Predictors of the Ability to Protect the Airway in Long-term Ventilated Patients



Status:Recruiting
Healthy:No
Age Range:18 - Any
Updated:11/30/-0001
Start Date:January 2011

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Determining Predictors of Adequate Upper Airway Function in Long-term Ventilated Patients


The investigators hypothesized that clinical muscle strength assessment (manual muscle
testing) predicts the ability to protect the airway during swallowing in long-term
ventilated, tracheostomized patients. More specifically, the investigators hypothesized
that low muscle strength is associated with the inability to clear secretions from the
peri-laryngeal area (valleculae and pyriform sinus residue scale (VPSR scale [NRS: 0-4] of >
1) and entering the materials into airway (PAS scale [1-8]> 1), which should predispose to
endotracheal aspiration.


Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients admitted to the Respiratory Acute Care Unit and Surgical Intensive Care
Unit, units with a mixed collection of long term ventilated patients in a major
academic teaching hospital.

2. Age over 18 years.

3. Long-term ventilated patients (>10 days) with tracheotomies.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Decreased level of consciousness as defined by a Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale
(RASS) of 0.

2. Non-cooperative patient, CAM score positive for delirium.

3. For women: pregnancy.
We found this trial at
1
site
185 Cambridge Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02114
617-724-5200
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from
Boston, MA
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