Gender disparity in radial and femoral arterial size: an ultrasound study.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Paul H Mayo.
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Ultrasonography has achieved acceptance as a routine clinical tool for clinicians managing pleural disease. This article provides an overview of the field of pleural ultrasonography with an emphasis on clinical applicability and procedure guidance.
STUDY OBJECTIVES: To evaluate a teaching protocol comparing a critical care attending to a housestaff team in training medical interns in initial airway management skills using a computer-controlled patient simulator (CPS) and scenario-based simulation training (SST). DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, controlled, unblinded trial. SETTING: Internal medicine residency training program in an urban teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-nine starting internal medicine interns in July 2003, all of whom had been certified in advanced cardiac life support in June 2003. INTERVENTIONS: All interns were tested and scored with a CPS while responding to a standardized respiratory arrest scenario. Random allocation to either training by a single experienced teaching attending or by a housestaff team occurred immediately following testing. All interns were retested using the same scenario 6 weeks following the initial training, and their clinical performance of airway management was scored during actual patient events throughout the year. MEASUREMENTS: Initial airway management was divided into specific scorable steps. For each intern, individual step scores and total scores were recorded before and after training. For 10 consecutive months following training, intern airway management scores were recorded for actual patient airway events. RESULTS: All starting medical interns demonstrated poor initial airway management skills. SST was effective in improving these skills, both on retesting with the patient simulator and in actual patient situations. Interns trained by a housestaff team performed as well as interns trained by the attending. CONCLUSIONS: SST is effective in training medical interns, and the results are equivalent whether the training is provided by an experienced teaching attending or by a housestaff training team.
BACKGROUND: This study reports the effect of thoracentesis on respiratory mechanics and gas exchange in patients receiving mechanical ventilation. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENTS: Eight patient receiving mechanical ventilation with unilateral (n = 7) or bilateral (n = 1) large pleural effusions. INTERVENTION: Therapeutic thoracentesis (n = 9). MEASUREMENTS: Resistances of the respiratory system measured with the constant inspiratory flow interrupter method measuring peak pressure and plateau pressure, effective static compliance of the respiratory system (Cst,rs), work performed by the ventilator (Wv), arterial blood gases, mixed exhaled Pco2, and pleural liquid pressure (Pliq). RESULTS: Thoracentesis resulted in a significant decrease in Wv and Pliq. Thoracentesis had no significant effect on dynamic compliance of the respiratory system; Cst,rs; effective interrupter resistance of the respiratory system, or its subcomponents, ohmic resistance of the respiratory system and additional (non-ohmic) resistance of the respiratory system; or intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEPi). Indices of gas exchange were not significantly changed by thoracentesis. CONCLUSIONS: Thoracentesis in patients receiving mechanical ventilatory support results in significant reductions of Pliq and Wv. These changes were not accompanied by significant changes of resistance or compliance or by significant changes in gas exchange immediately after thoracentesis. The reduction of Wv after thoracentesis in patients receiving mechanical ventilation is not accompanied by predictable changes in inspiratory resistance and static compliance measured with routine clinical methods. The benefit of thoracentesis may be most pronounced in patients with high levels of PEEPi.
OBJECTIVES: Patient simulation is emerging as a training technique in the field of medicine. It has particular application in training responses to high-risk, low-frequency clinical events, of which a typical example is in-hospital cardiac arrest. A critical element of response by the cardiac arrest team is initial airway management. In teaching hospitals, medical interns are first responders to in-hospital cardiac arrests. Our objective was to design and test a program using a computer-controlled patient simulator to train medical interns and demonstrate their competence in initial airway management. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, controlled, unblinded trial. SETTING: Internal medicine residency training program in an urban teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: All 50 starting internal medicine interns in July 2002, all Advanced Cardiac Life Support certified in June 2002. INTERVENTIONS: All interns were tested in initial airway management skills and then were randomly assigned to receive either immediate or delayed individualized training using a computer-controlled patient simulator. The computer-simulated training process consisted of a scenario of respiratory arrest. The interns were challenged with the scenario twice following testing. The interns were debriefed extensively and given hands-on training by the attending using the simulator until they achieved perfect performance. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Initial airway management was divided into specific scorable steps. Individual step scores and total scores were recorded for each intern on initial and repeat testing. For 10 months following simulator training, intern airway management skills were scored in actual patient airway events. Despite recent Advanced Cardiac Life Support training and certification, all starting medical interns demonstrated poor airway management skills. The immediate training group showed significant improvement in initial airway management when tested before and 4 wks after training. In contrast, the delayed training group showed no significant improvement. Direct observation of interns in actual initial airway events revealed excellent clinical performance. CONCLUSIONS: Individualized training of medical interns using a computer-controlled patient simulator is an effective means of achieving and measuring competence in initial airway management skills. The improvement appears to be transferable to the bedside of real patients.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the safety of ultrasound-guided thoracentesis (UST) performed by critical care physicians on patients receiving mechanical ventilation. DESIGN: Prospective and observational. SETTING: ICUs in a teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Two hundred eleven serial patients receiving mechanical ventilation with pleural effusion requiring diagnostic or therapeutic thoracentesis. INTERVENTIONS: Two hundred thirty-two separate USTs were performed by critical care physicians without radiology support. Anteroposterior chest radiographs were reviewed for possible postprocedure pneumothorax. RESULTS: Pneumothorax occurred in 3 of 232 USTs (1.3%). The procedure was well tolerated in this critically ill population. CONCLUSIONS: UST performed in patients receiving mechanical ventilation without radiology support results in an acceptable rate of pneumothorax.
STUDY OBJECTIVES: The use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has dramatically improved morbidity and mortality in patients with HIV infection. The types of critical illness and their outcomes in HIV-infected patients in recent years is unknown. DESIGN: We reviewed the medical records of all patients admitted to the Medical ICU of Beth Israel Medical Center, NY, from January to June 2001 and compared their characteristics with patients admitted to the same unit from November 1991 to October 1992. RESULTS: Of 441 admissions in the first half of 2001, 63 admissions (14%) were in 53 HIV-seropositive patients. There were 65 admissions to the Medical ICU during the 1-year period spanning 1991 to 1992. Compared with the earlier period, the 2001 patients were more likely to be black (52% vs 26%, respectively; p < 0.01) and injection drug users (75% vs 48%, respectively; p < 0.01), and were less likely to be white (11% vs 23%, respectively; difference not significant) and homosexual men (6% vs 26%, respectively; p < 0.01). In 2001, patients were less likely to be admitted with respiratory failure (22% vs 54%, respectively; p < 0.01) and with Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (formerly referred to as Pneumocystis carinii) [3% vs 34%, respectively; p < 0.001], and were more likely to be admitted with non-HIV-related diseases (67% vs 12%, respectively; p < 0.001). Overall survival was much higher in the later period (71% vs 49%, respectively; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In the era of HAART, more patients with HIV infection were admitted to the ICU over a 12-month period than were 10 years previously. Patients were more likely to be injection drug users and were more likely to be admitted to the ICU because of non-HIV-associated conditions.
BACKGROUND: Calculation of total inspiratory resistance (Rtot) for patients on ventilatory support is typically based on measurement of airflow velocity and airway opening pressure during end-inspiratory occlusion by the inspiratory valve in the ventilator. Systematic error is introduced into Rtot measurements because the inspiratory valve closes over a period of time (not instantaneously, so gas continues to flow into the circuit while the valve is shutting) and because the circuit tubing is a distensible compartment between the occluding valve and the respiratory system. The Rtot-measurement error can be minimized with a rapidly-shutting occlusion valve positioned at the airway opening, or, alternatively, by mathematical correction that accounts for the valve-closure period and circuit tubing characteristics. METHODS: In a bench study we measured Rtot with the Puritan Bennett 7200 and 840 ventilators (using the inspiratory valves that are built into those ventilators) and compared those measurements to measurements made with a rapidly-shutting valve at the airway opening. We deemed the rapid-occlusion-valve measurements the best available (benchmark) values. We also studied the closure characteristics of the ventilators' inspiratory occlusion valves and created equations for mathematical correction of Rtot values measured with those valves. RESULTS: Compared to the benchmark measurements, the measurements from the Puritan Bennett 7200 averaged 23.2% relative error and 2.6 cm H2O/L/s absolute error. Measurements from the Puritan Bennett 840 averaged 7.3% relative error and 1.0 cm H2O/L/s absolute error. Mathematical correction for the circuit tubing and valve-closure time reduced the average relative and absolute error to 3.0% and 0.4 cm H2O/L/s, respectively, for the Puritan Bennett 7200, and to 4.5% and 0.3 cm H2O/L/s, respectively, for the Puritan Bennett 840. CONCLUSIONS: The Puritan Bennett 840 measures Rtot more accurately than the Puritan Bennett 7200. Our equations to mathematically correct Rtot measurements made with the PB7200 and PB840 are useful in settings where very accurate Rtot measurements are necessary.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether, after 48 h of IV treatment with corticosteroids, the use of high-dose inhaled flunisolide is as effective as systemic corticosteroids in adults hospitalized for a severe asthma exacerbation. DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. SETTING: Inpatient, an urban teaching hospital medical ward; outpatient, asthma clinic affiliated with the hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Forty patients aged 18 to 55 years with asthma exacerbation requiring hospitalization. INTERVENTIONS: Inhaled flunisolide via metered-dose inhaler (250 micro g per activation) eight puffs bid compared to systemic corticosteroids alone, following eight doses of IV corticosteroids. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), FEV(1), and symptom scores were recorded on day 1 (at presentation to the emergency department) and day 7, at an outpatient follow-up visit. From day 1 to day 7, mean PEFR increased from 190 to 379 L/min in the flunisolide group, and from 207 to 347 L/min in the systemic corticosteroids group (p = 0.95; 95% confidence interval [CI], - 66.3, infinity ). Mean FEV(1) increased from 1.6 to 2.3 L in the flunisolide group, and from 1.4 to 2.1 L in the systemic corticosteroids group (p = 0.33; 95% CI, - 21.7, infinity ). Changes in symptom scores were - 0.7 in the flunisolide group and - 0.9 in the systemic corticosteroids group (p = 0.39; 95% CI, - 0.4, infinity ). Hospital readmission rates on day 7 were zero for both groups. CONCLUSIONS: High-dose inhaled corticosteroids are as effective as systemic corticosteroids during a 7-day period following admission to the hospital for severe asthma.
We analyzed 385 consecutive central venous catheter (CVC) attempts over a 6-month period. All critically ill patients 18 years of age or older requiring a CVC were included. The rate of mechanical complications not including failure to place was 14%. Complications included failure to place the CVC (n = 86), arterial puncture (n = 18), improper position (n = 14), pneumothorax (n = 5 in 258 subclavian and internal jugular attempts), hematoma (n = 3), hemothorax (n = 1), and asystolic cardiac arrest of unknown etiology (n = 1). Male patients had a significantly higher complication rate than female patients (37% vs 27%, P = .04). The subclavian approach had a higher complication rate than the internal jugular or the femoral approach (39% vs 33% vs. 24%, P = .02). The complication rate increased with the number of percutaneous punctures, with a rate of 54% when more than 2 punctures were required.