Journal of Clinical Monitoring and Computing最新文献

Patient monitoring in the perioperative setting can be challenging, especially when monitoring multiple patients simultaneously or managing dynamic situations that require movement around the operating room. We aimed to evaluate whether avatar-based patient monitoring, which presents vital signs in the form of changing colors, shapes and motion, improves remote vital sign recognition compared to conventional monitoring. We conducted a prospective, single-center, computer-based simulation study to evaluate how anesthesia providers recognize vital signs when using the Philips Visual Patient Avatar at different viewing distances (8 and 16 m) compared to conventional monitoring. The primary outcome was the total number of correctly identified vital signs which were compared for the two distances and the two devices using mixed Poisson regression. We analyzed data from 28 anesthesia providers who participated in 112 simulations. The correct recognition rate using the Visual Patient Avatar compared to conventional monitoring at 8 m was increased by 74% (rate ratio 1.74, 95% CI, 1.42 to 2.14, p < 0.001) and by 51% at 16-meter viewing distance (rate ratio 1.51, 95% CI, 1.23 to 1.87, p < 0.001). We observed scenario-specific superior performance for six vital signs at 8 m. The results provide empirical evidence that avatar-based monitoring can significantly improve the perception of vital signs when using distant vision.

This study investigated the clinical and physiological response to use of the BEACON Caresystem, a bedside open-loop decision support system providing advice to guide clinicians when weaning patients from invasive mechanical ventilation. Multicenter prospective study conducted in five adult intensive care units in the UK. Following screening and assent, intubated patients mechanically ventilated for > 24 h were randomized to intervention or usual care. Intervention consisted of application of the BEACON Caresystem's advice on tidal volume/inspiratory pressure, inspired oxygen, respiratory rate and PEEP. Usual care was defined as local clinical practice. The primary outcome was duration of mechanical ventilation. Secondary outcomes quantified prolonged intubation and survival; adverse events; ventilator settings and physiological state; time spent in ventilator modes; links to other therapy; the frequency of advice utilization and time spent outside normal physiological limits. The study was terminated early with a total of 112 patients included. Fifty-four were randomised to the intervention arm and fifty-eight to usual care. The study was underpowered and no significant differences were seen in duration of mechanical ventilation (p = 0.773), prolonged intubation or survival. Intervention arm patients had lower rates of adverse events (p = 0.016), including fewer hypoxaemic events (p = 0.008) and lower values of PEEP (p = 0.030) and tidal volume (p = 0.042). Values of peak inspiratory pressure and pressure support were reduced but at the boarder of statistical significance (p = 0.104, p = 0.093, respectively). No differences were seen for time in ventilator mode or other therapy. Advice presented by the decision support system was applied at the beside an average of 88% of occasions, with a significantly increased number of changes only in inspired oxygen fraction. No significant differences were seen in time spent outside physiological limits. This study investigated the use of the BEACON Caresystem, an open loop clinical decision support system providing advice on ventilator settings. It was terminated early, with no significant difference shown in duration of mechanical ventilation, the primary outcome. Application of advice indicated potential for fewer adverse events and improved physiological status. (Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov under NCT03249623. Registered 22nd June 2017).

This study presents a comprehensive comparison of multiple time-series models applied to physiological metric predictions. It aims to explore the effectiveness of both statistical prediction models and pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic prediction model and modern deep learning approaches. Specifically, the study focuses on predicting the bispectral index (BIS), a vital metric in anesthesia used to assess the depth of sedation during surgery, using datasets collected from real-life surgeries. The goal is to evaluate and compare model performance considering both univariate and multivariate schemes. Accurate BIS prediction is essential for avoiding under- or over-sedation, which can lead to adverse outcomes. The study investigates a range of models: The traditional mathematical models include the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model and statistical models such as autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and vector autoregression (VAR). The deep learning models encompass recurrent neural networks (RNNs), specifically Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and Gated Recurrent Units (GRU), as well as Temporal Convolutional Networks (TCNs) and Transformer models. The analysis focuses on evaluating model performance in predicting the BIS using two distinct datasets of physiological metrics collected from actual surgical procedures. It explores both univariate and multivariate prediction schemes and investigates how different combinations of features and input sequence lengths impact model accuracy. The experimental findings reveal significant performance differences among the models: In univariate prediction scenarios for predicting BIS, the LSTM model demonstrates a 2.88% improvement over the second-best performing model. For multivariate predictions, the LSTM model outperforms others by 6.67% compared to the next best model. Furthermore, the addition of Electromyography (EMG) and Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) brings significant accuracy improvement when predicting BIS. The study emphasizes the importance of selecting and building appropriate time-series models to achieve accurate predictions in biomedical applications. This research provides insights to guide future efforts in improving vital sign prediction methodologies for clinical and research purposes. Clinically, with improvements in the prediction of physiological parameters, clinicians can be informed of interventions if an anomaly is detected or predicted.

This single-center study explored the efficacy of superficial parasternal intercostal plane block (SPIPB) versus erector spinae plane block (ESPB) in opioid-sparing within Nociception Level (NOL) index-directed anesthesia for elective open-heart surgery. After targeted propensity matching, 19 adult patients given general anesthesia with preincisional SPIPB were compared to 33 with preincisional ESPB. We hypothesized that SPIPB is non-inferior to ESPB in reducing total intraoperative fentanyl consumption, with a non-inferiority margin (δ) set at 0.1 mg. Intraoperative fentanyl dosing targeted a NOL index ≤ 25. Postoperatively, paracetamol 1 g 6-hourly and morphine for numeric rating scale (NRS) ≥ 4 were administered. This study could not demonstrate that SPIPB was inferior to ESPB for total intraoperative fentanyl consumption, as the confidence interval for the median difference of 0.1 mg (95% CI 0.05-0.15) crossed the predefined δ, with the lower bound falling below and the upper bound exceeding δ, p = 0.558. SPIPB led to higher postoperative morphine use at 24 and 48 h: 0 (0-40.6) vs. 59.5 (28.5-96.1) µg kg^-1, p < 0.001 and 22.2 (0-42.6) vs. 63.5 (28.5-96.1) µg kg^-1, p = 0.001. Four times fewer SPIPB patients remained morphine-free at 48 h, p < 0.001, and their time to first morphine dose was three times shorter compared to ESPB patients, p = 0.001. SPIPB led to higher time-weighted average NRS scores at rest, 1 (0-1) vs. 1 (1-2), p = 0.004, and with movement, 2 (1-2) vs. 3 (2-3), p = 0.002, calculated over the 48-h period post-extubation. The SPIPB group had a significantly higher average NOL index, p = 0.003, and greater NOL index variability, p = 0.027. This study could not demonstrate that SPIPB was inferior to ESPB for intraoperative fentanyl consumption. Significant differences were observed in secondary outcomes, with SPIPB leading to higher postoperative morphine use, higher pain scores, and reduced nociception control.

Quantitative neuromuscular monitoring reduces the incidence of residual neuromuscular block, but broad acceptance of monitoring has been elusive despite recommendations for quantitative monitoring for decades. Acceptance of quantitative monitoring may, in part, be related to the quality of the data from monitoring systems. This evaluation explored proper stimulating electrode positioning for electromyographic (EMG) monitoring, the impact of an educational intervention on electrode positioning and anesthesia provider (anesthesiologist, resident, anesthetist) confidence in the monitoring data from the device. In a single-center, observations of EMG electrode placement by anesthesia technicians, in 55 adult elective surgery patients were made by an independent observer. Separately, the anesthesia provider satisfaction with EMG derived data was recorded after reversal of neuromuscular block. An educational intervention then occurred on proper electrode positioning, including prior observations of electrode positioning, and prior anesthesia provider satisfaction with the EMG derived data. After the intervention, stimulating electrode position was observed with an additional 60 patients and anesthesia provider satisfaction with the data was again ascertained. The educational intervention significantly increased the proportion of ideal ulnar nerve groove electrode positioning from 74.5% to 95% (P < 0.003) and ideal wrist crease positioning (distal electrode within 2 cm of crease) from 61.8% to 96.7% (P < 0.001). Anesthesia provider confidence with EMG derived information during anesthesia delivery, increased from 67 to 90% after the education (P = 0.005). There was a significant relationship between correct stimulating electrode placement and anesthesia provider confidence in the EMG derived data on neuromuscular block status. An educational intervention to improve EMG electrode positioning proved meaningful. It increased anesthesia provider confidence in the EMG derived data during anesthesia case management.

Automated EMG devices to detect compound muscle action potentials from the adductor pollicis muscle in response to ulnar nerve stimulation, regardless of hand and thumb position, may serve as a better reference ("gold standard") for clinical assessment of neuromuscular function than traditional mechanomyography (MMG) systems that need custom design and validation in lab settings. This evaluation compared the TetraGraph EMG system against a validated MMG device to investigate the accuracy and repeatability of this quantitative EMG monitor for detecting onset, offset and deep neuromuscular block. Simultaneous muscle action potential recordings from the EMG neuromuscular monitor and muscle contractions from an in-house developed MMG monitor in response to ulnar nerve stimulation were obtained from patients having elective surgery requiring neuromuscular block. Train-of-four (TOF) ratios, TOF counts, and post-tetanic counts (PTCs) were recorded simultaneously from the same hand muscle and compared. In total, 685 pairs of simultaneous TOF ratios were evaluated. The mean difference (bias) of TOF ratios between devices was small (- 2.1%). TOF counts from 285 data pairs were within a count of 2 or less 96% of the time. During deep block, PTC comparisons from 215 data pairs were within a count of 2 or less 95% of the time. These findings, along with prior EMG device evaluations, indicate that real-time EMG neuromuscular monitoring technology to detect muscle action potentials from the adductor pollicis in the clinical setting is closely aligned with the force of thumb contraction determined from MMG. The accuracy of quantitative EMG technology of the TetraGraph EMG system lends strong support for this monitor, along with other similarly validated EMG monitors, to become a clinical standard for all phases (onset, depth and reversal) of neuromuscular block in clinical practice.

Quantitative pupillometry (QP) use has grown exponentially. Each QP scan captures images of the pupil before, during, and after light exposure to provide component measures of the pupillary light reflex (PLR). This study explores if the time to maximum constriction (tMC) is uniform among neuroscience intensive care unit (NSICU) patients. The study enrolled 50 NSICU patients with normal PLR values in a cross-sectional study and adhered to the standard of care for pupil assessments to collect data on tMC within (comparing left eye and right eye) and between patients. The mean tMC of 0.97 (0.17) s was normally distributed across all patients and ranged from 0.46 s to 1.35 s. The mean tMC was similar for the left pupil (0.98 [0.16]s) and right pupil (0.96 [0.18]s; P =.546). The within-subject mean difference (left versus right eye) tMC was 0.13 (0.12)s and ranged from 0.0 to 0.56 s. The between-subject mean tMC was 0.97 (0.17) s and ranged from 0.46 s to 1.35 s. The tMC does not occur at a fixed point in time. Clinical applications that seek to characterize pupil health should account for varied tMC and explore relationships to discrete outcomes to determine the clinical usefulness of tMC.

Purpose: There are different techniques for ultrasound-guided central venous catheter (CVC) insertion. When using the conventional syringe-on-needle technique, the syringe needs to be removed from the needle after venous puncture to pass the guidewire through the needle into the vein. When, alternatively, using the wire-in-needle technique, the needle is preloaded with the guidewire, and the guidewire-after venous puncture-is advanced into the vein under real-time ultrasound guidance. We tested the hypothesis that the wire-in-needle technique reduces the time to successful guidewire insertion in the internal jugular vein compared with the syringe-on-needle technique in adults.

Methods: We randomized 250 patients to the wire-in-needle or syringe-on-needle technique. Our primary endpoint was the time to successful guidewire insertion in the internal jugular vein.

Results: Two hundred and thirty eight patients were analyzed. The median (25th percentile, 75th percentile) time to successful guidewire insertion was 22 (16, 38) s in patients assigned to the wire-in-needle technique and 25 (19, 34) s in patients assigned to the syringe-on-needle technique (estimated location shift: 2 s; 95%-confidence-interval: - 1 to 5 s, p = 0.165). CVC insertion was successful on the first attempt in 103/116 patients (89%) assigned to the wire-in-needle technique and in 113/122 patients (93%) assigned to the syringe-on-needle technique. CVC insertion-related complications occurred in 8/116 patients (7%) assigned to the wire-in-needle technique and 19/122 patients (16%) assigned to the syringe-on-needle technique.

Conclusion: The wire-in-needle technique-compared with the syringe-on-needle technique-did not reduce the time to successful guidewire insertion in the internal jugular vein. Clinicians can consider either technique for ultrasound-guided CVC insertion in adults.

Purpose: Vertical displacement of infusion pumps used in patient-controlled analgesia can cause irregularities in drug delivery and is especially crucial at low flow rates, which are commonly used in pediatrics. There is only scarce data available regarding the extent of these inaccuracies. The current in vitro study therefore aimed at a comparison of the performance of two commonly used PCA pumps at different pole positions due to vertical displacement.

Methods: The Syramed^® µSP6000 Chroma syringe infusion pump featuring a stepper motor drive was compared to the CADD^®-Solis pump utilizing a linear peristaltic pump system at two different flow rates (0.3 ml/h and 1 ml/h) and three different levels of height (0, + 50 and - 50 cm). Flow patterns and delivered volumes were measured after every change in position and infusion boluses, retrograde aspiration volumes and zero-drug delivery time were calculated.

Results: The Syramed^® pump was more susceptible to vertical displacement than the CADD^®-Solis pump and showed overall greater inaccuracies in the delivered volumes as well as higher infusion boluses, retrograde aspiration volumes and zero-drug delivery time at both flow rates.

Conclusion: The observed differences between the pumps might be explained by the higher compliance of this syringe pump and the diverse working mechanisms. Overall, the CADD^®-Solis pump might be considered a preferable option for patient-controlled analgesia in children. It is nonetheless essential for medical staff to be aware of the effects of vertical displacement of PCA pumps and to minimize these displacements as much as possible.

To systematically evaluate the effect of small changes in transducer position on key hemodynamic variables including CO generated by 4th generation FloTrac software. After cardiac surgery, cardiac output, mean arterial pressure, systemic vascular resistance, and stroke volume variation were measured with 4 generation Flotrac software. The transducer position was randomly placed at the midaxillary plane, 4 cm higher than the midaxillary plane or 4 cm lower than the midaxillary plane. Averages of three measurements were used. Data was available from 20 patients. Cardiac output increased from 4.59 L/min (± 0.92) to 4.78 L/min (± 0.99) with the transducer position at the midaxillary plane to 4 cm higher than the midaxillary plane, and cardiac output decreased to 4.43 L/min (± 0.90) with the transducer 4 cm lower than midaxillary plane (P < 0.001). On the relative scale, CO increased 4.1% (95% CI 3.1-5.0) when comparing the higher transducer level with the midaxillary plane position, and CO decreased 3.4% (95% CI 2.4-4.4) when comparing the midaxillary plane position with the lower transducer level, correspondiong to changes in CO of ≈ 1% per 1 cm change in transducer position. Mean arterial pressure and systemic vascular resistance both changed significantly with transducer position (both P < 0.001), whereas no statistically or clinically significant effect was seen on stroke volume variation (P = 0.98). A four-centimeter change in vertical transducer position induced clinically significant changes in cardiac output measurements by 4th generation FloTrac software. Definitions of optimal cardiac output in goal-directed therapy algorithms require meticulous transducer adjustment and can only be used in the reference patient position.