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Purpose Intubation of hypoxemic patients is associated with life-threatening adverse events. High-flow therapy by nasal cannula (HFNC) for preoxygenation before intubation has never been assessed by randomized study. Our objective was to evaluate the efficiency of HFNC for preoxygenation, compared to high fraction-inspired oxygen facial mask (HFFM). Methods Multicenter, randomized, open-labelled, controlled PREOXYFLOW trial (NCT 01747109) in six French intensive care units. Acute hypoxemic adults requiring intubation were randomly allocated to HFNC or HFFM. Patients were eligible if PaO 2 /FiO 2 ratio was below 300 mmHg, respiratory rate at least 30/min and if they required FiO 2 50 % or more to obtain at least 90 % oxygen saturation. HFNC was maintained throughout the procedure, whereas HFFM was removed at the end of general anaesthesia induction. Primary outcome was the lowest saturation throughout intubation procedure. Secondary outcomes included adverse events related to intubation, duration of mechanical ventilation and death. Results A total of 124 patients were randomized. In the intent-to-treat analysis, including 119 patients (HFNC n  = 62; HFFM n  = 57), the median (interquartile range) lowest saturation was 91.5 % (80–96) for HFNC and 89.5 % (81–95) for the HFFM group ( p  = 0.44). There was no difference for difficult intubation ( p  = 0.18), intubation difficulty scale, ventilation-free days ( p  = 0.09), intubation-related adverse events including desaturation <80 % or mortality ( p  = 0.46). Conclusions Compared to HFFM, HFNC as a preoxygenation device did not reduce the lowest level of desaturation.

IntroductionContinuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is a critical therapeutic intervention for patients with severe acute kidney injury in intensive care. However, premature filter clotting remains a significant challenge during CRRT, impacting treatment efficacy, costs and patient outcomes. Anticoagulation is essential to maintain circuit patency, with regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA) emerging as a preferred strategy due to its favourable bleeding profile. The standard target for post-filter ionised calcium (iCa) concentration during RCA-CRRT is set between 0.25 and 0.35 mmol/L, although evidence supporting this range is limited. We hypothesise that a higher post-filter iCa target (0.35–0.45 mmol/L) can provide comparable circuit patency while potentially reducing adverse effects associated with citrate administration.Methods and analysisThis multicentre randomised controlled non-inferiority trial will compare a low post-filter iCa target (0.25–0.35 mmol/L) with a higher post-filter iCa target (0.35–0.45 mmol/L) in patients undergoing RCA-CRRT in the intensive care unit. A total of 412 CRRT sessions will be randomised with a 1:1 ratio into these two groups. The primary outcome is the incidence of filter clotting. Secondary outcomes include filter lifespan, post-filter iCa levels, citrate infusion rates, the occurrence of metabolic adverse effects, financial costs and blood loss.Ethics and disseminationThe study has obtained approval from the ethics committee (Ethics Committee Est III, Nancy, France) and patients will be included after providing informed consent. The results will be disseminated at academic conferences and in peer-reviewed publications. All procedures were developed in order to assure data protection and confidentiality.Trial registration numberNCT05814341.

Purpose Airway management in intensive care unit (ICU) patients is challenging. The main objective of this study was to compare the incidence of difficult laryngoscopy and/or difficult intubation between a combo videolaryngoscope and the standard Macintosh laryngoscope in critically ill patients. Methods In the context of the implementation of a quality-improvement process for airway management, we performed a prospective interventional monocenter before–after study which evaluated a new combo videolaryngoscope. The primary outcome was the incidence of difficult laryngoscopy (defined by Cormack grade 3–4) and/or difficult intubation (more than two attempts). The secondary outcomes were the severe life-threatening complications related to intubation in ICU and the rate of difficult intubation in cases of predicted difficult intubation evaluated by a specific score (MACOCHA score ≥3). Results Two hundred and ten non-selected consecutive intubation procedures were included, 140 in the standard laryngoscope group and 70 in the combo videolaryngoscope group. The incidence of difficult laryngoscopy and/or difficult intubation was 16 % in the laryngoscope group vs. 4 % in the combo videolaryngoscope group ( p  = 0.01). The severe life-threatening complications related to intubation did not differ between groups (16 vs. 14 %, p  = 0.79). Among the 32 patients with a MACOCHA score ≥3, there were significantly more patients with difficult intubation in the standard laryngoscope group in comparison to the combo videolaryngoscope group [12/23 (57 %) vs. 0/9 (0 %), p  < 0.01]. Conclusions The systematic use of a combo videolaryngoscope in ICU was associated with a decreased incidence of difficult laryngoscopy and/or difficult intubation.

Purpose To describe the current practices of volume expansion in French intensive care units (ICU). Methods In 19 ICUs, we prospectively observed the prescription and monitoring practices of volume expansion in consecutive adult patients with shock [sustained hypotension and/or need of vasopressor therapy, associated with at least tachycardia and/or sign (s) of hypoperfusion]. Patients were included at the time of prescription of the first fluid bolus (FB). Thereafter, all the FBs administered during the 96 h following shock onset were surveyed. An FB was defined as an intravenous bolus of at least 100 ml of a blood volume expander intended to rapidly improve the patient’s circulatory condition. Results We included 777 patients [age: 63 ± 15 years; female gender: 274 (35 %); simplified acute physiology score II: 55.9 ± 20.6; ICU length of stay: 6 days (interquartile range (IQR) 3–13); ICU mortality: 32.8 %] and surveyed 2,694 FBs. At enrolment mean arterial pressure was 63 mmHg (IQR 55–71). The most frequent triggers of FB were hypotension, low urine output, tachycardia, skin mottling and hyperlactataemia. Amount of fluid given at each FB was highly variable between centres. Crystalloids were used in 91 % (2,394/2,635) and synthetic colloids in 3.3 % (87/2,635) of FBs. Overall, clinicians used any kind of haemodynamic assessment (central venous pressure measurement, predictive indices of fluid responsiveness, echocardiography, cardiac output monitoring or a combination of these) in 23.6 % (635/2,694) of all FBs surveyed, with an important between-centre heterogeneity. Conclusions High between-centre variability characterised all the aspects of FB prescription and monitoring, but overall haemodynamic exploration to help guide and monitor FB was infrequent.

IntroductionPostoperative pain management after orthotopic liver transplantation is complex due to impaired liver function and frequent acute kidney dysfunction. Subcostal transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block may be of interest in this population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of subcostal TAP block on opioid consumption after liver transplantation.MethodsWe conducted a before-and-after single center study. During the first period, we included patients whom did not receive an analgesic TAP block. During the second period, we included those with bilateral ultrasound-guided subcostal TAP block (20 mL ropivacaïne 0.2% each side). Patients requiring sedation within 48 hours of surgery as well as patients with combined liver and kidney transplants or skin-only closures were excluded. The primary outcome was cumulative oral morphine consumption within 48 hours after surgery. Secondary outcomes included pain scores and TAP block-related complications.ResultsA total of 132 patients were included in the non-TAP block group and 78 patients in the TAP block group. The median oral morphine equivalent consumption (IQR) within 48 hours following surgery was 74 mg (39; 112) for the non-TAP block group and 50 mg (20; 80) for the TAP block group (p<0.001). There was no difference in pain scores between the two groups. No complications related to the TAP block were reported.ConclusionSubcostal TAP block appears to have a small opioid reducing effect after orthotopic liver transplantation surgery.