Postoperative management after thymectomy.

This paper reports a retrospective study of the preoperative and postoperative management of 28 patients who underwent thymectomy between 1956 and 1973. Patients who received postoperative artificial ventilation were compared with the group who did not with respect to sex, age, severity of disease, preoperative vital capacity, and thymic histology. Evidence is presented that postoperative artificial ventilation is required when the preoperative vital capacity with the patient on optimum anticholinesterase treatment is less than 2 litres. Additional features associated with a probable need for artificial ventilation were the presence of a thymoma, bulbar symptoms, especially dysphagia, and age over 50 years. These should be taken into account in any patient whose vital capacity is close to the critical level of 2 litres. When postoperative ventilation was required it was usually necessary for 12 days or more, and tracheostomy should therefore be done at or before thymectomy. Most patients in this series received the same dose of anticholinesterases after operation as before it and no evidence was found of a sudden decrease in requirements for anticholinesterase therapy. Two patients did not, and in them a myasthenic crisis was precipitated. We propose that the preoperative drug regimen can be continued in the immediate postthymectomy period, allowing selection of patients for tracheostomy and artificial ventilation primarily on the basis of the preoperative vital capacity.     

Non-invasive mechanical ventilation for acute respiratory failure.

The value of mechanical ventilation using intermittent positive pressure ventilation delivered non-invasively by nasal mask was assessed in six patients with life threatening exacerbations of chronic respiratory disease. Median (range) arterial oxygen and carbon dioxide tensions were 4.4 (3.5-7.2) kPa and 8.7 (5.5-10.9) kPa respectively, with four patients breathing air and two controlled concentrations of oxygen. The arterial oxygen tension increased with mechanical ventilation to a median (range) of 8.7 (8.0-12.6) kPa and the carbon dioxide tension fell to 8.2 (6.5-9.2) kPa. Four patients discharged after a median of 10 (8-17) days in hospital were well five to 22 months later. One died at four days of worsening sputum retention and another after five weeks using the ventilator for 12-16 hours each day while awaiting heart-lung transplantation. This technique of mechanical ventilation avoids endotracheal intubation and can be used intermittently. Hypercapnic respiratory failure can be relieved in patients with either restrictive or obstructive lung disease in whom controlled oxygen treatment results in unacceptable hypercapnia. Respiratory assistance can be tailored to individual need and undertaken without conventional intensive care facilities.     

Guillain-Barré syndrome: rehabilitation outcome and recent developments.

Guillain-Barré syndrome is the most common polyneuropathy causing major disability and respiratory failure. Respiratory complications are the main cause of death. Improved respiratory care and new treatment strategies such as plasmaphoresis and immunoglobulin have been shown to improve outcome. We studied the course and outcome of 37 patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome who were admitted to a rehabilitation and respiratory care facility over a 10-year period. There were 21 males and 16 females with a mean age of 62+/-3 years. Fourteen patients developed respiratory failure requiring endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation. The mean duration of mechanical ventilation was 38+/-10 days. All patients were successfully liberated from the ventilator. However, 83 percent of the patients were moderately to severely disabled at the time of discharge. Thirteen out of 37 (35 percent) developed long-term disability. None of the patients died over the period of follow-up. These results indicate that early recognition and treatment of respiratory complications in Guillain-Barré syndrome could reduce the morbidity and mortality of this condition.     

机械通气辅助抗蛇毒血清抢救银环蛇咬伤致呼吸衰竭的临床分析

目的观察抗蛇毒血清和机械通气对银环蛇咬伤致呼吸衰竭的疗效。方法应用机械通气和抗蛇毒血清救治16例银环蛇咬伤致呼吸衰竭患者。结果16例病人全部救活。患者出现眼睑下垂,呼吸节律改变或呼吸困难时,及早予经鼻气管插管行机械通气和应用抗蛇毒血清,能有效地抢救蛇伤致呼吸衰竭患者生命。结论机械通气辅助抗蛇毒血清是救治银环蛇咬伤致呼吸衰竭的有效方法。     

机械通气对呼吸衰竭并肺动脉高压患者BNP的影响研究

目的：研究机械通气对重症监护室（ICU）呼吸衰竭并肺动脉高压患者BNP 的影响。方法：选择2013 年12 月～2014 年12 月 在我院ICU接受机械通气治疗的呼吸衰竭并肺动脉高压患者78 例,按照随机数字表法分为有创组与无创组各39 例,两组患者 一般资料比较,P＞0.05。两组均给予祛痰平喘、抗感染、皮质激素、强心利尿等常规治疗,有创组在常规治疗基础上行气管插管或 气管切开呼吸机辅助呼吸,无创组在常规治疗基础上行面罩呼吸机辅助呼吸,观察两组PaO2、PaCO2、pH 值、肺动脉压力、BNP 等 指标。结果：两组患者治疗后PaO2、PaCO2、pH 值、肺动脉压力、BNP 均显著优于本组治疗前,P＜0.05;有创组治疗后PaO2、PaCO2、 pH 值、肺动脉压力、BNP均显著优于无创组治疗后,P＜0.05。结论：有创机械通气与无创机械通气均可改善呼吸衰竭并动脉高压 临床症状,降低血浆BNP 浓度,但有创机械通气较无创机械通气效果更为显著,临床可以通过监测血浆BNP 浓度判断患者病情。     

银环蛇咬伤致急性呼吸衰竭的治疗及临床观察

目的观察抗银环蛇毒血清和机械通气对银环蛇咬伤致急性呼吸衰竭的疗效。方法应用抗蛇毒血清和机械通气救治23例银环蛇咬伤致急性呼吸衰竭患者。结果银环蛇咬伤患者及早应用抗银环蛇毒血清,毒蛇咬伤后发生急性呼吸衰竭时间为2.5～16h。当患者出现睁眼困难、吞咽困难、呼吸节律改变或呼吸困难时,即予气管插管行机械通气,可获得较好的疗效。结论机械通气辅助抗蛇毒血清是救治银环蛇咬伤致呼吸衰竭有效的方法。     

Decreased respiratory system compliance on the sixth day of mechanical ventilation is a predictor of death in patients with established acute lung injury

Background

Multiple studies have identified single variables or composite scores that help risk stratify patients at the time of acute lung injury (ALI) diagnosis. However, few studies have addressed the important question of how changes in pulmonary physiologic variables might predict mortality in patients during the subacute or chronic phases of ALI. We studied pulmonary physiologic variables, including respiratory system compliance, P/F ratio and oxygenation index, in a cohort of patients with ALI who survived more than 6 days of mechanical ventilation to see if changes in these variables were predictive of death and whether they are informative about the pathophysiology of subacute ALI.

Methods

Ninety-three patients with ALI who were mechanically ventilated for more than 6 days were enrolled in this prospective cohort study. Patients were enrolled at two medical centers in the US, a county hospital and a large academic center. Bivariate analyses were used to identify pulmonary physiologic predictors of death during the first 6 days of mechanical ventilation. Predictors on day 1, day 6 and the changes between day 1 and day 6 were compared in a multivariate logistic regression model.

Results

The overall mortality was 35%. In multivariate analysis, the PaO₂/FiO₂ (OR 2.09, p < 0.04) and respiratory system compliance (OR 3.61, p < 0.01) were predictive of death on the 6^th day of acute lung injury. In addition, a decrease in respiratory system compliance between days 1 and days 6 (OR 2.14, p < 0.01) was independently associated with mortality.

Conclusions

A low respiratory system compliance on day 6 or a decrease in the respiratory system compliance between the 1^st and 6^th day of mechanical ventilation were associated with increased mortality in multivariate analysis of this cohort of patients with ALI. We suggest that decreased respiratory system compliance may identify a subset of patients who have persistent pulmonary edema, atelectasis or the fibroproliferative sequelae of ALI and thus are less likely to survive their hospitalization.     

机械通气患者呼吸机相关性肺炎临床分析与护理

目的探讨呼吸机相关性肺炎的临床相关因素及病原学特点,以指导临床防治。方法对100例呼吸机患者的呼吸机管路、下呼吸道感染病菌的菌种种类、呼吸机时间进行统计,分析与呼吸机相关性肺炎发病的因素。结果呼吸机管路和下呼吸道病原菌构成比具有同源性表现,呼吸机相关性肺炎发生率为36%,使用呼吸机时间长短与呼吸机相关性肺炎发生率呈正相关(P0.01)。结论呼吸机相关性肺炎与多种临床因素有关,使用时间越长,发病率越高。     

Low Testosterone Levels are Frequent in Patients with Acute Respiratory Failure and Are Associated with Poor Outcomes

ObjectiveLow testosterone level is a common finding in critically ill patients with trauma, shock, and sepsis. However, its prevalence and outcomes in patients with primary acute respiratory failure is unknown; low testosterone could contribute to respiratory muscle weakness and further compromise ventilation in these patients.MethodsWe aimed to determine the prevalence, severity, and effects of hypotestosteronemia in patients with acute respiratory failure in a 16-bed single academic center medical intensive care unit (ICU). We studied 30 men who required mechanical ventilation for ≥ 24 hours for a primary diagnosis of acute respiratory failure. Blood samples were drawn on ICU day 1 and day 3 to measure serum levels of total and free testosterone.ResultsHypotestosteronemia (level below the lower reference limit) was present on day 1 in 93.1% (total testosterone) and 76.7% (free testosterone) of patients and on day 3 in 94.4% (total testosterone) and 100% (free testosterone) of patients. Sex hormone–binding globulin, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and thyroid function levels were all within stated reference ranges. Total and free testosterone levels correlated inversely with ventilator days and ICU length of stay.ConclusionHypotestosteronemia is common in mechanically ventilated patients with primary acute respiratory failure and may contribute to longer ICU stay. Further studies are needed to determine the effect of testosterone replacement on short- and long-term outcomes in these patients. (Endocr Pract. 2014;20:1057-1063)     

Effects of MMP-9 inhibition by doxycycline on proteome of lungs in high tidal volume mechanical ventilation-induced acute lung injury

Background  

Although mechanical ventilation (MV) is a major supportive therapy for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome, it may result in side effects including lung injury. In this study we hypothesize that MMP-9 inhibition by doxycycline might reduce MV-related lung damage. Using a proteomic approach we identified the pulmonary proteins altered in high volume ventilation-induced lung injury (VILI). Forty Wistar rats were randomized to an orally pretreated with doxycycline group (n = 20) or to a placebo group (n = 20) each of which was followed by instrumentation prior to either low or high tidal volume mechanical ventilation. Afterwards, animals were euthanized and lungs were harvested for subsequent analyses.     

Severe hypophosphataemia during recovery from acute respiratory acidosis.

Three elderly patients with established chronic obstructive airways disease were admitted with a short history of increasing dyspnoea and tiredness and (in two cases) a deterioration in mental state. Acute respiratory acidosis was diagnosed and mechanical ventilation instituted. Two hours after beginning mechanical ventilation the mean arterial pH had risen to 7.40, but all patients showed a dramatic fall in the serum phosphate concentration (lowest value 0.3 mmol/l (0.9 mg/100 ml] accompanied by a low urinary excretion of phosphate. No patient could tolerate withdrawal of mechanical ventilation until the serum and urinary concentrations of phosphate had returned to normal. Recovery from acute respiratory acidosis should be added to the list of conditions associated with severe hypophosphataemia.     

Adverse effects of myasthenia gravis on rat phrenic diaphragm contractile performance.

Myasthenia gravis has variable effects on the respiratory system, ranging from no abnormalities to life-threatening respiratory failure. Studies characterized diaphragm muscle contractile performance in rat autoimmune myasthenia gravis. Rats received monoclonal antibody that recognizes acetylcholine receptor determinants (or inactive antibody); 3 days later, phrenic nerve and diaphragm were studied in vitro. Myasthenic rats segregated into two groups, those with normal vs. impaired limb muscle function when tested in intact animals ("mild" and "severe" myasthenic). Baseline diaphragm twitch force was reduced for both severe (P < 0.01) and mild (P < 0.05) myasthenic compared with control animals (twitch force: normal 1,352 +/- 140, mild myasthenic 672 +/- 99, severe myasthenic 687 +/- 74 g/cm2). However, only severe myasthenic diaphragm had impaired diaphragm endurance, based on significantly (P < 0.05) accelerated rate of peak force decline during the initial period of stimulation (0.02 + 0.02, 0.03 +/- 0.01, and 0.09 +/- 0.01%/pulse for normal, mild myasthenic, and severe myasthenic, respectively, during continuous stimulation) and intratrain fatigue (up to 30.5 +/- 7.4% intratrain force drop in severe myasthenic vs. none in normal and mild myasthenic, P < 0.01). Furthermore, compared with continuous stimulation, intermittent stimulation had a protective effect on force of severe myasthenic diaphragm (force after 2,000 pulses was 31.4 +/- 2.0% of initial during intermittent stimulation vs. 13.0 +/- 2.1% of initial during continuous stimulation, P < 0.01) but not on normal diaphragm. These data indicate that baseline force and fatigue may be affected to different extents by varying severity of myasthenia gravis and furthermore provide a mechanism by which alterations in breathing pattern may worsen respiratory muscle function in neuromuscular diseases.     

序贯机械通气联合尼可刹米治疗AECOPD合并Ⅱ型呼吸衰竭的临床观察

目的：观察序贯机械通气联合尼可刹米在慢性阻塞性肺疾病急性加重期（AECOPD）合并Ⅱ型呼吸衰竭中的的临床疗效及安全性。方法：按照随机原则将64例AECOPD合并Ⅱ型呼吸衰竭分成两组,对照组32例给予常规有创机械通气,治疗组患者给予序贯机械通气联合尼可刹米治疗,对两组治疗前、后24 h和48h的pH值、PaO2、PaCO2以及VAP、总机械通气时间、ICU时间,总住院时间,再插管率以及死亡率进行评价。结果：治疗组与对照组相比,pH值改善明显、PaO2明显增长、PaCO2下降显著,有统计学差异（P〈0.05）;治疗组ICU时间,总住院时间,再插管率以及死亡率与对照组相比,下降明显,有统计学差异（P〈0.05）。结论：序贯机械通气联合尼可刹米治疗AECOPD合并Ⅱ型呼吸衰竭的临床疗效确切,值得临床推广。     

乌司他丁在急性呼吸窘迫综合征的临床应用研究

目的:观察乌司他丁(UTI)对急性呼吸窘迫综合征(acute respiratory distress syndrome,ARDS)的临床应用。方法:选择我院ICU自2008年1月至2011年1月收治的160例ARDS患者作为研究对象,采用随机对照的方法,并且经患者或患者家属知情并签字同意分组。分为UTI组(A组)和对照组(B组)。两组均给予相同综合治疗措施,A组除综合治疗外还给予注射用乌司他丁,每次30万U,每日2次。分别记录两组患者开始治疗、治疗后第3天、治疗第7天的生命体征,动脉血气分析、血生化检查结果、并且记录患者在ICU治疗的转归,应用SPSS13.0软件对结果进行统计学分析。结果:经治疗3天A组呼吸频率低于B组,动脉血气分析提示两组PO2、PO2/FiO2、SaO2均有上升。比较后发现A组PO2、PO2/FiO2、SaO2高于B组(P<0.05),两组PO2、SaO2比较有统计学差异。经治疗3天A组与B组生化指标比较、白细胞计数、肾功及血乳酸均有下降,有统计学差异,P<0.05。全部治疗结束后A组与B组死亡率比较(UTI组34.29%,对照组38.26%,P=0.0097)及机械通气时间比较(UTI组7.54±3.27天,对照组11.78±2.69天,P=0.0086),均有统计学差异。结论:大剂量UTI用于ARDS的临床治疗可有效改善患者氧合指数,减少机械通气时间,降低患者的病死率。     

机械通气对ICU肺动脉高压伴呼吸衰竭患者血浆脑钠肽水平的影响

目的探讨机械通气对ICU肺动脉高压伴呼吸衰竭患者血浆脑钠肽水平的影响。方法随机抽取86例ICU肺动脉高压伴呼吸衰竭患者分为两组,观察组43例患者应用面罩呼吸机予以辅助呼吸治疗,对照组43例患者行气管插管呼吸机辅助治疗,并对两组患者治疗前后脑钠肽、肺动脉压水平以及并发症发生率进行比较分析。结果治疗后,观察组脑钠肽、肺动脉压力均高于对照组(均P0.01);观察组并发症发生率为6.98%,低于对照组的23.26%(P0.05)。结论 ICU肺动脉高压伴呼吸衰竭患者行气管插管机械通气治疗的临床效果肯定。     

ICU机械通气并发下呼吸道医院感染病原菌的调查分析

目的：分析ICU机械通气并发下呼吸道医院感染病原学构成及耐药情况。为临床防治提供依据。方法：对我院1996年6月-1999年6月3间ICU收住的98例机械通气合并下呼吸道医院感染患者的致病菌及药敏结果进行回顾性调查。结果：共检出致病毒128株,其中革兰阴性细菌（G^-菌）占66.4%（85株）,革兰阳性细菌（G^ 菌）占25.8%(33株）,真菌占7.8%(10株）;前四位致病菌分别为铜绿假单胞菌（24株）,革兰阳性细菌（G^ 菌）占25.8%(33株）,真菌占7.8%(10株）;前四位致病菌分别为铜绿假单胞菌（24株）,金黄色葡萄球菌（22株）,不动杆菌属（21株）,肠杆菌属（18株）,药敏结果显示这类菌株多重耐药现象严重。结论：ICU机械通气并发下呼吸道医院感染病原体构成以G^-菌为主,其药敏试验呈多重耐药,临床应重视病原学检查,开展细菌耐药性监测,合理使用抗菌药物。     

Neuron-specific enolase in non-neoplastic lung diseases, a marker of hypoxemia?

Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) is a glycolytic enzyme localized within neuronal and neuroendocrine tissues. Serum NSE is widely used as a marker of neuroendocrine tumors. Moderate serum NSE elevation has been reported in some patients with benign lung diseases. We decided to investigate whether the elevation of serum NSE in non-neoplastic lung diseases is connected with hypoxemia and to what extent the recovery of sufficient ventilation with a respirator may influence NSE concentrations. Serum NSE was estimated by means of radioimmunoassay in 83 patients with various non-neoplastic lung diseases. Serum NSE exceeding 12.5 micrograms/L was significantly more frequent in patients with marked hypoxemia (PaO2 < 6.67 kPa; p = 0.03) than in others. The median NSE value in the group of patients without respiratory failure (Ro) was 7.2 micrograms/L (10% > 12.5 micrograms/L), in the group of patients with respiratory failure not requiring mechanical ventilation (Rf) it was 8.5 micrograms/L (24% > 12.5 micrograms/L), and in the group of patients with respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation (Rfv) 13.1 micrograms/L (60% > 12.5 micrograms/L). The differences between the Rfv group and the other two groups (Rf and Ro) were significant (P = 0.049 and p = 0.0004, respectively). During successful mechanical ventilation elevated serum NSE decreased to values below the cutoff in 8/10 patients. We conclude that serum NSE elevation is a frequent event in patients with terminal hypoxemia in the course of benign lung diseases. Normalization of serum NSE is observed in the majority of patients during the first week of mechanical ventilation.     

ALI/ARDS患者使用保护性通气策略对于肺部损伤的影响

急性肺损伤(ALI)和急性呼吸窘迫综合征(ARDS)是常见的临床综合征,绝大多数ALI/ARDS患者需机械通气治疗,机械通气在提供可接受的肺部气体交换的同时治疗基础疾病,但机械通气本身也会引起肺部损伤,即机械通气性肺损伤(VILI)。而通过调整机械通气参数的设置,使用保护性通气策略可显著减低ALI/ARDS患者机械通气性肺损伤程度,从而减少肺部感染,缩短机械通气时间和住院时间,降低28天死亡率,明显改善ALI/ARDS患者的生存质量,起到最大程度地肺保护作用。本文从气道平台压,通气容积,呼气末正压等几个不同通气参数方面分别进行综述,讨论ALI/ARDS患者机械通气时使用保护性通气策略对于肺部损伤的影响。     

Influence of mechanical ventilation and pulmonary disease on pulmonary artery pressure monitoring.

Mechanical ventilation and respiratory disease impose both theoretical and practical limitations on the interpretation of hemodynamic measurements. To properly interpret such information a thorough understanding of the circulatory changes associated with normal breathing, mechanical ventilation and respiratory disease is vital. There are a variety of factors involved in patients with obstructive lung disease and those receiving mechanical ventilation that complicate the usual interpretation of hemodynamic data obtained from flow-directed catheters. An awareness of the potential pitfalls of hemodynamic monitoring in such situations is important in the efficient use of the hemodynamic data obtained.     

Magnetic resonance imaging with pathological correlation in a case of mantle cell lymphoma of the parotid gland: a case report

Introduction

Tetanus rarely occurs in developed countries, but it can result in fatal complications including respiratory failure due to generalized muscle spasms. Magnesium infusion has been used to treat spasticity in tetanus, and its effectiveness is supported by several case reports and a recent randomized controlled trial

Case presentations

Three Caucasian Greek men aged 30, 50 and 77 years old were diagnosed with tetanus and admitted to a general 12-bed intensive care unit in 2006 and 2007 for respiratory failure due to generalized spasticity. Intensive care unit treatment included antibiotics, hydration, enteral nutrition, early tracheostomy and mechanical ventilation. Intravenous magnesium therapy controlled spasticity without the need for additional muscle relaxants. Their medications were continued for up to 26 days, and adjusted as needed to control spasticity. Plasma magnesium levels, which were measured twice a day, remained in the 3 to 4.5 mmol/L range. We did not observe hemodynamic instability, arrhythmias or other complications related to magnesium therapy in these patients. All patients improved, came off mechanical ventilation, and were discharged from the intensive care unit in a stable condition.

Conclusion

In comparison with previous reports, our case series contributes the following meaningful additional information: intravenous magnesium therapy was used on patients already requiring mechanical ventilation and remained effective for up to 26 days (significantly longer than in previous reports) without significant toxicity in two patients. The overall outcome was good in all our patients. However, the optimal dose, optimal duration and maximum safe duration of intravenous magnesium therapy are unknown. Therefore, until more data on the safety and efficacy of magnesium therapy are available, its use should be limited to carefully selected tetanus cases.