Pendelluft in hypoxemic patients resuming spontaneous breathing: proportional modes versus pressure support ventilation

Effect of Higher or Lower PEEP on Pendelluft During Spontaneous Breathing Efforts in Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure

Background: In acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF), spontaneous breathing effort can generate excessive regional lung stress and strain manifesting as pendelluft. Higher PEEP may reduce pendelluft and reduce regional lung stress and strain during spontaneous breathing. This study aimed to establish whether higher or lower PEEP ameliorates pendelluft and to characterize factors determining the presence and magnitude of pendelluft during spontaneous breathing efforts. Methods: This study was a randomized crossover trial of higher versus lower PEEP applied after systematically initiating spontaneous breathing in subjects with moderate or severe AHRF. The presence and volume of pendelluft were assessed by electrical impedance tomography (EIT). Results: EIT recordings were available for 20 of 30 subjects enrolled in the trial. After initiating spontaneous breathing, 11/20 exhibited pendelluft (proportion 55% [95% CI 32-76]). Following PEEP titration, the prevalence of pendelluft was not different between higher versus lower PEEP levels (50% vs 50%, P = .55). When present, pendelluft volume was generally small (median 28 [interquartile range 8-93] mL) but ranged as high as 364 mL. Pendelluft was associated with higher respiratory effort (esophageal pressure [Pes] swing [ΔPes] median -15 cm H2O vs ΔPes median -8 cm H2O, P = .01), higher pulmonary flow resistance (median 8 cm H2O/L/s vs median 3 cm H2O/L/s, P < .001), and higher dynamic pulmonary elastance (median 5.0 cm H2O/mL/kg predicted body weight vs median 3.2 cm H2O/mL/kg predicted body weight, P = .03). Conclusions: Pendelluft reflecting increased regional lung stress and strain is likely common during spontaneous breathing effort in patients with AHRF but was not systematically affected by applying higher PEEP. The presence and magnitude of pendelluft depended on respiratory effort and lung mechanics.

Double cycling with breath-stacking during partial support ventilation in ARDS: Just a feature of natural variability?

BACKGROUND

Double cycling with breath-stacking (DC/BS) during controlled mechanical ventilation is considered potentially injurious, reflecting a high respiratory drive. During partial ventilatory support, its occurrence might be attributable to physiological variability of breathing patterns, reflecting the response of the mode without carrying specific risks.

METHODS

This secondary analysis of a crossover study evaluated DC/BS events in hypoxemic patients resuming spontaneous breathing in cross-over under neurally adjusted ventilatory assist (NAVA), proportional assist ventilation (PAV +), and pressure support ventilation (PSV). DC/BS was defined as two inspiratory cycles with incomplete exhalation. Measurements included electrical impedance signal, airway pressure, esophageal and gastric pressures, and flow. Breathing variability, dynamic compliance (CLdyn), and end-expiratory lung impedance (EELI) were analyzed.

RESULTS

Twenty patients under assisted breathing, with a median of 9 [5-14] days on mechanical ventilation, were included. DC/BS was attributed to either a single (42%) or two apparent consecutive inspiratory efforts (58%). The median [IQR] incidence of DC/BS was low: 0.6 [0.1-2.6] % in NAVA, 0.0 [0.0-0.4] % in PAV + , and 0.1 [0.0-0.4] % in PSV (p = 0.06). DC/BS events were associated with patient's coefficient of variability for tidal volume (p = 0.014) and respiratory rate (p = 0.011). DC/BS breaths exhibited higher tidal volume, muscular pressure and regional stretch compared to regular breaths. Post-DC/BS cycles frequently exhibited improved EELI and CLdyn, with no evidence of expiratory muscle activation in 63% of cases.

CONCLUSIONS

DC/BS events during partial ventilatory support were infrequent and linked to breathing variability. Their frequency and physiological effects on lung compliance and EELI resemble spontaneous sighs and may not be considered a priori as harmful.

Ventilation distribution during spontaneous breathing trials predicts liberation from mechanical ventilation: the VISION study

BACKGROUND

Predicting complete liberation from mechanical ventilation (MV) is still challenging. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) offers a non-invasive measure of regional ventilation distribution and could bring additional information.

RESEARCH QUESTION

Whether the display of regional ventilation distribution during a Spontaneous Breathing Trial (SBT) could help at predicting early and successful liberation from MV.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Patients were monitored with EIT during the SBT. The tidal image was divided into ventral and dorsal regions and displayed simultaneously. We explored the ventral-to-dorsal ventilation difference in percentage, and its association with clinical outcomes. Liberation success was defined pragmatically as passing SBT followed by extubation within 24 h without reintubation for 7 days. Failure included use of rescue therapy, reintubation within 7 days, tracheostomy, and not being extubated within 24 h after succesful SBT. A training cohort was used for discovery, followed by a validation cohort.

RESULTS

Among a total of 98 patients analyzed, 85 passed SBT (87%), but rapid liberation success occurred only in 40; 13.5% of extubated patients required reintubation. From the first minutes to the entire SBT duration, the absolute ventral-to-dorsal difference was consistently smaller in liberation success compared to all subgroups of failure (p < 0.0001). An absolute difference at 5 min of SBT > 20% was associated with failure of liberation, with sensitivity and specificity of 71% and 78% and positive predictive value 81% in a validation cohort.

CONCLUSION

During SBT, a large ventral-to-dorsal difference in ventilation indicated by EIT may help to rapidly identify patients at risk of liberation failure.

Electrical impedance tomography monitoring in adult ICU patients: state-of-the-art, recommendations for standardized acquisition, processing, and clinical use, and future directions

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is an emerging technology for the non-invasive monitoring of regional distribution of ventilation and perfusion, offering real-time and continuous data that can greatly enhance our understanding and management of various respiratory conditions and lung perfusion. Its application may be especially beneficial for critically ill mechanically ventilated patients. Despite its potential, clear evidence of clinical benefits is still lacking, in part due to a lack of standardization and transparent reporting, which is essential for ensuring reproducible research and enhancing the use of EIT for personalized mechanical ventilation. This report is the result of a four-day expert meeting where we aimed to promote the consistent and reliable use of EIT, facilitating its integration into both clinical practice and research, focusing on the adult intensive care patient. We discuss the state-of-the-art regarding EIT acquisition and processing, applications during controlled ventilation and spontaneous breathing, ventilation-perfusion assessment, and novel future directions.

Adherence to low tidal volume in the transition to spontaneous ventilation in patients with acute respiratory failure in intensive care units in Latin America (SPIRAL): a study protocol

OBJECTIVE

Patients with acute respiratory failure often require mechanical ventilation to reduce the work of breathing and improve gas exchange; however, this may exacerbate lung injury. Protective ventilation strategies, characterized by low tidal volumes (≤ 8mL/kg of predicted body weight) and limited plateau pressure below 30cmH2O, have shown improved outcomes in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, in the transition to spontaneous ventilation, it can be challenging to maintain tidal volume within protective levels, and it is unclear whether low tidal volumes during spontaneous ventilation impact patient outcomes. We developed a study protocol to estimate the prevalence of low tidal volume ventilation in the first 24 hours of spontaneous ventilation in patients with hypoxemic acute respiratory failure and its association with ventilator-free days and survival.

METHODS

We designed a multicenter, multinational, cohort study with a 28-day follow-up that will include patients with acute respiratory failure, defined as a partial oxygen pressure/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio < 300mmHg, in transition to spontaneous ventilation in intensive care units in Latin America.

RESULTS

We plan to include 422 patients in ten countries. The primary outcomes are the prevalence of low tidal volume in the first 24 hours of spontaneous ventilation and ventilator-free days on day 28. The secondary outcomes are intensive care unit and hospital mortality, incidence of asynchrony and return to controlled ventilation and sedation.

CONCLUSION

In this study, we will assess the prevalence of low tidal volume during spontaneous ventilation and its association with clinical outcomes, which can inform clinical practice and future clinical trials.