transported from October 2009 to December 2012 from referring hospitals to 3 tertiary care hospitals. We analyzed the change the ratio of the partial pressure of oxygen in the blood to FiO2 from the sending to the receiving hospital as well as the percentage saturation of oxygen (Spo2) before, after, and en route. RESULTS: The mean change in the Pao2/Fio2 ratio from the sending to the receiving hospital was an increase of 27.62 (95% confidence interval [CI], 15.84-39.40; P = .0003). The mean change in Pao2 was an increase of 27.85 mm Hg (CI, 17.49-38.22; P < .0001). The mean Spo2 was not significantly changed at -0.12 (CI, - 1.69 to 1.45, P = .9). Despite improvement in the Pao2/Fio2 ratio and a stable Spo2 on arrival, 28.1% of patients desaturated to Spo2 < 90% in transport. CONCLUSION: In patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure, Pao2/Fio2 and Pao2 increased after transport by a critical care transport team despite 28.1% of patients desaturating with hypoxemia in transit.

Inhaled Epoprostenol to Facilitate Safe Transport in Legionnaires' Disease.

Hypoxemic patients often desaturate further with movement and transport. While inhaled epoprostenol does not improve mortality, improving oxygenation allows for transport of severely hypoxemic patients to tertiary care centers with a related improvement in mortality rates. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) use is increasing in frequency for patients with refractory hypoxemia, and with increasing regionalization of care, safe transport of hypoxemic patients only becomes more important. In this series, four cases are presented of young patients with severe hypoxemic respiratory failure from Legionnaires' disease transported on inhaled epoprostenol to ECMO centers for consideration of cannulation. With continued climate changes, Legionella and other pathogens are likely to be a continued threat. As such, optimizing oxygenation to allow for transport should continue to be a priority for critical care transport (CCT) services.

On-scene Times for Inter-facility Transport of Patients with Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure.

UNLABELLED: Introduction Inter-facility transport of critically ill patients is associated with a high risk of adverse events, and critical care transport (CCT) teams may spend considerable time at sending institutions preparing patients for transport. The effect of mode of transport and distance to be traveled on on-scene times (OSTs) has not been well-described. Problem Quantification of the time required to package patients and complete CCTs based on mode of transport and distance between facilities is important for hospitals and CCT teams to allocate resources effectively. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of OSTs and transport times for patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure transported from October 2009 through December 2012 from sending hospitals to three tertiary care hospitals. Differences among the OSTs and transport times based on the mode of transport (ground, rotor wing, or fixed wing), distance traveled, and intra-hospital pick-up location (emergency department [ED] vs intensive care unit [ICU]) were assessed. Correlations between OSTs and transport times were performed based on mode of transport and distance traveled. RESULTS: Two hundred thirty-nine charts were identified for review. Mean OST was 42.2 (SD=18.8) minutes, and mean transport time was 35.7 (SD=19.5) minutes. On-scene time was greater than en route time for 147 patients and greater than total trip time for 91. Mean transport distance was 42.2 (SD=35.1) miles. There were no differences in the OST based on mode of transport; however, total transport time was significantly shorter for rotor versus ground, (39.9 [SD=19.9] minutes vs 54.2 [SD=24.7] minutes; P <.001) and for rotor versus fixed wing (84.3 [SD=34.2] minutes; P=0.02). On-scene time in the ED was significantly shorter than the ICU (33.5 [SD=15.7] minutes vs 45.2 [SD=18.8] minutes; P <.001). For all patients, regardless of mode of transportation, there was no correlation between OST and total miles travelled; although, there was a significant correlation between the time en route and distance, as well as total trip time and distance. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of critically ill patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure, OST was over 40 minutes and was often longer than the total trip time. On-scene time did not correlate with mode of transport or distance traveled. These data can assist in planning inter-facility transports for both the sending and receiving hospitals, as well as CCT services. Wilcox SR , Saia MS , Waden H , McGahn SJ , Frakes M , Wedel SK , Richards JB . On-scene times for inter-facility transport of patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2016;31(3):267-271.