ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND.: Prolonged invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) is a frequent challenge, and an increasing number of patients are transferred from intensive care units to long-term acute care hospitals or specialized weaning units. There are few published data for discharge home rates, use of noninvasive ventilation (NIV), or long-term survival. METHODS.: A case-note and database review was conducted of patients admitted to a UK national specialized weaning unit for weaning from IMV between 1992 and 2012. Patients were grouped into diagnostic categories according to the predominant cause of weaning failure. Weaning outcomes and long-term survival were assessed according to diagnostic group and mode of ventilation on discharge. RESULTS.: Four hundred and fifty-eight patients were transferred for weaning from IMV. Four hundred and seventeen (91%) survived to hospital discharge, of whom at least 343 (82%) were ultimately discharged to their own home. Three hundred and thirty (72%) weaned from IMV, of whom 142 weaned from all ventilation and 188 weaned to nocturnal NIV. Weaning success was highest for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chest wall disorders. Median survival from unit discharge was 25 months (interquartile range 5-74), with the longest survival seen for patients discharged with nocturnal NIV [37 (12-81) months]. CONCLUSIONS.: These results confirm successful weaning outcomes for patients transferred to a specialized weaning and long-term ventilation service. In contrast to other service models, most patients achieved discharge to their own home.
Subject(s)
Hospital Units/organization & administration , Ventilator Weaning/methods , Aged , Databases, Factual , Female , Humans , Length of Stay , Male , Middle Aged , Noninvasive Ventilation/adverse effects , Noninvasive Ventilation/mortality , Patient Discharge , Referral and Consultation , Respiration, Artificial/methods , Survival Analysis , Treatment Outcome , Ventilator Weaning/mortality , Ventilator Weaning/statistics & numerical dataABSTRACT
Twenty-two asymptomatic women with rising CA 125 levels after chemotherapy for ovarian cancer were entered into a trial of isotretinoin combined with calcitriol. Tumours were evaluated according to precise criteria based on serial CA 125 levels and by comparing regression slopes of CA 125 before and during therapy. There was no evidence based on CA 125 of any responses or significant change in tumour growth rate.
