Daily Anesthesiology Research Analysis

RATIONALE: Critical care ultrasonography (CCUS) is rapidly evolving with new evidence being published since the prior 2016 guideline. OBJECTIVES: To identify and assess the best evidence regarding the clinical outcomes associated with five CCUS applications in adult patients since the publication of the previous guidelines. PANEL DESIGN: An interprofessional, multidisciplinary, and diverse expert panel of 36 individuals including two patient/family representatives was assembled via an intentional approach. Conflict-of-interest policies were strictly followed in all phases of the guidelines, including task force selection and voting. METHODS: Focused research questions based on Population, Intervention, Control, and Outcomes (PICO) for adult CCUS application were developed. Panelists applied the guidelines revision process described in the Standard Operating Procedures Manual to analyze supporting literature and to develop evidence-based recommendations as a focused update. The evidence was statistically summarized and assessed for quality using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach. The evidence-to-decision framework was used to formulate recommendations as strong or conditional. RESULTS: The Adult CCUS Focused Update Guidelines panel aimed to understand the current impact of CCUS on patient important outcomes as they related to five PICO questions in critically ill adults. A rigorous systematic review of evidence to date informed the panel's recommendations. In adult patients with septic shock, acute dyspnea/respiratory failure, or cardiogenic shock, we suggest using CCUS to guide management. Given evidence supporting an improvement in mortality, we suggest the use of CCUS for targeted volume management as opposed to usual care without CCUS. Last, there was insufficient data to determine if CCUS should be used over standard care without CCUS in the management of patients with cardiac arrest. CONCLUSIONS: The guidelines panel achieved strong agreement regarding the recommendations for CCUS to improve patient outcomes. These recommendations are intended for consideration along with the patient's existing clinical status.

RATIONALE: Critically ill adults are at risk for a variety of distressing and consequential symptoms both during and after an ICU stay. Management of these symptoms can directly influence outcomes. OBJECTIVES: The objective was to update and expand the Society of Critical Care Medicine's 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Pain, Agitation/Sedation, Delirium, Immobility, and Sleep Disruption in Adult Patients in the ICU. PANEL DESIGN: The interprofessional inclusive guidelines task force was composed of 24 individuals including nurses, physicians, pharmacists, physiotherapists, psychologists, and ICU survivors. The task force developed evidence-based recommendations using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Conflict-of-interest policies were strictly followed in all phases of the guidelines, including task force selection and voting. METHODS: The task force focused on five main content areas as they pertain to adult ICU patients: anxiety (new topic), agitation/sedation, delirium, immobility, and sleep disruption. Using the GRADE approach, we conducted a rigorous systematic review for each population, intervention, control, and outcome question to identify the best available evidence, statistically summarized the evidence, assessed the quality of evidence, and then performed the evidence-to-decision framework to formulate recommendations. RESULTS: The task force issued five statements related to the management of anxiety, agitation/sedation, delirium, immobility, and sleep disruption in adults admitted to the ICU. In adult patients admitted to the ICU, the task force issued conditional recommendations to use dexmedetomidine over propofol for sedation, provide enhanced mobilization/rehabilitation over usual mobilization/rehabilitation, and administer melatonin. The task force was unable to issue recommendations on the administration of benzodiazepines to treat anxiety, and the use of antipsychotics to treat delirium. CONCLUSIONS: The guidelines task force provided recommendations for pharmacologic management of agitation/sedation and sleep, and nonpharmacologic management of immobility in critically ill adults. These recommendations are intended for consideration along with the patient's clinical status.

BACKGROUND: Optimal ventilation strategies and use of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) in neonates and small infants undergoing anaesthesia remain unclear. We examined the association of perioperative ventilation strategies and administration of NMBAs on respiratory adverse events in the NEonate-Children sTudy of Anaesthesia pRactice IN Europe (NECTARINE) cohort. METHODS: We performed a secondary analysis of NECTARINE, which included infants up to 60 weeks' postmenstrual age undergoing anaesthesia for surgical or diagnostic procedures. The primary endpoint was the association between ventilation mode and intraoperative respiratory adverse events. Secondary endpoints were use of NMBA, and 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs). RESULTS: The dataset comprised 5609 patients undergoing 6542 procedures. Pressure-controlled ventilation was the primary ventilation modality, accounting for 52.4% (n=3428) of cases. The incidence of intraoperative respiratory critical events was 20.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 19.7-21.7%), while PPCs were observed in 17% of cases (95% CI 16.0-18.1%). Preanaesthesia respiratory conditions and NMBA use after tracheal intubation were associated with higher incidence of PPCs. Of the children receiving NMBAs, reversal was reported in 29.8%. The absence of reversal was associated with a higher incidence of PPCs, with a relative risk of 1.50 (95% CI 1.17-1.93). Conversely, NMBA reversal was associated with a reduced relative risk of 0.43 (95% CI 0.26-0.70). CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of ventilation strategy used, mechanical ventilation and baseline respiratory conditions were risk factors for a greater incidence of adverse respiratory events and PPCs. Reversal of NMBAs before tracheal extubation was significantly associated with reduced PPCs in neonates and should be routine clinical practice. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02350348).