Effect of a nursing-implemented sedation protocol on the duration of mechanical ventilation

Management of pain and sedation in the intensive care unit

Advances in our approach to treating pain and sedation when caring for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) have been propelled by decades of robust trial data, knowledge gained from patient experiences, and our evolving understanding of how pain and sedation strategies affect patient survival and long term outcomes. These data contribute to current practice guidelines prioritizing analgesia-first sedation strategies (analgosedation) that target light sedation when possible, use of short acting sedatives, and avoidance of benzodiazepines. Together, these strategies allow the patient to be more awake and able to participate in early mobilization and family interactions. The covid-19 pandemic introduced unique challenges in the ICU that affected delivery of best practices and patient outcomes. Compliance with best practices has not returned to pre-covid levels. After emerging from the pandemic and refocusing our attention on optimal pain and sedation management in the ICU, it is imperative to revisit the data that contributed to our current recommendations, review the importance of best practices on patient outcomes, and consider new strategies when advancing patient care.

Impact of sedation depth on neurological outcome in post-cardiac arrest patients - A retrospective cohort study

AIMS

Whether targeted temperature management (TTM) might improve neurologic prognosis in patients after cardiac arrest is currently under debate. Data concerning sedation depth during TTM is rare. This study aimed to compare the impact of different sedation depths on neurological outcomes in post-cardiac arrest patients undergoing TTM.

METHODS

In this retrospective, before-and-after registry study, all patients receiving TTM on a medical ICU between 08/2016 and 03/2021 were included. This study evaluated the following sedation targets: RASS-target during TTM -5 until 08/2019 and RASS-target -4 since 09/2019. The primary endpoint was favorable neurological outcome at ICU discharge, defined as a Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) score of 1 or 2.

RESULTS

403 patients were included (RASS-target -5: N = 285; RASS-target -4: N = 118). Favorable neurological outcome was documented in 54/118 (45.8 %) patients in the group with a RASS-target of -4 compared to 111/285 (38.9 %) in the group with a RASS-target of -5. After adjustment for age, sex, initial shockable rhythm, bystander CPR, duration of CPR and mean arterial pressure 12 h after CPR, favorable neurological outcome was associated with RASS-target -4 (OR 1.82 (95 % CI: 1.02-3.23); p = 0.042). ICU survival was similar in both groups while 30-day survival was associated with RASS-target -4 (OR 1.81 (1.01-3.26); p = 0.047).

CONCLUSION

Lighter sedation strategies during TTM after cardiac arrest might improve outcome and should be further investigated.

Evaluation of the Impact of the Addition of Atypical Antipsychotics to Continuous Infusion Propofol Therapy

Purpose: The administration of sedatives to critically ill patients is a common practice in intensive care units (ICU) and has been associated with negative outcomes. To mitigate this, atypical antipsychotics are utilized as adjunctive therapy. This study aims to review and quantify overall effectiveness of the atypical antipsychotics quetiapine, risperidone, and olanzapine on reduction in the amount of continuous infusion propofol utilized in the ICU. Methods: This was an observational study that took place from February 27, 2021 to December 31, 2022. The primary outcome of this study was the percentage change in average propofol infusion rate (mcg/kg/min) from baseline to the greater than 24 to 48 hours period after atypical antipsychotic initiation. Secondary outcomes included ICU length of stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, QTc interval monitoring, and continuation of the antipsychotic without a valid indication. Descriptive statistics were utilized for the statistical analysis. Results: A total of 47 patients were included in the study. The average baseline propofol rate was 31 mcg/kg/min, which reduced 8.6% to 28.35 mcg/kg/min over the 0 to 24 hours period, was reduced by 19.4% compared to baseline to a rate of 25 mcg/kg/min during the greater than 24 to 48 hours period, and finally a percent reduction of 54.2% seen during the greater than 48 to 72 hours period to a rate of 14 mcg/kg/min. Conclusions: Patients who received an adjunctive antipsychotic saw resulting propofol rate reductions of 8.6% at 24 hours, 19.4% at 48 hours, and 54.2% at 72 hours. However, research on this topic should not end here, as further investigation with higher-level study design is needed to determine the true impact of these agents for this indication.

Position Statement of ISCCM Committee on Weaning from Mechanical Ventilator

Background and purpose

Weaning from a mechanical ventilator is a milestone in the recovery of seriously ill patients in Intensive care. Failure to wean and re-intubation adversely affects the outcome. The method of mechanical ventilation (MV) varies between different ICUs and so does the practice of weaning. Therefore, updated guidelines based on contemporary literature are designed to guide intensivists in modern ICUs. This is the first ISCCM Consensus Statement on weaning complied by a committee on weaning. The recommendations are intended to be used by all the members of the ICU (Intensivists, Registrars, Nurses, and Respiratory Therapists).

Methods

A Committee on weaning from MV, formed by the Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine (ISCCM) has formulated this statement on weaning from mechanical ventilators in intensive care units (ICUs) after a review of the literature. Literature was first circulated among expert committee members and allotted sections to each member. Sections of the statement written by sectional authors were peer-reviewed on multiple occasions through virtual meetings. After the final manuscript is accepted by all the committee members, it is submitted for peer review by central guideline committee of ISCCM. Once approved it has passed through review by the Editorial Board of IJCCM before it is published here as "ISCCM consensus statement on weaning from mechanical ventilator". As per the standard accepted for all its guidelines of ISCCM, we followed the modified grading of recommendations assessment, development and evaluation (GRADE) system to classify the quality of evidence and strength of recommendation. Cost-benefit, risk-benefit analysis, and feasibility of implementation in Indian ICUs are considered by the committee along with the strength of evidence. Type of ventilators and their modes, ICU staffing pattern, availability of critical care nurses, Respiratory therapists, and day vs night time staffing are aspects considered while recommending for or against any aspect of weaning.

Result

This document makes recommendation on various aspects of weaning, namely, definition, timing, weaning criteria, method of weaning, diagnosis of failure to wean, defining difficult to wean, Use of NIV, HFOV as adjunct to weaning, role of tracheostomy in weaning, weaning in of long term ventilated patients, role of physiotherapy, mobilization in weaning, Role of nutrition in weaning, role of diaphragmatic ultrasound in weaning prediction etc. Out of 42 questions addressed; the committee provided 39 recommendations and refrained from 3 questions. Of these 39; 32 are based on evidence and 7 are based on expert opinion of the committee members. It provides 27 strong recommendations and 12 weak recommendations (suggestions).

Conclusion

This guideline gives extensive review on weaning from mechanical ventilator and provides various recommendations on weaning from mechanical ventilator. Though all efforts are made to make is as updated as possible one needs to review any guideline periodically to keep it in line with upcoming concepts and standards.

How to cite this article

Clerk AM, Shah RJ, Kothari J, Sodhi K, Vadi S, Bhattacharya PK, et al. Position Statement of ISCCM Committee on Weaning from Mechanical Ventilator. Indian J Crit Care Med 2024;28(S2):S233-S248.

Optimizing patient outcomes: a comprehensive evaluation of protocolized sedation in intensive care settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Amidst the routine utilization of protocolized sedation in ventilated ICU patients, existing management guidelines exhibit a lack of unanimous recommendations for its widespread adoption. This study endeavors to comprehensively assess the effectiveness and safety of protocolized sedation in critically ill ventilated patients.

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of this study was to systematically review and conduct a meta-analysis of clinical trials comparing protocolized sedation with standard management in critically ill ventilated patients. Key outcomes under scrutiny include ICU and hospital mortality, ventilation days, duration of ICU stay, and incidents of self-extubation. The evaluation incorporates the Risk of Bias 2 (RoB2) tool to assess the quality of included studies. Data analysis utilizes a random-effects model for relative risk (RR) and mean differences. Subgroup analysis categorizes sedation protocols into algorithmic or daily interruption, addressing potential heterogeneity. Additionally, a GRADE evaluation is performed to ascertain the overall certainty of the evidence.

RESULTS

From an initial pool of 1504 records, 10 studies met the inclusion criteria. Protocolized sedation demonstrated a reduced RR for mortality (RR: 0.80, 95% CI 0.68-0.93, p < 0.01, I2 = 0%) and a decrease in ventilation days (mean difference: - 1.12, 95% CI - 2.11 to - 0.14, p = 0.03, I2 = 84%). Furthermore, there was a notable reduction in ICU stay (mean difference: - 2.24, 95% CI - 3.59 to - 0.89, p < 0.01, I2 = 81%). However, incidents of self-extubation did not exhibit a significant difference (RR: 1.20, 95% CI 0.49-2.94, p = 0.69, I2 = 35%). Subgroup analyses effectively eliminated heterogeneity (I2 = 0%), and the GRADE evaluation yielded moderate results for mortality, ventilation days, and ICU duration.

CONCLUSION

Protocolized sedation, whether implemented algorithmically or through daily interruption, emerges as a safe and effective approach when compared to standard management in ventilated ICU patients. The findings from this study contribute valuable insights to inform evidence-based practices in sedation management for this critical patient population.

ICU- and ventilator-free days with isoflurane or propofol as a primary sedative - A post- hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial

PURPOSE

To compare ICU-free (ICU-FD) and ventilator-free days (VFD) in the 30 days after randomization in patients that received isoflurane or propofol without receiving the other sedative.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A recent randomized controlled trial (RCT) compared inhaled isoflurane via the Sedaconda® anaesthetic conserving device (ACD) with intravenous propofol for up to 54 h (Meiser et al. 2021). After end of study treatment, continued sedation was locally determined. Patients were eligible for this post-hoc analysis only if they had available 30-day follow-up data and never converted to the other drug in the 30 days from randomization. Data on ventilator use, ICU stay, concomitant sedative use, renal replacement therapy (RRT) and mortality were collected.

RESULTS

Sixty-nine of 150 patients randomized to isoflurane and 109 of 151 patients randomized to propofol were eligible. After adjusting for potential confounders, the isoflurane group had more ICU-FD than the propofol group (17.3 vs 13.8 days, p = 0.028). VFD for the isoflurane and propofol groups were 19.8 and 18.5 respectively (p = 0.454). Other sedatives were used more frequently (p < 0.0001) and RRT started in a greater proportion of patients in the propofol group (p = 0.011).

CONCLUSIONS

Isoflurane via the ACD was not associated with more VFD but with more ICU-FD and less concomitant sedative use.

A survey of current practices in sedation, analgesia, withdrawal, and delirium management in paediatric cardiac ICUs

OBJECTIVE

To characterise the current approach to sedation, analgesia, iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome and delirium in paediatric cardiac ICUs.

DESIGN

A convenience sample survey of practitioners at institutions participating in the Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Consortium conducted from September to December 2020.

SETTING

Paediatric cardiac ICUs.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Survey responses were received from 33 of 42 institutions contacted. Screening for pain and agitation occurs commonly and frequently. A minority of responding centres (39%) have a written analgesia management protocol/guideline. A minority (42%) of centres have a written protocol for sedation. Screening for withdrawal occurs commonly, although triggers for withdrawal screening vary. Only 42% of respondents have written protocols for withdrawal management. Screening for delirium occurs "always" in 46% of responding centres, "sometimes" in 36% of centres and "never" 18%. Nine participating centres (27%) have written protocols for delirium management.

CONCLUSIONS

Our survey identified that most responding paediatric cardiac ICUs lack a standardised approach to the management of analgesia, sedation, iatrogenic withdrawal, and delirium. Screening for pain and agitation occurs regularly, while screening for withdrawal occurs fairly frequently, and screening for delirium is notably less consistent. Only a minority of centres use written protocols or guidelines for the management of these problems. We believe that this represents an opportunity to significantly improve patient care within the paediatric cardiac ICU.

Implementation of coordinated spontaneous awakening and breathing trials using telehealth-enabled, real-time audit and feedback for clinician adherence (TEACH): a type II hybrid effectiveness-implementation cluster-randomized trial

BACKGROUND

Intensive care unit (ICU) patients on mechanical ventilation often require sedation and analgesia to improve comfort and decrease pain. Prolonged sedation and analgesia, however, may increase time on mechanical ventilation, risk for ventilator associated pneumonia, and delirium. Coordinated interruptions in sedation [spontaneous awakening trials (SATs)] and spontaneous breathing trials (SBTs) increase ventilator-free days and improve mortality. Coordination of SATs and SBTs is difficult with substantial implementation barriers due to difficult-to-execute sequencing between nurses and respiratory therapists. Telehealth-enabled remote care has the potential to overcome these barriers and improve coordinated SAT and SBT adherence by enabling proactive high-risk patient monitoring, surveillance, and real-time assistance to frontline ICU teams.

METHODS

The telehealth-enabled, real-time audit and feedback for clinician adherence (TEACH) study will determine whether adding a telehealth augmented real-time audit and feedback to a usual supervisor-led audit and feedback intervention will yield higher coordinated SAT and SBT adherence and more ventilator-free days in mechanically ventilated patients than a usual supervisor-led audit and feedback intervention alone in a type II hybrid effectiveness-implementation cluster-randomized clinical trial in 12 Intermountain Health hospitals with 15 ICUs. In the active comparator control group (six hospitals), the only intervention is the usual supervisor-led audit and feedback implementation. The telehealth-enabled support (TEACH) intervention in six hospitals adds real-time identification of patients eligible for a coordinated SAT and SBT and consultative input from telehealth respiratory therapists, nurses, and physicians to the bedside clinicians to promote adherence including real-time assistance with execution. All intubated and mechanically ventilated patients ≥ 16 years of age are eligible for enrollment except for patients who die on the day of intubation or have preexisting brain death. Based on preliminary power analyses, we plan a 36-month intervention period that includes a 90-day run-in period. Estimated enrollment in the final analysis is up to 9900 mechanically ventilated patients over 33 months.

DISCUSSION

The TEACH study will enhance implementation science by providing insight into how a telehealth intervention augmenting a usual audit and feedback implementation may improve adherence to coordinated SAT and SBT and increase ventilator-free days.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT05141396 , registered 12/02/2021.

Efficacy and safety of ciprofol for long-term sedation in patients receiving mechanical ventilation in ICUs: a prospective, single-center, double-blind, randomized controlled protocol

Introduction: Critically ill patients who receive mechanical ventilation after endotracheal intubation commonly experience discomfort and pressure. The major sedative drugs that are currently used in clinical practice present with many complications, such as hypotension, bradycardia, and respiratory depression. Ciprofol (HSK3486), which is a newly developed structural analog of propofol, is a short-acting gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor agonist, and its mechanism of action is sedation or anesthesia by enhancing GABA-mediated chloride influx. The high efficacy of ciprofol for short-term sedation is comparable to that of propofol, and it has a relatively low incidence of adverse effects and high level of safety, which has been confirmed by multiple clinical studies. However, few studies have examined its safety and efficacy for long-term sedation. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ciprofol for long-term sedation in mechanically ventilated patients. Methods: A prospective, single-center, double-blind, randomized, propofol-controlled, non-inferiority trial is proposed. The study will enroll 112 mechanically ventilated patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital affiliated with Tongji University based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study, and randomly assign them to a group sedated with either ciprofol or propofol. The primary outcome is the percentage of time spent under target sedation, and secondary outcomes include drug dose, number of cases requiring additional dextrometropine, incidence of systolic blood pressure <80 or >180 mmHg, incidence of diastolic blood pressure <50 or >100 mmHg, incidence of heart rate <50 beats per minute (bpm) or >120 bpm, inflammatory indicators, blood lipid levels, liver and kidney functions, nutritional indicators, ventilator-free days within the 7-day period after enrollment, 28-day mortality, ICU stay duration, and hospitalization costs. Discussion: We hypothesize that the efficacy and safety of ciprofol for long-term sedation in mechanically ventilated ICU patients will not be inferior to that of propofol. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trials Registry identifier ChiCTR2200066951.

Enhancing the awakening to family engagement bundle with music therapy

Survivors of prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) admissions may present undesirable long-term outcomes. In particular, physical impairment and cognitive dysfunction have both been described in patients surviving episodes requiring mechanical ventilation and sedation. One of the strategies to prevent the aforementioned outcomes involves the implementation of a bundle composed by: (1) Spontaneous awakening trial; (2) Spontaneous breathing trial; (3) Choosing proper sedation strategies; (4) Delirium detection and management; (5) Early ICU mobility; and (6) Family engagement (ABCDEF bundle). The components of this bundle contribute in shortening length of stay on mechanical ventilation and reducing incidence of delirium. Since the first description of the ABCDEF bundle, other relevant therapeutic factors have been proposed, such as introducing music therapy. This mini-review describes the current evidence supporting the use of the ABCDEF bundle, as well as current knowledge on the implementation of music therapy.

Sedation/agitation monitoring using a wearable device for ventilated children

BACKGROUND

Developing continuous and labor-saving sedation/agitation monitoring methods in ventilated children is important to avoid undesirable events such as unplanned extubation. The existing scales are often challenging to use. We therefore aimed to evaluate the feasibility of sedation/agitation monitoring using a wearable device with a built-in accelerometer for ventilated children.

METHODS

This prospective observational pilot study included children aged 15 years or less, admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit on mechanical ventilation after cardiac catheterization between December 2021 and April 2022. The wearable device with a built-in accelerometer was attached to either of the upper limbs, and accelerations due to upper limb movements were measured for 2 h after admission or until extubation, whichever was earliest. Accelerations were measured at 0.02 s intervals, with the mean acceleration calculated for each 1 min interval. The State Behavioral Scale (SBS) was completed at 1 min intervals, with the SBS score (-1, 0, 1, or 2) compared with the mean acceleration.

RESULTS

The study included 20 children with a median age of 12 months. The mean accelerations and SBS scores were positively correlated (Kendall's τ, 0.22; p < 0.001), with an increase in the median (interquartile range) acceleration from an SBS score of -1 through 2, as follows: SBS -1, 0.200 (0.151-0.232) m/s2 ; SBS 0, 0.202 (0.190-0.235) m/s2 ; SBS, 1, 0.312 (0.236-0.427) m/s2 ; SBS 2, 0.455 (0.332-0.517) m/s2 . No adverse events were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that continuous, labor-saving sedation/agitation monitoring of ventilated children was feasible using a wearable device with a built-in accelerometer.

Association of early sedation level with patient outcomes in moderate-to-severe acute respiratory distress syndrome: Propensity-score matched analysis

Purpose

Studies of early depth of sedation in mixed critically ill populations have suggested benefit to light sedation; however, the relationship of early depth of sedation with outcomes in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is unknown.

Materials and methods

We performed a propensity-score matched analysis of early light sedation (Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale Score, RASS 0 to −1 or equivalent) versus deep sedation (RASS −2 or lower) in patients enrolled in the non-intervention group of The Reevaluation of Systemic Early Neuromuscular Blockade trial. Primary outcome was 90 day mortality. Secondary outcomes included days free of mechanical ventilation, days not in ICU, days not in hospital at day 28.

Results

137 of 486 participants (28.2%) received early light sedation. Vasopressor usage and Apache III scores significantly differed between groups. Prior to matching, 90-day mortality was higher in the early deep sedation (45.3%) compared to light sedation (34.2%) group. In the propensity score matched cohort, there was no difference in 90-day mortality (Odds Ratio (OR) 0.72, 95% CI 0.41, 1.27, p = 0.26) or secondary outcomes between the groups.

Conclusions

We did not find an association between early depth of sedation and clinical outcomes in this cohort of patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS.

The Application of the Nurse-Led Sedation and Analgesia Management in ICU after Heart Surgeries

Aim

Traditional sedation management consists of doctors adjusting the dosage of sedative drugs or adding other drugs in combination according to the evaluation of nurses; the nurses then execute the orders. The nurses' passive execution in the process is not the ideal model for continuous evaluation and observation of sedation. This study aims to investigate the application and effects of nurse-provided procedural sedation and analgesia for patients in intensive care unit.

Methods

The experimental group consisted of 354 heart surgery patients who received procedural sedation and analgesia from nurses from November 2020 to August 2021. The control group consisted of 301 patients who had had heart surgery and received the traditional sedation management program from January to October 2020. The differences in levels of the sedative effect, delirium, and unplanned extubation of patients between these two groups were compared.

Results

There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups (P > 0.05). It was found that both insufficient sedation and excessive sedation decreased in the experimental group when compared to the control group, while the appropriate proportion of sedation increased (72.41% versus 37.98%); the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The incidence of delirium was lower for patients in the experimental group than for patients in the control group (37.01% versus 66.45%); the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The incidence of unplanned extubation caused by patient factors was lower for the experimental group than for the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

The programmed sedation scheme led by nurses can improve the sedation effect and reduce the incidence of delirium. Implications for Practice. The management team gives the sedative goal and establishes the standard flowchart. The sedation management led by the nurse according to the goal and flowchart is better than the traditional sedation management.

Neurological monitoring and sedation protocols in the Liver Intensive Care Unit

Patients with liver disease often have alteration of neurological status which requires admission to an intensive care unit. Patients with acute liver failure (ALF), acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) and rarely cirrhosis are at risk of cerebral edema. These patients require prompt assessment of neurological status including assessment of intra-cranial pressure (ICP) and monitoring metabolic parameters like arterial/venous ammonia levels, serum creatinine and serum electrolytes so that timely specific therapy for raised ICP can be instituted to prevent permanent neurological dysfunction. The overall aims of neuromonitoring and sedation protocols in a liver intensive care unit are to identify the level of multifactorial metabolic encephalopathy, individualize sedation and analgesia requirements for patients on mechanical ventilation, institute specific therapy to correct the neurological insult in ALF and ACLF, provide clear physiological data for guided therapy of drugs like muscle relaxants, antiepileptics, and cerebral edema reducing agents, and assist with overall prognostication. In this review article we will outline the clinical scenarios related to liver disease requiring intensive care and neuromonitoring, current techniques of neurological assessment, sedation protocols and point of care tests which enable the treating physician and intensivist guide therapy for raised ICP.

The efficacy and safety of nurse-initiated sedation management in an intensive care unit: A two-phase prospective study in Japan

AIM

This study aimed to evaluate whether nurse-initiated sedation management could provide more appropriate sedation compared to usual care in a Japanese intensive care unit (ICU).

METHODS

We conducted a single-center, prospective observational study before and after implementing nurse-initiated sedation using instruction sheets. Patients who had been admitted to a general adult ICU were enrolled. Before our ICU started nurse-initiated sedation (pre-implementation care), adjustment of sedatives and analgesics was performed only by a physician's written or verbal order; however, after implementing nurse-initiated sedation, nurses titrated drugs using instruction sheets. The primary outcome was the efficacy of nurse-initiated sedation, evaluated by the proportion achieving the target Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) score. The analgesic status evaluated by Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT), days of delirium, ventilator days, ICU mortality and hospital mortality were also evaluated.

RESULTS

The study examined 30 patients in the pre-implementation care phase and 30 patients in the nurse-initiated sedation phase. The proportions achieving the target RASS were 68% in the nurse-initiated sedation group and 42% in the pre-implementation care group (mean difference, 25%; 95% confidence interval, 13.4%-37.5%; P <.001). Almost all measured CPOT were within the range of 0-3 during both phases. Days of delirium, ventilator days, ICU survival, and hospital survival did not differ significantly between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Nurse-initiated sedation management achieved a significantly higher degree of target sedation status and was incorporated as part of the care in our ICU. It is a safe approach in countries, such as Japan, where sedation protocols are not widely used.

The AIR-SED Study: A Multicenter Cohort Study of SEDation Practices, Deep Sedation, and Coma Among Mechanically Ventilated AIR Transport Patients

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

OBJECTIVES:

To characterize prehospital air medical transport sedation practices and test the hypothesis that modifiable variables related to the monitoring and delivery of analgesia and sedation are associated with prehospital deep sedation.

DESIGN:

Multicenter, retrospective cohort study.

SETTING:

A nationwide, multicenter (approximately 130 bases) air medical transport provider.

PATIENTS:

Consecutive, adult mechanically ventilated air medical transport patients treated in the prehospital environment (January 2015 to December 2020).

INTERVENTIONS:

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:

All data involving sedation (medications, monitoring) were recorded. Deep sedation was defined as: 1) Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale of –3 to –5; 2) Ramsay Sedation Scale of 5 or 6; or 3) Glasgow Coma Scale of less than or equal to 9. Coma was defined as being unresponsive and based on median sedation depth: 1) Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale of –5; 2) Ramsay of 6; or 3) Glasgow Coma Scale of 3. A total of 72,148 patients were studied. Prehospital deep sedation was observed in 63,478 patients (88.0%), and coma occurred in 42,483 patients (58.9%). Deeply sedated patients received neuromuscular blockers more frequently and were less likely to have sedation depth documented with a validated sedation depth scale (i.e., Ramsay or Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale). After adjusting for covariates, a multivariable logistic regression model demonstrated that the use of longer-acting neuromuscular blockers (i.e., rocuronium and vecuronium) was an independent predictor of deep sedation (adjusted odds ratio, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.22–1.35; p < 0.001), while use of a validated sedation scale was associated with a lower odds of deep sedation (adjusted odds ratio, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.27–0.30; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS:

Deep sedation (and coma) is very common in mechanically ventilated air transport patients and associated with modifiable variables related to the monitoring and delivery of analgesia and sedation. Sedation practices in the prehospital arena and associated clinical outcomes are in need of further investigation.

A Daily, Respiratory Therapist Assessment of Readiness to Liberate From Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Patients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

We assessed the effect of implementing a protocol-directed strategy to determine when patients can be liberated from venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation duration, time to initiation of first sweep-off trial, duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU length of stay, hospital length of stay, and survival to hospital discharge.

Design

Single-center retrospective before and after study.

Setting

The medical ICU at an academic medical center.

Patients

One-hundred eighty patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome managed with venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation at a single institution from 2013 to 2019.

Interventions

In 2016, our institution implemented a daily assessment of readiness for a trial off extracorporeal membrane oxygenation sweep gas ("sweep-off trial"). When patients met prespecified criteria, the respiratory therapist performed a sweep-off trial to determine readiness for discontinuation of venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Measurements and Main Results

Sixty-seven patients were treated before implementation of the sweep-off trial protocol, and 113 patients were treated after implementation. Patients managed using the sweep-off trial protocol had a significantly shorter extracorporeal membrane oxygenation duration (5.5 d [3-11 d] vs 11 d [7-15.5 d]; p < 0.001), time to first sweep-off trial (2.5 d [1-5 d] vs 7.0 d [5-11 d]; p < 0.001), duration of mechanical ventilation (15.0 d [9-31 d] vs 25 d [21-33 d]; p = 0.017), and ICU length of stay (18 d [10-33 d] vs 27.0 d [21-36 d]; p = 0.008). There were no observed differences in hospital length of stay or survival to hospital discharge.

Conclusions

In patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome managed with venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation at our institution, implementation of a daily, respiratory therapist assessment of readiness for a sweep-off trial was associated with a shorter time to first sweep-off trial and shorter duration of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Among survivors, the postassessment group had a reduced duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU lengths of stay. There were no observed differences in hospital length of stay or inhospital mortality.

Favorable Outcomes After Implementing a Nurse-Driven Sedation Protocol

BACKGROUND

In patients receiving mechanical ventilation, prolonged exposure to sedative and analgesic medications contributes to negative clinical outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

To reduce exposure to sedative and analgesic medications among patients receiving mechanical ventilation by implementing a nurse-driven sedation protocol.

METHODS

This quality improvement project followed a plan-do-study-act cycle. Nurses were educated on the protocol, and 30 patient medical records were reviewed both before and after protocol implementation. Data were extracted on intensive care unit length of stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, duration of continuous sedation, presence of delirium, pain, level of sedation, and performance and documentation of spontaneous awakening trials. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the χ2 test, and calculated percent change.

RESULTS

Forty-four nurses completed protocol education. The mean (SD) duration of mechanical ventilation decreased by 26% (from 5 [3.7] days to 3.7 [3.2] days), and the mean (SD) intensive care unit length of stay decreased by 27% (from 6.3 [4.3] days to 4.6 [3.7] days). The mean (SD) duration of continuous sedation decreased by 35% (from 6419 [7241] minutes to 4178 [4507] minutes). Spontaneous awakening trials documented increased by 35% (from 57% to 77%), and spontaneous awakening trials performed increased by 92% (from 40% to 77%), a statistically significant change (P = .004).

CONCLUSION

These preliminary data suggest that implementation of a nurse-driven sedation protocol resulted in favorable outcomes by decreasing duration of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit length of stay, and duration of continuous sedation and increasing the number of spontaneous awakening trials performed.

Dexmedetomidine and paralytic exposure after damage control laparotomy: risk factors for delirium? Results from the EAST SLEEP-TIME multicenter trial

PURPOSE

To evaluate factors associated with ICU delirium in patients who underwent damage control laparotomy (DCL), with the hypothesis that benzodiazepines and paralytic infusions would be associated with increased delirium risk. We also sought to evaluate the differences in sedation practices between trauma (T) and non-trauma (NT) patients.

METHODS

We reviewed retrospective data from 15 centers in the EAST SLEEP-TIME registry admitted from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2018. We included all adults undergoing DCL, regardless of diagnosis, who had completed daily Richmond Agitation Sedation Score (RASS) and Confusion Assessment Method-ICU (CAM-ICU). We excluded patients younger than 18 years, pregnant women, prisoners and patients who died before the first re-laparotomy. Data collected included age, number of re-laparotomies after DCL, duration of paralytic infusion, duration and type of sedative and opioid infusions as well as daily CAM-ICU and RASS scores to analyze risk factors associated with the proportion of delirium-free/coma-free ICU days during the first 30 days (DF/CF-ICU-30) using multivariate linear regression.

RESULTS

A 353 patient subset (73.2% trauma) from the overall 567-patient cohort had complete daily RASS and CAM-ICU data. NT patients were older (58.9 ± 16.0 years vs 40.5 ± 17.0 years [p < 0.001]). Mean DF/CF-ICU-30 days was 73.7 ± 96.4% for the NT and 51.3 ± 38.7% in the T patients (p = 0.030). More T patients were exposed to Midazolam, 41.3% vs 20.3% (p = 0.002). More T patients were exposed to Propofol, 91.0% vs 71.9% (p < 0.001) with longer infusion times in T compared to NT (71.2 ± 85.9 vs 48.9 ± 69.8 h [p = 0.017]). Paralytic infusions were also used more in T compared to NT, 34.8% vs 18.2% (p < 0.001). Using linear regression, dexmedetomidine infusion and paralytic infusions were associated with decreases in DF/CF-ICU-30, (- 2.78 (95%CI [- 5.54, - 0.024], p = 0.040) and (- 7.08 ([- 13.0, - 1.10], p = 0.020) respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the relationship between paralytic use and delirium is well-established, the observation that dexmedetomidine exposure is independently associated with increased delirium and coma is novel and bears further study.

Safety and Feasibility of a Protocolized Daily Assessment of Readiness for Liberation From Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

BACKGROUND

Decannulation from venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) at the earliest and safest possible time may improve outcomes and reduce cost. Yet, no prospective studies have compared weaning strategies for liberation from ECMO.

RESEARCH QUESTION

Is a protocolized daily assessment of readiness to liberate from venovenous ECMO safe and feasible?

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

We conducted a prospective, single-arm safety and feasibility study of a protocol for daily assessment of readiness to liberate from venovenous ECMO among consecutive adult patients receiving venovenous ECMO across four ICUs at a single center between June 20, 2020, and November 24, 2020. The ECMO-free protocol included three phases: (1) the safety screening, (2) non-ECMO Fio2 titration, and (3) the ECMO-free trial. Enrollment, interventions, and data collection were performed prospectively by trained study staff.

RESULTS

Twenty-six patients received the ECMO-free protocol on 385 patient-days. The safety screening was passed during a total of 59 ECMO-free daily assessments (15.3%) among 20 patients. Every passed safety screening proceeded to an ECMO-free trial. Twenty-eight passed ECMO-free trials (47.5%) occurred among 16 patients (61.5%). No missed safety screenings, protocol deviations, or adverse events occurred. Of the 16 patients who passed an ECMO-free trial, 14 patients (87.5%) were decannulated. Among decannulated patients, 12 patients (85.7%) were decannulated on the same day as a passed ECMO-free trial, 6 patients (42.9%) were decannulated on the first day that they passed an ECMO-free trial, and 6 patients (42.9%) passed an ECMO-free trial at least twice consecutively before decannulation. The median time from first passed ECMO-free trial to decannulation was 2 days (interquartile range, 0-3 days).

INTERPRETATION

The ECMO-free protocol is feasible and may identify patients for decannulation earlier than gradual approaches to weaning.

Sedation protocols in the pediatric intensive care unit: fact or fiction?

Comfort of the critically unwell pediatric patient is paramount to ensuring good outcomes. Analgesia-based, multimodal sedative approaches are the foundation for comfort, whereby pain is addressed first and then sedation titrated to a predefined target based on the goals of care. Given the heterogeneity of patients within the pediatric critical care population, the approach must be individualized based on the age and developmental stage of the child, physiologic status, and degree of invasive treatment required. In both the adult and pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), sedation titration is practiced as standard of care to meet therapeutic goals with a focus on facilitating early rehabilitation and extubation while avoiding under- and over-sedation. Sedation protocols have been developed as methods to reduce variability and optimize goal-directed therapy. Components of a sedation protocol include routine analgesia and sedation scoring with validated tools at specified intervals and a predefined algorithm that allows the titration of analgesia and sedation based on those assessments. Sedation protocols are designed to improve communication and documentation of sedation goals while also empowering the bedside team to respond rapidly to changes in a patient's clinical status. Previously it was thought that sedation protocols would consistently reduce duration of mechanical ventilation (MV) and length of stay (LOS) for patients in the PICU, however, this has not been the case. Nonetheless, introduction of sedation protocols has provided several benefits, including: (I) reduction in benzodiazepine usage; (II) improvements in interprofessional communication surrounding sedation goals and management of sedation goals; and (III) reductions in iatrogenic withdrawal symptoms. Successful implementation of sedation protocols requires passionate clinical champions and a robust implementation, education, and sustainability plan. Emerging evidence suggests that sedation protocols as part of a bundle of quality improvement initiatives will form the basis of future studies to improve short- and long-term outcomes after PICU discharge. In this review, we aim to define sedation protocols in the context of pediatric critical care and highlight important considerations for clinical practice and research.

The association between cardiac intensive care unit mechanical ventilation volumes and in-hospital mortality

AIMS

The incidence of respiratory failure and use of invasive or non-invasive mechanical ventilation (MV) in the cardiac intensive care units (CICUs) is increasing. While institutional MV volumes are associated with reduced mortality in medical and surgical ICUs, this volume-mortality relationship has not been characterized in the CICU.

METHODS AND RESULTS

National population-based data were used to identify patients admitted to CICUs (2005-2015) requiring MV in Canada. CICUs were categorized into low (≤100), intermediate (101-300), and high (>300) volume centres based on spline knots identified in the association between annual MV volume and mortality. Outcomes of interest included all-cause in-hospital mortality, the proportion of patients requiring prolonged MV (>96 h) and CICU length of stay (LOS). Among 47 173 CICU admissions requiring MV, 89.5% (42 200) required invasive MV. The median annual CICU MV volume was 43 (inter-hospital range 1-490). Compared to low-volume centres (35.9%), in-hospital mortality was lower in intermediate [29.2%, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.72-0.97, P = 0.019] and high-volume (18.2%; aOR 0.82, 95% CI 0.66-1.02, P = 0.076) centres. Prolonged MV was higher in low-volume (29.2%) compared to high-volume (14.8%, aOR 0.70, 95% CI 0.55-0.89, P = 0.003) and intermediate-volume (23.0%, aOR 0.85, 95% CI 0.68-1.06, P = 0.14] centres. Mortality and prolonged MV were lower in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)-capable and academic centres, but a shorter CICU LOS was observed only in subgroup of PCI-capable intermediate- and high-volume hospitals.

CONCLUSIONS

In a national dataset, we observed that higher CICU MV volumes were associated with lower incidence of in-hospital mortality, prolonged MV, and CICU LOS. Our data highlight the need for minimum MV volume benchmarks for CICUs caring for patients with respiratory failure.

Effect of Sedatives on In-hospital and Long-term Mortality of Critically Ill Patients Requiring Extended Mechanical Ventilation for ≥ 48 Hours

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation between sedatives and mortality in critically ill patients who required mechanical ventilation (MV) for ≥ 48 hours from 2008 to 2016.

METHODS

We conducted a nationwide retrospective cohort study using population-based healthcare reimbursement claims database. Data from adult patients (aged ≥ 18) who underwent MV for ≥ 48 hours between 2008 and 2016 were identified and extracted from the National Health Insurance Service database. The benzodiazepine group consisted of patients who were administered benzodiazepines for sedation during MV. All other patients were assigned to the non-benzodiazepine group.

RESULTS

A total of 158,712 patients requiring MV for ≥ 48 hours were admitted in 55 centers in Korea from 2008 to 2016. The benzodiazepine group had significantly higher in-hospital and one-year mortality compared to the non-benzodiazepine group (37.0% vs. 34.3%, 55.0% vs. 54.4%, respectively). Benzodiazepine use decreased from 2008 to 2016, after adjusting for age, sex, and mean Elixhauser comorbidity index in the Poisson regression analysis (incidence rate ratio, 0.968; 95% confident interval, 0.954-0.983; P < 0.001). Benzodiazepine use, older age, lower case volume (≤ 500 cases/year), chronic kidney disease, and higher Elixhauser comorbidity index were common significant risk factors for in-hospital and one-year mortality.

CONCLUSION

In critically ill patients undergoing MV for ≥ 48 hour, the use of benzodiazepines for sedation, older age, and chronic kidney disease were associated with higher in-hospital mortality and one-year mortality. Further studies are needed to evaluate the impact of benzodiazepines on the mortality in elderly patients with chronic kidney disease requiring MV for ≥ 48 hours.

The Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2020 (J-SSCG 2020)

The Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2020 (J-SSCG 2020), a Japanese-specific set of clinical practice guidelines for sepsis and septic shock created as revised from J-SSCG 2016 jointly by the Japanese Society of Intensive Care Medicine and the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine, was first released in September 2020 and published in February 2021. An English-language version of these guidelines was created based on the contents of the original Japanese-language version. The purpose of this guideline is to assist medical staff in making appropriate decisions to improve the prognosis of patients undergoing treatment for sepsis and septic shock. We aimed to provide high-quality guidelines that are easy to use and understand for specialists, general clinicians, and multidisciplinary medical professionals. J-SSCG 2016 took up new subjects that were not present in SSCG 2016 (e.g., ICU-acquired weakness [ICU-AW], post-intensive care syndrome [PICS], and body temperature management). The J-SSCG 2020 covered a total of 22 areas with four additional new areas (patient- and family-centered care, sepsis treatment system, neuro-intensive treatment, and stress ulcers). A total of 118 important clinical issues (clinical questions, CQs) were extracted regardless of the presence or absence of evidence. These CQs also include those that have been given particular focus within Japan. This is a large-scale guideline covering multiple fields; thus, in addition to the 25 committee members, we had the participation and support of a total of 226 members who are professionals (physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, clinical engineers, and pharmacists) and medical workers with a history of sepsis or critical illness. The GRADE method was adopted for making recommendations, and the modified Delphi method was used to determine recommendations by voting from all committee members.As a result, 79 GRADE-based recommendations, 5 Good Practice Statements (GPS), 18 expert consensuses, 27 answers to background questions (BQs), and summaries of definitions and diagnosis of sepsis were created as responses to 118 CQs. We also incorporated visual information for each CQ according to the time course of treatment, and we will also distribute this as an app. The J-SSCG 2020 is expected to be widely used as a useful bedside guideline in the field of sepsis treatment both in Japan and overseas involving multiple disciplines.

A One-Day Prospective National Observational Study on Sedation-Analgesia of Patients with Brain Injury in French Intensive Care Units: The SEDA-BIP-ICU (Sedation-Analgesia in Brain Injury Patient in ICU) Study

BACKGROUND

Sedation/analgesia is a daily challenge faced by intensivists managing patients with brain injury (BI) in intensive care units (ICUs). The optimization of sedation in patients with BI presents particular challenges. A choice must be made between the potential benefit of a rapid clinical evaluation and the potential exacerbation of intracranial hypertension in patients with impaired cerebral compliance. In the ICU, a pragmatic approach to the use of sedation/analgesia, including the optimal titration, management of multiple drugs, and use of any type of brain monitor, is needed. Our research question was as follows: the aim of the study is to identify what is the current daily practice regarding sedation/analgesia in the management of patients with BI in the ICU in France?

METHODS

This study was composed of two parts. The first part was a descriptive survey of sedation practices and characteristics in 30 French ICUs and 27 academic hospitals specializing in care for patients with BI. This first step validates ICU participation in data collection regarding sedation-analgesia practices. The second part was a 1-day prospective cross-sectional snapshot of all characteristics and prescriptions of patients with BI.

RESULTS

On the study day, among the 246 patients with BI, 106 (43%) had a brain monitoring device and 74 patients (30%) were sedated. Thirty-nine of the sedated patients (53%) suffered from intracranial hypertension, 14 patients (19%) suffered from agitation and delirium, and 7 patients (9%) were sedated because of respiratory failure. Fourteen patients (19%) no longer had a formal indication for sedation. In 60% of the sedated patients, the sedatives were titrated by nurses based on sedation scales. The Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale was used in 80% of the patients, and the Behavioral Pain Scale was used in 92%. The common sedatives and opioids used were midazolam (58.1%), propofol (40.5%), and sufentanil (67.5%). The cerebral monitoring devices available in the participating ICUs were transcranial Doppler ultrasound (100%), intracranial and intraventricular pressure monitoring (93.3%), and brain tissue oxygenation (60%). Cerebral monitoring by one or more monitoring devices was performed in 62% of the sedated patients. This proportion increased to 74% in the subgroup of patients with intracranial hypertension, with multimodal cerebral monitoring in 43.6%. The doses of midazolam and sufentanil were lower in sedated patients managed based on a sedation/analgesia scale.

CONCLUSIONS

Midazolam and sufentanil are frequently used, often in combination, in French ICUs instead of alternative drugs. In our study, cerebral monitoring was performed in more than 60% of the sedated patients, although that proportion is still insufficient. Future efforts should stress the use of multiple monitoring modes and adherence to the indications for sedation to improve care of patients with BI. Our study suggests that the use of sedation and analgesia scales by nurses involved in the management of patients with BI could decrease the dosages of midazolam and sufentanil administered. Updated guidelines are needed for the management of sedation/analgesia in patients with BI.

Quality Improvement Initiative to Increase Rate of and Time to Post-intubation Analgesia in the Emergency Department

Introduction

Intubation and mechanical ventilation are common interventions performed in the emergency department (ED). These interventions cause pain and discomfort to patients and necessitate analgesia and sedation. Recent trends in the ED and intensive care unit focus on an analgesia-first model to improve patient outcomes. Initial data from our institution demonstrated an over-emphasis on sedation and an opportunity to improve analgesic administration. As a result of these findings, the ED undertook a quality improvement (QI) project aimed at improving analgesia administration and time to analgesia post-intubation.

Methods

We performed a pre-post study between January 2017–February 2019 in the ED. Patients over the age of 18 who were intubated using rapid sequence intubation (RSI) were included in the study. The primary outcome was the rate of analgesia administration; a secondary outcome was time to analgesia administration. Quality improvement interventions occurred in two phases: an initial intervention focused on nursing education only, and a subsequent intervention that included nursing and physician education.

Results

During the study period, 460 patients were intubated in the ED and met inclusion/exclusion criteria. Prior to the first intervention, the average rate of analgesia administration was 57.3%; after the second intervention, the rate was 94.9% (P <0.01). Prior to the first intervention, average time to analgesia administration was 36.0 minutes; after the second intervention, the time was 16.6 minutes (P value <0.01).

Conclusion

This QI intervention demonstrates the ability of education interventions alone to increase the rate of analgesia administration and reduce the time to analgesia in post-intubation patients.

The Use of Standardized Management Protocols for Critically Ill Patients with Non-traumatic Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Systematic Review

The use of standardized management protocols (SMPs) may improve patient outcomes for some critical care diseases. Whether SMPs improve outcomes after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is currently unknown. We aimed to study the effect of SMPs on 6-month mortality and neurologic outcomes following SAH. A systematic review of randomized control trials (RCTs) and observational studies was performed by searching multiple indexing databases from their inception through January 2019. Studies were limited to adult patients (age ≥ 18) with non-traumatic SAH reporting mortality, neurologic outcomes, delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) and other important complications. Data on patient and SMP characteristics, outcomes and methodologic quality were extracted into a pre-piloted collection form. Methodologic quality of observational studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale, and RCT quality was reported as per the Cochrane risk of bias tool. A total of 11,260 studies were identified, of which 37 (34 full-length articles and 3 abstracts) met the criteria for inclusion. Two studies were RCTs and 35 were observational. SMPs were divided into four broad domains: management of acute SAH, early brain injury, DCI and general neurocritical care. The most common SMP design was control of DCI, with 22 studies assessing this domain of care. Overall, studies were of low quality; most described single-center case series with small patient sizes. Definitions of key terms and outcome reporting practices varied significantly between studies. DCI and neurologic outcomes in particular were defined inconsistently, leading to significant challenges in their interpretation. Given the substantial heterogeneity in reporting practices between studies, a meta-analysis for 6-month mortality and neurologic outcomes could not be performed, and the effect of SMPs on these measures thus remains inconclusive. Our systematic review highlights the need for large, rigorous RCTs to determine whether providing standardized, best-practice management through the use of a protocol impacts outcomes in critically ill patients with SAH.Trial registration Registration number: CRD42017069173.

Inconsistent relationship between depth of sedation and intensive care outcome: systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

To determine the effect of depth of sedation on intensive care mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, and other clinically important outcomes.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO from 2000 to 2020. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies that examined the effect of sedation depth were included. Two reviewers independently screened, selected articles, extracted data and appraised quality. Data on study design, population, setting, patient characteristics, study interventions, depth of sedation and relevant outcomes were extracted. Quality was assessed using Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tools.

RESULTS

We included data from 26 studies (n=7865 patients): 8 RCTs and 18 cohort studies. Heterogeneity of studies was substantial. There was no significant effect of lighter sedation on intensive care mortality. Lighter sedation did not affect duration of mechanical ventilation in RCTs (mean difference (MD): -1.44 days (95% CI -3.79 to 0.91)) but did in cohort studies (MD: -1.52 days (95% CI -2.71 to -0.34)). No statistically significant benefit of lighter sedation was identified in RCTs. In cohort studies, lighter sedation improved time to extubation, intensive care and hospital length of stay and ventilator-associated pneumonia. We found no significant effects for hospital mortality, delirium or adverse events.

CONCLUSION

Evidence of benefit from lighter sedation is limited, with inconsistency between observational and randomised studies. Positive effects were mainly limited to low quality evidence from observational studies, which could be attributable to bias and confounding factors.

Opioid-Associated Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: Distinctive Clinical Features and Implications for Health Care and Public Responses: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Opioid overdose is the leading cause of death for Americans 25 to 64 years of age, and opioid use disorder affects >2 million Americans. The epidemiology of opioid-associated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the United States is changing rapidly, with exponential increases in death resulting from synthetic opioids and linear increases in heroin deaths more than offsetting modest reductions in deaths from prescription opioids. The pathophysiology of polysubstance toxidromes involving opioids, asphyxial death, and prolonged hypoxemia leading to global ischemia (cardiac arrest) differs from that of sudden cardiac arrest. People who use opioids may also develop bacteremia, central nervous system vasculitis and leukoencephalopathy, torsades de pointes, pulmonary vasculopathy, and pulmonary edema. Emergency management of opioid poisoning requires recognition by the lay public or emergency dispatchers, prompt emergency response, and effective ventilation coupled to compressions in the setting of opioid-associated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Effective ventilation is challenging to teach, whereas naloxone, an opioid antagonist, can be administered by emergency medical personnel, trained laypeople, and the general public with dispatcher instruction to prevent cardiac arrest. Opioid education and naloxone distributions programs have been developed to teach people who are likely to encounter a person with opioid poisoning how to administer naloxone, deliver high-quality compressions, and perform rescue breathing. Current American Heart Association recommendations call for laypeople and others who cannot reliably establish the presence of a pulse to initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation in any individual who is unconscious and not breathing normally; if opioid overdose is suspected, naloxone should also be administered. Secondary prevention, including counseling, opioid overdose education with take-home naloxone, and medication for opioid use disorder, is important to prevent recurrent opioid overdose.

The Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2020 (J-SSCG 2020)

The Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2020 (J-SSCG 2020), a Japanese-specific set of clinical practice guidelines for sepsis and septic shock created as revised from J-SSCG 2016 jointly by the Japanese Society of Intensive Care Medicine and the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine, was first released in September 2020 and published in February 2021. An English-language version of these guidelines was created based on the contents of the original Japanese-language version. The purpose of this guideline is to assist medical staff in making appropriate decisions to improve the prognosis of patients undergoing treatment for sepsis and septic shock. We aimed to provide high-quality guidelines that are easy to use and understand for specialists, general clinicians, and multidisciplinary medical professionals. J-SSCG 2016 took up new subjects that were not present in SSCG 2016 (e.g., ICU-acquired weakness [ICU-AW], post-intensive care syndrome [PICS], and body temperature management). The J-SSCG 2020 covered a total of 22 areas with four additional new areas (patient- and family-centered care, sepsis treatment system, neuro-intensive treatment, and stress ulcers). A total of 118 important clinical issues (clinical questions, CQs) were extracted regardless of the presence or absence of evidence. These CQs also include those that have been given particular focus within Japan. This is a large-scale guideline covering multiple fields; thus, in addition to the 25 committee members, we had the participation and support of a total of 226 members who are professionals (physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, clinical engineers, and pharmacists) and medical workers with a history of sepsis or critical illness. The GRADE method was adopted for making recommendations, and the modified Delphi method was used to determine recommendations by voting from all committee members. As a result, 79 GRADE-based recommendations, 5 Good Practice Statements (GPS), 18 expert consensuses, 27 answers to background questions (BQs), and summaries of definitions and diagnosis of sepsis were created as responses to 118 CQs. We also incorporated visual information for each CQ according to the time course of treatment, and we will also distribute this as an app. The J-SSCG 2020 is expected to be widely used as a useful bedside guideline in the field of sepsis treatment both in Japan and overseas involving multiple disciplines.

A study protocol for a multicentre, prospective, before-and-after trial evaluating the feasibility of implementing targeted SEDation after initiation of mechanical ventilation in the emergency department (The ED-SED Pilot Trial)

INTRODUCTION

Sedation is a cornerstone therapy in the management of patients receiving mechanical ventilation and is highly influential on outcome. Early sedation depth appears especially influential, as early deep sedation is associated with worse outcome when compared with light sedation. Our research group has shown that patients receiving mechanical ventilation in the emergency department (ED) are exposed to deep sedation commonly, and ED sedation depth is impactful on intensive care unit (ICU) care and clinical outcomes. While extensive investigation has occurred for patients in the ICU, comparatively little data exist from the ED. Given the influence that ED sedation seems to carry, as well as a lack of ED-based sedation trials, there is significant rationale to investigate ED-based sedation as a means to improve outcome.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This is a multicentre (n=3) prospective, before-and-after pilot trial examining the feasibility of implementing targeted sedation in the immediate postintubation period in the ED. A cohort of 344 patients receiving mechanical ventilation in ED will be included. Feasibility outcomes include: (1) participant recruitment; (2) proportion of Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) scores in the deep sedation range; (3) reliability (agreement) of RASS measurements performed by bedside ED nurses; and (4) adverse events. The proportion of deep sedation measurements before and after the intervention will be compared using the χ² test. Logistic regression will be used to compare before-and-after differences, adjusting for potential confounders. The inter-rater correlation coefficient will be used to assess paired observations between a study team member and bedside ED nurses, and to describe reliability of RASS measurements.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The Human Research Protection Office at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine has approved the study. The publication of peer-reviewed manuscripts and the presentation of abstracts at scientific meetings will be used to disseminate the work.

REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04410783; Pre-results.

Prolonged Weaning: S2k Guideline Published by the German Respiratory Society

Mechanical ventilation (MV) is an essential part of modern intensive care medicine. MV is performed in patients with severe respiratory failure caused by respiratory muscle insufficiency and/or lung parenchymal disease; that is, when other treatments such as medication, oxygen administration, secretion management, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), or nasal high-flow therapy have failed. MV is required for maintaining gas exchange and allows more time to curatively treat the underlying cause of respiratory failure. In the majority of ventilated patients, liberation or "weaning" from MV is routine, without the occurrence of any major problems. However, approximately 20% of patients require ongoing MV, despite amelioration of the conditions that precipitated the need for it in the first place. Approximately 40-50% of the time spent on MV is required to liberate the patient from the ventilator, a process called "weaning". In addition to acute respiratory failure, numerous factors can influence the duration and success rate of the weaning process; these include age, comorbidities, and conditions and complications acquired during the ICU stay. According to international consensus, "prolonged weaning" is defined as the weaning process in patients who have failed at least 3 weaning attempts, or require more than 7 days of weaning after the first spontaneous breathing trial (SBT). Given that prolonged weaning is a complex process, an interdisciplinary approach is essential for it to be successful. In specialised weaning centres, approximately 50% of patients with initial weaning failure can be liberated from MV after prolonged weaning. However, the heterogeneity of patients undergoing prolonged weaning precludes the direct comparison of individual centres. Patients with persistent weaning failure either die during the weaning process, or are discharged back to their home or to a long-term care facility with ongoing MV. Urged by the growing importance of prolonged weaning, this Sk2 Guideline was first published in 2014 as an initiative of the German Respiratory Society (DGP), in conjunction with other scientific societies involved in prolonged weaning. The emergence of new research, clinical study findings and registry data, as well as the accumulation of experience in daily practice, have made the revision of this guideline necessary. The following topics are dealt with in the present guideline: Definitions, epidemiology, weaning categories, underlying pathophysiology, prevention of prolonged weaning, treatment strategies in prolonged weaning, the weaning unit, discharge from hospital on MV, and recommendations for end-of-life decisions. Special emphasis was placed on the following themes: (1) A new classification of patient sub-groups in prolonged weaning. (2) Important aspects of pulmonary rehabilitation and neurorehabilitation in prolonged weaning. (3) Infrastructure and process organisation in the care of patients in prolonged weaning based on a continuous treatment concept. (4) Changes in therapeutic goals and communication with relatives. Aspects of paediatric weaning are addressed separately within individual chapters. The main aim of the revised guideline was to summarize both current evidence and expert-based knowledge on the topic of "prolonged weaning", and to use this information as a foundation for formulating recommendations related to "prolonged weaning", not only in acute medicine but also in the field of chronic intensive care medicine. The following professionals served as important addressees for this guideline: intensivists, pulmonary medicine specialists, anaesthesiologists, internists, cardiologists, surgeons, neurologists, paediatricians, geriatricians, palliative care clinicians, rehabilitation physicians, intensive/chronic care nurses, physiotherapists, respiratory therapists, speech therapists, medical service of health insurance, and associated ventilator manufacturers.

Evolving targets for sedation during mechanical ventilation

PURPOSES OF REVIEW

Critically ill patients frequently require mechanical ventilation as part of their care. Administration of analgesia and sedation to ensure patient comfort and facilitate mechanical ventilation must be balanced against the known negative consequences of excessive sedation. The present review focuses on the current evidence for sedation management during mechanical ventilation, including choice of sedatives, sedation strategies, and special considerations for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

RECENT FINDINGS

The Society of Critical Care Medicine recently published their updated clinical practice guidelines for analgesia, agitation, sedation, delirium, immobility, and sleep in adult patients in the ICU. Deep sedation, especially early in the course of mechanical ventilation, is associated with prolonged time to liberation from mechanical ventilation, longer ICU stays, longer hospital stays, and increased mortality. Dexmedetomidine may prevent ICU delirium when administered nocturnally at low doses; however, it was not shown to improve mortality when used as the primary sedative early in the course of mechanical ventilation, though the majority of patients in the informing study failed to achieve the prescribed light level of sedation. In a follow up to the ACURASYS trial, deep sedation with neuromuscular blockade did not result in improved mortality compared to light sedation in patients with severe ARDS.

SUMMARY

Light sedation should be targeted early in the course of mechanical ventilation utilizing daily interruptions of sedation and/or nursing protocol-based algorithms, even in severe ARDS.

Analgesia and sedation in patients with ARDS

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is one of the most demanding conditions in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Management of analgesia and sedation in ARDS is particularly challenging. An expert panel was convened to produce a "state-of-the-art" article to support clinicians in the optimal management of analgesia/sedation in mechanically ventilated adults with ARDS, including those with COVID-19. Current ICU analgesia/sedation guidelines promote analgesia first and minimization of sedation, wakefulness, delirium prevention and early rehabilitation to facilitate ventilator and ICU liberation. However, these strategies cannot always be applied to patients with ARDS who sometimes require deep sedation and/or paralysis. Patients with severe ARDS may be under-represented in analgesia/sedation studies and currently recommended strategies may not be feasible. With lightened sedation, distress-related symptoms (e.g., pain and discomfort, anxiety, dyspnea) and patient-ventilator asynchrony should be systematically assessed and managed through interprofessional collaboration, prioritizing analgesia and anxiolysis. Adaptation of ventilator settings (e.g., use of a pressure-set mode, spontaneous breathing, sensitive inspiratory trigger) should be systematically considered before additional medications are administered. Managing the mechanical ventilator is of paramount importance to avoid the unnecessary use of deep sedation and/or paralysis. Therefore, applying an "ABCDEF-R" bundle (R = Respiratory-drive-control) may be beneficial in ARDS patients. Further studies are needed, especially regarding the use and long-term effects of fast-offset drugs (e.g., remifentanil, volatile anesthetics) and the electrophysiological assessment of analgesia/sedation (e.g., electroencephalogram devices, heart-rate variability, and video pupillometry). This review is particularly relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic given drug shortages and limited ICU-bed capacity.

The Impact of Mechanical Ventilation Duration on the Readmission to Intensive Care Unit: A Population-Based Observational Study

Background

If the duration of mechanical ventilation (MV) is related with the intensive care unit (ICU) readmission must be clarified. The purpose of this study was to elucidate if prolonged MV duration increases ICU readmission rate.

Methods

The present observational cohort study analyzed national healthcare claims data from 2006 to 2015. Critically ill patients who received MV in the ICU were classified into five groups according to the MV duration: MV for <7 days, 7–13 days, 14–20 days, 21–27 days, and ≥28 days. The rate and risk of the ICU readmission were estimated according to the MV duration using the unadjusted and adjusted analyses.

Results

We found that 12,929 patients had at least one episode of MV in the ICU. There was a significant linear relationship between the MV duration and the ICU readmission (R²=0.85, p=0.025). The total readmission rate was significantly higher as the MV duration is prolonged (MV for <7 days, 13.9%; for 7–13 days, 16.7%; for 14–20 days, 19.4%; for 21–27 days, 20.4%; for ≥28 days, 35.7%; p<0.001). The analyses adjusted by covariables and weighted with the multinomial propensity scores showed similar results. In the adjusted regression analysis with a Cox proportional hazards model, the MV duration was significantly related to the ICU readmission (hazard ratio, 1.058 [95% confidence interval, 1.047–1.069], p<0.001).

Conclusion

The rate of readmission to the ICU was significantly higher in patients who received longer durations of the MV in the ICU. In the clinical setting, closer observation of patients discharged from the ICU after prolonged periods of MV is required.

Diurnal Variation and Nursing Perspectives in Analgesic and Sedation Medication Administration to Mechanically Ventilated Children in a Single Pediatric ICU

The primary objective of this study was to determine whether there was diurnal variation in the amount of analgesic and sedation medication administered to mechanically ventilated children in a single pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). The secondary objective was to evaluate nursing attitudes and practices regarding administration of these medications. This was a prospective, longitudinal cohort study of mechanically ventilated patients admitted to a single PICU. There were 46 mechanical ventilation courses included (305 paired day-night shifts). There was no significant diurnal variation found in the amount of analgesics and sedatives administered to mechanically ventilated patients. However, the reasons for administration differed between day and night shifts.

Financial impact of an analgosedation protocol for mechanically ventilated patients in a cardiovascular intensive care unit

PURPOSE

The primary objective was to evaluate the impact of an analgosedation protocol in a cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) on daily doses and costs of analgesic, sedative, and antipsychotic medications.

METHODS

We conducted a single-center quasi-experimental study in 363 mechanically ventilated patients admitted to our CICU from March 1, 2011, to April 13, 2013. On March 1, 2012, an analgosedation protocol was implemented. Patients in the pre-implementation group were managed at the cardiologist's discretion, which consisted of a continuous sedative-hypnotic approach and opioids as needed. Patients in the implementation group were managed using this protocol.

RESULTS

The mean ± S.D. per-patient doses (mg/day) of propofol, lorazepam, and clonazepam decreased with the use of an analgosedation protocol (propofol 132,265.7 ± 12,951 versus 87,980.5 ± 10,564 [p = 0.03]; lorazepam 10.5 ± 7.3 versus 3.3 ± 4.0 [p < 0.001]; clonazepam 9.9 ± 8.3 versus 1.1 ± 0.5 [p = 0.03]). The mean daily cost of propofol and lorazepam also significantly decreased (33.5% reduction in propofol cost [p = 0.03]; 69.0% reduction in lorazepam cost [p < 0.001]). The per-patient dose and cost of fentanyl (mcg/day) declined with analgosedation protocol use (fentanyl 2,274.2 ± 2317.4 versus 1,026.7 ± 981.4 [p < 0.001]; 54.8% decrease in fentanyl cost [p < 0.001]).

CONCLUSION

The implementation of an analgosedation protocol significantly decreased both the use and cost of propofol, lorazepam, and fentanyl. Further investigation of the clinical impact and cost-effectiveness of a critical care consultation service with implementation of an analgosedation protocol is warranted in the CICU.

Survey of analgesia and sedation in pediatric intensive care units in Japan

BACKGROUND

High-quality evidence of analgesia and sedation management in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) is lacking.

METHODS

An online survey concerning the institutional management of pain, sedation, delirium, and withdrawal syndrome, as well as non-pharmacological interventions to reduce pain and / or to provide comfort, was conducted with the medical directors of 31 PICUs in Japan. The survey was conducted from September to November 2016.

RESULTS

The response rate was 77% (24/31). Pain was routinely assessed in nine (38%) PICUs. Self-report pain scales were used in 14 (58%) PICUs. Observational pain scales for children who were unable to self-report were used in only one PICU. Physician-driven analgesia protocols were used in two (8%) PICUs. Although sedation scales for intubated patients were used in 15 (63%) PICUs, they were used for the goal-directed sedation management in nine (38%). Nurse-driven sedation protocols were used in two (8%) PICUs. Five (21%) PICUs used delirium assessment tools, and delirium screening was not routinely done in any PICU. Five (21%) PICUs regularly used withdrawal assessment tools for a high-risk group of patients with withdrawal syndrome. Non-pharmacological interventions for analgesia and comfort were frequently practiced for mechanically ventilated patients.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first survey conducted by physicians regarding pain and agitation management in PICUs in Japan, and the results revealed great diversity in practice. The implementation strategies to assess pain, delirium, and withdrawal syndrome, as well as to set goals regarding sedation level, are lacking. Protocols for analgesia and sedation management are uncommon.

Sedation and Delirium in the Intensive Care Unit—A Practice-Based Approach

Introduction: Critically ill patients often require sedation for comfort and to facilitate therapeutic interventions. Sedation practice guidelines provide an evidencebased framework with recommendations that can help improve key sedation-related outcomes. Materials and Methods: We conducted a narrative review of current guidelines and recent trials on sedation. Results: From a practice perspective, current guidelines share many limitations including lack of consensus on the definition of light sedation, optimal frequency of sedation assessment, optimal timing for light sedation and consideration of combinations of sedatives. We proposed several strategies to address these limitations and improve outcomes: 1) early light sedation within the first 48 hours with time-weighted monitoring (overall time spent in light sedation in the first 48 hours—sedation intensity—has a dose-dependent relationship with mortality risk, delirium and time to extubation); 2) provision of analgesia with minimal or no sedation where possible; 3) a goal-directed and balanced multimodal approach that combines the benefits of different agents and minimise their side effects; 4) use of dexmedetomidine and atypical antipsychotics as a sedative-sparing strategy to reduce weaning-related agitation, shorten ventilation time and accelerate physical and cognitive rehabilitation; and 5) a bundled approach to sedation that provides a framework to improve relevant clinical outcomes. Conclusion: More effort is required to develop a practical, time-weighted sedation scoring system. Emphasis on a balanced, multimodal appraoch that targets light sedation from the early phase of acute critical illness is important to achieve optimal sedation, lower mortality, shorten time on ventilator and reduce delirium. Ann Acad Med Singapore;49:215–25 Key words: Analgesia, Benzodiazepine, Critical Care, Dexmedetomidine, Propofol

Minimal alveolar concentration for deep sedation (MAC-DS) in intensive care unit patients sedated with sevoflurane: A physiological study

BACKGROUND

Volatile anaesthetic agents, especially sevoflurane, could be an alternative for sedating ICU patients. In the operating theatre, volatile anaesthetic agents are monitored using minimal alveolar concentration (MAC). In ICU, MAC may be used to assess sedation level and may replace clinical scale especially when they are unusable. Therefore, we sought to investigate the minimal sevoflurane end-tidal concentration to achieved deep sedation in critical ill patients: MAC-deep sedation (MAC-DS).

METHODS

In a prospective interventional study, we included patients with a Richmond Assessment Sedation Score (RASS) of 0 without any sedation. We stepwise increased sevoflurane concentration level before assessing for deep sedation (RASS≤-3). MAC-DS was defined as the minimal sevoflurane MAC fraction or sevoflurane expiratory fraction (FeSevo) to get 90% and 95% of patients in deep sedation (MAC-DS 90 and MAC-DS 95, respectively).

RESULTS

Between June and November 2014, 30 patients were included (median age=60 years [interquartile range: 47-69]). Increasing sevoflurane MAC was correlated with a decrease in RASS values (r=-0.83, P<0.001). MAC-DS 90 and MAC-DS 95 were achieved at 0.42 MAC (CI 95 [0.38-0.46]) and 0.46 MAC (CI 95 [0.42-0.51]), respectively. FeSevo to achieve MAC-DS 90 and MAC-DS 95 was 0.72 (CI 95 [0.65-0.79]) and 0.80 (CI 95 [0.72-0.89]), respectively.

CONCLUSION

In this physiological study involving 30 ICU patients, MAC-DS, end-tidal sevoflurane concentration to get 95% of patients in deep sedation determined over more than 500 observations, is achieved at 0.8% of expired fraction of sevoflurane or at 0.5 age-adjusted MAC.

Nonsedation or Light Sedation in Critically Ill, Mechanically Ventilated Patients

BACKGROUND

In critically ill, mechanically ventilated patients, daily interruption of sedation has been shown to reduce the time on ventilation and the length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU). Data on whether a plan of no sedation, as compared with a plan of light sedation, has an effect on mortality are lacking.

METHODS

In a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial, we assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, mechanically ventilated ICU patients to a plan of no sedation (nonsedation group) or to a plan of light sedation (i.e., to a level at which the patient was arousable, defined as a score of -2 to -3 on the Richmond Agitation and Sedation Scale [RASS], on which scores range from -5 [unresponsive] to +4 [combative]) (sedation group) with daily interruption. The primary outcome was mortality at 90 days. Secondary outcomes were the number of major thromboembolic events, the number of days free from coma or delirium, acute kidney injury according to severity, the number of ICU-free days, and the number of ventilator-free days. Between-group differences were calculated as the value in the nonsedation group minus the value in the sedation group.

RESULTS

A total of 710 patients underwent randomization, and 700 were included in the modified intention-to-treat analysis. The characteristics of the patients at baseline were similar in the two trial groups, except for the score on the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II, which was 1 point higher in the nonsedation group than in the sedation group, indicating a greater chance of in-hospital death. The mean RASS score in the nonsedation group increased from -1.3 on day 1 to -0.8 on day 7 and, in the sedation group, from -2.3 on day 1 to -1.8 on day 7. Mortality at 90 days was 42.4% in the nonsedation group and 37.0% in the sedated group (difference, 5.4 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], -2.2 to 12.2; P = 0.65). The number of ICU-free days and of ventilator-free days did not differ significantly between the trial groups. The patients in the nonsedation group had a median of 27 days free from coma or delirium, and those in the sedation group had a median of 26 days free from coma or delirium. A major thromboembolic event occurred in 1 patient (0.3%) in the nonsedation group and in 10 patients (2.8%) in the sedation group (difference, -2.5 percentage points; 95% CI, -4.8 to -0.7 [unadjusted for multiple comparisons]).

CONCLUSIONS

Among mechanically ventilated ICU patients, mortality at 90 days did not differ significantly between those assigned to a plan of no sedation and those assigned to a plan of light sedation with daily interruption. (Funded by the Danish Medical Research Council and others; NONSEDA ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01967680.).

Frequency of Screening for Weaning From Mechanical Ventilation: Two Contemporaneous Proof-of-Principle Randomized Controlled Trials

OBJECTIVES

It is unknown whether more frequent screening of invasively ventilated patients, identifies patients earlier for a spontaneous breathing trial, and shortens the duration of ventilation. We assessed the feasibility of conducting a large trial to evaluate screening frequency in critically ill adults in the North American context.

DESIGN

We conducted two contemporaneous, multicenter, pilot, randomized controlled trials (the LibeRation from MEchanicaL VEntilAtion and ScrEening Frequency [RELEASE] and Screening Elderly PatieNts For InclusiOn in a Weaning [SENIOR] trials) to address concerns regarding the potential for higher enrollment, fewer adverse events, and better outcomes in younger patients.

SETTING

Ten and 11 ICUs in Canada, respectively.

PATIENTS

Parallel trials of younger (RELEASE < 65 yr) and older (SENIOR ≥ 65 yr) critically ill adults invasively ventilated for at least 24 hours.

INTERVENTIONS

Each trial compared once daily screening to "at least twice daily" screening led by respiratory therapists.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

In both trials, we evaluated recruitment (aim: 1-2 patients/month/ICU) and consent rates, reasons for trial exclusion, protocol adherence (target: ≥ 80%), crossovers (aim: ≤ 10%), and the effect of the alternative screening frequencies on adverse events and clinical outcomes. We included 155 patients (53 patients [23 once daily, 30 at least twice daily] in RELEASE and 102 patients [54 once daily, 48 at least twice daily] in SENIOR). Between trials, we found similar recruitment rates (1.32 and 1.26 patients/month/ICU) and reasons for trial exclusion, high consent and protocol adherence rates (> 92%), infrequent crossovers, and few adverse events. Although underpowered, at least twice daily screening was associated with a nonsignificantly faster time to successful extubation and more successful extubations but significantly increased use of noninvasive ventilation in both trials combined.

CONCLUSIONS

Similar recruitment and consent rates, few adverse events, and comparable outcomes in younger and older patients support conduct of a single large trial in North American ICUs assessing the net clinical benefits associated with more frequent screening.

The Effect of Sedation Protocol Using Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) on Some Clinical Outcomes of Mechanically Ventilated Patients in Intensive Care Units: a Randomized Clinical Trial

Introduction: Providing for patients’ comfort and reducing their pain is one of the important tasks of health care professionals in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The current study was conducted to determine the effect of a protocol using a Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) on some clinical outcomes of patients under mechanical ventilation (MV) in 2017.

Methods: This single-blind clinical trial was conducted on 79 traumatic patients in the ICU who were randomly allocated into the intervention (N=40) and the control groups (N=39). The sedation was achieved, using a sedation protocol in the intervention group and the routine care in the control group. The clinical outcomes of the patients (duration of MV, length of staying in ICU, final outcome) were measured. As the participants had different lengths of MV and staying in ICU, the data were restructured, and were analyzed, using proper statistical methods.

Results: The patients’ level of sedation in the intervention group was significantly closer to the ideal score of RASS (-1 to +1). The duration of MV was significantly reduced in the intervention group, and the length of stay in the ICU was also significantly shorter. There was no difference in terms of final outcome. The ICU cost in the control group was twice as high as the cost in of the intervention group.

Conclusion: The applied sedation protocol in this study would provide better sedation and could consequently lead to significantly better clinical outcomes, and the cost of caring as a result.

Clinical outcomes associated with sedation and analgesia in patients supported with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

Sedatives and analgesics are frequently used in critically ill adult patients requiring mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit, but optimal agent selection and dosing in patients supported with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation remain poorly defined. This retrospective study evaluated whether sedative and analgesic agent selection and dosing had any impact on clinical outcomes after venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation decannulation. The primary endpoint of our study was the incidence of delirium within 48 h after venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation decannulation in patients who received an empiric ⩾50% sedation reduction of benzodiazepines (N = 22, group 2) compared to those who did not (N = 10, group 1) and those who required no sedatives within 24 h prior to venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation decannulation (N = 21, group 3). Secondary endpoints included time to extubation after decannulation, need for tracheostomy after decannulation, intensive care unit length of stay after decannulation, total hospital length of stay, and in-hospital mortality. Delirium within 48 h after decannulation was observed in 47% of all patients and did not differ between the three groups (50% vs 50% vs 43%, p = 0.9). No differences were observed in the secondary endpoints; though there was a trend toward shorter duration of mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit length of stay in patients who received an empiric ⩾50% sedation reduction. Our study suggests that we may need more than a 50% reduction in sedation but prospective studies with a larger sample size are warranted to evaluate how sedative/analgesic selection and dosing affect important clinical outcomes.

Compliance with sedation analgesia protocols: Do clinical pharmacists have an impact?

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVES

The agreement between prescribed sedation objectives and sedation pump syringe rate adaptation is not optimal. Delays in adjustment of sedation doses are associated with an increased patient length of stay in the intensive care unit. Our objectives were to assess compliance with the approved sedation protocol and to evaluate the impact of a clinical pharmacist daily controlling sedation and analgesia scores and pump syringe rates on patients' outcomes in a critical care unit.

METHODS

Prospective before/after study involving 60 adult patients divided into two groups (non-intervention and intervention groups) who received mechanical ventilation and continuous infusions of sedative and analgesic drugs in an intensive care unit. In both groups, data were collected daily in 30 mechanically ventilated patients receiving a sedation/analgesia regimen during a 3-month period according to a standardized protocol. A pharmacist was in charge of intervening with physicians when the local sedation analgesia protocol was not followed.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of demographic characteristics except a higher proportion of men in the intervention group (70% vs 40%, P = .019). In the control group, sedation and analgesia objectives were not prescribed in more than half the cases. Pharmacist intervention reduced sedation duration (5 [2-11] vs 2 [1-5.5] days, P = .019). The cumulative delay in adaptation of the sedation analgesia electric syringe pump was significantly decreased in the intervention group (8 [0-29.5] vs 28.5 hours [11.1-68.4], P = .034). Total doses of sedatives (midazolam, propofol) and analgesics (sufentanil, remifentanil) per patient were decreased in the intervention group compared to the control group (respectively, P = .24, P = .0009, P = .0013 and P = .0007).

CONCLUSIONS

Pharmacist intervention can decrease the sedation duration and the total dose of sedation medications and reinforce adherence to sedation/analgesia guidelines.