Intensive Care and Sepsis (CRICS) Group IMPORTANCE In the intensive care unit (ICU), orotracheal intubation can be associated with increased risk of complications because the patient may be acutely unstable, requiring prompt intervention, often by a practitioner with nonexpert skills. Video laryngoscopy may decrease this risk by improving glottis visualization. OBJECTIVE To determine whether video laryngoscopy increases the frequency of successful first-pass orotracheal intubation compared with direct laryngoscopy in ICU patients.DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Randomized clinical trial of 371 adults requiring intubation while being treated at 7 ICUs in France between May 2015 and January 2016; there was 28 days of follow-up.INTERVENTIONS Intubation using a video laryngoscope (n = 186) or direct laryngoscopy (n = 185). All patients received general anesthesia. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURESThe primary outcome was the proportion of patients with successful first-pass intubation. The secondary outcomes included time to successful intubation and mild to moderate and severe life-threatening complications. RESULTS Among 371 randomized patients (mean [SD] age, 62.8 [15.8] years; 136 [36.7%] women), 371 completed the trial. The proportion of patients with successful first-pass intubation did not differ significantly between the video laryngoscopy and direct laryngoscopy groups (67.7% vs 70.3%; absolute difference, −2.5% [95% CI, −11.9% to 6.9%]; P = .60). The proportion of first-attempt intubations performed by nonexperts (primarily residents, n = 290) did not differ between the groups (84.4% with video laryngoscopy vs 83.2% with direct laryngoscopy; absolute difference 1.2% [95% CI, −6.3% to 8.6%]; P = .76). The median time to successful intubation was 3 minutes (range, 2 to 4 minutes) for both video laryngoscopy and direct laryngoscopy (absolute difference, 0 [95% CI, 0 to 0]; P = .95). Video laryngoscopy was not associated with life-threatening complications (24/180 [13.3%] vs 17/179 [9.5%] for direct laryngoscopy; absolute difference, 3.8% [95% CI, −2.7% to 10.4%]; P = .25). In post hoc analysis, video laryngoscopy was associated with severe life-threatening complications (17/179 [9.5%] vs 5/179 [2.8%] for direct laryngoscopy; absolute difference, 6.7% [95% CI, 1.8% to 11.6%]; P = .01) but not with mild to moderate life-threatening complications (10/181 [5.4%] vs 14/181 [7.7%]; absolute difference, −2.3% [95% CI, −7.4% to 2.8%]; P = .37).CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Among patients in the ICU requiring intubation, video laryngoscopy compared with direct laryngoscopy did not improve first-pass orotracheal intubation rates and was associated with higher rates of severe life-threatening complications. Further studies are needed to assess the comparative effectiveness of these 2 strategies in different clinical settings and among operators with diverse skill levels.

IMPORTANCE Early in-bed cycling and electrical muscle stimulation may improve the benefits of rehabilitation in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). OBJECTIVE To investigate whether early in-bed leg cycling plus electrical stimulation of the quadriceps muscles added to standardized early rehabilitation would result in greater muscle strength at discharge from the ICU. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Single-center, randomized clinical trial enrolling critically ill adult patients at 1 ICU within an 1100-bed hospital in France. Enrollment lasted from July 2014 to June 2016 and there was a 6-month follow-up, which ended on November 24, 2016. INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to early in-bed leg cycling plus electrical stimulation of the quadriceps muscles added to standardized early rehabilitation (n = 159) or standardized early rehabilitation alone (usual care) (n = 155). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was muscle strength at discharge from the ICU assessed by physiotherapists blinded to treatment group using the Medical Research Council grading system (score range, 0-60 points; a higher score reflects better muscle strength; minimal clinically important difference of 4 points). Secondary outcomes at ICU discharge included the number of ventilator-free days and ICU Mobility Scale score (range, 0-10; a higher score reflects better walking capability). Functional autonomy and health-related quality of life were assessed at 6 months. RESULTS Among 314 randomized patients, 312 (mean age, 66 years; women, 36%; receiving mechanical ventilation at study inclusion, 78%) completed the study and were included in the analysis. The median global Medical Research Council score at ICU discharge was 48 (interquartile range [IQR], 29 to 58) in the intervention group and 51 (IQR, 37 to 58) in the usual care group (median difference, −3.0 [95% CI, −7.0 to 2.8]; P = .28). The ICU Mobility Scale score at ICU discharge was 6 (IQR, 3 to 9) in both groups (median difference, 0 [95% CI, −1 to 2]; P = .52). The median number of ventilator-free days at day 28 was 21 (IQR, 6 to 25) in the intervention group and 22 (IQR, 10 to 25) in the usual care group (median difference, 1 [95% CI, −2 to 3]; P = .24). Clinically significant events occurred during mobilization sessions in 7 patients (4.4%) in the intervention group and in 9 patients (5.8%) in the usual care group. There were no significant between-group differences in the outcomes assessed at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this single-center randomized clinical trial involving patients admitted to the ICU, adding early in-bed leg cycling exercises and electrical stimulation of the quadriceps muscles to a standardized early rehabilitation program did not improve global muscle strength at discharge from the ICU.

Acute mesenteric ischemia in ICU patients was associated with a 58 % ICU death rate. Age and SOFA severity score at diagnosis were risk factors for mortality. Plasma lactate concentration over 2.7 mmol/l was also an independent risk factor, but values in the normal range did not exclude the diagnosis of AMI.

Δ VE E'CO2 outperformed Δ VE PP, Δ VE SBP, Δ VE MBP, Δ VE FemFlow, and Δ VE HR and, during protective ventilation, arrhythmia, or both, it also outperformed Δ VE PPV. A value of Δ VE E'CO2 >1 mm Hg (>0.13 kPa) indicated a likely response to VE.

To assess the benefit-to-risk balance of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Methods: In 16 ICUs, we prospectively collected adverse events during or within 24 h after BAL and assessed the BAL input for decision making in consecutive adult patients. The occurrence of a clinical adverse event at least of grade 3, i.e., sufficiently severe to need therapeutic action(s), including modification(s) in respiratory support, defined poor BAL tolerance. The BAL input for decision making was declared satisfactory if it allowed to interrupt or initiate one or several treatments. Results: We included 483 BAL in 483 patients [age 63 years (interquartile range (IQR) 53-72); female gender: 162 (33.5%); simplified acute physiology score II: 48 (IQR 37-61); immunosuppression 244 (50.5%)]. BAL was begun in nonintubated patients in 105 (21.7%) cases. Sixty-seven (13.9%) patients reached the grade 3 of adverse event or higher. Logistic regression showed that a BAL performed by a non-experienced physician (non-pulmonologist, or intensivist with less than 10 years in the specialty or less than 50 BAL performed) was the main predictor of poor BAL tolerance in non-intubated patients [OR: 3.57 (95% confidence interval 1.04-12.35); P = 0.04]. A satisfactory BAL input for decision making was observed in 227 (47.0%) cases and was not predictable using logistic regression. Conclusions: Adverse events related to BAL in ICU patients are not infrequent nor necessarily benign. Our findings call for an extreme caution, when envisaging a BAL in ICU patients and for a mandatory accompaniment of the less experienced physicians.

Patients with septic shock and with AF and/or low LVEF were more prone to a persistent high cv-art CO 2 gap, even when initial resuscitation succeeded in normalizing MAP, CVP, and ScvO 2 . In these patients, a persistent high cv-art CO 2 gap at 12 h was significantly associated with higher day 28 mortality.

Background: Nonintubated chest trauma patients with fractured ribs admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) are at risk for complications and may require invasive ventilation at some point. Effective pain control is essential. We assessed whether epidural analgesia (EA) in patients with fractured ribs who were not intubated at ICU admission decreased the need for invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). We also looked for risk factors for IMV. Study design and methods: This retrospective, observational, multicenter study conducted in 40 ICUs in France included consecutive patients with three or more fractured ribs who were not intubated at admission between July 2013 and July 2015. Results: Of the 974 study patients, 788 were included in the analysis of intubation predictors. EA was used in 130 (16.5%) patients, and 65 (8.2%) patients required IMV. Factors independently associated with IMV were chronic respiratory disease (P = 0.008), worse SAPS II (P < 0.0001), flail chest (P = 0.02), worse Injury Severity Score (P = 0.0003), higher respiratory rate at admission (P = 0.02), alcohol withdrawal syndrome (P < 0.001), and noninvasive ventilation (P = 0.04). EA was not associated with decreases in IMV requirements, median numerical rating scale pain score, or intravenous morphine requirements from day 1 to day 7. Conclusions: EA was not associated with a lower risk of IMV in chest trauma patients with at least 3 fractured ribs, moderate pain, and no intubation on admission. Further studies are needed to clarify the optimal pain control strategy in chest trauma patients admitted to the ICU, notably those with severe pain or high opioid requirements.

IntroductionThe use of peripheral indwelling arterial catheter for haemodynamic monitoring is widespread in the intensive care unit and is recommended in patients with shock. However, there is no evidence that the arterial catheter could improve patient’s outcome, whereas the burden of morbidity generated is significant (pain, thrombosis, infections). We hypothesise that patients with shock may be managed without an arterial catheter.Methods and analysisThe EVERDAC study is an investigator-initiated, pragmatic, multicentre, randomised, controlled, open-label, non-inferiority clinical trial, comparing a less invasive intervention (ie, no arterial catheter insertion until felt absolutely needed, according to predefined safety criteria) or usual care (ie, systematic arterial catheter insertion in the early hours of shock). 1010 patients will be randomised with a 1:1 ratio in two groups according to the strategy. The primary outcome is all-cause mortality by 28 days after inclusion. A health economic analysis will be carried out.Ethics and disseminationThe study has been approved by the Ethics Committee (Comité de Protection des Personnes Île de France V, registration number 61606 CAT 2, 19 july 2018) and patients will be included after informed consent. The results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals.Trial registration numberNCT03680963.