Use and Outcomes of Noninvasive Ventilation for Acute Respiratory Failure in Different Age Groups.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of chronic disease and do-not-intubate status increases with age. Thus, we aimed to determine characteristics and outcomes associated with noninvasive ventilation (NIV) use for acute respiratory failure (ARF) in different age groups. METHODS: A database comprising prospective data collected on site on all adult patients with ARF requiring ventilatory support from 8 acute care hospitals in Massachusetts was used. RESULTS: From a total of 1,225 ventilator starts, overall NIV utilization, success, and in-hospital mortality rates were 22, 54, and 18% in younger (18-44 y); 34, 65, and 13% in middle-aged (45-64 y); 49, 68, and 17% in elderly (65-79 y); and 47, 76, and 24% in aged (≥ 80 y) groups, respectively (P < .001, P = .08, and P = .11, respectively). NIV use for cardiogenic pulmonary edema and subjects with a do-not-intubate order increased significantly with advancing age (25, 57, 57, and 74% and 7, 12, 18, and 31%, respectively, in the 4 age groups [P < .001 and P = .046, respectively]). For subjects receiving NIV with a do-not-intubate order, success and in-hospital mortality rates were similar in different age groups (P = .27 and P = .98, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: NIV use and a do-not-intubate status are more frequent in subjects with ARF ≥ 65 y than in those <65 y, especially for subjects with cardiogenic pulmonary edema. However, NIV success and mortality rates were similar between age groups. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration NCT00458926.).

Where is Noninvasive Ventilation Actually Delivered for Acute Respiratory Failure?

PURPOSE: Few studies have examined locations of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) application for acute respiratory failure (ARF). We aimed to track actual locations of NIV delivery and related outcomes. METHODS: Observational cohort study based at 8 acute care hospitals in Massachusetts on adult patients admitted for ARF requiring ventilatory support during pre-determined time intervals. RESULTS: Of 1225 ventilator starts, 499 were NIV; 209 (42%) in intensive care units (ICU), 185 (37%) in emergency departments (ED), 91 (18%) on general wards, and 14 (3%) in other units. Utilization (% of all ventilator starts) (1), success (2) and in-hospital mortality (3) rates for patients initiated on NIV in ICU, ED, and general and other wards were (1) 38, 36, 73, and 52%, (2) 60, 77, 68, and 93% and (3) 25, 12, 17, and 0%, respectively (p < 0.05 for all). Patients with acute-on-chronic lung disease (ACLD) and acute pulmonary edema (APE) were begun on NIV most often in EDs and patients with 'de novo' ARF and neurologic disorders most often in ICU's. Approximately 2/3 of patients begun on NIV outside of ICUs were transferred within 72 h to ICUs, wards or other units. CONCLUSIONS: Most NIV starts occurred in ICUs and EDs but utilization rate was highest (>50%) on general wards where a fifth of NIV starts took place. Actual location depended on etiology of ARF as patients with ACLD and APE were started more often in EDs and "de novo" ARF in ICU. NIV failure and mortality rates were higher in ICUs related to the greater proportion of patients with "de novo" ARF.

Use and outcomes of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation in acute care hospitals in Massachusetts.

BACKGROUND: This study determined actual utilization rates and outcomes of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIV) at selected hospitals that had participated in a prior survey on NIV use. METHODS: This observational cohort study, based at eight acute care hospitals in Massachusetts, focused on all adult patients requiring ventilatory support for acute respiratory failure during predetermined time intervals. RESULTS: Of 548 ventilator starts, 337 (61.5%) were for invasive mechanical ventilation and 211 (38.5%) were for NIV, with an overall NIV success rate of 73.9% (ie, avoidance of intubation or death while on NIV or within 48 h of discontinuation). Causal diagnoses for respiratory failure were classified as (I) acute-on-chronic lung disease (23.5%), (II) acute de novo respiratory failure (17.9%), (III) neurologic disorders (19%), (IV) cardiogenic pulmonary edema (16.8%), (V) cardiopulmonary arrest (12.2%), and (VI) others (10.6%). NIV use and success rates for each of the causal diagnoses were, respectively, (I) 76.7% and 75.8%, (II) 37.8% and 62.2%, (III) 1.9% and 100%, (IV) 68.5% and 79.4%, (V) none, and (VI) 17.2% and 60%. Hospital mortality rate was higher in patients with invasive mechanical ventilation than in patients with NIV (30.3% vs 16.6%, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: NIV occupies an important role in the management of acute respiratory failure in acute care hospitals in selected US hospitals and is being used for a large majority of patients with acute-on-chronic respiratory failure and acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema. NIV use appears to have increased substantially in selected US hospitals over the past decade. TRIAL REGISTRY: ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT00458926; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov.

Stem cell transplantation; Iranian experience.

From March 1991 through 31st December 2007, 2042 patients underwent stem cell transplantation at the Hematology-Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences. These transplantations included 1405 allogeneic stem cell transplantation, 624 autologous stem cell transplantation, and 13 syngeneic stem cell transplantation. Stem cell transplantation was performed for various diseases including acute myelogenous leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, chronic lymphoblastic leukemia, thalassemia major, sickle cell thalassemia, sickle cell disease, multiple myeloma, myelodysplasia, mucopolysaccharidosis, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, severe aplastic anemia, plasma cell leukemia, Niemann-Pick disease, Fanconi anemia, severe combine immunodeficiency, congenital neutropenia, leukocyte adhesion deficiencies, Chediak-Higashi syndrome, osteopetrosis, histiocytosis X, Hurler syndrome, amyloidosis, systemic sclerosis, breast cancer, Ewing's sarcoma, testicular cancer, germ cell tumors, neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma, renal cell carcinoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, ovarian cancer, Wilms' tumor, rhabdomyosarcoma, pancreatoblastoma, and multiple sclerosis. We had 105 cellular therapies for postmyocardial infarction, multiple sclerosis, cirrhosis, head of femur necrosis, and renal cell carcinoma. About 30 patients were retransplanted in this center. About 74.9% of the patients (1530 of 2042) remained alive between one to 168 months after stem cell transplantation. Nearly 25.1% (512 of 2042) of our patients died after stem cell transplantation. The causes of deaths were relapse, infections, hemorrhagic cystitis, graft versus host disease, and others.

Continuous bladder irrigation prevents hemorrhagic cystitis after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Hemorrhagic cystitis is 1 of the most troublesome complications of hematopoietic cell transplantation conditioning regimens. We conducted a nonrandomized controlled clinical study to investigate the role of continuous bladder irrigation in addition to mesna, hydration, and alkalization in the prevention of hemorrhagic cystitis after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. A total of 80 eligible patients entered the study. From May 2006, 40 patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation received continuous bladder irrigation in addition to the common protocol. A historical control group of 40 consecutive patients with same inclusion criteria who did not receive bladder irrigation was enrolled from before May 2006. Hemorrhagic cystitis occurred in 50% of patients in the no bladder irrigation group versus 32% in bladder irrigation group (P = 0.11). The mean duration of hemorrhagic cystitis was significantly reduced in the bladder irrigation group (10 vs. 18 days; P = 0.02). Duration of hospitalization was significantly shorter in the bladder irrigation group (30.2 vs. 39.6; P < 0.001). Late-onset hemorrhagic cystitis that occurred beyond 4 weeks after allo-hemorrhagic cystitis happened more significantly in the no bladder irrigation group (P = 0.001). High-grade hemorrhagic cystitis was more frequently associated with high-grade graft-versus-host disease within 30 days after transplant (P = 0.06). In general, continuous bladder irrigation added to mesna, hydration, and alkalization regimens was well tolerated, decreased the complications of hemorrhagic cystitis, and may be useful in hematopoietic cell transplantation patients. However, more investigations with randomized controlled clinical trials with more patients are needed.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Iran: 1991 to 2008.

Since 1991, 2042 first hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT) have been performed at the Hematology-Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center at Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Acute myelogenous leukemia (548 patients), thalassemia major (335 patients) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (275 patients) have been the most common transplanted disorders. There were 1418 cases that received allogeneic HSCT and 624 cases that have received autologous HSCT. The numbers of allogeneic and autologous HSCT have increased, but the allogeneic to autologous ratio has remained constant. The first peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation was performed in 1996; since then, 1671 have been done. The donor types for 1418 allogeneic first HSCT were 1367 (96.4%) human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matched-identical siblings, 29 (2%) HLA-mismatched sibling/other relative, 13 (0.9%) syngeneic twins, 5 (0.4%) HLA-matched other relatives and 4 (0.3%) unrelated. The first cord blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation was performed in 1998 and since then there have been 14 patients that have obtained cord blood transplantations. Recently, new methods have been used like donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) and cellular therapy. There were 111 patients with cellular therapy for post-myocardial infarction, cirrhosis, thalassemia major, multiple sclerosis, head of femur necrosis and renal cell carcinoma.