Thoracic ultrasound accuracy for the investigation of initial neonatal respiratory distress.

Thoracic ultrasound (TUS) is increasingly studied in neonatal respiratory distress but chest x-ray (CXR) remains the first-line exam. We aimed to evaluate its diagnostic performance for the investigation of unselected causes of neonatal respiratory distress in daily practice. We conducted a descriptive, prospective, and single-center diagnostic accuracy study in a tertiary hospital, including term and preterm newborns who needed a CXR because of respiratory conditions occurring at birth or during the first 24h of life. TUS was compared to the reference diagnosis, which was the association between the CXR results, the clinical initial context, and the patient's outcome. Fifty-two newborns were included and 104 hemi-thorax ultrasounds were analyzed. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV), diagnosis accuracy, as well as the positive and negative likelihood ratio of TUSs were 100% for respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), transient tachypnea of newborn (TTN), pneumomediastinum, meconium aspiration syndrome, and absence of pulmonary disease. TUS also showed 100% sensitivity and NPV for pneumothorax, but specificity was 97% and PPV was 50%. Kappa concordance between TUS and either CXR alone or the radiological/clinical gold standard was 0.79 and 0.95, respectively. CONCLUSION: TUS at the newborn's bedside is efficient for investigating the main neonatal respiratory diseases, especially for the confirmation of RDS or TTN and for the exclusion of differential diagnosis or complications.

Formal procedure to facilitate the decision to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining interventions in a neonatal intensive care unit: a seven-year retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal deaths are often associated with the complex decision to limit or withdraw life-sustaining interventions (LSIs) rather than therapeutic impasses. Despite the existence of a law, significant disparities in clinical procedures remain. This study aimed to assess deaths occurring in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and measure the impact of a traceable Limitation or Withdrawal of Active Treatment (LWAT) file on the treatment of these newborns. METHODS: In this monocentric retrospective study, we reviewed all consecutive neonatal deaths occurring during two three-year periods among patients in the NICU at the North Hospital of Marseille: cohort 1 (from 2009 to 2011 without the LWAT file) and cohort 2 (from 2013 to 2015 after introduction of the LWAT file). Newborns included were: gestational age over 22 weeks, birth weight over 500 g, and admission and death in the same NICU. Deaths were categorized according to the classification described by Verhagen et al.: 1) children who died despite cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) (no withholding nor withdrawing of LSIs), (2) children who died while the ventilator, without CPR (no withdrawing of LSIs, but CPR withheld), (3) children who died after LSIs were withdrawn, or (4) LSIs were withheld. RESULTS: 193 deaths were analyzed: 77 in cohort 1 and 116 in cohort 2. 50% of deaths followed the decision to limit or stop life-sustaining interventions. The mean age at death did not differ between the two cohorts (p = 0.525). An increase in the mortality rate after life-sustaining interventions were withdrawn was observed. The number of multidisciplinary decision meetings was statistically higher in cohort 2 (32.5% versus 55.2% p = 0.002), which were most often prompted due to neurological pathologies, with an increase in parental advice concerning the management of their child (p = 0.026). Even if the introduction of this file did not have an effect on patient age at death, it was significantly associated with a better understanding of end-of-life conditions (p = 0.019), including medication used to sedate and comfort the patient. CONCLUSIONS: Introduction of the LWAT file seems imperative to develop a personalized healthcare strategy for each child and situation.

[Neurodevelopmental outcome at 3 years of age of infants born at less than 26 weeks]. / Devenir à l'âge de 3ans d'une cohorte d'enfants nés à moins de 26 semaines d'aménorrhée.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the neurodevelopmental outcome and perinatal factors associated with favorable outcome among extremely preterm children at 3 years of age. METHODS: All infants born before 26 weeks of gestation between 2007 and 2011, admitted to intensive care units participating in a French regional network (western PACA-southern Corsica) were included. Perinatal data were collected to assess the main neonatal morbidities. At 3 years of age, the children's neurodevelopment was assessed by trained physicians participating in the follow-up network. Children were classified according to their disability: none, moderate, or severe. Using logistic regression, we determined the perinatal factors associated with the absence of disability at 3 years of age. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-two very preterm newborns were admitted to neonatal intensive care units. At discharge the survival rate was 62% (101). Rates of survival increased with gestational age (33% at 23 weeks, 57% at 24 weeks and 68% at 25 weeks). Among the 101 surviving extremely preterm children, 66 were evaluated at 3 years. The perinatal characteristics were not significantly different from those of the children lost to follow-up. Overall, 56% of extremely preterm children had no disability and 6% had severe disability. Cerebral palsy was diagnosed in 13% of children. At 3 years of age, the main perinatal factors associated with no disability were short duration of mechanical ventilation (OR=0.96 [0.93-0.99]; P=0.03) and complete course of prenatal corticosteroids (OR=4.7 [1.2-17.7]; P=0.02). CONCLUSION: As mortality rates continue to decrease for very preterm infants, concerns are rising about their long-term outcome. In this high-risk population, improving perinatal care remains a challenge to improve long-term outcome.

Strategies to reduce curative antibiotic therapy in intensive care units (adult and paediatric)

Emerging resistance to antibiotics shows no signs of decline. At the same time, few new antibacterials are being discovered. There is a worldwide recognition regarding the danger of this situation. The urgency of the situation and the conviction that practices should change led the Société de Réanimation de Langue Française (SRLF) and the Société Française d'Anesthésie et de Réanimation (SFAR) to set up a panel of experts from various disciplines. These experts met for the first time at the end of 2012 and have since met regularly to issue the following 67 recommendations, according to the rigorous GRADE methodology. Five fields were explored: i) the link between the resistance of bacteria and the use of antibiotics in intensive care; ii) which microbiological data and how to use them to reduce antibiotic consumption; iii) how should antibiotic therapy be chosen to limit consumption of antibiotics; iv) how can antibiotic administration be optimized; v) review and duration of antibiotic treatments. In each institution, the appropriation of these recommendations should arouse multidisciplinary discussions resulting in better knowledge of local epidemiology, rate of antibiotic use, and finally protocols for improving the stewardship of antibiotics. These efforts should contribute to limit the emergence of resistant bacteria.(AU)

[Acute epiglottitis due to group A ß-hemolytic streptococcus in a child]. / Épiglottite aigüe à streptocoque ß-hémolytique du groupe A.

Acute epiglottitis has become an exceptional observation in pediatrics. The introduction of Haemophilus influenzae type B vaccine changed the morbidity, mortality, and microbiology of this disease. We report the case of an 11-month-old infant with acute epiglottitis due to group A ß-hemolytic streptococcus.

Achieving parenteral nutrition goals in the critically ill newborns: standardized better than individualized formulations?

AIM: The aim of this paper was to determine if the total parenteral nutrition (PN) goals for newborns in the first two weeks of lifer were better achieved with individualized prescriptions (IND-PN) or standardized formulations STD-PN prescriptions. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted in a 16-bed polyvalent pediatric and neonatal intensive care unit in a university hospital, to compare two one-year periods, before and after a move from individualized to standardized formulations. All the prescriptions for newborns who were admitted to our unit on their first day of life and required total PN were evaluated. The primary end-point was the percentage of prescriptions full filling the PN goals defined in the written policy of our unit. RESULTS: More than 3500 prescriptions were included. The goals of PN were better achieved with STD-PN (44.0% vs. 9.4% of the prescriptions)., even after adjustment for term and birth weight. Differences between groups appeared as early as the third day of PN and remained during the first 15 days of PN. CONCLUSION: The goals of total PN were better achieved with STD-PN. Perhaps because standardized formulations contain fixed and proportional amounts of nutrients, their use results in less deviation from the established policy.

[Imprecision of vancomycin prepared for intravenous administration at the bedside in a neonatal intensive care unit]. / Étude de la variabilité dans les reconstitutions de vancomycine intraveineuse en réanimation pédiatrique.

In pediatric units, most of the intravenous medications are prepared by the attending nurse at the bedside that can be affected by an error margin, so can be imprecise. Despite the possible consequences of imprecise medications administration, published studies on the topic are scarce. The main objective of this study was to measure the difference between the prescribed vancomycine concentration and the actual concentration measured in the medication administered to the patient. The secondary objective was to determine which step in the preparation was linked to the difference in concentrations. It was a prospective study, setting in a pediatric and neonatal university hospital intensive care unit. Over a 3-month period, an aliquot from every preparation for continuous infusion of vancomycin, made at the bedside by a nurse, was collected and the modalities of the preparation noted. Vancomycin concentration was measured by high performance liquid chromatography. Sixty-four preparations, accounting for 24 patients (gestationnal age: 67 ± 75 weeks, weigh: 4.8 ± 6.5 kg) were included. Vancomycin concentrations ranged from 3.33 to 60.0mg/mL. Measured concentration were in mean 7% smaller than prescribed concentration (P<10(-3)), with a large confidence interval (75.8%-120.4% of the prescribed concentration). Imprecision the preparations was much higher than this admitted for manufactured preparation. We could not highlight any factor related to the difference in concentrations, but one third of the preparation did not respect all the ISO 7886 standards for syringes use. Bedside vancomycin preparations, like preparations for other molecules, are far more imprecise than industrial intravenous medications. Our results urge that all pediatric intravenous medications should be made only by manufacturers or pharmacists. However, it also urged clinical studies, in parallel to pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic studies, to make intravenous treatments as accurate as they should be.

Vancomycin prescription in neonates and young infants: toward a simplified dosage.

BACKGROUND: There is no consensus on vancomycin dosing in newborns and young infants. OBJECTIVE: The first objective was to assess the efficiency of a simplified dosing regimen with a cohort study. The secondary objective was to examine pharmacokinetic data to determine how this simplified dosing could be improved. METHODS: All neonates admitted to our intensive care unit and treated with vancomycin were included in the pharmacokinetic study (PK group, 83 treatments, 156 measurements). The vancomycin dosing regimen consisted of a loading dose of 7 mg/kg, followed by a constant continuous dose of 30 mg/kg/day. The target serum vancomycin concentration ranged from 10 mg/l to 30 mg/l. Data from patients whose medications followed the scheduled dosing without modifications or prescription errors (actual dosing group: 62 treatments, 108 measurements) were analysed separately. A population pharmacokinetic analysis was performed (PK group) to simulate several vancomycin dosings. RESULTS: Prescription errors were found in 10 of 83 treatments (12%). In the actual dosing group, 89.2% of vancomycin measurements were within the target range. Serum creatinine remained stable throughout treatment. Vancomycin concentrations varied widely. The modified regimen for a target vancomycin concentration of 25 mg/l consisted of a bolus of 20 mg/kg followed by continuous infusion of 30 mg/kg. CONCLUSION: Our pharmacokinetic data and bedside results suggest that a simplified schedule of vancomycin can achieve the targeted drug concentrations in most patients while avoiding secondary renal toxicity. The proposed new dosing scheme should be validated in a drug survey, but due to pharmacokinetic variability, still requires therapeutic drug monitoring.

[Management of newborns with meconium-stained amniotic fluid: prospective evaluation of practice]. / Prise en charge des nouveau-nés naissant dans un liquide méconial: évaluation prospective des pratiques.

OBJECTIVE: Regional guideline for immediate tracheal suctioning (ITS) in vigorous and non-vigorous infants born through meconium-stained amniotic fluid (MSAF) has been established in 2003. The objective of this study was to evaluate guideline application. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The first part of the study was a short survey about ITS practices in maternity hospitals then, management and early evolution of babies born through particulate MSAF was evaluated by questionnaire. RESULTS: Among 6761 neonates, 199 (3%) were born with MSAF. Early clinical evaluation showed 52 (26%) non-vigorous neonates; 22 of them (42%) have had an ITS. One hundred and forty-seven neonates were vigorous (74%); 27 of them (18%) have had an ITS. Implementation of recommendations in non-vigorous babies was better in maternities of level III, while they were lower in maternities of level IIA for vigorous babies. Among 52 non-vigorous children, eight had a meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS), including five who had an ITS. One MAS occurred in vigorous babies but infection could not be excluded. CONCLUSION: Recommendations for ITS were implemented in 70% of cases but only in 42% of cases in non-vigorous babies. We have to improve formation and circulation of new recommendations.

[Congenital tuberculosis in preterm neonate: a case report]. / Tuberculose congénitale chez le nouveau-né prématuré : à propos d'un cas.

Congenital tuberculosis is a rare but severe disease. Diagnosis is often delayed, especially in preterm neonates. We report a premature infant born after 27 weeks of gestation and in vitro fertilization. Tuberculosis was suspected after 112 days of life in view of sepsis, respiratory distress, and the discovery of maternal tuberculosis. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was isolated in endotracheal aspirates, gastric aspirates, and stools. The infant initially received four antitubercular antibiotics over 3 months, then two antibiotics over 9 months. A wide screening for a possible nosocomial transmission from this index case was set up. At the chronological age of 2 years, the baby is healthy without after-effects and no secondary cases were diagnosed. This article recalls the difficulty diagnosing congenital tuberculosis, particularly in preterm neonates. It also underlines the need to raise and eliminate the diagnosis of tuberculosis in an infertile woman.

Bacillus licheniformis septicemia in a very-low-birth-weight neonate: a case report.

Nosocomial infections in neonatal intensive care units are a preoccupying issue. Bacillus sp. can be pathogenic in immuno-compromised hosts, including premature infants. Central catheters and mechanical ventilation are potential sources of infection. We report for the first time a case of Bacillus licheniformis bacteremia in a premature infant. Recovery necessitated treatment with vancomycin and cefotaxime in combination with removal of the central catheter.

Erythropoietin measurements in severely traumatized patients.

BACKGROUND: Despite numerous studies in critically ill patients, physiological adaptation to acute anaemia and the pattern of erythropoietin (EPO) secretion has not been well described in severely injured patients. The aim of this study was to describe EPO secretion and its relationship with haemoglobin (Hb) levels in severely injured patients. METHODS: We performed an observational, prospective clinical study in our intensive care unit (ICU). For all patients with severe trauma (Injury Severity Score>15), EPO measurement was obtained on admission, during the first 3 days and then when Hb level was measured. Maximal EPO level (EPOmax) and minimal Hb level (Hbmin) during the ICU stay was determined for all patients. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-one consecutives patients were included (440 EPO measurements). Seventy-nine patients (46.2%) showed an increased value (> or =25 UI/l) EPOmax value. Most EPOmax values were observed early after the trauma [within 4 days for 63 patients (82.8%)]. Plotting EPOmax to Hbmin values show that a threshold Hbmin value of 105 g/l best discriminated patients with and without an elevated EPO secretion. Less than 10% of the patients with Hbmin<105 g/l did not increase their EPO secretion. CONCLUSION: In severely traumatized patients a marked response to acute anaemia is observed in most patients. In our study, Hb threshold for a significant EPO secretion following post-traumatic acute anaemia was 105 g/l. The peak level was achieved early in the course of the anaemia.

[Transcutaneous bilirubin measurement in preterm infants]. / Estimation de la bilirubinémie par méthode transcutanée chez le nouveau-né prématuré.

UNLABELLED: Transcutaneous bilirubinometry is an effective screening tool for neonatal jaundice in full-term babies. But its accuracy is not shown yet in preterm infants. METHODOLOGY: We carried out a prospective study in a neonatal intensive care unit. The study included 47 preterm infants. From birth, a transcutaneous bilirubin measurement (BTc) using the BiliCheck was made on the forehead of each newborn every 8 h. Blood sampling for determination of total serum bilirubin (BS) was combined with BTc: 1) if value of BTc was higher than limits values for phototherapy; 2) on the second day of life and 3) 4 hours after cessation of phototherapy. RESULTS: Mean gestational age was 30 week and mean birth weight was 1419 g. We studied 151 pairs of BTc and BS. Mean values obtained by BTc and BS were respectively 160.6+/-50 mumol/L and 190.6+/-61.4 mumol/L. A significant correlation between BTc and BS was found. But the limits of agreement were very wide. The negative predictive value (NPV) of BTc was above 90% in each group of gestational age. DISCUSSION: The need for phototherapy cannot be determined by BTc in preterm infants. But the BTc is reliable when its value is under the limits for phototherapy. CONCLUSION: With a very high incidence of neonatal jaundice (87%) in our cohort, a value of BTc under the limits for phototherapy has a good NPV in preterm infants.

[Tracheal agenesis: CT diagnosis]. / Agénésie trachéale, diagnostic par tomodensitométrie.

Tracheal agenesis is an exceptional congenital malformation of the airway with fatal consequences. A case of a newborn infant presenting with respiratory distress is reported. Laryngoscopy and helical CT of the airway confirmed the diagnosis of tracheal agenesis with tracheo-esophageal fistula and laryngeal agenesis.

The combination of a heat and moisture exchanger and a Booster: a clinical and bacteriological evaluation over 96 h.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the combination with a new device (Booster ) for active humidification improves the efficacy of a hydrophobic heat and moisture exchanger (HME). DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective, interventional study in the ICU of a university hospital. PATIENTS: Consecutive patients requiring controlled mechanical ventilation INTERVENTIONS: Patients were ventilated with a HME, and a Booster was added for 96 h to the ventilatory circuit. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: During the inspiration phase the following factors were measured: peak and mean airway pressures, maximal (beginning of inspiration), minimal (end of inspiration), and mean values of temperature of inspired gases, and relative and absolute humidity of inspired gases. Microbiological samples were obtained from the Booster, the ventilator side of the HME, and the tracheal secretions on days 1 and 4. Minimal and mean temperatures were increased as soon as the Booster was used and this increase was maintained for 96 h until the Booster was withdrawn. Then the temperature returned to baseline values. Absolute humidity values followed the same course. There was also some indirect evidence of very little, if any, changes in the HME resistance. The ventilatory side of the HMEs remained sterile in each patient, and the Booster was colonized by the same bacteria as those in the tracheal secretions. CONCLUSIONS: Adding the Booster to a hydrophobic HME improved the heat and water preservation of ventilatory gas.

Passive expiratory flow-volume curve is not an accurate method to measure the respiratory time constant in rabbits.

BACKGROUND: In mechanically ventilated patients, inspiration is forced by an externally applied positive pressure whereas expiration remains passive and depends on the time constant of the total respiratory system (tau), which constitutes an important determinant of mechanical ventilation. The end-inspiratory occlusion technique is one of the easiest methods to obtain tau values in ventilated patients, especially infants, but its accuracy is not well established. The aim of this study was to compare in anesthetized, paralyzed rabbits tau values given by the end-inspiratory occlusion technique (tau(rs)) to tau values obtained by references methods for measurements (i.e. the product of static lung compliance by airway resistance: tau(ref)) during carbachol-induced bronchospasm eliciting marked modifications of the respiratory mechanics. METHODS: Comparisons were made in the basal state and after carbachol-induced bronchoconstriction in seven New Zealand adult rabbits. This procedure resulted in a wide range of expiratory time constants. A pneumotachograph was used to measure expiratory flow and volume before and after end-inspiratory occlusion. The slope of the flow volume curve gave tau(rs). Then tau(rs) was compared with tau(ref) (which ranged from 0.30 to 1.96 s). RESULTS: Statistical analysis revealed a weak correlation between the two methods, and a size-dependent bias of tau(rs) measurements. CONCLUSIONS: The end-inspiratory occlusion technique leads to a systemic bias in measurements of respiratory time constant, especially when the resistance of the respiratory system is elevated.

[Ventilation at high-frequency oscillation: towards diminished barotrauma in the ventilated newborn?]. / L'oscillation à haute fréquence: vers une diminution du barotraumatisme chez le nouveau-né ventilé?

Mechanical ventilation is one of the fundamentals of intensive care assuring the correction of blood gas anomalies in patients with respiratory distress. However, positive pressure ventilation is extremely deleterious for the lung due to barotrauma. Among avenues of research over the last twenty years is a technique which has been successfully developed in neonatal intensive care: ventilation by high frequency oscillation (VOHF). Experimental studies have shown a net benefit in terms of oxygenation and diminution of barotrauma. A unique feature of this mechanical ventilation technique is that the clinical studies comparing VOHF to conventional ventilation have shown that for certain individuals there is decreased morbidity, notably in the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. In a paradoxical manner VOHF assures adequate gas exchange by using tidal volumes which are lower than the anatomical dead space. The usual model for alveolar ventilation is unable to explain how gas exchange is possible with this mode of ventilation. The explanations are still incomplete but this new type of artificial ventilation is in line with current studies by physiologists whose research may explain this totally new type of pulmonary physiology. However, it should be used cautiously and reserved to those practitioners experienced in the technique.

Effects of norepinephrine plus dobutamine or norepinephrine alone on left ventricular performance of septic shock patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the hemodynamic effects of the combination of norepinephrine-dobutamine in adult patients with septic shock. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that norepinephrine in addition to dobutamine would improve cardiac index (CI) and stroke volume index (SVI) and increase left-ventricular afterload. DESIGN: Prospective, descriptive, interventional study with no control group. SETTING: Intensive care unit of a university hospital. PATIENTS: Fourteen patients (group 1) were transferred to the intensive care unit from other wards with septic shock not responsive to dobutamine infusion, low blood pressure (systolic blood pressure of <90 mm Hg), clinical and laboratory signs of infection, clinical signs of poor organ perfusion, and blood lactate of >2.0 mmol/L. They were enrolled and treated by the addition of norepinephrine, while the dose of dobutamine remained constant. Three of these patients required additional fluid loading to achieve adequate ventricular filling (pulmonary capillary wedge pressure [PCWP], 12-15 mm Hg). These patients were compared with 12 patients with septic shock with high CI (CI > 5/min/m2, and other signs as outlined previously) who were treated with norepinephrine alone (group 2). INTERVENTIONS: Patients in group 1 were maintained with the same dobutamine dose, and norepinephrine was added (initial dose, 0.5 microg/kg/min, and increments of 0.3 microg/kg/min) until the correction of mean arterial blood pressure (MAP > or =75 mm Hg). Patients in group 2 received norepinephrine following the same protocol. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: At study entry, group 1 patients receiving dobutamine had similar MAPs but were significantly older and had significantly lower CIs and SVIs and higher systemic vascular resistance than group 2 patients. In group 1 norepinephrine, in addition to dobutamine, significantly increased MAP, CI, SVI, left ventricular stroke work index (LVSWI), and systemic vascular resistance (SVR). No change in heart rate or PCWP was observed. In group 2, norepinephrine used alone did not modify CI or SVI and it significantly improved MAP, LVSWI, and SVR. No changes in heart rate or PCWP were observed. Blood lactate was significantly decreased in both groups. Comparing the two groups, in response to norepinephrine titrated to increase MAP to a similar concentration, patients with dobutamine-resistant septic shock had a statistically significantly greater increase in CI and SVI than patients treated with norepinephrine alone. There were no other significant differences in hemodynamic and metabolic responses to norepinephrine between groups 1 and 2. CONCLUSION: The addition of norepinephrine to treatment of patients with septic shock unresponsive to dobutamine significantly improves MAP, CI, SVI, and LVSWI. A different pattern of evolution was observed if norepinephrine was used alone in younger patients with higher CI at study entry, increases in MAP and LVSWI, and no concomitant change in CI or SVI. The use of norepinephrine in dobutamine-resistant septic shock may have some beneficial implications for the treatment of patients with inadequate myocardial performance associated with low SVR.

Do the components of heat and moisture exchanger filters affect their humidifying efficacy and the incidence of nosocomial pneumonia?

OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficiency of two heat and moisture exchange filters (HMEFs) of different compositions of the humidifying capacity and the rate of bronchial colonization and ventilator-associated pneumonia in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). DESIGN: Prospective, randomized study. SETTING: ICU of a university hospital. PATIENTS: All patients who required mechanical ventilation for 24 hrs or more during the study period. INTERVENTIONS: At admission to the ICU, patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups. In one group, the patients were ventilated with Humid-Vent Filter Light HMEF. The condensation surface was made of paper impregnated with CaCl2. The filter membrane was made of polypropylene. In the other group, the patients were ventilated with the Clear ThermAl HMEF (Intersurgical, France). The condensation surface was made of plastic foam impregnated with AlCl2. The filter membrane was made of two polymer fibers (modacrylic and polypropylene). In both groups, HMEFs were changed daily. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Seventy-seven patients were ventilated for 19+/-7 days with the Humid-Vent Filter Light HMEF and 63 patients for 17+/-6 days with the Clear ThermAl HMEF. Patients ventilated with the Humid-Vent Filter Light underwent 8.7+/-3.7 tracheal aspirations and 1.2+/-2.0 instillations per day and those with the Clear ThermAl, 8.2+/-3.9 and 1.5+/-2.4 per day, respectively (NS). The abundance of tracheal secretions and the presence of blood and viscosity, as evaluated by semiquantitative scales, were similar in both groups. One episode of tracheal tube occlusion was observed with the Humid-Vent Filter Light HMEF and none with the other HMEF (NS). Tracheal colonization was observed at a rate of 91% with the Humid-Vent Filter Light and 97% with the Clear ThermAl (NS). The rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia was similar in both groups (35%). Bacteria responsible for tracheal colonization and pneumonia were similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Despite differences in their components, the two HMEFs that were tested achieved similar performances in terms of humidification and heating of inspired gases. Only one episode of endotracheal tube occlusion was detected, and very few patients (three in each group) had to be switched to an active heated humidifier. No difference was observed either in the rate of tracheal colonization or of ventilator-associated pneumonia. These data show that the Humid-Vent Filter Light and the Clear ThermAl HMEFs are suited for use with ICU patients.