Incidence of unscheduled removal of invasive devices in patients with COVID-19 in intensive care

INTRODUCTION

The rate of unscheduled removal of invasive devices (ID) is an indicator of quality programmes in the critically ill. Our research group performed prevalence analyses since 2010 and another during the pandemic. The aim was to analyse the rates of use and non-planed removal of endotracheal tubes, catheters (central venous and arterial) and enteral catheters in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic comparing them with previous rates.

METHODOLOGY

Prevalence study in a polyvalente ICU. After 4 prospective observational analyses (2010, 2011, 2018, 2019) a retrospective analysis was performed (8 March-8 May 2020).

VARIABLES

diagnosis, stay and reason for removal of ID (endotracheal tubes (ET), central venous catheters, arterial catheters and enteral catheters) and rate of reintubation after self-removal of ET. Variables analysed and described as accidental removal rates per 1000 device-days and rates of ID use.

RESULTS

2026 patients were included (631 in 2010, 724 in 2011, 210 in 2018, 361 in 2019 and 100 in 2020). Significant differences, between all periods, in diagnoses (p < 0.001), ICU stay (p < 0.001) and mortality (p = 0.016) and, between 2020 and all other periods, in rates of use per 100 days-stay (p < 0.010) and per 100 admissions (p < 0.001) in all devices except arterial catheter. In 2020, there was an increase in ET obstruction (36.0%; rate 20.27 per 1000 intubation-days, p < 0.010), decrease in ET self-removals (2020 rate: 0.00 per 1000 intubation-days; p < 0.050) and enteral catheters (14.33 per 1000 catheter-days). Overall reintubation (all periods) after self-extubation: 12.5%.

CONCLUSIONS

The rate of devices self-removal in COVID-19 patients in the first wave of the pandemic was lower than that observed in the previous four periods. The high incidence rate of ET obstruction in these patients was significant and relevant.

Carbon dioxide detection for diagnosis of inadvertent respiratory tract placement of enterogastric tubes in children

BACKGROUND

The insertion of an enterogastric tube (oral or nasal) (EGT) is the passage of a tube through the nose or mouth into the stomach. In a paediatric setting, EGTs are used within clinical practice for a variety of reasons including enteral feeding, decompression, post-gastrointestinal surgery, patient assessment, and drug and fluid administration. Confirmation of EGT placement is required immediately following insertion and thereafter prior to each use, including after the administration of enteral feed or medication. Although the majority of these tubes are inserted and used without incident, there is an established risk that the tube can be misplaced into the lungs or move out of the stomach. This misplacement can result in significant harm or mortality. As such, diagnostic tests are required to assess the placement of EGTs and to rule out the target condition of potential airway placement. Various methods are used to determine EGT position, including bedside assessment and observing for signs of respiratory distress. Air insufflated (blown) through the EGT in combination with epigastric auscultation (listening to the stomach with a stethoscope) for whooshing sounds has also been used. Although these tests are widely recognised, they are not officially recommended for use as standalone measures of EGT placement. Current American and UK guidelines recommend a combination of aspirate testing and radiological confirmation of EGT placement in infant, child, and adult populations. In adults, objective measures of pH of the aspirate may be used, with a pH reading between 1 and 5.5 considered a reliable method for excluding placement in the pulmonary tree. However, testing for acidity of aspirate obtained from the EGT does not accurately differentiate between bronchial and gastric secretions in paediatric practice. Additionally, there may be difficulty in obtaining aspirate from the EGT especially within a paediatric population due to the size of the EGT and the smaller volumes of gastric secretions produced. Radiography or direct visualisation are the only reliable methods of confirming EGT placement (valid at time of X-ray and point of insertion, respectively) in this population and are thus considered the reference standard. However, within the paediatric population, there is a known difficulty with obtaining radiographs that visualise the entire course of the EGT and a recognised risk in radiation exposure in the paediatric setting. The measurement of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in exhaled air is a recognised and mandatory standard of care for confirming and monitoring endotracheal tube or airway placement under general anaesthesia. The measurement of CO₂ can be achieved in one of two ways: capnography or colorimetric capnometry. Capnography is the measurement of inspired and expired CO₂ using the absorption of infrared light by CO₂ molecules to estimate CO₂ concentrations. These measurements are then displayed against time to give a continual graphical trace. Colorimetric capnometry involves the detection of CO₂ using an adapted form of pH filter paper impregnated with a dye that changes colour from purple to yellow in the presence of CO₂; however, this method does not provide a continual reading. The monitoring of CO₂ emanating from an EGT inadvertently passed into the airways would utilise this phenomenon in a reverse manner, confirming tracheobronchial placement rather than the intended stomach.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of capnometry and capnography for detecting respiratory EGT placement in children compared to the reference standard.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Register of Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and Medion database on 4 September 2023. There were no limits on language or publication status.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included studies that compared the diagnostic accuracy of CO₂ detection (assessed by either capnometry or capnography) for EGT placement in the respiratory tract with the reference standard, and those that evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of CO₂ detection for differentiating between respiratory and gastrointestinal tube placement, in children. We included both prospective and retrospective cross-sectional studies. We included diagnostic case-control studies where patients acted as their own controls whereby the same EGT and end placement was tested both via index and reference test concurrently.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently extracted data and assessed methodological quality using QUADAS-2. There were no disagreements. Where data were available, we reported test accuracy as sensitivity and specificity. Calculation of both sensitivity and specificity with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was only possible for one study. We calculated specificity with a 95% CI for all included studies. Due to the low number of included studies, we were not able to perform meta-analysis or conduct our planned investigations of heterogeneity.

MAIN RESULTS

We identified three studies for inclusion in the review, all of which provided data on test accuracy of capnography or capnometry against the radiological test standard. Across the three studies, there were a total of 121 participants and 139 EGT insertions with low event data for false-positive (n = 6 insertions) and true-positive (n = 3 insertions) scenarios. No event data were available for false-negative scenarios. Overall, the body of evidence has a low risk of bias, although further clarity regarding patient enrolment (whether consecutive or random) and details about the conduct of the index and reference tests would have enhanced the overall quality of the evidence base included in the review.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

There is currently not enough evidence to suggest that CO₂ detection for inadvertent respiratory tract placement of EGTs in children should be added to current checking procedures. Future studies should aim for larger samples across a range of ages and evaluate different types of CO₂ monitoring (capnography and capnometry), using a range of EGT sizes in participants who are both spontaneously breathing or who require mechanical ventilation with or without impairments of conscious level.

A Systematic Review of Economic Evaluations in Clinical Nursing Practices

Background

The misallocation of scarce healthcare resources globally raises concerns regarding the underuse of high-value care and the overuse of low-value care. Economic evaluations can help policy makers determine whether an intervention presents a better value for money and desirable clinical benefits, thus realizing value-based care.

Aim

We aimed to conduct a systematic review of the economic evaluations of clinical nursing practices to advance knowledge on value-based care.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted using MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL, NHS Economic Evaluation Database, Health Technology Assessment, and Tufts CEA Registry for full economic evaluations of clinical nursing practices from January 2013 to January 2023. Outcomes were incremental cost-effectiveness ratios, incremental cost-utility ratios, incremental cost-benefit ratios, incremental net benefit, and the differences in costs for cost-minimization studies. Methodological quality was evaluated using the Consensus Health Economic Criteria-extended checklist. Results were synthesized using permutation matrices for all studies. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023415918).

Results

Thirty-five studies were included in this review, with 27 studies categorized as good methodological quality and 8 as moderate quality. Clinical nursing practices were dominant (i.e., more effective and less costly) in 19 studies, potentially cost-effective depending on willingness-to-pay thresholds in 15 studies, and were dominated (i.e., less effective and more costly) in 1 study.

Conclusion

Our study advanced knowledge on value-based care for clinical nursing practices. Results suggest that most clinical nursing practices studied may be clearly economically favourable or potentially favourable. Implications for Nursing Management. The results of this review provide valuable insights into value-based care in nursing and facilitate the decision-making of healthcare policymakers regarding health resource allocation to achieve value-based care.

A prospective observational study of pH testing to confirm ongoing nasogastric tube position

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To measure the reliability of pH testing to confirm ongoing nasogastric tube (NGT) position and to document associated complications.

BACKGROUND

Confirming NGT position is essential, as use of an incorrectly positioned tube can cause harm. Substantial evidence examines initial confirmation of NGT position, yet limited evidence exists considers NGT displacement which is identified via ongoing NGT position tests. In the NHS, pH testing is recommended to confirm ongoing NGT position; however, there may be an association with excess X-rays and missed enteral nutrition and/or medications.

DESIGN

Prospective observational study using STROBE checklist.

METHODS

Data collected from medical records of 136 patients with NGTs in a London NHS Trust included pH tests, test results and complications related to ongoing pH tests which failed to confirm the tube was positioned in the stomach, that is, X-rays, and disruptions to enteral nutrition and medication. Cohen's Kappa determined pH test reliability.

RESULTS

Of 1381 pH tests conducted to confirm NGT position, five (0.3%) correctly identified an NGT displacement, and one (0.07%) failed to identify displacement before use. The reliability of ongoing pH tests using Cohen's Kappa was minimal (0.29). Ongoing pH tests that failed to confirm a correctly positioned NGT led to 31 (22.8%) patients having X-rays, 24 (17.6%) missing >10% of prescribed enteral nutrition and 25 (18.4%) missing a critical medication.

CONCLUSION

Ongoing NGT position testing using pH tests did not prevent the use of a displaced tube, and more than one-fifth of patients required X-rays to confirm a correctly position NGT, contributing to missed medications and enteral nutrition.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Caution should be used when confirming ongoing NGT position with a pH test. Future guidelines should balance the risk of using a displaced tube with potential delays to nutrition and/or medication. More research is needed to explore alternative methods of ongoing NGT position testing.

Considering the role of medical radiation technologists to mitigate the care delivery problems associated with nasogastric tube verification and improve patient care

INTRODUCTION

Misplaced nasogastric (NG) tubes can have deleterious consequences for patients, including death. Medical radiation technologists (MRTs) may be well-positioned to improve the NG tube verification process. The objective of this study was to identify the care delivery problems (CDPs) associated with verifying NG tube placement and to consider where MRTs may mitigate current challenges.

METHODS

This study involved three sources of data; a data audit of NG tube chest x-rays (CXRs), a review of related incident reports, and a staff survey, all conducted in the general radiography departments at two large, affiliated teaching hospitals in Toronto, Ontario.

RESULTS

Over a 36-month period, 9,655 NG tube examinations were performed. Just over half of all exams (55.5%) required a single image for verification, while 10.1% required four or more images. The median time an MRT spent for an NG tube examination was 13.5 minutes, with 45.4% of exams completed in 10 minutes or less, while 4.5% required over 30 minutes. 118 incident reports and 57 survey submissions suggested five key CDPs; delayed verification, lack of verification, incorrect verification, increased radiation exposure, and inefficient workflow.

CONCLUSIONS

CDPs associated with verifying NG tube placement can lead to poor patient care and inefficient workflows. The results of this study suggest that there may be value in future exploration of additional responsibility for MRTs as a potential solution for improving the NG tube process and thus patient care.

Fibre-optic, electronic pH test device compared with current NHS guidance to confirm nasogastric tube placement

The clinical objectives of this prospective, random, convenience series were: 1. Compare a novel fibre-optic pH test device (NGPOD) to gastric aspirate and pH testing for nasogastric tube (NGT) confirmation. 2. Determine if the new device reduces the need for chest radiography (chest X-ray, CXR).

Methods

Recruitment of patients over the age of 18, requiring NGT feeding.Exclusion criteria: oesophageal gastrointestinal surgery within 3 months; all those with partial or total gastrectomy; bleeding gastric and duodenal ulcers; gastric cancer; those with oesophageal varices; those considered to be inappropriate.The index test, NGPOD, comprises a fine, flexible fibre-optic sensor passed down the NGT, then connected to an electronic device. A green light indicates pH ≤5.5, and a red light if pH is >5.5.The reference test is withdrawal of gastric aspirate and testing with universal pH indicator strips then comparison to a colour chart. Second-line testing is establishing NGT position by CXR or subjective clinical assessment (SCA) in intensive care unit (ICU).

Results

The analysed data set contained 174 subjects who had undergone 496 tests, 96 initial and 400 repeat NGT checks.For all patients, NGPOD can reduce the need for CXR or SCA by 21.2%.In ICU, NGPOD can reduce the need for CXR or SCA by 24.5%.When performing initial tests, immediately after tube placement, NGPOD can reduce the need for CXR or SCA in 61% of patients.With repeat testing, NGPOD can reduce the need to progress to CXR or SCA in 16% of tests.

Conclusions

The objective, yes-no result delivered by NGPOD, eliminates the subjective reading of a pH strip colour change, reducing the subjective element. The index test has the opportunity to reduce risk, improve safety and decrease the numbers of patients requiring X-ray. It, therefore, has the potential to reduce never events associated with NGT misplacement.

Development and validation of ester impregnated pH strips for locating nasogastric feeding tubes in the stomach-a multicentre prospective diagnostic performance study

BACKGROUND

NG (nasogastric) tubes are used worldwide as a means to provide enteral nutrition. Testing the pH of tube aspirates prior to feeding is commonly used to verify tube location before feeding or medication. A pH at or lower than 5.5 was taken as evidence for stomach intubation. However, the existing standard pH strips lack sensitivity, especially in patients receiving feeding and antacids medication. We developed and validated a first-generation ester-impregnated pH strip test to improve the accuracy towards gastric placements in adult population receiving routine NG-tube feeding. The sensitivity was improved by its augmentation with the action of human gastric lipase (HGL), an enzyme specific to the stomach.

METHODS

We carried out a multi-centred, prospective, two-gate diagnostic accuracy study on patients who require routine NG-tube feeding in 10 NHS hospitals comparing the sensitivity of the novel pH strip to the standard pH test, using either chest X-rays or, in its absence, clinical observation of the absence of adverse events as the reference standard. We also tested the novel pH strips in lung aspirates from patients undergoing oesophageal cancer surgeries using visual inspection as the reference standard. We simulated health economics using a decision analytic model and carried out adoption studies to understand its route to commercialisation. The primary end point is the sensitivity of novel and standard pH tests at the recommended pH cut-off of 5.5.

RESULTS

A total of 6400 ester-impregnated pH strips were prepared based on an ISO13485 quality management system. A total of 376 gastric samples were collected from adult patients in 10 NHS hospitals who were receiving routine NG-tube feeding. The sensitivities of the standard and novel pH tests were respectively 49.2% (95% CI 44.1‑54.3%) and 70.2% (95% CI 65.6‑74.8%) under pH cut-off of 5.5 and the novel test has a lung specificity of 89.5% (95% CI 79.6%, 99.4%). Our simulation showed that using the novel test can potentially save 132 unnecessary chest X-rays per check per every 1000 eligible patients, or direct savings of £4034 to the NHS.

CONCLUSIONS

The novel pH test correctly identified significantly more patients with tubes located inside the stomach compared to the standard pH test used widely by the NHS.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN11170249 , Registered 21 June 2017-retrospectively registered.

Nasogastric Tube Feeding in Older Patients: A Review of Current Practice and Challenges Faced

Nasogastric tube feeding is an essential way of delivering enteral nutrition when the oral route is insufficient or unsafe. Malnutrition is recognised as a reversible factor for sarcopenia and frailty. It is therefore crucial that malnutrition is treated in older inpatients who have dysphagia and require enteral nutrition. Despite five National Patient Safety Alerts since 2005, “Never Events” related to nasogastric feeding persist. In addition to placement errors, current practice often leads to delays in feeding, which subsequently result in worse patient outcomes. It is crucial that tube placement is confirmed accurately and in a timely way. Medical advancements in this area have been slow to find a solution which meets this need. In this paper, we provide an updated review on the current use of feeding nasogastric tubes in the older population, the issues associated with confirming correct placement, and innovative solutions for improving safety and outcomes in older patients.

Diagnostic accuracy of a pH stick, modified to detect gastric lipase, to confirm the correct placement of nasogastric tubes

Objective

The correct placement of a nasogastric feeding tube is usually confirmed by establishing that an aspirate is acidic using a pH stick. However, antacid medication and achlorhydria can cause false negative pH tests that may delay feeding and increase resource use. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a modified pH stick designed to detect gastric lipase and therefore reduce false negative tests.

Methods

In this prospective observational study, a convenience sample of adult patients who had either gastric and oesophageal samples taken during routine diagnostic gastroscopy (n=97) or bronchial and saliva samples taken during a bronchoscopy (n=106). The samples were tested by blinded observers using the modified and standard pH sticks. The sensitivities and specificities of the two pH sticks in identifying gastric and non-gastric aspirates were compared using the pH cut-off ≤5.5.

Results

The sensitivities of a pH≤5.5 to correctly identify gastric samples were 66% (95% CI 56 to 75) and 68% (95% CI 57 to 77) for the modified and the standard pH, respectively. The specificities were 81% (95% CI 76 to 85) and 79% (95% CI 74 to 84). There were no significant differences in the distribution of the discordant results between the paired gastric and non-gastric samples for both the modified and standard pH sticks at pH≤5.5 (both McNemar’s tests, p≥0.05).

Conclusions

There were no significant differences between the paired modified and standard pH tests for the gastric samples. Due to the limited accuracy of pH sticks, further research is required to identify accurate and cost-effective bedside methods to confirm the correct placement of nasogastric tubes.

Selecting pH cut-offs for the safe verification of nasogastric feeding tube placement: a decision analytical modelling approach

OBJECTIVES

The existing British National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) safety guideline recommends testing the pH of nasogastric (NG) tube aspirates. Feeding is considered safe if a pH of 5.5 or lower has been observed; otherwise chest X-rays are recommended. Our previous research found that at 5.5, the pH test lacks sensitivity towards oesophageal placements, a major risk identified by feeding experts. The aim of this research is to use a decision analytic modelling approach to systematically assess the safety of the pH test under cut-offs 1-9.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We mapped out the care pathway according to the existing safety guideline where the pH test is used as a first-line test, followed by chest x-rays. Decision outcomes were scored on a 0-100 scale in terms of safety. Sensitivities and specificities of the pH test at each cut-off were extracted from our previous research. Aggregating outcome scores and probabilities resulted in weighted scores which enabled an analysis of the relative safety of the checking procedure under various pH cut-offs.

RESULTS

The pH test was the safest under cut-off 5 when there was ≥30% of NG tube misplacements. Under cut-off 5, respiratory feeding was excluded; oesophageal feeding was kept to a minimum to balance the need of chest X-rays for patients with a pH higher than 5. Routine chest X-rays were less safe than the pH test while to feed all without safety checks was the most risky.

DISCUSSION

The safety of the current checking procedure is sensitive to the choice of pH cut-offs, the impact of feeding delays, the accuracy of the pH in the oesophagus, as well as the extent of tube misplacements.

CONCLUSIONS

The pH test with 5 as the cut-off was the safest overall. It is important to understand the local clinical environment so that appropriate choice of pH cut-offs can be made to maximise safety and to minimise the use of chest X-rays.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ISRCTN11170249; Pre-results.