Epidemiology of mechanical ventilation in Argentina. The EpVAr multicenter observational study.

OBJETIVE: To describe mechanical ventilation (MV) practices in Argentina, and to explore factors associated with ICU mortality in this population. DESIGN: A prospective, multicenter, observational study was carried out. SETTING: Intensive Care. PATIENTS: We enrolled patients above 18 years old admitted to any of the participating ICUs requiring invasive MV for at least 12 h since the admission to the healthcare institution, including MV initiation in emergency department, operating room or other hospitals. INTERVENTIONS: None. VARIABLES: All variables were classified into three categories: variables related to demographic and clinical factors before the MV, factors related to the first day on MV, and factors related to events happening during the MV (complications and weaning from MV). Mechanical ventilation weaning and mortality were classified according to WIND. RESULTS: The primary analysis included 950 patients. The main indication for MV was acute respiratory failure (58% of patients). Initial ventilation mode was volume control-continuous mandatory ventilation in 75% of cases. ICU and hospital mortality were 44.6% and 47.9% respectively. The variables identified as independent predictors of mortality in ICU were age (OR 3.48 IC 95% 1.22-11.66; p = 0.028), failure to implement NIV before MV (OR 2.76 IC 95% 1.02-7.10; p = 0.038), diagnosis of sepsis (OR 2.46 IC 95% 1.09-5.47; p = 0.027) and extubation failure (OR 4.50 IC 95% 2.05-9.90; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The present study allowed us to describe the characteristics and clinical course of the patients who received mechanical ventilation in Argentina, finding as the main result that mortality was higher than that reported in international studies.

Decúbito prono: revisión narrativa / Prone position: revision narrative

Los pacientes con síndrome de distrés respiratorio agudo demandan gran atención en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos. La utilización del decúbito prono en esta población tiene un sustento bibliográfico sumamente sólido y, en varios ensayos clínicos aleatorizados, se ha comprobado su efecto sobre la oxigenación medida a través de la relación PaO2/FiO2 e incluso su impacto en prolongar la supervivencia. Esta estrategia ha demostrado ser una maniobra útil y accesible para la mayor parte de las Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos y su implementación, realizada de manera protocolizada y por personal entrenado, debería ser considerada en un grupo selecto de pacientes quienes se beneficiarían en términos de mortalidad. En la Argentina, pareciera que muchos profesionales han decidido implementar la maniobra en sus lugares de trabajo, con un bajo porcentaje de complicaciones.(AU)

Patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome demand great attention in the Intensive Care Unit. The use of prone position in this population has a very robust literary support, and several randomized clinical trials have shown the effect on oxygenation (represented by an increase in PaO2/FiO2) and even its impact on increasing survival. The prone position has proved to be a useful and accessible maneuver for most of Intensive Care Units and its implementation, following a protocol and done for trained personnel, should be considered in a select group of patients who would benefit in terms of mortality. In Argentina, many professionals have decided to implement the prone position in their workplace, with a low percentage of complications.(AU)