Duration of Invasive Mechanical Ventilation before Veno-Venous ExtraCorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Covid-19 related Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: The experience of a tertiary care center.

Background: Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (VV-ECMO) is an efficient ventilatory support in patients with refractory Covid-19-related Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), however the duration of invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) before ECMO initiation as a contraindication is still controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of prolonged IMV prior to VV-ECMO in patients suffering from refractory Covid-19-related ARDS. Methods: This single-center retrospective study included all patients treated with VV-ECMO for refractory Covid-19-related ARDS between January 1, 2020 and May 31, 2022. The impact of IMV duration was investigated by comparing patients on VV-ECMO during the 7 days (and 10 days) following IMV with those assisted after 7 days (and 10 days). The primary endpoint was in-hospital mortality. Results: Sixty-four patients were hospitalized in the ICU for Covid-19-related refractory ARDS requiring VV-ECMO. Global in-hospital mortality was 55 %. Median duration of IMV was 4 [2; 8] days before VV-ECMO initiation. There was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality between patients assisted with IMV pre-VV-ECMO for a duration of ≤7 days (≤10 days) and those assisted after 7 days (and 10 days) ((p = 0.59 and p = 0.45). Conclusion: This study suggests that patients assisted with VV-ECMO after prolonged IMV had the same prognosis than those assisted earlier in refractory Covid-19-related ARDS. Therefore, prolonged mechanical ventilation of more than 7-10 days should not contraindicate VV-ECMO support. An individual approach is necessary to balance the risks and benefits of ECMO in this population.

Case Report: Severe Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Réunion Island due to Acinetobacter baumannii.

Acinetobacter baumannii (Ab) is a well-known nosocomial pathogen that has emerged as a cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in tropical regions. Few global epidemiological studies of CAP-Ab have been published to date, and no data are available on this disease in France. We conducted a retrospective chart review of severe cases of CAP-Ab admitted to intensive care units in Réunion University Hospital between October 2014 and October 2022. Eight severe CAP-Ab cases were reviewed. Median patient age was 56.5 years. Sex ratio (male-to-female) was 3:1. Six cases (75.0%) occurred during the rainy season. Chronic alcohol use and smoking were found in 75.0% and 87.5% of cases, respectively. All patients presented in septic shock and with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. Seven patients (87.5%) presented in cardiogenic shock, and renal replacement therapy was required for six patients (75.0%). Five cases (62.5%) presented with bacteremic pneumonia. The mortality rate was 62.5%. The median time from hospital admission to death was 3 days. All patients received inappropriate initial antibiotic therapy. Acinetobacter baumannii isolates were all susceptible to ceftazidime, cefepime, piperacillin-tazobactam, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, and imipenem. Six isolates (75%) were also susceptible to ticarcillin, piperacillin, and cotrimoxazole. Severe CAP-Ab has a fulminant course and high mortality. A typical case is a middle-aged man with smoking and chronic alcohol use living in a tropical region and developing severe CAP during the rainy season. This clinical presentation should prompt administration of antibiotic therapy targeting Ab.

Bleeding complications, coagulation disorders, and their management in acute myocardial infarction-related cardiogenic shock rescued by veno-arterial ECMO: A retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: Management of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients on venoarterial-extracorporeal membrane (VA-ECMO) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is challenging. Our objective was to describe the frequency, management and outcomes of severe bleeding complications and determine their occurrence risk factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study including post-AMI cardiogenic shock patients requiring VA-ECMO. Severe bleeding was defined based on the Bleeding Academic Research Consortium classification. We calculated multivariable Fine-Gray models to assess factors associated with risk of severe bleeding. RESULTS: From January 2015 to July 2019, 176 patients received VA-ECMO after AMI and 132 patients were included. Sixty-five (49%) patients died. Severe bleeding occurred in 39% of cases. Severe thrombocytopenia (< 50 G/L) and hypofibrinogenemia (<1,5 g/L) occurred in respectively 31% and 19% of patients. DAPT was stopped in 32% of patients with a 6% rate of stent thrombosis. Anticoagulation was stopped in 39% of patients. Using a multivariate competing risk model, female sex, time on ECMO, troponin at admission and Impella® implantation were independently associated with severe bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: Bleeding complications and coagulation disorders were frequent and severe in patients on VA-ECMO after AMI, leading of antiplatelet therapy withdrawal in one third of patients.

Increasing Sweep Gas Flow Reduces Respiratory Drive and Dyspnea in Nonintubated Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Patients: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Data on assessment and management of dyspnea in patients on venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for cardiogenic shock are lacking. The hypothesis was that increasing sweep gas flow through the venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenator may decrease dyspnea in nonintubated venoarterial ECMO patients exhibiting clinically significant dyspnea, with a parallel reduction in respiratory drive. METHODS: Nonintubated, spontaneously breathing, supine patients on venoarterial ECMO for cardiogenic shock who presented with a dyspnea visual analog scale (VAS) score of greater than or equal to 40/100 mm were included. Sweep gas flow was increased up to +6 l/min by three steps of +2 l/min each. Dyspnea was assessed with the dyspnea-VAS and the Multidimensional Dyspnea Profile. The respiratory drive was assessed by the electromyographic activity of the alae nasi and parasternal muscles. RESULTS: A total of 21 patients were included in the study. Upon inclusion, median dyspnea-VAS was 50 (interquartile range, 45 to 60) mm, and sweep gas flow was 1.0 l/min (0.5 to 2.0). An increase in sweep gas flow significantly decreased dyspnea-VAS (50 [45 to 60] at baseline vs. 20 [10 to 30] at 6 l/min; P < 0.001). The decrease in dyspnea was greater for the sensory component of dyspnea (-50% [-43 to -75]) than for the affective and emotional components (-17% [-0 to -25] and -12% [-0 to -17]; P < 0.001). An increase in sweep gas flow significantly decreased electromyographic activity of the alae nasi and parasternal muscles (-23% [-36 to -10] and -20 [-41 to -0]; P < 0.001). There was a significant correlation between the sweep gas flow and the dyspnea-VAS (r = -0.91; 95% CI, -0.94 to -0.87), between the respiratory drive and the sensory component of dyspnea (r = 0.29; 95% CI, 0.13 to 0.44) between the respiratory drive and the affective component of dyspnea (r = 0.29; 95% CI, 0.02 to 0.54) and between the sweep gas flow and the alae nasi and parasternal (r = -0.31; 95% CI, -0.44 to -0.22; and r = -0.25; 95% CI, -0.44 to -0.16). CONCLUSIONS: In critically ill patients with venoarterial ECMO, an increase in sweep gas flow through the oxygenation membrane decreases dyspnea, possibly mediated by a decrease in respiratory drive.

The IMPACT Score: A New Score to Predict the Risk of Early Mortality in Cardiogenic Shock Patients Treated With Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

OBJECTIVES: Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) requires considerable human and financial resources. Few studies have focused on early mortality (ie, occurring within 72 hours after VA-ECMO implantation). The objective of this study was to establish a prognosis score-the IMPACT score (prediction of early mortality associated with VA-ECMO using preimplantation characteristics)-by determining the risk factors associated with early mortality. DESIGN: This was a retrospective and observational study. SETTING: The study was conducted at a University hospital. PARTICIPANTS: This single-center retrospective study included 147 patients treated with VA-ECMO for cardiogenic shock between 2014 and 2021. METHODS: The primary outcome was early mortality (ie, occurring within 72 hours after VA-ECMO implantation). Multivariate logistic regression was performed using a bootstrapping methodology to identify factors independently associated with early mortality. To construct the score, identified variables had points (pts) assigned corresponding to their odds ratio. RESULTS: A total of 147 patients were included in the study. Early mortality (<72 hours) was 26% (38 patients). Four variables were established: cardiac arrest (2 pts), lactate levels (3 pts), platelet count <100 g/L (4 pts), and renal-replacement therapy (5 pts). The IMPACT score had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.78 (95% CI 0.86-0.70) to predict early mortality. CONCLUSIONS: In the authors' experience, 26% of patients treated with VA-ECMO presented early mortality. The IMPACT score is a reliable predictor of early mortality and may assist with VA-ECMO initiation decision-making.

Sensory interventions to relieve dyspnoea in critically ill mechanically ventilated patients.

BACKGROUND: In critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilation, dyspnoea is frequent, severe and associated with an increased risk of neuropsychological sequelae. We evaluated the efficacy of sensory interventions targeting the brain rather than the respiratory system to relieve dyspnoea in mechanically ventilated patients. METHODS: Patients receiving mechanical ventilation for ≥48 h and reporting dyspnoea (unidimensional dyspnoea visual analogue scale (Dyspnoea-VAS)) first underwent increased pressure support and then, in random order, auditory stimulation (relaxing music versus pink noise) and air flux stimulation (facial versus lower limb). Treatment responses were assessed using Dyspnoea-VAS, the Multidimensional Dyspnea Profile and measures of the neural drive to breathe (airway occlusion pressure (P 0.1) and electromyography of inspiratory muscles). RESULTS: We included 46 patients (tracheotomy or intubation n=37; noninvasive ventilation n=9). Increasing pressure support decreased Dyspnoea-VAS by median 40 mm (p<0.001). Exposure to music decreased Dyspnoea-VAS compared with exposure to pink noise by median 40 mm (p<0.001). Exposure to facial air flux decreased Dyspnoea-VAS compared with limb air flux by median 30 mm (p<0.001). Increasing pressure support, but not music exposure and facial air flux, reduced P 0.1 by median 3.3 cmH2O (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In mechanically ventilated patients, sensory interventions can modulate the processing of respiratory signals by the brain irrespective of the intensity of the neural drive to breathe. It should therefore be possible to alleviate dyspnoea without resorting to pharmacological interventions or having to infringe the constraints of mechanical ventilation lung protection strategies by increasing ventilatory support.

Spontaneous-Breathing Trials with Pressure-Support Ventilation or a T-Piece.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous-breathing trials can be performed with the use of either pressure-support ventilation (PSV) or a T-piece. Whether PSV trials may result in a shorter time to tracheal extubation than T-piece trials, without resulting in a higher risk of reintubation, among patients who have a high risk of extubation failure is unknown. METHODS: In this multicenter, open-label trial, we randomly assigned patients who had a high risk of extubation failure (i.e., were >65 years of age or had an underlying chronic cardiac or respiratory disease) to undergo spontaneous-breathing trials performed with the use of either PSV (with a pressure-support level of 8 cm of water and no positive end-expiratory pressure) or a T-piece. The primary outcome was the total time without exposure to invasive ventilation (reported as the number of ventilator-free days) at day 28 after the initial spontaneous-breathing trial. Secondary outcomes included extubation within 24 hours and extubation within 7 days after the initial spontaneous-breathing trial, as well as reintubation within 7 days after extubation. RESULTS: A total of 969 patients (484 in the PSV group and 485 in the T-piece group) were included in the analysis. At day 28, the median number of ventilator-free days was 27 (interquartile range, 24 to 27) in the PSV group and 27 (interquartile range, 23 to 27) in the T-piece group (difference, 0 days; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.5 to 1; P = 0.31). Extubation was performed within 24 hours in 376 patients (77.7%) in the PSV group and in 350 patients (72.2%) in the T-piece group (difference, 5.5 percentage points; 95% CI, 0.01 to 10.9), and extubation was performed within 7 days in 473 patients (97.7%) and 458 patients (94.4%), respectively (difference, 3.3 percentage points; 95% CI, 0.8 to 5.9). Reintubation was performed in 72 of 481 patients (14.9%) in the PSV group and in 65 of 477 patients (13.6%) in the T-piece group (difference, 1.3 percentage points; 95% CI, -3.1 to 5.8). Cardiac or respiratory arrest was a reason for reintubation in 9 patients (3 in the PSV group and 6 in the T-piece group). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients who had a high risk of extubation failure, spontaneous-breathing trials performed with PSV did not result in significantly more ventilator-free days at day 28 than spontaneous-breathing trials performed with a T-piece. (Supported by the French Ministry of Health; TIP-EX ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04227639.).

Beneficial Effects of Noninvasive Ventilation after Extubation in Obese or Overweight Patients: A Post Hoc Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Rationale: Although noninvasive ventilation (NIV) may prevent reintubation in patients at high risk of extubation failure in ICUs, this oxygenation strategy has not been specifically assessed in obese patients. Objectives: We hypothesized that NIV may decrease the risk of reintubation in obese patients compared with high-flow nasal oxygen. Methods:Post hoc analysis of a multicenter randomized controlled trial (not prespecified) comparing NIV alternating with high-flow nasal oxygen versus high-flow nasal oxygen alone after extubation, with the aim of assessing NIV effects according to patient body mass index (BMI). Measurements and Main Results: Among 623 patients at high risk of extubation failure, 206 (33%) were obese (BMI ⩾ 30 kg/m2), 204 (33%) were overweight (25 kg/m2 ⩽ BMI < 30 kg/m2), and 213 (34%) were normal or underweight (BMI < 25 kg/m2). Significant heterogeneity of NIV effects on the rate of reintubation was found according to BMI (Pinteraction = 0.007). Reintubation rates at Day 7 were significantly lower with NIV alternating with high-flow nasal oxygen than with high-flow nasal oxygen alone in obese or overweight patients: 7% (15/204) versus 20% (41/206) (difference, -13% [95% confidence interval, -19 to -6]; P = 0.0002), whereas it did not significantly differ in normal or underweight patients. In-ICU mortality was significantly lower with NIV than with high-flow nasal oxygen alone in obese or overweight patients (2% vs. 9%; difference, -6% [95% confidence interval, -11 to -2]; P = 0.006). Conclusions: Prophylactic NIV alternating with high-flow nasal oxygen immediately after extubation significantly decreased the risk of reintubation and death compared with high-flow nasal oxygen alone in obese or overweight patients at high risk of extubation failure. By contrast, NIV was not effective in normal or underweight patients. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03121482).

Non-invasive ventilation versus high-flow nasal oxygen for postextubation respiratory failure in ICU: a post-hoc analysis of a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: In intensive care units (ICUs), patients experiencing post-extubation respiratory failure have poor outcomes. The use of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) to treat post-extubation respiratory failure may increase the risk of death. This study aims at comparing mortality between patients treated with NIV alternating with high-flow nasal oxygen or high-flow nasal oxygen alone. METHODS: Post-hoc analysis of a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial focusing on patients who experienced post-extubation respiratory failure within the 7 days following extubation. Patients were classified in the NIV group or the high-flow nasal oxygen group according to oxygenation strategy used after the onset of post-extubation respiratory failure. Patients reintubated within the first hour after extubation and those promptly reintubated without prior treatment were excluded. The primary outcome was mortality at day 28 after the onset of post-extubation respiratory failure. RESULTS: Among 651 extubated patients, 158 (25%) experienced respiratory failure and 146 were included in the analysis. Mortality at day 28 was 18% (15/84) using NIV alternating with high-flow nasal oxygen and 29% (18/62) with high flow nasal oxygen alone (difference, - 11% [95% CI, - 25 to 2]; p = 0.12). Among the 46 patients with hypercapnia at the onset of respiratory failure, mortality at day 28 was 3% (1/33) with NIV and 31% (4/13) with high-flow nasal oxygen alone (difference, - 28% [95% CI, - 54 to - 6]; p = 0.006). The proportion of patients reintubated 48 h after the onset of post-extubation respiratory failure was 44% (37/84) with NIV and 52% (32/62) with high-flow nasal oxygen alone (p = 0.21). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with post-extubation respiratory failure, NIV alternating with high-flow nasal oxygen might not increase the risk of death. Trial registration number The trial was registered at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov with the registration number NCT03121482 the 20th April 2017.

Non-invasive ventilation alternating with high-flow nasal oxygen versus high-flow nasal oxygen alone after extubation in COPD patients: a post hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Several randomized clinical trials have shown that non-invasive ventilation (NIV) applied immediately after extubation may prevent reintubation in patients at high-risk of extubation failure. However, most of studies included patients with chronic respiratory disorders as well as patients without underlying respiratory disease. To date, no study has shown decreased risk of reintubation with prophylactic NIV after extubation among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We hypothesized that prophylactic NIV after extubation may decrease the risk of reintubation in COPD patients as compared with high-flow nasal oxygen. We performed a post hoc subgroup analysis of COPD patients included in a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial comparing prophylactic use of NIV alternating with high-flow nasal oxygen versus high-flow nasal oxygen alone immediately after extubation. RESULTS: Among the 651 patients included in the original study, 150 (23%) had underlying COPD including 86 patients treated with NIV alternating with high-flow nasal oxygen and 64 patients treated with high-flow nasal oxygen alone. The reintubation rate was 13% (11 out of 86 patients) with NIV and 27% (17 out of 64 patients) with high-flow nasal oxygen alone [difference, - 14% (95% CI - 27% to - 1%); p = 0.03]. Whereas reintubation rates were significantly lower with NIV than with high-flow nasal oxygen alone at 72 h and until ICU discharge, mortality in ICU did not differ between groups: 6% (5/86) with NIV vs. 9% (6/64) with high-flow nasal oxygen alone [difference - 4% (95% CI - 14% to 5%); p = 0.40]. CONCLUSIONS: In COPD patients, prophylactic NIV alternating with high-flow nasal oxygen significantly decreased the risk of reintubation compared with high-flow nasal oxygen alone. Trial registration The study was registered at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov with the trial registration number NCT03121482 (20 April 2017).

Antiplatelet Drugs and Risk of Bleeding After Bedside Pleural Procedures: A National Multicenter Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: The decision-making on antiplatelet drug withdrawal or continuation before performing a pleural procedure is based on the balance between the risk of bleeding associated with the antiplatelet therapy and the risk of arterial thrombosis due to its interruption. Knowledge on antiplatelet therapy-associated risk of bleeding after pleural procedures is lacking. RESEARCH QUESTION: Is the risk of bleeding associated with antiplatelet drugs increased in patients undergoing pleural procedures? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a French multicenter cohort study in 19 centers. The main outcome was the occurrence of bleeding, defined as hematoma, hemoptysis, or hemothorax, during the 24 h following a pleural procedure. Serious bleeding events were defined as bleeding requiring blood transfusion, respiratory support, endotracheal intubation, embolization, or surgery, or as death. RESULTS: A total of 1,124 patients was included (men, 66%; median age, 62.6 ± 27.7 years), of whom 182 were receiving antiplatelet therapy and 942 were not. Fifteen patients experienced a bleeding event, including eight serious bleeding events. The 24-h incidence of bleeding was 3.23% (95% CI, 1.08%-5.91%) in the antiplatelet group and 0.96% (95% CI, 0.43%-1.60%) in the control group. The occurrence of bleeding events was significantly associated with antiplatelet therapy in univariate analysis (OR, 3.44; 95% CI, 1.14-9.66; P = .021) and multivariate analysis (OR, 4.13; 95% CI, 1.01-17.03; P = .044) after adjusting for demographic data and the main risk factors for bleeding. Likewise, antiplatelet therapy was significantly associated with serious bleeding in univariate analysis (OR, 8.61; 95% CI, 2.09-42.3; P = .003) and multivariate analysis (OR, 7.27; 95% CI, 1.18-56.1; P = .032) after adjusting for the number of risk factors for bleeding. INTERPRETATION: Antiplatelet therapy was associated with an increased risk of post-pleural procedure bleeding and serious bleeding. Future guidelines should take into account these results for patient safety.

T-piece versus pressure-support ventilation for spontaneous breathing trials before extubation in patients at high risk of reintubation: protocol for a multicentre, randomised controlled trial (TIP-EX).

INTRODUCTION: In intensive care unit (ICU), the decision of extubation is a critical time because mortality is particularly high in case of reintubation. To reduce that risk, guidelines recommend to systematically perform a spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) before extubation in order to mimic the postextubation physiological conditions. SBT is usually performed with a T-piece disconnecting the patient from the ventilator or with low levels of pressure-support ventilation (PSV). However, work of breathing is lower during PSV than during T-piece. Consequently, while PSV trial may hasten extubation, it may also increase the risk of reintubation. We hypothesise that, compared with T-piece, SBT performed using PSV may hasten extubation without increasing the risk of reintubation. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study is an investigator-initiated, multicentre randomised controlled trial comparing T-piece vs PSV for SBTs in patients at high risk of reintubation in ICUs. Nine hundred patients will be randomised with a 1:1 ratio in two groups according to the type of SBT. The primary outcome is the number of ventilator-free days at day 28, defined as the number of days alive and without invasive mechanical ventilation between the initial SBT (day 1) and day 28. Secondary outcomes include the number of days between the initial SBT and the first extubation attempt, weaning difficulty, the number of patients extubated after the initial SBT and not reintubated within the following 72 hours, the number of patients extubated within the 7 days following the initial SBT, the number of patients reintubated within the 7 days following extubation, in-ICU length of stay and mortality in ICU, at day 28 and at day 90. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study has been approved by the central ethics committee 'Ile de France V' (2019-A02151-56) and patients will be included after informed consent. The results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04227639.

Acute severe asthma requiring invasive mechanical ventilation in the era of modern resuscitation techniques: A 10-year bicentric retrospective study.

PURPOSE: Patients with acute severe asthma (ASA) may in rare cases require invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). However, recent data on this issue are lacking. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective and bicentric study conducted on a 10 year period, we investigate the in-hospital mortality in patients with ASA requiring IMV. We compare this mortality to that of patients with other types of respiratory distress using a standardized mortality ratio (SMR) model. RESULTS: Eighty-one episodes of ASA requiring IMV were evaluated. Factors significantly associated with in-hospital mortality were cardiac arrest on day of admission, cardiac arrest as the reason for intubation, absence of decompensation risk factors, need for renal replacement therapy on day of admission, and intubation in pre-hospital setting. Non-survivors had higher SAPS II, SOFA, creatinine and lactate levels as well as lower blood pressure, pH, and HCO3 on day of admission. In-hospital mortality was 15% (n = 12). Compared to a reference population of 2,670 patients, the SMR relative to the SAPS II was very low at 0.48 (95% CI, 0.25-0.84). The only factor independently associated with in-hospital mortality was cardiac arrest on day of admission. In-hospital mortality was 69% in patients with cardiac arrest on day of admission and 4% in others (p < 0.01). Salvage therapies were given to 7 patients, sometimes in combination with each other: ECMO (n = 6), halogenated gas (n = 1) and anti-IL5 antibody (n = 1). Death occurred in only 2 of these 7 patients, both of whom had cardiac arrest on day of admission. CONCLUSION: Nowadays, the mortality of patients with ASA requiring IMV is low. Death is due to multi-organ failure, with cardiac arrest on day of admission being the most important risk factor. In patients who did not have cardiac arrest on day of admission the mortality is even lower (4%) which allows an aggressive management.

Pressure-Support Ventilation vs T-Piece During Spontaneous Breathing Trials Before Extubation Among Patients at High Risk of Extubation Failure: A Post-Hoc Analysis of a Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) using a T-piece remains the most frequently performed trial before extubation in ICUs. RESEARCH QUESTION: We aimed at determining whether initial SBT using pressure-support ventilation (PSV) could increase successful extubation rates among patients at high risk of extubation failure. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Post hoc analysis of a multicenter trial focusing on reintubation in patients at high-risk of extubation failure. The initial SBT was performed using PSV or T-piece according to the physician/center decision. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients successfully extubated 72 hours after initial SBT, that is, extubated after initial SBT and not reintubated within the following 72 hours. RESULTS: Among the 641 patients included in the original study, initial SBT was performed using PSV (7.0 cm H2O in median without positive end-expiratory pressure) in 243 patients (38%) and using a T-piece in 398 patients (62%). The proportion of patients successfully extubated 72 hours after initial SBT was 67% (162/243) using PSV and 56% (223/398) using T-piece (absolute difference 10.6%; 95% CI, 2.8 to 28.1; P = .0076). The proportion of patients extubated after initial SBT was 77% (186/283) using PSV and 63% (249/398) using T-piece (P = .0002), whereas reintubation rates within the following 72 hours did not significantly differ (13% vs 10%, respectively; P = .4259). Performing an initial SBT using PSV was independently associated with successful extubation (adjusted OR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.30 to 2.18; P = .0061). INTERPRETATION: In patients at high risk of extubation failure in the ICU, performing an initial SBT using PSV may hasten extubation without an increased risk of reintubation.

Effect of Postextubation High-Flow Nasal Oxygen With Noninvasive Ventilation vs High-Flow Nasal Oxygen Alone on Reintubation Among Patients at High Risk of Extubation Failure: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: High-flow nasal oxygen may prevent postextubation respiratory failure in the intensive care unit (ICU). The combination of high-flow nasal oxygen with noninvasive ventilation (NIV) may be an optimal strategy of ventilation to avoid reintubation. Objective: To determine whether high-flow nasal oxygen with prophylactic NIV applied immediately after extubation could reduce the rate of reintubation, compared with high-flow nasal oxygen alone, in patients at high risk of extubation failure in the ICU. Design, Setting, and Participants: Multicenter randomized clinical trial conducted from April 2017 to January 2018 among 641 patients at high risk of extubation failure (ie, older than 65 years or with an underlying cardiac or respiratory disease) at 30 ICUs in France; follow-up was until April 2018. Interventions: Patients were randomly assigned to high-flow nasal oxygen alone (n = 306) or high-flow nasal oxygen alternating with NIV (n = 342) immediately after extubation. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the proportion of patients reintubated at day 7; secondary outcomes included postextubation respiratory failure at day 7, reintubation rates up until ICU discharge, and ICU mortality. Results: Among 648 patients who were randomized (mean [SD] age, 70 [10] years; 219 women [34%]), 641 patients completed the trial. The reintubation rate at day 7 was 11.8% (95% CI, 8.4%-15.2%) (40/339) with high-flow nasal oxygen and NIV and 18.2% (95% CI, 13.9%-22.6%) (55/302) with high-flow nasal oxygen alone (difference, -6.4% [95% CI, -12.0% to -0.9%]; P = .02). Among the 11 prespecified secondary outcomes, 6 showed no significant difference. The proportion of patients with postextubation respiratory failure at day 7 (21% vs 29%; difference, -8.7% [95% CI, -15.2% to -1.8%]; P = .01) and reintubation rates up until ICU discharge (12% vs 20%, difference -7.4% [95% CI, -13.2% to -1.8%]; P = .009) were significantly lower with high-flow nasal oxygen and NIV than with high-flow nasal oxygen alone. ICU mortality rates were not significantly different: 6% with high-flow nasal oxygen and NIV and 9% with high-flow nasal oxygen alone (difference, -2.4% [95% CI, -6.7% to 1.7%]; P = .25). Conclusions and Relevance: In mechanically ventilated patients at high risk of extubation failure, the use of high-flow nasal oxygen with NIV immediately after extubation significantly decreased the risk of reintubation compared with high-flow nasal oxygen alone. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03121482.

Non-invasive ventilation versus high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy with apnoeic oxygenation for preoxygenation before intubation of patients with acute hypoxaemic respiratory failure: a randomised, multicentre, open-label trial.

BACKGROUND: Non-invasive ventilation has never been compared with high-flow oxygen to determine whether it reduces the risk of severe hypoxaemia during intubation. We aimed to determine if preoxygenation with non-invasive ventilation was more efficient than high-flow oxygen in reducing the risk of severe hypoxaemia during intubation. METHODS: The FLORALI-2 multicentre, open-label trial was done in 28 intensive care units in France. Adult patients undergoing tracheal intubation for acute hypoxaemic respiratory failure (a partial pressure of arterial oxygen [PaO2] to fraction of inspired oxygen [FiO2] ratio of ≤300 mm Hg) were randomly assigned (1:1; block size, four participants) to non-invasive ventilation or high-flow oxygen during preoxygenation, with stratification by PaO2/FiO2 ratio (≤200 mm Hg vs >200 mm Hg). Key exclusion criteria were intubation for cardiac arrest, altered consciousness (defined as a Glasgow coma score of less than eight points), other contraindications to non-invasive ventilation (recent laryngeal, oesophageal, or gastric surgery, and substantial facial fractures), pulse oximetry not available, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and refusal to participate. The primary outcome was the occurrence of severe hypoxaemia (pulse oximetry <80%) during the procedure, assessed in the intention-to-treat population. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02668458. FINDINGS: Between April 15, 2016, and Jan 8, 2017, 2079 patients were intubated in the 28 participating units, and 322 were enrolled. We excluded five patients with no recorded data, two who withdrew consent or were under legal protection, one who was not intubated, and one who had a cardiac arrest. Of the 313 patients included in the intention-to-treat analysis, 142 were assigned to non-invasive ventilation and 171 to high-flow oxygen therapy. Severe hypoxaemia occurred in 33 (23%) of 142 patients after preoxygenation with non-invasive ventilation and 47 (27%) of 171 with high-flow oxygen (absolute difference -4·2%, 95% CI -13·7 to 5·5; p=0·39). In the 242 patients with moderate-to-severe hypoxaemia (PaO2/FiO2 ≤200 mm Hg), severe hypoxaemia occurred less frequently after preoxygenation with non-invasive ventilation than with high-flow oxygen (28 [24%] of 117 patients vs 44 [35%] of 125; adjusted odds ratio 0·56, 0·32 to 0·99, p=0·0459). Serious adverse events did not differ between treatment groups, with the most common immediate complications being systolic arterial hypotension (70 [49%] patients in the non-invasive ventilation group vs 86 [50%] patients in the high-flow oxygen group) and chest infiltrate on x-ray (28 [20%] vs 33 [19%]), and the most common late complications being death at day 28 (53 [37%] vs 58 [34%]) and ventilator-associated pneumonia during ICU stay (31 [22%] vs 35 [20%]). INTERPRETATION: In patients with acute hypoxaemic respiratory failure, preoxygenation with non-invasive ventilation or high-flow oxygen therapy did not change the risk of severe hypoxaemia. Future research should explore the effect of preoxygenation method in patients with moderate-to-severe hypoxaemia at baseline. FUNDING: French Ministry of Health.

Cannula-Related Infection in Patients Supported by Peripheral ECMO: Clinical and Microbiological Characteristics.

Little is known about cannula-related infection (CRI) in patients supported by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The aim of this study was to assess the incidence, the risk factors, prognosis, and microbiological characteristics of CRI in patients supported by ECMO. This retrospective cohort study was conducted in one intensive care unit (ICU). Among 220 consecutive patients with peripheral ECMO, 39 (17.7%) developed CRI. The incidence of CRI was 17.2 per 1,000 ECMO days. The main isolated microorganisms were Enterobacteriaceae (38%), Staphylococcus spp. (28.2%; 8.5% were methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus and 19.7% were coagulase-negative staphylococci), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18.3%). Bacteremia was present in 23 cases (59.7%). In multivariate analysis, the risk factors for CRI were longer ECMO duration (p = 0.006) and higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score 2 (p = 0.004). Forty-one percentage of patients with CRI needed surgical management of the infected site. Cannula-related infection was not associated with higher in-hospital mortality (p = 0.73), but it was associated with a longer stay in ICU (p < 0.0001) and a longer stay in hospital (p = 0.002). In conclusion, CRI is frequent in patients with ECMO and associated with a longer stay in hospital. Risk factors for CRI were longer ECMO duration and higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score 2. Concomitant bacteremia was frequent (59.7%) and CRI should be strongly investigated in cases of positive blood culture.

High-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy alone or with non-invasive ventilation during the weaning period after extubation in ICU: the prospective randomised controlled HIGH-WEAN protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Recent practice guidelines suggest applying non-invasive ventilation (NIV) to prevent postextubation respiratory failure in patients at high risk of extubation failure in intensive care unit (ICU). However, such prophylactic NIV has been only a conditional recommendation given the low certainty of evidence. Likewise, high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen therapy has been shown to reduce reintubation rates as compared with standard oxygen and to be as efficient as NIV in patients at high risk. Whereas HFNC may be considered as an optimal therapy during the postextubation period, HFNC associated with NIV could be an additional means of preventing postextubation respiratory failure. We are hypothesising that treatment associating NIV with HFNC between NIV sessions may be more effective than HFNC alone and may reduce the reintubation rate in patients at high risk. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study is an investigator-initiated, multicentre randomised controlled trial comparing HFNC alone or with NIV sessions during the postextubation period in patients at high risk of extubation failure in the ICU. Six hundred patients will be randomised with a 1:1 ratio in two groups according to the strategy of oxygenation after extubation. The primary outcome is the reintubation rate within the 7 days following planned extubation. Secondary outcomes include the number of patients who meet the criteria for moderate/severe respiratory failure, ICU length of stay and mortality up to day 90. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study has been approved by the ethics committee and patients will be included after informed consent. The results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03121482.

Dyspnoea in patients receiving noninvasive ventilation for acute respiratory failure: prevalence, risk factors and prognostic impact: A prospective observational study.

Dyspnoea is a frequent and intense symptom in intubated patients, but little attention has been paid to dyspnoea during noninvasive mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit (ICU).The objectives of this study were to quantify the prevalence, intensity and prognostic impact of dyspnoea in patients receiving noninvasive ventilation (NIV) for acute respiratory failure (ARF) based on secondary analysis of a prospective observational cohort study in patients who received ventilatory support for ARF in 54 ICUs in France and Belgium. Dyspnoea was measured by a modified Borg scale.Among the 426 patients included, the median (interquartile range) dyspnoea score was 4 (3-5) on admission and 3 (2-4) after the first NIV session (p=0.001). Dyspnoea intensity ≥4 after the first NIV session was associated with the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score (odds ratio (OR) 1.12, p=0.001), respiratory rate (OR 1.03, p=0.032), anxiety (OR 1.92, p=0.006), leaks (OR 2.5, p=0.002) and arterial carbon dioxide tension (OR 0.98, p=0.025). Dyspnoea intensity ≥4 was independently associated with NIV failure (OR 2.41, p=0.001) and mortality (OR 2.11, p=0.009), but not with higher post-ICU burden and altered quality of life.Dyspnoea is frequent and intense in patients receiving NIV for ARF and is associated with a higher risk of NIV failure and poorer outcome.

Predictors of red blood cell transfusion and its association with prognosis in patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

PURPOSE: Few data are available on the potential benefits and risks of red blood cell transfusion in patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. The aim of this study was to identify the determinants and prognosis of red blood cell transfusion in patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, with a special focus on biological parameters during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation treatment. METHODS: We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study including all consecutive patients who underwent extracorporeal membrane oxygenation between January 2010 and December 2015. RESULTS: The 201 evaluated patients received a median of 0.9 [0.5-1.7] units of red blood cell per day. Significant and clinically relevant variables that best correlated with units of red blood cell transfused per day of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation were lower median daily prothrombin time in percentage (Quick) ( t = -0.016, p < 0.0001), higher median daily free bilirubin level ( t = 0.016, p < 0.0001), and lower pH ( t = -2.434, p < 0.0001). In multivariate analysis, red blood cell transfusion was associated with a significantly higher rate of in-intensive care unit mortality (per red blood cell unit increment; adjusted odds ratio: 1.07, 95% confidence interval: 1.02-1.12, p = 0.005). It was also associated with higher rates of acute renal failure ( p = 0.025), thromboembolic complications ( p = 0.0045), and sepsis ( p = 0.015). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that red blood cell transfusion may be associated with a higher mortality rate and with severe complications. However, we cannot conclude a direct causal relationship, as red blood cell transfusion may be only a marker of poor outcome. We recommend that physicians correct acidosis and hemolysis in patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation whenever possible.