BACKGROUND Providing supplemental oxygen is fundamental in the management of mechanically ventilated patients. Increasing amounts of data show worse clinical outcomes associated with hyperoxia. However, these previous data in the critically ill have not focused on outcomes associated with brief hyperoxia exposure immediately after endotracheal intubation. Therefore, the objectives of this study...

INTRODUCTION The objective was to determine the frequency of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) in mechanically ventilated pediatric patients and its role as a risk factor for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), which may be enhanced among those patients. METHODS The study is a prospective cohort study of mechanically ventilated pediatric patients in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of ...

Background: In critically ill patients inspiratory muscle function may be assessed by measurements of maximal inspiratory airway pressure and the response of twitch transdiaphragmatic pressure (Pdi tw) to bilateral phrenic nerve stimulation. The first is limited by its total dependence on patient cooperation. Although the second approach is independent of patient volition, it is impractical bec...

STUDY OBJECTIVE To assess the accuracy of the respiratory inductive plethysmography in the measurement of PEEP-induced changes in end-expiratory lung volume during mechanical ventilation and its accuracy and stability in the measurement of ventilation during controlled mechanical ventilation and spontaneous breathing. DESIGN An open comparison between two methods using a criterion standard. E...

The relationship of vitamin D3 with the duration of mechanical ventilation and mortality is still unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of using high-dose vitamin D on the duration of mechanical ventilation among the patients admitted to the intensive care unit. The current double-blinded clinical trial was performed on 44 mechanically ventilated, adult patients. Us...

INTRODUCTION Delivery of bronchodilators with a metered-dose inhaler (MDI) and a spacer device in mechanically ventilated patients has become a widespread practice. However, except for the short-acting beta2-agonist salbutamol, the duration of action of other bronchodilators, including long-acting beta2-agonists, delivered with this technique is not well established. The purpose of this study w...

INTRODUCTION Unplanned extubation (UE) is a frequent event during mechanical ventilation in critically ill patients and might be associated with increased morbidity and mortality. However, detailed knowledge of risk factors and outcomes after UE is lacking. METHODS A case-control study was performed with a case to control ratio of 1:4. Incidence density sampling was applied. Seventy-four case...

BACKGROUND Critically ill patients frequently experience pain, but assessment rates remain below 40% in mechanically ventilated patients. Whether pain assessment affects patient outcomes is largely unknown. METHODS As part of a prospective cohort study of mechanically ventilated patients who received analgesia on day 2 of their stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), the investigators performe...

The relationship of vitamin D3 with the duration of mechanical ventilation and mortality is still unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of using high-dose vitamin D on the duration of mechanical ventilation among the patients admitted to the intensive care unit. The current double-blinded clinical trial was performed on 44 mechanically ventilated, adult patients. Us...