Mechanical ventilation weaning protocol improves medical adherence and results.

INTRODUCTION: Implementation of a weaning protocol is related to better patient prognosis. However, new approaches may take several years to become the standard of care in daily practice. We conducted a prospective cohort study to investigate the effectiveness of a multifaceted strategy to implement a protocol to wean patients from mechanical ventilation (MV) and to evaluate the weaning success rate as well as practitioner adherence to the protocol. METHODS: We investigated all consecutive MV-dependent subjects admitted to a medical-surgical intensive care unit (ICU) for >24h over 7years. The multifaceted strategy consisted of continuing education of attending physicians and ICU staff and regular feedback regarding patient outcomes. The study was conducted in three phases: protocol development, protocol and multifaceted strategy implementation, and protocol monitoring. Data regarding weaning outcomes and physician adherence to the weaning protocol were collected during all phases. RESULTS: We enrolled 2469 subjects over 7years, with 1,943 subjects (78.7%) experiencing weaning success. Physician adherence to the protocol increased during the years of protocol and multifaceted strategy implementation (from 38% to 86%, p<0.01) and decreased in the protocol monitoring phase (from 73.9% to 50.0%, p<0.01). However, during the study years, the weaning success of all subjects increased (from 73.1% to 85.4%, p<0.001). When the weaning protocol was evaluated step-by-step, we found high adherence for noninvasive ventilation use (95%) and weaning predictor measurement (91%) and lower adherence for control of fluid balance (57%) and daily interruption of sedation (24%). Weaning success was higher in patients who had undergone the weaning protocol compared to those who had undergone weaning based in clinical practice (85.6% vs. 67.7%, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A multifaceted strategy consisting of continuing education and regular feedback can increase physician adherence to a weaning protocol for mechanical ventilation.

Impact of a mechanical ventilation weaning protocol on the extubation failure rate in difficult-to-wean patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the predictive accuracy of clinical judgment alone can be improved by supplementing it with an objective weaning protocol as a decision support tool. METHODS: This was a multicenter prospective cohort study carried out at three medical/surgical ICUs. The study involved all consecutive difficult-to-wean ICU patients (failure in the first spontaneous breathing trial [SBT]), on mechanical ventilation (MV) for more than 48 h, admitted between January of 2002 and December of 2005. The patients in the protocol group (PG) were extubated after a T-piece weaning trial and were compared with patients who were otherwise extubated (non-protocol group, NPG). The primary outcome measure was reintubation within 48 h after extubation. RESULTS: We included 731 patients-533 (72.9%) and 198 (27.1%) in the PG and NPG, respectively. The overall reintubation rate was 17.9%. The extubation success rates in the PG and NPG were 86.7% and 69.6%, respectively (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of age, gender, severity score, or pre-inclusion time on MV. However, COPD was more common in the NPG than in the PG (44.4% vs. 17.6%; p < 0.001), whereas sepsis and being a post-operative patient were more common in the PG (23.8% vs. 11.6% and 42.4% vs. 26.4%, respectively; p < 0.001 for both). The time on MV after the failure in the first SBT was higher in the PG than in the NPG (9 ± 5 days vs. 7 ± 2 days; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In this sample of difficult-to-wean patients, the use of a weaning protocol improved the decision-making process, decreasing the possibility of extubation failure.

Impacto de um protocolo de desmame de ventilação mecânica na taxa de falha de extubação em pacientes de difícil desmame / Impact of a mechanical ventilation weaning protocol on the extubation failure rate in difficult-to-wean patients

OBJETIVO: Determinar se a acurácia preditiva do julgamento clínico isolado pode ser melhorada com o uso suplementar de um protocolo de desmame objetivo como ferramenta de suporte para a tomada de decisão. MÉTODOS: Estudo prospectivo multicêntrico de coorte realizado em três UTIs clínicas/cirúrgicas. Foram incluídos no estudo todos os pacientes de difícil desmame (falha no primeiro teste de ventilação espontânea [TVE]), sob ventilação mecânica (VM) por mais de 48 h, admitidos em uma das UTIs entre janeiro de 2002 e dezembro de 2005. Os pacientes do grupo protocolo (GP) foram extubados após teste de tubo T de acordo com um protocolo de desmame e comparados com o grupo de pacientes extubados sem o uso do protocolo (GNP). O desfecho primário foi a taxa de reintubação em até 48 h após a extubação. RESULTADOS: Foram incluídos 731 pacientes - 533 (72,9%) no GP e 198 (27,1%) no GNP. A taxa global de reintubação foi de 17,9%. As taxas de sucesso da extubação no GP e no GNP foram 86,7% e 69,6%, respectivamente (p < 0,001). Não houve diferenças significativas entre os grupos quanto a idade, gênero, escore de gravidade e tempo de VM antes da inclusão. Entretanto, DPOC foi mais frequente no GNP que no GP (44,4% vs. 17,6%; p < 0,001), ao passo que pacientes sépticos e em pós-operatório foram mais comuns no GP (23,8% vs. 11,6% e 42,4% vs. 26,4%, respectivamente; p < 0,001 para ambos). O tempo de VM após a falha no primeiro TVE foi maior no GP que no GNP (9 ± 5 dias vs. 7 ± 2 dias; p < 0,001). CONCLUSÕES: Nesta amostra de pacientes de difícil desmame, o uso de um protocolo de desmame melhorou o processo decisório, reduzindo a possibilidade de falha na extubação.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the predictive accuracy of clinical judgment alone can be improved by supplementing it with an objective weaning protocol as a decision support tool. METHODS: This was a multicenter prospective cohort study carried out at three medical/surgical ICUs. The study involved all consecutive difficult-to-wean ICU patients (failure in the first spontaneous breathing trial [SBT]), on mechanical ventilation (MV) for more than 48 h, admitted between January of 2002 and December of 2005. The patients in the protocol group (PG) were extubated after a T-piece weaning trial and were compared with patients who were otherwise extubated (non-protocol group, NPG). The primary outcome measure was reintubation within 48 h after extubation. RESULTS: We included 731 patients-533 (72.9%) and 198 (27.1%) in the PG and NPG, respectively. The overall reintubation rate was 17.9%. The extubation success rates in the PG and NPG were 86.7% and 69.6%, respectively (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of age, gender, severity score, or pre-inclusion time on MV. However, COPD was more common in the NPG than in the PG (44.4% vs. 17.6%; p < 0.001), whereas sepsis and being a post-operative patient were more common in the PG (23.8% vs. 11.6% and 42.4% vs. 26.4%, respectively; p < 0.001 for both). The time on MV after the failure in the first SBT was higher in the PG than in the NPG (9 ± 5 days vs. 7 ± 2 days; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In this sample of difficult-to-wean patients, the use of a weaning protocol improved the decision-making process, decreasing the possibility of extubation failure.

Weaning predictors do not predict extubation failure in simple-to-wean patients.

BACKGROUND: Predictor indexes are often included in weaning protocols and may help the intensive care unit (ICU) staff to reach expected weaning outcome in patients on mechanical ventilation. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to evaluate the potential of weaning predictors during extubation. DESIGN: This is a prospective clinical study. SETTINGS: The study was conducted in 3 medical-surgical ICUs. PATIENTS: Five hundred consecutive unselected patients ventilated for more than 48 hours were included. METHODS AND MEASUREMENTS: All patients were extubated after 30 minutes of successful spontaneous breathing trial and followed up for 48 hours. The protocol evaluated hemodynamics, ventilation parameters, arterial blood gases, and the weaning indexes frequency to tidal volume ratio; compliance, respiratory rate, oxygenation, and pressure; maximal inspiratory pressure; maximal expiratory pressure; Pao(2)/fraction of inspired oxygen; respiratory frequency; and tidal volume during mechanical ventilation and in the 1st and 30th minute of spontaneous breathing trial. RESULTS: Reintubation rate was 22.8%, and intensive care mortality was higher in the reintubation group (10% vs 31%; P < .0001). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve showed that tests did not discriminate which patients could tolerate extubation. CONCLUSION: Usual weaning indexes are poor predictors for extubation outcome in the overall ICU population.