The Use of Bi-Nasal Prongs for Delivery of Non-Invasive Ventilation to Foals.

Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is a method of providing respiratory support without the need for airway intubation. The current study was undertaken to assess tolerance to bi-nasal prongs and NIV in healthy, standing, lightly sedated foals. Bi-nasal prongs were well tolerated by foals, remaining in place for the allocated five minutes in four of six unsedated foals and, subsequently, in five of six lightly sedated foals. All foals tolerated NIV through bi-nasal prongs, although increasing airway pressures were associated with increases in inspiratory volume, duration of inspiration and air leakage in most foals. These changes preceded discontinuation/intolerance of NIV on the basis of behaviour changes consistent with discomfort. Increased circuit leakage was associated with reduced return of expired air to the ventilator and increasing disparity between inspiratory and expiratory times and tidal volumes. The study results suggest that bi-nasal prongs might be suitable for NIV but that design or fitting requires further optimization and that behaviour and ventilator variables should be monitored to assess patient tolerance of the procedure.

Clinical study on the effect of Bi-level positive airway pressure therapy on COPD complicated with Anxiety and Depression.

Objectives: To investigate the effect of bi-level positive airway pressure (BIPAP) therapy on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) complicated with anxiety and depression. Methods: This is a retrospective study. One hundred patients with COPD complicated with anxiety and depression who were admitted to the Respiratory Department of The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University from August 2021 to August 2022 were selected and randomly divided into two groups. Patients in the control group were given conventional symptomatic treatment, while those in the observation group were given BIPAP therapy in addition to the treatment in the control group. The two groups were compared and analyzed in terms of respiratory function indicators, the changes in the scores of St. George's Hospital Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and COPD assessment test (CAT), blood gas analysis indicators, the levels of serum neurokinin A (NKA), serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), and serum serotonin (5-HT), as well as the changes in the scores of Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD). Results: After treatment, the levels of lung function indicators in both groups increased, SGRQ and CAT scores decreased, and pH levels remained unchanged. In addition, PaO2 levels increased, PCO2, 5-HT, NKA and IL-6 levels decreased, and HAMA and HAMD scores decreased. The improvement degree of each indicator in the observation group was superior to that in the control group. Conclusion: In the clinical treatment of COPD complicated with anxiety and depression, BIPAP boasts effective amelioration of lung function and relief of anxiety and depression symptoms, and its mechanism of action may have a close bearing on ameliorating the levels of 5-HT, NKA, and IL-6 in patients.

Effects of 2 modes of positive pressure ventilation on respiratory mechanics and gas exchange in foals.

BACKGROUND: Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and pressure support ventilation (PSV) can improve respiratory mechanics and gas exchange, but different airway pressures have not been compared in foals. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Assess the effect of different airway pressures during CPAP and PSV have on respiratory function in healthy foals with pharmacologically induced respiratory insufficiency. We hypothesized that increased airway pressures would improve respiratory mechanics and increased positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) would be associated with hypercapnia. ANIMALS: Six healthy foals from a university teaching herd. METHODS: A prospective, 2-phase, 2-treatment, randomized cross-over study design was used to evaluate sequential interventions in sedated foals using 2 protocols (CPAP and PSV). Outcome measures included arterial blood gases, spirometry, volumetric capnography, lung volume and aeration assessed using computed tomography (CT). RESULTS: Sedation and dorsal recumbency were associated with significant reductions in arterial oxygen pressure (PaO2 ), respiratory rate, and tidal volume. Continuous positive airway pressure was associated with improved PaO2 , without concurrent hypercapnia. Volumetric capnography identified improved ventilation:perfusion (V/Q) matching and increased carbon dioxide elimination during ventilation, and spirometry identified decreased respiratory rate and increased tidal volume. Peak inspiratory pressure was moderately associated with PaO2 and lung volume. Improved pulmonary aeration was evident in CT images, and lung volume was increased, particularly during CPAP. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Both CPAP and PSV improved lung mechanics and gas exchange in healthy foals with induced respiratory insufficiency.

Factors affecting pediatric adherence to positive airway pressure: Patient- and caregiver-reported treatment barriers and sleep difficulties.

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: Adherence to positive airway pressure (PAP) treatment among children and adolescents is often suboptimal. Little is understood about modifiable determinants of PAP adherence. We evaluated whether patient and caregiver-perceived treatment barriers (across behavioral, environmental, emotional, and physical domains), as well as insomnia severity, were associated with PAP adherence among youth with sleep disordered breathing (SDB). PATIENTS/METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of 188 patients prescribed PAP, ages 2-19 years. At the clinical visit, PAP adherence was assessed via objective download/smartcard and patients and their caregivers completed validated standardized questionnaires on barriers to PAP adherence and sleep onset and maintenance difficulties. We tested predictors of PAP adherence using linear regression. RESULTS: On average, patients wore their PAP 2/3 of nights for 5.3 ± 3.4 h. Patients reported more barriers overall compared to caregivers, and specifically more behavioral and emotional barriers (e.g., over a third of patients reported they just want to forget about sleep apnea). After controlling for demographic/treatment characteristics, patient-reported barriers accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in percent nights used (51%) and average nightly use (42%). Greater difficulties with sleep maintenance predicted poorer PAP adherence (percent nights and nightly duration). CONCLUSIONS: Study findings suggest that assessment of both patient and caregiver-perceived barriers to PAP adherence, as well as evaluating for sleep maintenance concerns, may provide important treatment targets for promoting PAP adherence among youth. Results also support the potential benefit of a multi-disciplinary team-based approach to managing SDB and promoting PAP adherence.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes in neonates with perinatal acute respiratory distress syndrome in China: A national, multicentre, cross-sectional study.

Background: Neonatal acute respiratory distress syndrome (NARDS) was defined in 2017 and the epidemiological data remain unknown. Our objective was to explore aetiological factors, clinical characteristics and outcomes in patients with perinatal NARDS. Methods: A multicentre, prospective, cross-sectional study was performed in 58 tertiary neonatal intensive care units in China from Jan 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019. Neonates diagnosed with NARDS were included. Primary outcomes were aetiological factors, clinical characteristics and outcomes. Binary logistic regression and multivariate cox proportional regression were performed to identify independent predictors for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and/or death or single death. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.Gov, NCT03311165. Findings: Among 70,013 admitted neonates, the incidence of NARDS was 1.44% (1005). The cumulative incidences were 65.6%, 86.7%, 94.1% within one, two and three days after birth. The median gestational age and birth weight were 36.4 weeks and 2700 g. Three main aetiological triggers included pneumonia (58.1%), asphyxia (24.3%) and early-onset sepsis (EOS) (21.3%). BPD and/or death was observed in 213 (21.2%) infants, consisting 104 (10.3%) BPD and 126 (12.6%) deaths. The numbers of mild, moderate and severe NARDS were 537 (53.4%), 286 (28.4%) and 182 (18.2%). Two or more doses of surfactant was associated with increased mortality as compared with one or less doses of surfactant (odds ratio [OR] 1.93, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.20-3.10, P = 0.006). Similarity also appeared in the comparison between EOS and non-EOS triggers (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.06-2.33, P = 0.023). Interpretation: NARDS incidence was 1.44% and the three main aetiologies were pneumonia, asphyxia and EOS. The cumulative incidences were 65.6%, 86.7%, and 94.1% within one, two and three days after birth. Our results suggested that two or more doses of surfactant increased mortality compared with one or less doses of surfactant. Funding: The National Clinical Research Center of China and Clinical Medical Study Program of Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University (NCRC-2019-GP-13) and Natural Science Foundation of Chongqing (cstc2020jcyj-msxmX0197).

Effect of BiPAP ventilation on respiratory physiology in patients with stable COPD / 中华健康管理学杂志

Objective:To observe the physiological effect of bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) ventilation among stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.Methods:This was a small sample size, exploratory, interventional study. A total of 10 outpatients with stable COPD were included from Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine of Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University between January 2018 and December 2018. The BiPAP mode of noninvasive mechanical ventilation was adopted. The inspiratory positive airway pressure was gradually increased from 10 cmH 2O (1 cmH 2O=0.098 kPa) to 24 cmH 2O, and each time by 2 cmH 2O. The expiratory positive airway pressure remained unchanged at 4 cmH 2O. Baseline and test data were collected before and during the ventilation for comparison, including total respiratory cycle time (T tot), inspiratory time (T i), inspiratory time (T e), inspiratory tidal volume (V Ti); mouth pressure (P mo), esophageal pressure (P eso), transdiaphragmatic pressure (P di), esophageal pressure time product (PTP es), diaphragm pressure time product (PTP di), root mean square of electromyography of diaphragm (RMS), V e/RMS, inspiratory capacity (IC), the change in end-expiratory lung volume (ΔEELV) and dynamic PEEPi (PEEPi dyn). Results:All the 10 patients completed the trial. Compared to calm breathing, V Ti, V e, P mo, IC, ΔEELV score and V e/RMS increased significantly with increasing pressure levels (all P<0.05); T e only increased significantly at 20-22 cmH 2O pressure levels compared to calm breathing ( P<0.05). P di, PTP es, PTP di, RMS and RMS/RMS max decreased significantly with increasing levels (all P<0.05). PTP es and PTP di converged to 0 and no longer showed significant changes after the 18 cmH 2O pressure level. RMS and RMS/RMS max flattened out at pressure level greater than 16 cmH 2O. T i/T tot only significantly decreased at the 20 cmH 2O pressure level compared to calm breathing. PEEPi dyn showed a tendency to decrease and then increase with increasing pressure levels. Conclusion:BiPAP ventilation, at appropriate pressure levels, significantly relieves pulmonary ventilation disorders and reduces the load of respiratory muscle in patients with stable COPD.

Timing of Treatment Outcomes and Risk Factors for Failure of BPAP in Patients Hospitalized for COPD Exacerbation.

BACKGROUND: Patients hospitalized for COPD exacerbation have an increased risk of mortality, particularly among those who fail bi-level positive airway pressure (BPAP) for hypercapnic respiratory failure subsequently requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. Therefore, we sought to investigate the treatment course of BPAP and factors associated with BPAP treatment failure. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study using real-world evidence to investigate subjects with COPD who were treated with BPAP during a hospitalization for COPD exacerbation. Treatment outcomes were defined within 7 d from BPAP initiation as either failure, persistent, or success. Failure was defined as death or progression to invasive ventilation. Persistent was defined as receiving BPAP during hospital day 7. Success was defined as liberation from BPAP prior to hospital day 7 and not meeting criteria for failure. Unadjusted multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine the association between BPAP treatment outcomes and 17 recipient characteristics. RESULTS: Among the 427 clinical encounters, 78% were successful, 10% were persistent, and 12% experienced failure. The median time to failure and success was 8 h and 16 h, respectively. Increasing age, body mass index (BMI), bicarbonate level, and creatinine level were significantly associated with either BPAP treatment failure, persistent treatment, or both. CONCLUSIONS: The first 8 h following initiation of BPAP is a critical time period where patients are at high risk for life-threatening decompensation. Careful consideration should be given to increasing age, BMI, bicarbonate level, and creatinine level as these factors were associated with BPAP treatment failure or persistent treatment.

Mechanical Ventilation and Respiratory Support in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit often require respiratory support for the treatment of respiratory distress and failure. Respiratory support comprises both noninvasive modalities (ie, heated humidified high-flow nasal cannula, continuous positive airway pressure, bilevel positive airway pressure, negative pressure ventilation) and invasive mechanical ventilation. In this article, we review the various essential elements and considerations involved in the planning and application of respiratory support in the treatment of the critically ill children.

Results of CPAP Titration and Short-Term Adherence Rates in Patients with Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome and Mild/Moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Purpose: No study has assessed the titration success of CPAP therapy in patients with obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) and an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) <30 event/h. This study aimed to assess the titration success of CPAP therapy under polysomnography and subsequent short-term adherence (1 month) in patients with OHS and an AHI <30 event/h. Methods: Consecutive OHS patients with an AHI <30 events/h between 2010 and 2019 were included (n=54). All OHS patients were first started on CPAP during the therapeutic sleep-study. If the therapeutic-study showed that the SpO2 remained < 90% for 20% of the total sleep time, a second therapeutic study was arranged with bi-level PAP (BPAP). Thirty patients agreed to participate in the 1-month follow-up adherence study. We applied the American-Thoracic-Society criteria for PAP adherence. Results: The mean age was 54.8±14.6 years, and the mean BMI was 45.9±12.2 kg/m2. Successful titration on CPAP was attained in 36 (66.7%) patients, and 18 (33.3%) required BPAP. Patients who failed the CPAP trial had a significantly higher PaCO2 and bicarbonate, a more restrictive respiratory pattern on spirometry, and a significantly higher time with SpO2<90% (mins) during sleep. The only independent correlate of CPAP-titration success on the multivariable regression analysis was the desaturation index (OR: 1.33 [1.033-1.712]). More than 80% of the participants were using CPAP therapy after one-month with no differences in adherence between the CPAP and BPAP groups. Conclusions: The current results suggest that CPAP therapy could be an acceptable alternative therapy to BPAP in patients with OHS without severe OSA.

Feasibility of split night polysomnography in children to diagnose and treat sleep related breathing disorders.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: The gold standard test for diagnosis of sleep related breathing disorders (SRBD) in children is diagnostic polysomnography (PSG). This is often followed by a titration PSG to identify optimal non-invasive ventilation (NIV) pressures. Access to pediatric PSG is limited, resulting in delays to diagnosis and initiation of treatment. Split-night PSGs (snPSG) combine a diagnostic and titration PSG into a single night study. Although described in adults, the pediatric literature on this topic is sparse. The objective of this study was to describe a large cohort of children who utilized snPSG to diagnose SRBD and initiate NIV. METHODS: This multi-center study analyzed clinical and PSG data from children with SRBD who had initiated NIV following a snPSG. Data from diagnostic and titration portions of the snPSG were analyzed separately. RESULTS: The study included 165 children who initiated NIV following a snPSG. The majority of children (61.8%) were initiated on NIV for upper airway obstruction. The population included children with medical complexity, including those with central nervous system disorders (17.0%), musculoskeletal/neuromuscular disorders (12.1%), and cardiac disorders (1.2%). Moderate to severe SRBD was present in 87.2% of children with a median apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of 16.6 events/hour (IQR: 8.2, 38.2). The median AHI was reduced on treatment to 7.6 events/hour (IQR: 3.3, 17.1), with fewer subjects meeting criteria for severe SRBD. CONCLUSIONS: snPSG is technically feasible in children, facilitating the diagnosis of SRBD and initiation of NIV, even in those with high medical complexity.

Outcomes of Pediatric Titration Sleep Studies Following Empirical Use of Positive Airway Pressure and the Effect on Adherence to Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is diagnosed through polysomnography (PSG) testing and commonly treated with positive airway pressure (PAP). The initial recommended treatment for pediatric OSA is adenotonsillectomy, but when this is contraindicated or ineffective, PAP is the next option. Children followed in our pediatric sleep disorders center who are diagnosed with OSA and meet criteria for therapy are empirically prescribed a PAP device, usually auto-titrating PAP (APAP), to avoid delays in therapy. Titration PSG is performed later to assess adequacy of settings. The aims of this study were to determine how often PSG titration results in changes to empirically prescribed PAP and to assess adherence to therapy before and after PSG titration. METHODS: A retrospective medical records review was completed for children diagnosed with OSA, prescribed PAP, and had a titration PSG within a 5-y consecutive period of 2008-2012. Demographic data, type of device, pressure settings, and adherence downloads were reviewed. Adherence was assessed before and after titration overall and compared for those who did and did not have therapy changes following titration. RESULTS: The study included 121 participants. Median age at the time of the diagnostic PSG was 11 (interquartile range [IQR] 8-14) y. Most (106, 88%) were initially prescribed APAP. Median length of time between initial and follow-up PSG was 6.4 (IQR 4.4-10.1) months. The majority (94, 78%) had therapy changes following titration. Overall, adherence percentage > 4 h per night was not significantly increased post titration (P = .47). There were no statistically significant differences in adherence between those who had therapy changes and those who did not (P = .26). CONCLUSIONS: Titration studies resulted in therapy modifications for most children. Adherence was not increased following the titration PSG. Changes in therapy did not result in increased adherence. Titration PSGs may optimize empirically prescribed settings.

A comparison of the effect of bi-level positive airway pressure and synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) and synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation (SIMV) can be used to achieve peak inspiratory pressure and positive end-expiratory pressure to avoid alveolar collapse and improve oxygenation in preterm infants during the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), and there is an urgent demand for evaluating the effects and prognoses of these two ventilation modes. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective study on preterm infants (≤32 weeks and <2500 g) from March 2015 to March 2020 with BiPAP (n = 63) and SIMV (n = 63). The primary outcomes were successful treatment and weaning within 72 h, the demand for a second pulmonary surfactant supply and the need for a second respiratory support. The secondary outcome was the incidence of complications. RESULTS: There were no significant differences (p > .05) in the primary outcomes or the incidence of complications (pneumonia, apnea, respiratory failure, air leak syndrome, persistence of patent ductus arteriosus, neonatal sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, retinopathy of prematurity, and intraventricular hemorrhage). There were significant differences (p < .05) in the incidence of pulmonary hemorrhage, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and IVH (≥grade II). CONCLUSIONS: Although both BiPAP and SIMV achieved good early treatment outcomes of RDS in preterm infants, BiPAP support is recommended for reducing the incidence of pulmonary hemorrhage, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and IVH (≥grade II) if infants are tolerant. Attempts should be made to prevent these complications from happening with the use of SIMV support if infants are intolerant.

Central sleep apnea treatment in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: a network meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) is contraindicated for the treatment of central sleep apnea (CSA) in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), limiting treatment options. Though continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), bi-level PAP with back-up rate (BPAP-BUR), and transvenous phrenic nerve stimulation (TPNS) are alternatives, not much is known about their comparative efficacies, which formed the basis of conducting this network meta-analysis. We sought to analyze their comparative effectiveness in reducing apnea hypopnea index (AHI). Additionally, we also studied their comparative effectiveness on subjective daytime sleepiness as assessed by Epworth sleepiness score (ESS). METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from PubMed were analyzed in a network meta-analysis and relative superiority was computed based on P-score ranking and Hasse diagrams. RESULTS: Network meta-analysis based on 8 RCTs showed that when compared to guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT-used as a common comparator across trials), reduction in AHI by ASV (- 26.05 [- 38.80; - 13.31]), TPNS (- 24.90 [- 42.88; - 6.92]), BPAP-BUR (- 20.36 [- 36.47; - 4.25]), and CPAP (- 16.01 [- 25.42; - 6.60]) were statistically significant but not between the interventions. Based on 6 RCTs of all the interventions, only TPNS showed a statistically significant decrease in ESS (- 3.70 (- 5.58; - 1.82)) when compared to GDMT, while also showing significant differences when compared with ASV (- 3.20 (- 5.86; - 0.54)), BPAP-BUR (- 4.00 (- 7.33; - 0.68)), and CPAP (- 4.45 (- 7.75; - 1.14)). Ranking of treatments based on Hasse diagram, accounting for both AHI and ESS as outcomes for relative hierarchy showed relative superiority of both ASV and TPNS over BPAP-BUR and CPAP. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicated relative superiority of TPNS and ASV to BPAP-BUR and CPAP in their effects on AHI and ESS.

Noninvasive Ventilation and Oxygenation Strategies.

Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) provides respiratory support without the use of invasive ventilation with techniques that do not bypass the upper airway. NIV is particularly attractive given its associated reduced risk of complications associated with intubation. Available NIV modes include nasal cannula, simple mask, nonrebreather, high flow nasal cannula, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), and bilevel positive airway pressure. Acute exacerbation of COPD, cardiogenic pulmonary edema, and COVID-19 are conditions for which NIV has shown to be beneficial, whereas there is no consensus among the use of NIV in trauma patients and ARDS.

Bilevel positive airway pressure ventilation for non-COPD acute hypercapnic respiratory failure patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The effectiveness of bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) in patients with acute hypercapnic respiratory failure (AHRF) due to etiologies other than chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is unclear. To systematically review the evidence regarding the effectiveness of BiPAP in non-COPD patients with AHRF. The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL Plus were searched according to prespecified criteria (PROSPERO-CRD42018089875). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effectiveness of BiPAP versus continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), invasive mechanical ventilation, or O2 therapy in adults with non-COPD AHRF were included. The primary outcomes of interest were the rate of endotracheal intubation (ETI) and mortality. Risk-of-bias assessment was performed, and data were synthesized and meta-analyzed where appropriate. Two thousand four hundred and eighty-five records were identified after removing duplicates. Eighty-eight articles were identified for full-text assessment, of which 82 articles were excluded. Six studies, of generally low or uncertain risk-of-bias, were included involving 320 participants with acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema (ACPO) and solid tumors. No significant differences were seen between BiPAP ventilation and CPAP with regard to the rate of progression to ETI (risk ratio [RR] = 1.49, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63-3.62, P = 0.37) and in-hospital mortality rate (RR = 0.71, 95% CI, 0.25-1.99, P = 0.51) in patients with AHRF due to ACPO. The efficacy of BiPAP appears similar to CPAP in reducing the rates of ETI and mortality in patients with AHRF due to ACPO. Further research on other non-COPD conditions which commonly cause AHRF such as obesity hypoventilation syndrome is needed.

Heart rate variability changes by non-invasive ventilation in obesity hypoventilation syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) is known to enhance hypoventilation and is particularly adopted as a treatment for patients diagnosed with obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS). The augmented risk of cardiovascular morbidity is known as a side effect of OHS. AIMS: In this paper, this inference is examined that hypoventilation and the increased risk of morbidity can be diagnosed via the assessment of changes in heart rate variability (HRV). More specifically, the study investigates the effect of NIPPV on both HRV and hypoventilation among OHS patients. The linear relationship between different HRV measures and ventilation parameters is also examined. MATERIALS & METHODS: The reported results are attained via an interventional clinical trial study. HRV measures are evaluated before and after treatment, in a group of patients which are newly diagnosed with OHS and receive bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) treatment for three months. RESULTS: The results are compared and interpreted via statistical analysis. DISCUSSION: Throughout the study, the relationship between hypoventilation and HRV is confirmed, as well as the effect of BiPAP on some HRV measures in both time and frequency domains. Particularly significant connections are observed between hypoventilation and low-frequency components of HRV. CONCLUSION: The enhanced respiration due to the application of BiPAP can improve the performance of autonomous nervous and cardiovascular systems, in terms of HRV. Moreover, it is suggested to consider some HRV parameters to control the cardiovascular side-effects of OHS and confine the resulting mortality rate in long term.

Bi-Level Noninvasive Ventilation in Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Bi-level noninvasive ventilation (NIV) has been used in respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) as primary treatment, post-extubation, and to treat apnea. This review summarizes studies on bi-level NIV in premature infants with RDS. Nonsynchronized nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (nsNIPPV) and synchronized NIPPV (SNIPPV) use pressure settings ≥ those used during mechanical ventilation (MV), and biphasic continuous positive airway pressure (BiPAP) use two nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) levels ≤4 cm H2O apart. METHODS: A systematic review (Medline OVID and Pubmed) and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Primary outcomes were bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and mortality. Secondary outcomes included NIV failure (intubation) and extubation failure (re-intubation). Data were pooled using a fixed-effects model to calculate the relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) between NIV modes (RevMan v 5.3, Copenhagen, Denmark). RESULTS: Twenty-four randomized controlled trials that largely did not correct for mean airway pressure (MAP) and used outdated ventilators were included. Compared with NCPAP, both nsNIPPV and SNIPPV resulted in less re-intubation (RR 0.88 with 95% CI (0.80, 0.97) and RR 0.20 (0.10, 0.38), respectively) and BPD (RR 0.69 (0.49, 0.97) and RR 0.51 (0.29, 0.88), respectively). nsNIPPV also resulted in less intubation (RR 0.57 (0.45, 0.73) versus NCPAP, with no difference in mortality. One study showed less intubation in BiPAP versus NCPAP. CONCLUSIONS: Bi-level NIV versus NCPAP may reduce MV and BPD in premature infants with RDS. Studies comparing equivalent MAP utilizing currently available machines are needed.

Long-Term Adherence to Positive Airway Pressure Therapy in Saudi Ambulatory Patients with Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome and Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A One-Year Follow-Up Prospective Observational Study.

PURPOSE: Long-term studies assessing positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy adherence in patients with obesity hypoventilation (OHS) are limited. The aim of this study was to assess PAP therapy adherence in Arab (Saudi) patients with OHS and an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) >30/h. METHODS: A prospective cohort study of consecutive adult patients diagnosed with OHS between March 2010 and September 2019 was conducted. During the therapeutic sleep study, all OHS patients were started on continuous PAP (CPAP). Patients who failed to maintain oxygen saturation ≥88% despite the elimination of obstructive respiratory events were shifted to bi-level PAP (BPAP). Objective assessment of adherence was performed at 1, 6, and 12 months after initiating PAP therapy. We adopted the American-Thoracic-Society criteria for PAP adherence. RESULTS: The study included 101 patients (women = 65 patients) with OHS, an AHI ≥30/h, and a mean age of 54.9 ± 12.7 years. Successful titration on CPAP was achieved in 64.4% of the patients and BPAP was required for 35.6% of the patients who failed CPAP titration. At the end of the study, 43.6% of the patients used PAP therapy in an acceptable manner. Adherence after 1 and 6 months was the only independent predictors of adherence at 12 months. CONCLUSION: PAP adherence among Saudi patients with OHS and severe obstructive sleep apnea was relatively low. Almost two-thirds of patients tolerated CPAP titration with the elimination of respiratory events and desaturation. Early adherence to PAP therapy was the only predictor of PAP therapy adherence at the end of the study.

Comparing Noninvasive Ventilation Delivered Using Neurally-Adjusted Ventilatory Assist or Pressure Support in Acute Respiratory Failure.

BACKGROUND: The use of neurally-adjusted ventilatory assist (NAVA) during noninvasive ventilation (NIV) results in better patient-ventilator interaction. Whether this improves clinical outcomes lacks dedicated study. METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, we compared NAVA with PSV for delivering NIV in consecutive subjects with de novo acute respiratory failure. The primary outcomes were NIV failure rates and 28-d mortality. The secondary outcomes were asynchrony index, NIV-related complications, and others. RESULTS: We enrolled 100 subjects (50 subjects each for NAVA and PSV, 60% male) with a mean ± SD age of 56.7 ± 12 y. There was no difference in NIV failure rates (30% vs 32%, P = .83) and 28-d mortality rates (18% vs 34%, P = .07) between the NAVA and PSV arms, respectively. The median asynchrony index was significantly lower with NAVA (6.7 vs 44.8, P < .001). The use of NAVA significantly reduced NIV-related complications (32% vs 58%, P = .01). In a post hoc analysis, the use of NAVA significantly reduced the 28-d mortality in subjects with COPD exacerbation. CONCLUSIONS: The use of NAVA during NIV did not improve NIV failure rate or 28-d mortality in subjects with acute respiratory failure. However, patient-ventilator asynchrony and NIV-related complications were reduced with NAVA. TRIAL REGISTRY: www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03271671).

A retrospective analysis of 902 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Lebanon: clinical epidemiology and risk factors.

BACKGROUND: The clinical epidemiology of hospitalized COVID-19 patients has never been described before in Lebanon. Moreover, the hospital admission and PCR positivity rates have not been assessed and compared yet. OBJECTIVES: To describe the characteristics and outcomes of hospitalized patients with coronavirus induced disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Lebanon and identify risk factors for severe disease or death. STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective mono-center cohort study in which we used patients' files to extract and analyse data on demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as mortality. Moreover, we tracked the pandemic by recording the daily total and ICU inpatient census and the PCR positivity rate for admitted and outpatients. RESULTS: Although the total admission rate increased from September to April, the ICU census switched this trend in December to stabilize at an average of around 10 patients/day until April. The case fatality rate was 19% for the 902 hospitalized patients, of which the majority (80%) had severe COVID-19. The severity odds ratio is significantly decreased in immunosuppressed cases (OR, 0.18; CI, 0.05-0.67; p=0.011). Additionally, the odds of COVID-19 related death are significantly greater if consolidations are found in the chest computed tomography (CT) scan (OR, 12; CI, 2.63-55.08; p=0.0013). CONCLUSION: Consolidations in the lungs significantly increase the COVID-19 death risk. Risk factors identification is important to improve patients' management and vaccination strategies. In addition, hospital statistics are good indicators of a pandemic's track.