Effects of pain management program on the length of stay of patients with decreased level of consciousness: A clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Critical care patients are at higher risk for untreated pain. Pain has persistent and untreated effects on most of the body systems and results in development of complications, chronic pain, and increased length of stay. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of the implementation of a pain management program on the length of stay in patients with decreased level of consciousness, admitted in Al-Zahra hospital intensive care units (ICUs) in 2013. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this clinical trial, 50 subjects with decreased level of consciousness were selected by convenient sampling from the ICU wards of Al-Zahra hospital, Isfahan, Iran and were randomly assigned to two groups of study and control. Pain management program was applied on the study group and routine care was implemented in the control group. Data including demographic data and length of stay of patients in the ICUs were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test, independent t-test, and paired t-test. RESULTS: Results showed that out of 50 subjects attending the study, there were 40% female and 60% male subjects in study, and 52% female and 48% male subjects in control group. (P = 0.395). Overall mean length of stay of the patients in the ICUs was significantly lower in the case group [3.2 (1.4)] days compared to the control group [7.4 (4.8) days] (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that overall mean length of stay of patients in the ICUs was significantly lower in the study group compared to the control group. It is suggested to use this program for patients in ICUs with decreased level of consciousness after a general surgery.

Can donepezil facilitate weaning from mechanical ventilation in difficult to wean patients? An interventional pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Management of difficult to wean patients is a dilemma for health care system. Recently published studies demonstrated efficacy of donepezil to counteract respiratory depression in sleep apnea. However, to the best of our knowledge, pharmaceutical interventions with donepezil to facilitate weaning have not been tested so far. Therefore in the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of using donepezil on weaning course in difficult to wean patients. METHODS: In this non-randomized interventional clinical study, difficult to wean patients with prior inappropriately depressed respiratory responses were included from two referral intensive care units (ICU) in Iran. Patients with another potentially reasons of weaning failure were excluded from the study. Donepezil was started for eligible patients at dose of 10 mg daily for 2-4 weeks. For the primary outcomes, arterial blood gas (ABG) parameters were also measured before and after intervention to evaluate the possible effects of donepezil on them. In addition, weaning outcomes of patients were reported as final outcome in response to this intervention. RESULTS: Twelve out of 16 studied patients experienced successful results to facilitate weaning with donepezil intervention. The mean duration of donepezil treatment until outcome measurement was 12 days. There were not any significant differences in ABG parameters among patients with successful and failed weaning trial on day of donepezil initiation. However after donepezil intervention, mean of PCO2 and HCO3 decreased in patients with successful weaning trial and mean of PCO2 increased in those with weaning failure. CONCLUSIONS: Reduced central respiratory drive was infrequently reason of failed weaning attempts but it must be considered especially in patients with hypercapnia secondary to inefficient gas exchange and slow breathing. Our results in the clinical setting suggest that, the use of donepezil can expedite weaning presumably by stimulation of respiratory center and obviate the need to re-intubation in cases of respiratory drive problem in difficult to wean patients. We suggest decrease PCO2 and HCO3 during donepezil steady could be valuable predictors for positive response to donepezil intervention.

Effect of using Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale on duration of mechanical ventilation, type and dosage of sedation on hospitalized patients in intensive care units.

BACKGROUND: Mechanical ventilation is one of the supporting treatments that are used for different reasons. To reduce patients' inconvenience caused due to using tracheal tube and ventilator, sedation is routinely used. Using scales for the sedation, for example, Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale (RASS), may reduce dose of sedation and length of mechanical ventilation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study is a randomized clinical trial on 64 patients selected from three intensive care units (ICUs) in Isfahan, Iran. Through random allocation, 32 patients were assigned to each of the study and control groups. In the control group, patients' level of consciousness and the amount of drug consumption in every shift, based on physician order, were recorded. In the study group, RASS score was recorded every hour and sedation was administered based on that. The purpose of the study was to investigate of application of RASS for drug consumption until weaning of the patient from the ventilator. Independent t-test with significance level of 0.05 was used. RESULTS: Results showed no significant difference in the mean consumption of midazolam and morphine after intervention, but there was a significant difference in fentanyl (P = 0.03) consumption (379 µg in the control group vs 75 µg in the study group) between groups after the intervention. The mean duration of being connected to the ventilator was significantly less in the study group (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Application of RASS by nurses leads to a decrease in sedation consumption, connection to ventilator, and length of stay in the hospital.

Assess the clinical applicability of transthoracic echocardiography in laparotomy patients in a general intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: Echocardiography is one of the diagnostic tools that can be applied at the bedside, along with avoiding transporting critically ill patients. This prospective observational study was designed to assess the clinical applicability of the transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) device by noncardiologist intensivists. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Intensivists performed a limited TTE examination on critically ill patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit (ICU). After initial cardiac clinical assessment in 85 critically ill adult patients, a limited TTE was performed by an intensivist to assess left ventricular (LV) function and LV volume status as well as valvular function and qualitative factors. Data were analyzed and presented in proportions using descriptive statistics. The setting was in surgical ICU of an academic medical center. RESULTS: Valvular abnormalities (44.8%) as well as qualitative indices (68.3%) were the most frequently detected abnormalities. The ejection fraction was the only alteration, which was affected by the risk factors (P = 0.05, mean = 55.57). CONCLUSION: Transthoracic approach can provide useful information on cardiac anatomy and function in most ICU patients along with detecting severe previously unknown conditions in some patients.