New respiratory failure research presented at CHEST 2009

Helmet Ventilation May Benefit Patients With Acute Respiratory Failure

(#8729, Tuesday, November 3, 3:45 PM ET)

Patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF), in whom noninvasive ventilation (NIV) via facial mask fails, may benefit from a relatively new treatment known as helmet ventilation. Researchers from Italy assessed the use of helmet ventilation in 31 patients suffering from ARF who failed an attempt of NIV with facial mask. Arterial blood gas analysis at 1 hour and 12 hours of helmet ventilation showed a significant improvement of PaO2 in the majority of patients; however, there was no significant variation of PCO2 values. Intubation rate was low and tolerability for helmet ventilation was very good. Researchers conclude that helmet ventilation can be an alternative to NIV by facial mask in the treatment of patients suffering from ARF.

Teaching Hospitals See Higher Mortality Among Patients With Acute Respiratory Failure

(#9161, Tuesday, November 3, 3:45 PM ET)

A new study found an increased mortality associated with admission to a teaching hospital after acute respiratory failure. Using the US Nationwide Inpatient Sample database, researchers from Jersey Shore University Medical Center in New Jersey reviewed 82,121 emergency admissions for acute respiratory failure. Admission to the teaching hospitals was 40.3 percent. Patients who were admitted to teaching hospitals were younger and different in race distribution but similar in gender distribution. The overall mortality was 24.3 percent. Teaching hospitals had a significantly higher mortality rate (25.4 percent vs. 23.6 percent). Researchers speculate that further studies are necessary to explore the potential factors causing this association.

Source: American College of Chest Physicians