Sleep Assessment in Critically Ill Patients With Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure.

BACKGROUND: Sleep deprivation alters respiratory muscle performance and may precipitate respiratory failure. This study aimed to assess sleep in subjects admitted to ICU for acute hypoxemic respiratory failure and its role in the risk of intubation. METHODS: This was a prospective observational single-center cohort study including subjects admitted to ICU for de novo acute hypoxemic respiratory failure defined as breathing frequency ≥ 25 breaths/min or clinical signs of respiratory distress and PaO2 /FIO2 < 300 mm Hg while receiving high-flow nasal oxygen. Subjects with altered consciousness, central nervous or psychiatric disorders, continuous sedation or neuroleptic medication, or were uncooperative were excluded. Sleep was assessed by complete polysomnography (PSG) the night following ICU admission. The main outcome was to assess sleep among subjects with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure and to compare sleep between subjects who eventually required intubation to those who did not. RESULTS: Over a 24-month inclusion period, 34 subjects had complete PSG, among whom 5 (15%) required intubation in the ICU. Total sleep time was 4.2 h in median (interquartile range 2.9-6.8); deep-sleep duration was 70 min (34-127), and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep duration was 9 min (0-28). Among them, 13 subjects (38%) had no REM sleep. Total sleep time and duration of deep and REM sleep stages did not differ between subjects who required intubation and those successfully treated with high-flow nasal oxygen. CONCLUSIONS: Whereas total sleep time remained relatively preserved in critically ill subjects with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, REM sleep time was uncommon or completely absent in a large number of subjects. Sleep did not differ between subjects who required intubation and those who did not. However, given a trend toward an increased risk of intubation in subjects with a complete absence of REM sleep, further studies are needed to better explore the impact of REM sleep on the risk of intubation.

Role of sleep on respiratory failure after extubation in the ICU.

BACKGROUND: Sleep had never been assessed immediately after extubation in patients still in the ICU. However, sleep deprivation may alter respiratory function and may promote respiratory failure. We hypothesized that sleep alterations after extubation could be associated with an increased risk of post-extubation respiratory failure and reintubation. We conducted a prospective observational cohort study performed at the medical ICU of the university hospital of Poitiers in France. Patients at high-risk of extubation failure (> 65 years, with any underlying cardiac or lung disease, or intubated > 7 days) were included. Patients intubated less than 24 h, with central nervous or psychiatric disorders, continuous sedation, neuroleptic medication, or uncooperative were excluded. Sleep was assessed by complete polysomnography just following extubation including the night. The main objective was to compare sleep between patients who developed post-extubation respiratory failure or required reintubation and the others. RESULTS: Over a 3-year period, 52 patients had complete polysomnography among whom 12 (23%) developed post-extubation respiratory failure and 8 (15%) required reintubation. Among them, 10 (19%) had atypical sleep, 15 (29%) had no deep sleep, and 33 (63%) had no rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Total sleep time was 3.2 h in median [interquartile range, 2.0-4.4] in patients who developed post-extubation respiratory failure vs. 2.0 [1.1-3.8] in those who were successfully extubated (p = 0.34). Total sleep time, and durations of deep and REM sleep stages did not differ between patients who required reintubation and the others. Reintubation rates were 21% (7/33) in patients with no REM sleep and 5% (1/19) in patients with REM sleep (difference, - 16% [95% CI - 33% to 6%]; p = 0.23). CONCLUSIONS: Sleep assessment by polysomnography after extubation showed a dramatically low total, deep and REM sleep time. Sleep did not differ between patients who were successfully extubated and those who developed post-extubation respiratory failure or required reintubation.

High risk of pulmonary embolism in acute respiratory distress syndrome related to COVID-19: an observational controlled-cohort study.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 may induce endovascular injury of pulmonary vessels and could be associated with increased risk of pulmonary embolism. The main objective was to compare the incidence of pulmonary embolism in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) related to COVID-19 versus patients with pulmonary ARDS unrelated to COVID-19. METHODS: This is an observational controlled-cohort study performed at a single center of a university teaching hospital in France. The incidence of pulmonary embolism was prospectively assessed using computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) in patients with ARDS related to COVID-19 and compared to patients from a 3-year historical cohort of patients with pulmonary ARDS unrelated to COVID-19. In patients with ARDS related to COVID-19, CTPA was performed approximately 7 days after intubation or earlier in case of respiratory or hemodynamic worsening. RESULTS: CTPA was performed in 29 out of the 42 patients (69%) with ARDS related to COVID-19 and in 51 out of the 156 patients (33%) from the historical cohort of patients with pulmonary ARDS unrelated to COVID-19. Incidence of pulmonary embolism was 40% (17/42) in patients with ARDS related to COVID-19 and 3% (5/156) in the historical cohort (P=0.001). The proportion of patients with pulmonary embolism among all patients who had CTPA was 59% (17/29) in patients with ARDS related to COVID-19 and 10% (5/51) in the historical cohort (P=0.0001). After adjustment on the interval between ICU admission and computed tomography, COVID-19 remained independently associated with pulmonary embolism. CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary embolism was particularly frequent in patients with ARDS related to COVID-19, thereby suggesting that CTPA should be systematically performed in these patients.

Disseminated invasive aspergillosis in patients with severe influenza infection.

A female 66 year-old patient, not immunocompromised, was admitted in ICU for severe influenza complicated by severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) leading to extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). During ICU hospitalization, she developed a disseminated invasive aspergillosis with cerebral access and coronary occlusion which lead to cardiac arrest. Despite a successful revascularization procedure, the patient died of refractory shock.

Impact of sleep alterations on weaning duration in mechanically ventilated patients: a prospective study.

Sleep is markedly altered in intensive care unit (ICU) patients and may alter respiratory performance. Our objective was to assess the impact of sleep alterations on weaning duration.We conducted a prospective physiological study at a French teaching hospital. ICU patients intubated for at least 24 h and difficult to wean were included. Complete polysomnography (PSG) was performed after the first spontaneous breathing trial failure. Presence of atypical sleep, duration of sleep stages, particularly rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and electroencephalogram (EEG) reactivity at eyes opening were assessed by a neurologist.20 out of 45 patients studied (44%) had atypical sleep that could not be classified according to the standard criteria. Duration of weaning between PSG and extubation was significantly longer in patients with atypical sleep (median (interquartile range) 5 (2-8) versus 2 (1-2) days; p=0.001) and in those with no REM sleep compared with the others. Using multivariate logistic regression analysis, atypical sleep remained independently associated with prolonged weaning (>48 h after PSG). Altered EEG reactivity at eyes opening was a good predictor of atypical sleep.Our results suggest for the first time that brain dysfunction may have an influence on the ability to breathe spontaneously.