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BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has strained intensive care unit (ICU) resources. Tracheotomy is the most frequent surgery performed on ICU patients and can affect the duration of ICU care. We studied the association between when tracheotomy occurs and weaning from mechanical ventilation, mortality, and intraoperative and postoperative complications. MethodsMulticentre prospective cohort including all COVID-19 patients admitted to ICUs in 36 hospitals in Spain who received invasive mechanical ventilation and tracheotomy between 11 March and 20 July 2020. We used a target emulation trial framework to study the causal effects of early (7 to 10 days post-intubation) versus late (>10 days) tracheotomy on time from tracheotomy to weaning, postoperative mortality, and tracheotomy complications. Cause-specific Cox models were used for the first two outcomes and Poisson regression for the third, all adjusted for potential confounders. FindingsWe included 696 patients, of whom 142 (20{middle dot}4%) received early tracheotomy. Using late tracheotomy as the reference group, multivariable cause-specific analysis showed that early tracheotomy was associated with faster post-tracheotomy weaning (fully adjusted hazard ratio (HR) [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 1{middle dot}31 [1{middle dot}02 to 1{middle dot}81]) without differences in mortality (fully adjusted HR [95% CI]: 0{middle dot}91 [0{middle dot}56 to 1{middle dot}47]) or intraoperative or postoperative complications (adjusted rate ratio [95% CI]: 0{middle dot}21 [0{middle dot}03 to 1{middle dot}57] and 1{middle dot}49 [0{middle dot}99 to 2{middle dot}24], respectively). InterpretationEarly tracheotomy reduced post-tracheotomy weaning time, resulting in fewer mechanical ventilation days and shorter ICU stays, without changing complication or mortality rates. These results support early tracheotomy for COVID-19 patients when clinically indicated. FundingSupported by the NIHR, FAME, and MRC. Research in contextO_TEXTBOXEvidence before this studyThe optimal timing of tracheotomy for critically ill COVID-19 patients remains controversial. Existing guidelines and recommendations are based on limited experiences with SARS-CoV-1 and expert opinions derived from situations that differ from a pandemic outbreak. Most of the available guidance recommends late tracheotomy (>14 days), mainly due to the potential risk of infection for the surgical team and the high patient mortality rate observed early in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent publications have shown that surgical teams can safely perform tracheotomies for COVID-19 patients if they use adequate personal protective equipment. Early tracheotomy seems to reduce the length of invasive mechanical ventilation without increasing complications, which may release crucial intensive care unit (ICU) beds sooner. The current recommendations do not suggest an optimal time for tracheotomy for COVID-19 patients, and no study has provided conclusions based on objective clinical parameters. Added value of this studyThis is the first study aiming to establish the optimal timing for tracheotomy for critically ill COVID-19 patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). The study prospectively recruited a large multicentre cohort of 696 patients under IMV due to COVID-19 and collected data about the severity of respiratory failure, clinical and ventilatory parameters, and whether patients need to be laid flat during their ICU stay (proned). The analysis focused on the duration of IMV, mortality, and complication rates. We used a prospective cohort study design to compare the exposures of early (performed at day 7 to 10 after starting IMV) versus late (performed after day 10) tracheotomy and set the treatment decision time on the 7th day after orotracheal intubation. Implications of all the available evidenceThe evidence suggests that tracheotomy within 10 days of starting COVID-19 patients on mechanical ventilation allows these patients to be removed from ventilation and discharged from ICU quicker than later tracheotomy, without added complications or increased mortality. This evidence may help to release ventilators and ICU beds more quickly during the pandemic. C_TEXTBOX
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CONCLUSIONS: Intratympanic (IT) dexamethasone provides an alternative for patients with Ménière's disease (MD). A reduction of the endolymphatic hydrops is detected by the EcohG 1 month after the treatment. OBJECTIVE: The use of intratympanic corticoid injections for MD has become popular due to the lack of reported adverse effects, but the mechanism of action is not well established. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in electrocochleography (EcohG) measurements during IT dexamethasone therapy. METHODS: This study included 53 patients with unilateral MD refractory to medical therapy for at least 1 year. Each patient was treated with a fixed protocol of three consecutive weekly injections of a commercial 4 mg/ml dexamethasone preparation. EcohG measurements were performed 1 month before and 1 month after IT steroid therapy. The SP/AP ratio was measured before and after the IT treatment. A Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to evaluate the control of vertigo over a 2-year period. RESULTS: Complete vertigo control (class A) was achieved in 22 patients (41.5%) at the 12-month follow-up and 8 patients (15.1%) at the 24-month follow-up. A significant reduction (p < 0.01) in the SP/AP ratio after the IT steroid treatment was observed.
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Audiometría de Respuesta Evocada , Glucocorticoides/administración & dosificación , Enfermedad de Meniere/tratamiento farmacológico , Femenino , Humanos , Estimación de Kaplan-Meier , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estudios Prospectivos , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the long-term effects of intratympanic corticoid therapy on vertigo control and hearing changes. STUDY DESIGN: The study design was retrospective. SETTING: Tertiary medical centers. PATIENTS: Fifty-six patients with definite unilateral Ménière's disease, diagnosed using the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) guidelines, were included. Twenty-two patients were treated with a fixed protocol of 3 consecutive daily intratympanic injections of a 4 mg/ml dexamethasone commercial preparation. Thirty-four patients were treated with a fixed protocol of 3 consecutive weekly injections of the same preparation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The 1995 AAO-HNS criteria for reporting treatment outcome in MD were used. The treatment results were expressed in terms of vertigo control. A Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to evaluate the control of vertigo over a 2-year period. Separate curves were created depending on the protocol used and the class of vertigo control obtained. RESULTS: Complete vertigo control (class A) was achieved in 40.9% and 44.1% of patients on the daily and weekly protocols, respectively. Substantial vertigo control was obtained in an additional 18.2% and 14.7% of patients on the daily and weekly protocols, respectively. No significant differences were found between the 2 fixed protocols. CONCLUSION: Intratympanic dexamethasone (4 mg/ml) perfusion provides an alternative treatment for definite Ménière's disease. The Kaplan-Meier analysis was useful for analyzing the control of vertigo and the recurrence of Ménière's disease.