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Biomedical subjects

S Benito

Publications and source records attributed to S Benito.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Gentamicin volume of distribution in critically ill septic patients.

Gentamicin intrapatient pharmacokinetics variations were studied in 40 critically ill medical patients, suffering gram-negative sepsis. These patients were studied in two phases throughout gentamicin treatment: firstly, on the second day of treatment, when aggressive fluid therapy was required, and secondly, five days later, when patients had achieved a more stable clinical condition. Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined using least squares linear regression analysis assuming a one-compartment model using the Sawchuk-Zaske method. The apparent volume of distribution (Vd) in the first phase of the study was 0.43 +/- 0.12 L/kg, while on the seventh day of treatment it was 0.29 +/- 0.17 L/kg (p less than 0.001). Statistically significant differences were also observed for peak serum concentration (p less than 0.001), total dosage recommended (p less than 0.001) and half-life (p less than 0.05), whilst differences were not found for trough levels. From the analysis of the results obtained, we recommend increasing the initial dosage and monitoring plasma levels within the first days of therapy in critically ill patients treated with gentamicin, since important variations in aminoglycoside Vd related to disease, fluid balance and renal function, commonly occur in these patients.

Adult↗

P 0.1/PIMax: an index for assessing respiratory capacity in acute respiratory failure.

We studied airway occlusion pressure (P 0.1) and maximal inspiratory pressure (PIMax) in 10 healthy volunteers (Group A), 10 early postsurgical cardiac patients on spontaneous breathing (Group B), 10 patients mechanically ventilated for ARF (Group C), 10 patients weaning from mechanical ventilation after ARF (Group D) and 10 patients extubated after post-ARF (Group E). We calculated the index P 0.1/PIMax in an attempt to link the ventilatory demands and muscle ventilatory reserve. We found that the sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing the need for either full (C), partial (D) or no ventilatory support (A, B, E) by means of the P 0.1 were C = (50%, 95%), D = (70%, 72%) and A + B + E = (83%, 90%) respectively. When the index P 0.1/PIMax was used they were C = (90%, 100%), D = (80%, 87%) and A + B + E = (86%, 90%). We conclude that the index P 0.1/PIMax increases the reliability of P 0.1 alone to correctly classify the patients that will need either full, partial or no ventilatory support in ARF.

Adult↗

Intrinsic PEEP: a cause of inspiratory muscle ineffectivity.

Intrinsic PEEP has been described as an inspiratory threshold load to the inspiratory muscles that could increase the work of breathing. We report a patient who presented ineffective inspiratory efforts to trigger the ventilator; when we applied PEEP in similar amounts of measured intrinsic PEEP, his inspiratory efforts became able to trigger the ventilator, suggesting that the inspiratory load was alleviated.

Aged↗

Inspiratory effort and occlusion pressure in triggered mechanical ventilation.

We have studied eleven patients ventilated in the assisted mode during recovery from acute respiratory failure. We have measured the effort required to trigger the pressure demand valve for 3 different ventilators, and have measured the occlusion pressure as an index of neuromuscular inspiratory drive. We found a delay in the opening of the demand valve, as previously described by other authors. We also found a close correlation between the effort required to open the demand valve and the occlusion pressure. We conclude that the inspiratory effort required to open the demand valve, in the assist mode, is greater than the preset trigger level and that it is well correlated with the neuromuscular inspiratory drive. This inspiratory effort against the closed demand valve, allows the measurement of the occlusion pressure.

Aged↗

Value of static pulmonary compliance in predicting mortality in patients with acute respiratory failure.

The measurement of static pulmonary compliance by means of pressure-volume curves is an useful tool in the management of patients with acute respiratory failure. On admission to our Intensive Care Unit, we calculated the static pulmonary compliance values from the pressure-volume curve in 55 severe acute respiratory failure patients under mechanical ventilation. A predictive model, based on static pulmonary compliance measured on the deflation of the pressure-volume curve and patients' age, was developed using a function derived by stepwise discriminant analysis. Thirty-six of the 40 patients (90%) in the learning sample and 12 of the 15 patients (80%) in the test sample were correctly classified into survivors or non-survivors. The overall classification demonstrated an accuracy of 88% (48 of 55 patients). We conclude that the value of static pulmonary compliance can be an useful prognostic factor in patients with severe acute respiratory failure.

Adolescent↗

Accuracy of an indirect carbon dioxide Fick method in determination of the cardiac output in critically ill mechanically ventilated patients.

We evaluated the accuracy of an indirect CO2 Fick method for measuring cardiac output in 30 critically ill mechanically ventilated patients. When the Fick principle was applied to CO2 using estimated PaCO2, the cardiac output obtained underestimated the thermodilution technique showing a lack of accuracy. However, there was a significant correlation between thermodilution and CO2 rebreathing methods using measured (r = 0.92; p less than 0.001) and estimated (r = 0.60; p less than 0.01) arterial PCO2. The regression equation using measured arterial PCO2 was y = 0.59 + 0.91x, and for estimated arterial PCO2 was y = 1.7 + 0.33x. The results suggest that the CO2 rebreathing method using measured arterial PCO2 may be useful to determine cardiac output in those seriously ill patients on artificial ventilation not requiring right heart catheterization.

Adult↗

Effect of PEEP on the arterial minus end-tidal carbon dioxide gradient.

The effect of PEEP on the arterial minus end-tidal carbon dioxide gradient (PaCO2-PetCO2) was evaluated in 13 adult patients with acute respiratory failure. The morphologic study of the pressure-volume (P-V) curves allowed separation of the patients into two groups: group 1 (n = 7) with initial inflection point in the (P-V) curve, and group 2 without inflection point. We hypothesized that the profile of the PaCO2-PetCO2 gradient would indicate an appropriate PEEP level only in patients with recruitable air spaces. We ventilated group 1 patients with zero end expiratory pressure (ZEEP), PEEP corresponding to inflection point pressure (PEEPPi) and PEEP5 cm H2O above PEEPPi, and group 2 patients with ZEEP, 6 cm H2O PEEP and 12 cm H2O PEEP. The PaCO2-PetCO2 gradient changed significantly in group 1 (ZEEP: 13.59 mm Hg; PEEPPi: 8.33 mm Hg; PEEPPi + 5 cm H2O: 10.54 mm Hg), but not in group 2 (ZEEP: 14.15 mm Hg; PEEP 6 cm H2O: 14.20 mm Hg; PEEP 12 cm H2O: 16.53 mm Hg). Our results show that the PaCO2-PetCO2 gradient may be useful in selecting a PEEP level which produces alveolar recruitment, but only in those patients with initial inflection point in the P-V curve.

Adult↗

Effect of intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure on respiratory compliance.

We evaluated the influence of intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEPi) on the measurement of static respiratory compliance in 15 adult patients with acute respiratory failure under mechanical ventilation. Modifying the inspiratory/expiratory ratio from 1:2 to 2:1, and the respiratory frequency from 15 to 20 and 25 breath/min significantly changed compliance values. Because PEEPi can increase the work of breathing, we suggest adjusting ventilatory variables to minimize PEEPi.

Adult↗

Total respiratory compliance as a function of lung volume in patients with mechanical ventilation.

In normal subjects breathing spontaneously, compliance has been shown to be influenced by the lung volume from which deflation started. We wondered whether this would also be true for patients with acute respiratory failure who required mechanical ventilation and we accordingly studied 15 such patients. Chest inflation was performed using a continuous flow device (ATM-PV 102), and total compliance was measured as the slope of the pressure-volume relationship during deflation. As inflated lung volumes were increased by 10 to 15, 20 and 25 ml/kg body weight above FRC, mean compliance increased to 38.2, 45.5, 52.2 and 59.3 ml/cmH2O respectively. Each of these increases in mean compliance was statistically significant (p less than 0.001). Increasing the inflated lung volume to 30 ml/kg produced no further significant increase in mean compliance. This study showed that, in patients with acute respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation, compliance measured during deflation is a function of the inflated lung volume. We recommend that the compliance should be measured from a constant and high lung volume, equal to 25 ml/kg body weight above FRC.

Acute Disease↗

Pulmonary compliance measurement in acute respiratory failure.

Many automatic devices to measure effective compliance can now be incorporated in mechanical ventilators. We compared measurements from these devices against those obtained from a pressure-volume curve made with a super-syringe. The methods produced closely correlating results (r = 0.854; p less than .001) in 20 adult patients with acute respiratory failure. Both techniques provide useful information about the elastic properties of the lung and can be used to adjust mechanical ventilation.

Adult↗