Project description:Chronic rhino sinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the sinuses, commonly seen in between 40-60 years aged population. In CRSwNP patients the main focus of treatment is to promote patient's quality of life, to reduce sinonasal symptoms and nasal polyp size by usage of both oral as well as topical corticosteroids and nasal saline irrigations. If symptoms persists after using medical therapy surgical excision is the last option but relapse of disease is present in most cases even after surgical intervention. Overall, from the various recent past and recent trials, Dupilumab was very well tolerated in maximum number of the patients and no serious adverse events were noted. In addition the patients with asthma noticed good improvement in endoscopic nasal polyp scores, asthma control, and lung function, inflammation of both the upper and lower airways.
Project description:BackgroundMolecular hydrogen (H2) is a biologically active gas that is widely used in the healthcare sector. In recent years, on-site H2 gas generators, which produce high-purity H2 by water electrolysis, have begun to be introduced in hospitals, clinics, beauty salons, and fitness clubs because of their ease of use. In general, these generators produce H2 at a low-flow rate, so physicians are concerned that an effective blood concentration of H2 may not be ensured when the gas is delivered through a nasal cannula. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate blood concentrations of H2 delivered from an H2 gas generator via a nasal cannula.MethodsWe administered 100% H2, produced by an H2 gas generator, at a low-flow rate of 250 mL/min via a nasal cannula to three spontaneously breathing micro miniature pigs. An oxygen mask was placed over the nasal cannula to administer oxygen while minimizing H2 leakage, and a catheter was inserted into the carotid artery to monitor the arterial blood H2 concentration.ResultsDuring the first hour of H2 inhalation, the mean (standard error (SE)) H2 concentrations and saturations in the arterial blood of the three pigs were 1,560 (413) nL/mL and 8.85% (2.34%); 1,190 (102) nL/mL and 6.74% (0.58%); and 1,740 (181) nL/mL and 9.88% (1.03%), respectively. These values are comparable to the concentration one would expect if 100% of the H2 released from the H2 gas generator is taken up by the body.ConclusionsInhalation of 100% H2 produced by an H2 gas generator, even at low-flow rates, can increase blood H2 concentrations to levels that previous non-clinical and clinical studies demonstrated to be therapeutically effective. The combination of a nasal cannula and an oxygen mask is a convenient way to reduce H2 leakage while maintaining oxygenation.
Project description:Introduction The pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has had a serious impact on the functioning of gastrointestinal endoscopy Units. The Asociación Española de Gastroenterología [Spanish Association of Gastroenterology] (AEG) and the Sociedad Española de Endoscopia Digestiva [Spanish Association of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy] (SEED) have proposed the EPAGE guidelines for managing postponed colonoscopies. Objective To evaluate the EPAGE guidelines as a management tool compared to the immunologic faecal occult blood test (iFOBT) and compared to risk score (RS) that combines age, sex and the iFOBT for the detection of colorectal cancer (CRC) and significant bowel disease (SBD). Methods A prospective, single-centre study enrolling 743 symptomatic patients referred for a diagnostic colonoscopy. Each order was classified according to the EPAGE guidelines as appropriate, indeterminate or inappropriate. Patients underwent an iFOBT and had their RS calculated. Results The iFOBT (P < .001), but not the EPAGE guidelines (P = .742), was an independent predictive factor of risk of CRC. The ROC AUCs for the EPAGE guidelines, the iFOBT and the RS were 0.61 (95%CI 0.49−0.75), 0.95 (0.93−0.97) and 0.90 (0.87−0.93) for CRC, and 0.55 (0.49−0.61), 0.75 (0.69−0.813) and 0.78 (0.73−0.83) for SBD, respectively. The numbers of colonoscopies needed to detect a case of CRC and a case of SBD were 38 and 7 for the EPAGE guidelines, 7 and 2 for the iFOBT, and 19 and 4 for a RS ≥ 5 points, respectively. Conclusion The EPAGE guidelines, unlike the iFOBT, is not suitable for screening candidate patients for a diagnostic colonoscopy to detect CRC. The iFOBT, in combination with age and sex, is the most suitable strategy for managing demand for endoscopy in a restricted-access situation.
Project description:Background: The high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is a relatively recent method that provides high-flow, heated, humidified gas delivery. Objectives: We compared HFNC (group HF) and conventional nasal cannula (NC) (group CO) during deep sedation with propofol and remifentanil for endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). Design: Single-center, retrospective observational cohort study. Methods: In this study, a total of 159 cases were analyzed (group CO, 71 and group HF, 88). We collected the data from electronic medical records from September 2020 to June 2021. The lowest oxygen saturation (SpO2), incidence of hypoxia (SpO2 < 90%), rescue interventions, and adverse events between the two groups were investigated. Results: There were significant differences between the two groups in lowest SpO2 and incidence of hypoxia [group CO versus group HF; 90.3 ± 9.7% versus 95.7 ± 9.0%, 25 (35.2%) versus 10 (11.4%); p < 0.001, p < 0.001; respectively]. Among the rescue interventions, the number of jaw thrust, patient stimulation, O2 flow increase, and nasal airway insertion were significantly higher in the CO group than in the HF group. However, postprocedural chest X-ray showed higher rates of abnormal findings (atelectasis, aspiration, and pneumoperitoneum) in group HF than in group CO [group CO: 8 (11.3%) versus group HF: 26 (29.5%), p = 0.005]. In multivariable analysis, besides group CO, difficult type of lesion was the risk factor for hypoxia. Conclusions: Compared to the conventional NC, HFNC provided adequate oxygenation and a stable procedure without significant adverse events during sedation for ESD. However, caution is needed to avoid complications associated with deep sedation and difficult type of lesions.
Project description:High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen therapy comprises an air/oxygen blender, an active humidifier, a single heated circuit, and a nasal cannula. It delivers adequately heated and humidified medical gas at up to 60 L/min of flow and is considered to have a number of physiological effects: reduction of anatomical dead space, PEEP effect, constant fraction of inspired oxygen, and good humidification. While there have been no big randomized clinical trials, it has been gaining attention as an innovative respiratory support for critically ill patients. Most of the available data has been published in the neonatal field. Evidence with critically ill adults are poor; however, physicians apply it to a variety of patients with diverse underlying diseases: hypoxemic respiratory failure, acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, post-extubation, pre-intubation oxygenation, sleep apnea, acute heart failure, patients with do-not-intubate order, and so on. Many published reports suggest that HFNC decreases breathing frequency and work of breathing and reduces needs of escalation of respiratory support in patients with diverse underlying diseases. Some important issues remain to be resolved, such as its indication, timing of starting and stopping HFNC, and escalating treatment. Despite these issues, HFNC oxygen therapy is an innovative and effective modality for the early treatment of adults with respiratory failure with diverse underlying diseases.
Project description:Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) identifies and treats pancreatic and biliary diseases. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis examining relevant papers in five databases to examine the frequency of hypoxia throughout the surgery and the lowest oxygen saturation level in patients under sedation. Our meta-analysis included three randomized controlled trials with 390 participants, 196 in the high-flow oxygen (HFNC) group and 194 in the low-flow oxygen (LFNC) group. Their ages ranged from 65.3 to 79 years. The pooled effect estimate showed that HFNC decreased the incidence of hypoxia during the procedure when compared to LFNC (odds ratio -0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.65, -0.02; P = 0.04), and the mean of lowest oxygen saturation in patients during sedation was significantly lower in LFNC compared to HFNC (mean difference 2.34; 95% CI 1.35, 3.32; P = 0.001). The pooled effect estimate showed that the HFNC group had a lower incidence rate of jaw thrusting adverse events during anesthesia than the LFNC group (risk difference -0.12; 95% CI -0.21, -0.04; P = 0.001). In summary, HFNC systems reduced the incidence of hypoxia for patients undergoing ERCP and had a higher mean lowest oxygen saturation during sedation.
Project description:IntroductionHeated high-flow nasal cannula (HHFNC) therapy for bronchiolitis has become increasingly prevalent without evidence that this therapy impacts patient outcomes. Lack of criteria for appropriate use may lead to overutilization, resulting in increased costs without patient benefit. Our primary aim was to decrease use of HHFNC in patients with bronchiolitis over one season.MethodsPatients with Bronchiolitis younger than 2 years of age admitted to the Hospital Medicine Service were included in this study. Using the model for improvement framework, we identified key drivers for HHFNC overuse and revised our bronchiolitis protocol to include low-flow nasal cannula trials before HHFNC initiation. We compared preintervention HHFNC utilization (December 2018-April 2019) with postintervention HFNC utilization (December 2019-March 2020).ResultsOne hundred ninety patients met inclusion criteria, 98 of them in the preintervention cohort and 92 in the postintervention cohort. Overall, the median age was 9 months and 65% of patients were male. Our HHFNC utilization rate decreased from 62% (61/98) to 43% (40/92) in the postintervention period. Our SPC analysis suggested special cause variation based on 7 points below the preintervention mean.ConclusionsThis QI intervention implementing a specified low-flow nasal cannula trial before the initiation of HHFNC shows promise in reducing overall HHFNC use. Future studies should focus on clear initiation and discontinuation criteria for HHFNC use in bronchiolitis.