Patient-ventilator asynchrony during daily interruption of sedation versus no sedation protocol

Introduction:

Daily interruption of sedation could minimize the problem of sedatives accumulation. Nevertheless, whatever is the sedation strategy; sedation, particularly deep levels, has been associated with high frequency of patient-ventilator asynchrony. Extending these findings, one would expect that no sedation protocol could reduce the frequency of patient-ventilator asynchrony.

Aim:

To assess the effect of no sedation protocol compared with daily interruption of sedation on patient-ventilator asynchrony in surgical intensive care patients.

Materials and Methods:

The study included 230 patients who expected to require mechanical ventilation for more than 48 h. They were randomized to receive either continuous sedation (1 mg/mL midazolam) to achieve a Ramsay score of 3-4 with daily interruption until awake (group D; n = 115), or no sedation (group N; n = 115). Both groups received bolus doses of morphine (2.5-5 mg) as needed to achieve a score of ≤2 on behavioral pain scale.

Results:

No sedation was associated with significantly lower ineffective triggering and asynchrony index but significantly higher double triggering. Patient's effort during triggering was significantly higher during no sedation. The respiratory rate increased and the PaCO₂ decreased significantly in no sedation group.

Conclusion:

No sedation protocol reduces the asynchrony index and preserves the patient's effort during triggering.

Development, implementation, and evaluation of an institutional daily awakening and spontaneous breathing trial protocol: a quality improvement project

INTRODUCTION

While one controlled trial found that a daily awakening and spontaneous breathing trial (DA-SBT) decreases time on mechanical ventilation (MV), there is a paucity of real-world data surrounding the development, implementation, and impact of DA-SBT protocols. We describe a multidisciplinary process improvement effort in 2, 10-bed medical intensive care units (MICUs) at a 330-bed academic medical center that focused on the development, implementation, and evaluation of a new DA-SBT protocol.

METHODS

A DA-SBT protocol, developed using results from a nursing survey literature and available institutional resources, was implemented after extensive clinician education and institution of quality reminders to boost use. Postprotocol compliance was evaluated. Use of sedation, DA and SBT practices, and clinical outcomes were retrospectively compared between the before and after DA-SBT protocol groups (ie, consecutive MICU patients requiring a continuously infused sedative [CIS] ≥24 hours).

RESULTS

In the after group (n = 32), the DA and SBT compliances were 44% and 84%, respectively. Compared with the before group (n = 33), after group patients received CIS on fewer days of MV (100% vs 67%, P = .003) and had their CIS down-titrated by ≥25% on more days of CIS (40% vs 71%, P = .006). Neither total CIS dose (P = .49), total MV days (P = .75), days of MV where a SBT occurred (P = .38), nor episodes of self-extubation (15% vs 6%, P = .43) differed between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSION

Despite the implementation of a DA-SBT protocol that was individualized to clinician preferences and institutional resources and accompanied by substantial education and reminders for use, compliance to the DA component of this protocol was low and duration of MV remained unchanged. Additional quality improvement strategies are needed to overcome barriers to DA-SBT protocol use that may not exist in controlled clinical trials.