IMPORTANCEThe effect of high-flow oxygen therapy vs conventional oxygen therapy has not been established in the setting of severe COVID-19.OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of high-flow oxygen therapy through a nasal cannula compared with conventional oxygen therapy on need for endotracheal intubation and clinical recovery in severe COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTSRandomized, open-label clinical trial conducted in emergency and intensive care units in 3 hospitals in Colombia. A total of 220 adults with respiratory distress and a ratio of partial pressure of arterial oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen of less than 200 due to COVID-19 were randomized from August 2020 to January 2021, with last follow-up on February 10, 2021.INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomly assigned to receive high-flow oxygen through a nasal cannula (n = 109) or conventional oxygen therapy (n = 111). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURESThe co-primary outcomes were need for intubation and time to clinical recovery until day 28 as assessed by a 7-category ordinal scale (range, 1-7, with higher scores indicating a worse condition). Effects of treatments were calculated with a Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for hypoxemia severity, age, and comorbidities. RESULTS Among 220 randomized patients, 199 were included in the analysis (median age, 60 years; n = 65 women [32.7%]). Intubation occurred in 34 (34.3%) randomized to high-flow oxygen therapy and in 51 (51.0%) randomized to conventional oxygen therapy (hazard ratio, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.39-0.96; P = .03). The median time to clinical recovery within 28 days was 11 (IQR, 9-14) days in patients randomized to high-flow oxygen therapy vs 14 (IQR,(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19) days in those randomized to conventional oxygen therapy (hazard ratio, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.00-1.92; P = .047). Suspected bacterial pneumonia occurred in 13 patients (13.1%) randomized to high-flow oxygen and in 17 (17.0%) of those randomized to conventional oxygen therapy, while bacteremia was detected in 7 (7.1%) vs 11 (11.0%), respectively.CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Among patients with severe COVID-19, use of high-flow oxygen through a nasal cannula significantly decreased need for mechanical ventilation support and time to clinical recovery compared with conventional low-flow oxygen therapy.

IntroductionVenous-to-arterial carbon dioxide difference (Pv-aCO2) may reflect the adequacy of blood flow during shock states. We sought to test whether the development of Pv-aCO2 during the very early phases of resuscitation is related to multi-organ dysfunction and outcomes in a population of septic shock patients resuscitated targeting the usual oxygen-derived and hemodynamic parameters.MethodsWe conducted a prospective observational study in a 60-bed mixed ICU in a University affiliated Hospital. 85 patients with a new septic shock episode were included. A Pv-aCO2 value ≥ 6 mmHg was considered to be high. Patients were classified in four predefined groups according to the Pv-aCO2 evolution during the first 6 hours of resuscitation: (1) persistently high Pv-aCO2 (high at T0 and T6); (2) increasing Pv-aCO2 (normal at T0, high at T6); (3) decreasing Pv-aCO2 (high at T0, normal at T6); and (4) persistently normal Pv-aCO2 (normal at T0 and T6). Multiorgan dysfunction at day-3 was compared for predefined groups and a Kaplan Meier curve was constructed to show the survival probabilities at day-28 using a log-rank test to evaluate differences between groups. A Spearman-Rho was used to test the agreement between cardiac output and Pv-aCO2. Finally, we calculated the mortality risk ratios at day-28 among patients attaining normal oxygen parameters but with a concomitantly increased Pv-aCO2.ResultsPatients with persistently high and increasing Pv-aCO2 at T6 had significant higher SOFA scores at day-3 (p < 0.001) and higher mortality rates at day-28 (log rank test: 19.21, p < 0.001) compared with patients who evolved with normal Pv-aCO2 at T6. Interestingly, a poor agreement between cardiac output and Pv-aCO2 was observed (r2 = 0.025, p < 0.01) at different points of resuscitation. Patients who reached a central venous saturation (ScvO)2 ≥ 70% or mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2) ≥ 65% but with concomitantly high Pv-aCO2 at different developmental points (i.e., T0, T6 and T12) had a significant mortality risk ratio at day-28.ConclusionThe persistence of high Pv-aCO2 during the early resuscitation of septic shock was associated with more severe multi-organ dysfunction and worse outcomes at day-28. Although mechanisms conducting to increase Pv-aCO2 during septic shock are insufficiently understood, Pv-aCO2 could identify a high risk of death in apparently resuscitated patients.

Therapeutic study, level V; Systematic Review, level IV.

BackgroundThe objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the effect of REBOA, compared to resuscitative thoracotomy, on mortality and among non-compressible torso hemorrhage trauma patients.MethodsRelevant articles were identified by a literature search in MEDLINE and EMBASE. We included studies involving trauma patients suffering non-compressible torso hemorrhage. Studies were eligible if they evaluated REBOA and compared it to resuscitative thoracotomy. Two investigators independently assessed articles for inclusion and exclusion criteria and selected studies for final analysis. We conducted meta-analysis using random effect models.ResultsWe included three studies in our systematic review. These studies included a total of 1276 patients. An initial analysis found that although lower in REBOA-treated patients, the odds of mortality did not differ between the compared groups (OR 0.42; 95% CI 0.17–1.03). Sensitivity analysis showed that the risk of mortality was significantly lower among patients who underwent REBOA, compared to those who underwent resuscitative thoracotomy (RT) (RR 0.81; 95% CI 0.68–0.97).ConclusionOur meta-analysis, mainly from observational data, suggests a positive effect of REBOA on mortality among non-compressible torso hemorrhage patients. However, these results deserve further investigation.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13017-017-0142-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Objetivos: Calcular la prevalencia y tipos de demencia en una población de una<br />comunidad urbana de Lima. Diseño: Muestreo por conglomerados bietápico.<br />Instituciones: Instituciones de salud privadas. Pacientes: Individuos mayores de<br />65 años. Intervenciones: En el distrito de Cercado del Lima, 1 532 individuos<br />mayores de 65 años, seleccionados aleatoriamente, fueron sometidos a evaluaciones<br />neuropsicológicas breves, que incluyeron el Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE),<br />la prueba del dibujo del reloj (PDR) y el cuestionario de actividades funcionales de<br />Pfeffer (PFAQ). Según los resultados obtenidos luego de la aplicación del MMSE, PDR<br />y PFAQ, los individuos fueron clasificados como seleccionados y no seleccionados,<br />siendo el grupo de seleccionados aquellos que presentaban deterioro cognitivo<br />luego de la aplicación de dichas pruebas. El grupo de personas seleccionadas fueron<br />sometidas a evaluaciones neurológicas, neuropsicológicas, exámenes de laboratorio<br />y tomografía computada (TC) cerebral. Principales medidas de resultados:<br />Prevalencia de demencia. Resultados: Encontramos 105 casos de demencia, lo<br />que corresponde a una prevalencia de 6,85%, siendo la enfermedad de Alzheimer<br />el diagnóstico más frecuente (56,2%); dicha prevalencia se incrementó con la edad<br />y tuvo predominio en el sexo femenino. El análisis de regresión logística mostró que<br />la edad, género femenino y nivel educativo bajo se encontraban correlacionados<br />con la prevalencia alta de demencia. Conclusiones: La prevalencia de demencia en<br />esta población peruana fue 6,85% y la enfermedad de Alzheimer, el diagnóstico más<br />frecuente; la edad, el género femenino y el nivel educativo bajo fueron los factores<br />correlacionados con esta prevalencia alta.<br /><br />

Therapeutic study, level IV.

Background Damage Control (DC) has improved survival from severe abdominal and extremities injuries. The data on the surgical strategies and outcomes in patients managed with DC for severe thoracic injuries is scarce. Methods Retrospective review of the patients treated with DC for thoracic/pulmonary complex trauma at two level I trauma centers from 2006 to 2010. Subjects 14 and older, were included. Demographics, trauma characteristics, surgical techniques, and resuscitation strategies were reviewed. Results A total of 840 trauma thoracotomies were performed. Damage control thoracotomy (DCT) was done in 31 (3.7%). Pulmonary trauma was found in 25 of them. The median age was 28 (IQR 20–34) years, Revised Trauma Score was 7.11, (IQR 5.44–7.55), and Injury Severity Score was 26 (IQR 25–41). Nineteen patients had gunshot-wounds, four stab-wounds and two blunt trauma. Pulmonary trauma was managed by pneumorrhaphy in three cases, tractotomy in 12, wedge resection in one and packing as primary treatment in 8. Clamping of the pulmonary hilum was used as a last resource in 7 cases. Five patients returned to the ICU with the pulmonary hilum occluded by a vascular clamp or an en masse ligature. These patients underwent a deferred resection within 16 to 90 hours after the initial DCT. Four of them survived. Bleeding from other intra-thoracic sources was found in 20 cases: major vessels in nine, heart in three, and thoracic wall in nine. DCT mortality in pulmonary trauma was 6/25, (24%) due to coagulopathy or persistent bleeding in five cases and to multiorgan failure in one. Conclusion This series describes our experience with DCT in severe lung trauma. We describe pulmonary hilum clamping and deferred lung resection as a viable surgical alternative for major pulmonary injuries, and the use of packing as a definitive method for hemorrhage control.

BACKGROUND Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is an emerging option for hemorrhage control, but its use is limited in scenarios such as penetrating chest trauma. The aim of this study was to describe the use of REBOA as a resuscitative adjunct in these cases with major hemorrhage and to propose a new clinical management algorithm. METHODS This was a prospective, observational study conducted at a single Level I trauma center in Colombia. We included all patients older than 14 years with severe trauma who underwent REBOA from January 2015 to December 2019. Patients received REBOA if they were in hemorrhagic shock and were unresponsive to resuscitation. RESULTS A total of 56 patients underwent REBOA placement of which 37 had penetrating trauma and 23 had chest trauma. All patients were hemodynamically unstable upon arrival to the emergency department, with a median systolic blood pressure of 69 mm Hg (interquartile range [IQR], 57–90 mm Hg) and median Injury Severity Score was 25 (IQR, 25–41). All REBOAs were deployed and inflated in zone 1, median inflation time was 40 minutes (IQR, 26–55 minutes), and no adverse neurologic outcomes were observed. Fifteen patients had REBOA and a median sternotomy. Eleven patients had concomitant abdominal wounds. Overall mortality was 28.6%, and there was no significant difference between penetrating versus blunt trauma patients (21.6% vs. 42.1%, p = 0.11). The survival rate of thoracic injured patients was similar to the predicted survival (65.2% vs. 63.3%). CONCLUSION Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta can be used safely in penetrating chest trauma, and the implementation of a REBOA management algorithm is feasible with a well-trained multidisciplinary team. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic, level V.