Fachkrankenhaus Kloster Grafschaft

This study was designed to evaluate the performance of movement detectors (pedometers) in measuring daily activity of patients with chronic lung disease. Three groups of subjects were studied: group 1: 25 patients with stable nonhypercapnic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) = 47+/-9% predicted) studied twice, one month apart; group 2: 25 patients with chronic respiratory failure studied before and three months after nasal nocturnal mechanical ventilation; and group 3: 25 normal healthy subjects studied once. The median level of activity in the healthy subjects (group 3) was three times greater than in either group of patients (groups 1 and 2). Activity levels were not correlated with age, sex or employment status. The repeatability of the activity counts in the nonhypercapnic COPD patients was high (intraclass correlation coefficient=0.94) and in these patients activity correlated significantly with FEV1 (r=0.54, p=0.006). In the respiratory failure patients, daytime arterial carbon dioxide pressure (Pa,CO2) improved following nasal nocturnal mechanical ventilation (NMV) (pre NMV: 8.5+/-1.2 kPa; post NMV: 6.2+/-0.5 kPa), health status improved (p<0.004) and daily movement count doubled (p<0.0001). This increase correlated with change in Pa,CO2 (r-0.53, p=0.006), but not with improved health status. We conclude that motion detectors may provide repeatable measures of daily activity that are related to physiological impairment and improvement following treatment. Activity counts appear to be complementary to estimates of exercise limitation obtained using health questionnaires.

Today, invasive and non-invasive home mechanical ventilation have become a well-established treatment option. Consequently, in 2010 the German Society of Pneumology and Mechanical Ventilation (DGP) has leadingly published the guidelines on "Non-Invasive and Invasive Mechanical Ventilation for Treatment of Chronic Respiratory Failure". However, continuing technical evolutions, new scientific insights, and health care developments require an extensive revision of the guidelines.For this reason, the updated guidelines are now published. Thereby, the existing chapters, namely technical issues, organizational structures in Germany, qualification criteria, disease specific recommendations including special features in pediatrics as well as ethical aspects and palliative care, have been updated according to the current literature and the health care developments in Germany. New chapters added to the guidelines include the topics of home mechanical ventilation in paraplegic patients and in those with failure of prolonged weaning.In the current guidelines different societies as well as professional and expert associations have been involved when compared to the 2010 guidelines. Importantly, disease-specific aspects are now covered by the German Interdisciplinary Society of Home Mechanical Ventilation (DIGAB). In addition, societies and associations directly involved in the care of patients receiving home mechanical ventilation have been included in the current process. Importantly, associations responsible for decisions on costs in the health care system and patient organizations have now been involved.The currently updated guidelines are valid for the next three years, following their first online publication on the home page of the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in German (AWMF) in the beginning of July 2017. A subsequent revision of the guidelines remains the aim for the future.

OBJECTIVE: To study in anemic patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) whether blood transfusion reduces minute ventilation and work of breathing (WOB). DESIGN: We prospectively evaluated the minute ventilation and WOB in 20 anemic adults (hemoglobin of <11 g/dL). Ten patients had severe COPD and ten patients were without lung disease. Measurements were made before and after receiving red blood cell transfusion; post-transfusion measurements were made 24 to 36 hrs after the last transfusion. SETTING: The study was performed in the intensive care unit of a tertiary referral center for home mechanical ventilation and for patients considered difficult to wean from mechanical ventilation. PATIENTS: Twenty clinically stable patients (12 female, eight male) with chronic anemia were studied. Ten patients with COPD (mean forced expiratory volume in 1 sec: 0.55+/-0.1 [SD] L) were compared with ten patients without lung disease. All participants had adequate renal and left ventricular function. INTERVENTIONS: Patients received 1 unit of packed red blood cells for each g/dL that their hemoglobin value was less than an arbitrarily defined target value of 11.0 to 12.0 g/dL. Each unit was transfused over 2 hrs and < or =3 units in total was given. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Esophageal pressure was measured from a catheter which was positioned in the middle of the esophagus. Flow was measured using a pneumotachygraph connected to a mouthpiece while a nose clip closed the nostrils during the measurements. From these data, respiratory rate, minute ventilation, and inspiratory resistive WOB were computed. Arterial blood gas values, oxygen saturation, hemoglobin, and hematocrit were also measured, and oxygen content was calculated before and 24 to 36 hrs after transfusion. In patients with COPD, hemoglobin increased from 9.8+/-0.8 to 12.3+/-1.1 g/dL due to a mean transfusion of 2.2+/-0.4 (SD) units of red blood cells. There was a reduction in the mean minute ventilation from 9.9+/-1.0 to 8.2+/-1.2 L/min (p < .0001); correspondingly, WOB decreased from 1.03+/-0.24 to 0.85+/-0.21 WOB/L (p< .0001). The capillary P(CO2) increased from 38.1+/-6.0 to 40.7+/-6.8 torr (5.1+/-0.8 to 5.8+/-0.9 kPa) (p < .05). Similarly, capillary P(O2) changed from 56.9+/-8.9 to 52.8+/-7.0 torr (7.6+/-1.2 to 7.0+/-0.9 kPa) (p < .05). In anemic patients without lung disease, minute ventilation, WOB, and the capillary blood gas values did not change after increase of the hemoglobin by a similar degree. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that red blood cell transfusion in anemic patients with COPD leads to a significant reduction of both the minute ventilation and the WOB. In these patients, transfusion may be associated with unloading of the respiratory muscles, but it may also result in mild hypoventilation.

The present guideline is a new version and an update of the guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of asthma, which replaces the previous version for german speaking countries from the year 2006. The wealth of new data on the pathophysiology and the phenotypes of asthma, and the expanded spectrum of diagnostic and therapeutic options necessitated a new version and an update. This guideline presents the current, evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of asthma, for children and adolescents as well as for adults with asthma.

The non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is widespread in the clinical medicine and has attained meanwhile a high value in the clinical daily routine. The application of NIV reduces the length of ICU stay and hospitalization as well as mortality of patients with hypercapnic acute respiratory failure. Patients with acute respiratory failure in context of a cardiopulmonary edema should be treated in addition to necessary cardiological interventions with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or NIV. In case of other forms of acute hypoxaemic respiratory failure it is recommended the application of NIV to be limited to mild forms of ARDS as the application of NIV in severe forms of ARDS is associated with higher rates of treatment failure and mortality. In weaning process from invasive ventilation the NIV reduces the risk of reintubation essentially in hypercapnic patients. A delayed intubation of patients with NIV failure leads to an increase of mortality and should therefore be avoided. With appropriate monitoring in intensive care NIV can also be successfully applied in pediatric patients with acute respiratory insufficiency. Furthermore NIV can be useful within palliative care for reduction of dyspnea and improving quality of life. The aim of the guideline update is, taking into account the growing scientific evidence, to outline the advantages as well as the limitations of NIV in the treatment of acute respiratory failure in daily clinical practice and in different indications.

Today, invasive and non-invasive home mechanical ventilation have become a well-established treatment option. Consequently, in 2010, the German Respiratory Society (DGP) has leadingly published the guidelines on "Non-Invasive and Invasive Mechanical Ventilation for Treatment of Chronic Respiratory Failure." However, continuing technical evolutions, new scientific insights, and health care developments require an extensive revision of the guidelines. For this reason, the updated guidelines are now published. Thereby, the existing chapters, namely technical issues, organizational structures in Germany, qualification criteria, disease-specific recommendations including special features in pediatrics as well as ethical aspects and palliative care, have been updated according to the current literature and the health care developments in Germany. New chapters added to the guidelines include the topics of home mechanical ventilation in paraplegic patients and in those with failure of prolonged weaning. In the current guidelines, different societies as well as professional and expert associations have been involved when compared to the 2010 guidelines. Importantly, disease-specific aspects are now covered by the German Interdisciplinary Society of Home Mechanical Ventilation (DIGAB). In addition, societies and associations directly involved in the care of patients receiving home mechanical ventilation have been included in the current process. Importantly, associations responsible for decisions on costs in the health care system and patient organizations have now been involved.

Zusammenfassung Beatmungstherapie stellt einen zentralen und wesentlichen Bestandteil der modernen Intensivmedizin dar. Sie kommt bei Patienten mit schwerer respiratorischer Insuffizienz infolge Versagens der muskulären Atempumpe oder bei direkter oder indirekter Schädigung des Lungenparenchyms mit nachfolgendem Oxygenierungsversagen zum Einsatz, wenn mit anderen nicht-medikamentösen Maßnahmen, Sauerstoffgabe, Sekretmobilisation, kontinuierlicher positiver Atemwegsdruck – Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) oder Nasal-High-Flow-Therapie, keine ausreichende Stabilisierung erreicht werden kann. Die maschinelle Beatmung dient der direkten Behandlung der Atmungsinsuffizienz und schafft Zeit für die Behandlung der zugrundeliegenden Ursache. Der überwiegende Anteil beatmeter Patienten kann nach kurzzeitiger Beatmungstherapie und kausaler Behandlung unproblematisch von der Beatmung entwöhnt werden. Allerdings muss die Beatmung bei ca. 20 % der Patienten auch noch dann fortgesetzt werden, wenn die ursprüngliche Indikation (z. B. eine schwere Pneumonie) längst behoben ist, sodass sich die Phase des Weanings (Entwöhnung von der maschinellen Beatmung) deutlich verlängert. Ungefähr 40 – 50 % der gesamten Beatmungszeit eines Intensivpatienten entfallen aufgrund einer prolongierten Atmungsinsuffizienz auf den Prozess, den Patienten von der Beatmung zu trennen. Neben der respiratorischen Funktionsstörung tragen häufig hohes Alter und Komorbiditäten der Patienten zum prolongierten Weaning-Prozess bei. Nach internationalem Konsens liegt ein prolongiertes Weaning dann vor, wenn es erst nach 3 erfolglosen Spontanatmungsversuchen (spontaneous breathing trial = SBT) oder nach über 7 Tagen Beatmung nach dem ersten erfolglosen SBT gelingt, den Patienten von der Beatmung zu trennen. Das Patientenkollektiv mit prolongiertem Weaning stellt das behandelnde Team vor eine besondere Herausforderung. Ganz wesentlich für den Therapieerfolg ist die eng verzahnte interdisziplinäre Behandlung der Patienten im prolongierten Weaning. Nicht selten sind es der fehlende multidisziplinäre Ansatz und die unzureichende Beachtung der multifaktoriellen Ursachen, die ein erfolgreiches Weaning verhindern. Dieses erfolgreich durchzuführen, setzt eine hohe Expertise in der modernen Intensivmedizin, der Anwendung invasiver und nichtinvasiver Beatmungsverfahren, ein klares Weaning-Konzept, und eine enge, fachübergreifende interdisziplinäre Zusammenarbeit voraus. Im komplexen prolongierten Weaning-Prozess gelingt es in spezialisierten Weaning-Zentren/-Einheiten nach Verlegung der invasiv beatmeten Patienten in ca. 50 % der Fälle doch noch, ein Weaning-Versagen abzuwenden. Bei einem Teil der Patienten schlagen auch wiederholte Weaning-Versuche fehl, sodass gegebenenfalls eine dauerhafte invasive Beatmung in außerklinischer Umgebung erforderlich ist. Vor dem Hintergrund der wachsenden Bedeutung des prolongierten Weanings, insbesondere der medizinischen, psychosozialen und ökonomischen Folgen des Weaning-Versagens, wurde erstmals 2014 diese Leitlinie auf Initiative der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Pneumologie und Beatmungsmedizin e. V. (DGP) gemeinsam mit anderen wissenschaftlichen Fachgesellschaften, die sich zum Thema prolongiertes Weaning engagieren, publiziert. Aktuelle Forschungs- und Studienergebnisse, Registerdaten und die Erfahrungen in der täglichen Praxis machten die Revision dieser Leitlinie erforderlich. In der revidierten Leitlinie werden Definitionen, Epidemiologie und Weaning-Kategorien, die zugrundeliegende Pathophysiologie, Strategien zur Prävenion von prolongiertem Weaning, das gesamte Spektrum der verfügbaren Therapiestrategien, die Weaning-Einheit, die Überleitung in eine außerklinische Beatmung und schließlich Empfehlungen zu Therapieentscheidungen am Ende des Lebens bei prolongiertem bzw. erfolglosem Weaning abgehandelt. Besondere Schwerpunkte in der Revision der Leitlinie sind folgende Themenfelder: – Eine neue Klassifikation der Untergruppen der Patienten im prolongieren Weaning – Wichtige Aspekte der pneumologischen Rehabilitation und Neurorehabilitation im prolongieren Weaning – Infrastruktur und Prozessorganisation in der Versorgung von Patienten im prolongierten Weaning im Sinne eines kontinuierlichen Behandlungskonzeptes – Therapiezieländerung und Kommunikation mit Angehörigen Die Besonderheiten bei pädiatrischen Patienten werden innerhalb der einzelnen Kapitel jeweils gesondert behandelt. Wichtige Adressaten dieser Leitlinie sind Intensivmediziner, Pneumologen, Anästhesisten, Internisten, Kardiologen, Chirurgen, Neurologen, Pädiater, Geriater, Palliativmediziner, Rehabilitationsmediziner, Pflegekräfte, Logopäden, Physiotherapeuten, Atmungstherapeuten, der medizinische Dienst der Krankenkassen und die Hersteller von Beatmungstechnik. Die wesentlichen Ziele der revidierten Leitlinie sind es, den aktuellen Wissensstand zum Thema „Prolongiertes Weaning“ wissenschaftlich zu bewerten und auf Basis der Evidenz und der Erfahrung von Experten Empfehlungen hinsichtlich des prolongierten Weanings nicht nur für den Bereich der Akutmedizin, sondern auch für den Bereich „Chronic critical care“ zu geben.

COPD Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease CPAP Continuous positive airway pressure CRF Chronic respiratory failure EPAP Expiratory

Spirometry is a simple test and considered the gold standard in lung function. An obstructive ventilatory defect is a disproportionate reduction of maximal airflow from the lung in relation to the maximal volume that can be displaced from the lung. It implies airway narrowing and is defined by a reduced FEV1/FVC ratio below the 5th percentile of the predicted value (lower limit of normal, LLN). A restrictive disorder may be suspected when vital capacity (FVC) is reduced and FEV1/FVC is normal. It is definitely proven, however, only by a decrease in TLC below the 5th percentile of predicted value (LLN). The measurement of TLC by body plethysmography is necessary to confirm or exclude a restrictive defect or hyperinflation of the lung when FVC is below the LLN. 2012 a task force of the ERS published new reference values based on 74,187 records from healthy non-smoking males and females from 26 countries. The new reference equations for the 3-95 age range are now available that include appropriate age-dependent mean values and lower limits of normal (LLN). This presentation aims at providing the reader with recommendations dealing with standardization and interpretation of spirometry.

The field of mechanical ventilation is highly important in pulmonary medicine. The German Medical Association of Pneumology and Ventilatory Support ["Deutsche Gesellschaft für Pneumologie und Beatmungsmedizin e. V. (DGP)"] therefore has formulated these guidelines for home mechanical non-invasive and invasive ventilation. Non-invasive home mechanical ventilation can be administered using various facial masks; invasive home mechanical ventilation is performed via a tracheostomy. Home mechanical ventilation is widely and increasingly accepted as a treatment option for chronic ventilatory failure which most often occurs in COPD, restrictive lung diseases, obesity-hypoventilation syndrome and neuromuscular disorders. Essential for the initiation of home mechanical ventilation are the presence of symptoms of ventilatory failure and the detection of hypoventilation, most importantly hypercapnia. These guidelines comprise general indication criteria along with disease-specific criteria summarised by treatment algorithms. In addition, the management of bronchial secretions and care of paediatric patients are addressed. Home mechanical ventilation must be organised around a specialised respiratory care centre with expertise in patient selection, the initiation and the control of home mechanical ventilation. In this regard, the guidelines provide detailed information about technical requirements (equipment), control and settings of mechanical ventilation as well as organisation of patient care. A key requirement for home mechanical ventilation is the qualification of specialised home-care services, which is addressed in detail. Independent living and the quality of respiratory care are of highest priority in patients receiving home mechanical ventilation, since home mechanical ventilation can interfere with the integrity of a patient and often marks a life-sustaining therapy. Home mechanical ventilation has been shown to improve health-related quality of life of patients with chronic ventilatory failure. Long-term survival is improved in most patient groups, even though the long-term prognosis is often severely limited. For this reason, ethical issues regarding patient education, communication with ventilated patients at the end of life, living will, testament and medical care during the dying process are discussed.

The most commonly used mode of noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NMV) is volume-controlled intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV). Pressure support ventilation has recently become increasingly popular, but its merits have not been clearly defined. In an open, nonrandomized follow-up study, we evaluated two modes of NMV, volume-controlled (IPPV) and pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV) over 6 months in 30 consecutive patients (24 males and 6 females, aged 49 +/- 19 yrs) with chronic respiratory failure (CRF). The baseline assessments comprised both physiological and subjective data. In all cases, nasal IPPV was initially administered for 1 month, followed by a second month of nasal PCV. Thereafter, responders or nonresponders to PCV were defined according to the patients' subjective symptom score and/or the recurrence of hypercapnia. During the IPPV phase, in all but two patients the subjective and objective parameters improved significantly. During the following 1 month PCV phase, stabilization was maintained in 18 patients ("responders"), while 10 patients were defined as "nonresponders". In nonresponders, hypercapnia increased (arterial carbon dioxide tension (Pa,CO2): 5.7 +/- 0.4 to 6.6 +/- 0.5 kPa; p < 0.05) and symptom scores decreased. Compared with responders, nonresponders had a lower mean nocturnal arterial oxygen saturation (Sa,O2) (p < 0.05) and a higher daytime Pa,CO2 (p < 0.05) at baseline. We con clude that the majority of patients suffering from chronic respiratory failure who are initially satisfactorily ventilated with intermittent positive pressure ventilation may also be adequately maintained with pressure-controlled ventilation. However, there is a subgroup with more severe chronic respiratory failure at baseline, in whom pressure-controlled ventilation is inadequate. After 4 weeks of treatment with pressure-controlled ventilation, the subjective scores and the arterial carbon dioxide tension values reliably distinguished between long-term responders and nonresponders to pressure-controlled ventilation.

We report a case series of five anaemic patients (haemoglobin: 8.7 +/- 0.8 g.dl-1) with chronic obstructive lung disease in whom trials of weaning from the ventilator were unsuccessful. After transfer to our regional weaning centre, blood was transfused to increase the haemoglobin value to 12 g.dl-1 or higher. Subsequently, all patients were weaned successfully. We conclude from our experience that in anaemic patients with chronic obstructive lung disease there should not be a fixed transfusion threshold. In anaemic patients in whom difficulty in weaning from the ventilator is experienced, blood transfusion should be tailored to the individual patient's needs. Transfusion in those with chronic obstructive airways disease may lead to successful weaning.

Die Erstfassung der Leitlinie zur Langzeit-Sauerstofftherapie wurde 2001 (Pneumologie 2001; 55: 454 – 464) entsprechend den methodischen Empfehlungen zur Erarbeitung von Leitlinien für Diagnostik und Therapie der Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Wissenschaftlichen Medizinischen Fachgesellschaften (AWMF) [1] erstellt.

The COPD Patient Management European Trial (COMET) investigated the efficacy and safety of a home-based COPD disease management intervention for severe COPD patients. The study was an international open-design clinical trial in COPD patients (forced expiratory volume in 1 s &lt;50% of predicted value) randomised 1:1 to the disease management intervention or to the usual management practices at the study centre. The disease management intervention included a self-management programme, home telemonitoring, care coordination and medical management. The primary end-point was the number of unplanned all-cause hospitalisation days in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population. Secondary end-points included acute care hospitalisation days, BODE (body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnoea and exercise) index and exacerbations. Safety end-points included adverse events and deaths. For the 157 (disease management) and 162 (usual management) patients eligible for ITT analyses, all-cause hospitalisation days per year (mean± sd ) were 17.4±35.4 and 22.6±41.8, respectively (mean difference −5.3, 95% CI −13.7 to −3.1; p=0.16). The disease management group had fewer per-protocol acute care hospitalisation days per year (p=0.047), a lower BODE index (p=0.01) and a lower mortality rate (1.9% versus 14.2%; p&lt;0.001), with no difference in exacerbation frequency. Patient profiles and hospitalisation practices varied substantially across countries. The COMET disease management intervention did not significantly reduce unplanned all-cause hospitalisation days, but reduced acute care hospitalisation days and mortality in severe COPD patients.

The correct handling of dry powder inhalers (DPIs) is crucial for efficient therapy, and acceptance of the device can improve compliance. The handling of seven different dry powder inhalers was studied in 72 patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of this study was to identify possible handling errors and investigate patient preferences. Patients inhaled twice with each inhaler; first after reading the device leaflet, and second after device handling was explained by the investigator. The investigator identified handling errors and critical handling errors, which might lead to insufficient or no dose delivery. Afterward, the patients selected their preferred device and judged different aspects of device handling. The lowest number of patients with critical handling errors was observed for the Diskus/Accuhaler, the highest numbers for the Jethaler and the Easyhaler (% of patients during first/second use): Diskus/Accuhaler 25%/13.9% (group A) and 38.9%/8.3% (group B); Clickhaler 50.0%/52.8%, Cyclohaler 58.3%/13.9%, Jethaler 66.7%/30.6% (group A) and Benosid N Inhaler 52.8%/22.2%, Novolizer 52.8%/25.0%, Easyhaler 72.2%/47.2% (group B). Device handling improved after instruction by the investigator. Device handling and preferences of patients closely correlated in this study. Both devices producing the lowest numbers of handling errors (Diskus/Accuhaler and Clickhaler) had the highest preference by the subjects (score from 1 = very good to 7 = very bad): Diskus/Accuhaler 2.21 (group A) and 2.02 (group B); Clickhaler 2.21, Cyclohaler 2.80, Jethaler 3.16 (group A); Novolizer 2.33, Easyhaler 2.37, Benosid N Inhaler 2.43 (group B). Critical handling errors may reduce therapy outcome due to a reduced dose delivery. In addition, reduced patients acceptance of a device, being dependent on device handling, may have a similar effect by reducing patients' compliance.

Mechanical ventilation (MV) is an essential part of modern intensive care medicine. MV is performed in patients with severe respiratory failure caused by respiratory muscle insufficiency and/or lung parenchymal disease; that is, when other treatments such as medication, oxygen administration, secretion management, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), or nasal high-flow therapy have failed. MV is required for maintaining gas exchange and allows more time to curatively treat the underlying cause of respiratory failure. In the majority of ventilated patients, liberation or "weaning" from MV is routine, without the occurrence of any major problems. However, approximately 20% of patients require ongoing MV, despite amelioration of the conditions that precipitated the need for it in the first place. Approximately 40-50% of the time spent on MV is required to liberate the patient from the ventilator, a process called "weaning". In addition to acute respiratory failure, numerous factors can influence the duration and success rate of the weaning process; these include age, comorbidities, and conditions and complications acquired during the ICU stay. According to international consensus, "prolonged weaning" is defined as the weaning process in patients who have failed at least 3 weaning attempts, or require more than 7 days of weaning after the first spontaneous breathing trial (SBT). Given that prolonged weaning is a complex process, an interdisciplinary approach is essential for it to be successful. In specialised weaning centres, approximately 50% of patients with initial weaning failure can be liberated from MV after prolonged weaning. However, the heterogeneity of patients undergoing prolonged weaning precludes the direct comparison of individual centres. Patients with persistent weaning failure either die during the weaning process, or are discharged back to their home or to a long-term care facility with ongoing MV. Urged by the growing importance of prolonged weaning, this Sk2 Guideline was first published in 2014 as an initiative of the German Respiratory Society (DGP), in conjunction with other scientific societies involved in prolonged weaning. The emergence of new research, clinical study findings and registry data, as well as the accumulation of experience in daily practice, have made the revision of this guideline necessary. The following topics are dealt with in the present guideline: Definitions, epidemiology, weaning categories, underlying pathophysiology, prevention of prolonged weaning, treatment strategies in prolonged weaning, the weaning unit, discharge from hospital on MV, and recommendations for end-of-life decisions. Special emphasis was placed on the following themes: (1) A new classification of patient sub-groups in prolonged weaning. (2) Important aspects of pulmonary rehabilitation and neurorehabilitation in prolonged weaning. (3) Infrastructure and process organisation in the care of patients in prolonged weaning based on a continuous treatment concept. (4) Changes in therapeutic goals and communication with relatives. Aspects of paediatric weaning are addressed separately within individual chapters. The main aim of the revised guideline was to summarize both current evidence and expert-based knowledge on the topic of "prolonged weaning", and to use this information as a foundation for formulating recommendations related to "prolonged weaning", not only in acute medicine but also in the field of chronic intensive care medicine. The following professionals served as important addressees for this guideline: intensivists, pulmonary medicine specialists, anaesthesiologists, internists, cardiologists, surgeons, neurologists, paediatricians, geriatricians, palliative care clinicians, rehabilitation physicians, intensive/chronic care nurses, physiotherapists, respiratory therapists, speech therapists, medical service of health insurance, and associated ventilator manufacturers.

Against the background of the pandemic caused by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the German Respiratory Society has appointed experts to develop therapy strategies for COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF). Here we present key position statements including observations about the pathophysiology of (ARF). In terms of the pathophysiology of pulmonary infection with SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 can be divided into 3 phases. Pulmonary damage in advanced COVID-19 often differs from the known changes in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Two types (type L and type H) are differentiated, corresponding to early- and late-stage lung damage. This differentiation should be taken into consideration in the respiratory support of ARF. The assessment of the extent of ARF should be based on arterial or capillary blood gas analysis under room air conditions, and it needs to include the calculation of oxygen supply (measured from the variables of oxygen saturation, hemoglobin level, the corrected values of Hüfner's factor, and cardiac output). Aerosols can cause transmission of infectious, virus-laden particles. Open systems or vented systems can increase the release of respirable particles. Procedures in which the invasive ventilation system must be opened and endotracheal intubation carried out are associated with an increased risk of infection. Personal protective equipment (PPE) should have top priority because fear of contagion should not be a primary reason for intubation. Based on the current knowledge, inhalation therapy, nasal high-flow therapy (NHF), continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), or noninvasive ventilation (NIV) can be performed without an increased risk of infection to staff if PPE is provided. A significant proportion of patients with ARF present with relevant hypoxemia, which often cannot be fully corrected, even with a high inspired oxygen fraction (FiO2) under NHF. In this situation, the oxygen therapy can be escalated to CPAP or NIV when the criteria for endotracheal intubation are not met. In ARF, NIV should be carried out in an intensive care unit or a comparable setting by experienced staff. Under CPAP/NIV, a patient can deteriorate rapidly. For this reason, continuous monitoring and readiness for intubation are to be ensured at all times. If the ARF progresses under CPAP/NIV, intubation should be implemented without delay in patients who do not have a "do not intubate" order.

Today, invasive and non-invasive home mechanical ventilation have become a well-established treatment option. Consequently, in 2010, the German Respiratory Society (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Pneumologie und Beatmungsmedizin, DGP) has leadingly published the Guidelines on "Non-Invasive and Invasive Mechanical Ventilation for Treatment of Chronic Respiratory Failure." However, continuing technical evolutions, new scientific insights, and health care developments require an extensive revision of the Guidelines. For this reason, the updated Guidelines are now published. Thereby, the existing chapters, namely technical issues, organizational structures in Germany, qualification criteria, disease-specific recommendations including special features in pediatrics as well as ethical aspects and palliative care, have been updated according to the current literature and the health care developments in Germany. New chapters added to the Guidelines include the topics of home mechanical ventilation in paraplegic patients and in those with failure of prolonged weaning. In the current Guidelines, different societies as well as professional and expert associations have been involved when compared to the 2010 Guidelines. Importantly, disease-specific aspects are now covered by the German Interdisciplinary Society of Home Mechanical Ventilation (DIGAB). In addition, societies and associations directly involved in the care of patients receiving home mechanical ventilation have been included in the current process. Importantly, associations responsible for decisions on costs in the health care system and patient organizations have now been involved.

Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with dyspnea and, consequently, reduced mobility. Immobility is a recognized risk factor of deep-vein thrombosis (DVT), but few data exist regarding the prevalence of DVT in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD. Real-time B-mode ultrasonography (US) is a noninvasive screening method for the diagnosis of DVT. We therefore used US to investigate the prevalence of DVT in patients with an acute exacerbation of COPD. In a prospective cohort study, 196 patients with COPD were studied [110 males, 86 females, age: 66.9 +/- 9.1 years, weight: 63.5 +/- 12.7 kg, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1): 0.7 +/- 0.2 liters, and a ratio of FEV1 to vital capacity (VC): 37 +/- 6%] in a respiratory intensive care unit on the day of admission. Patients with reduced mobility due to other disease were excluded. All US were performed by one experienced person with a 5-MHz linear scanner. The views of the lower extremity were subdivided into three segments: (1) the common femoral, (2) superficial femoral veins including the long saphenous vein and (3) the popliteal vein. In 21 of 196 COPD patients (10.7%), DVT were demonstrated; 18 of these were asymptomatic. Bilateral DVT were not found. In 6 patients, additional diagnoses were: Baker's cyst (n = 3), inguinal lymph node (n = 1) and knee joint effusion (n = 2). There were no differences between patients with and with DVT with respect to age, hemoglobin, PO2, PCO2, pH, FEV1, VC or dyspnea scale. DVT in the lower extremity, which was not detectable on clinical examination, was relatively common in patients with an acute exacerbation of COPD. All clinical variables measured (age, weight, dyspnea scale, lung function, hemoglobin, hematocrit and blood gases) failed to predict patients more likely to have DVT.

Abstract Rationale Diaphragm dysfunction is frequently observed in critically ill patients with difficult weaning from mechanical ventilation. Objectives To evaluate the effects of temporary transvenous diaphragm neurostimulation on weaning outcome and maximal inspiratory pressure. Methods Multicenter, open-label, randomized, controlled study. Patients aged ⩾18 years on invasive mechanical ventilation for ⩾4 days and having failed at least two weaning attempts received temporary transvenous diaphragm neurostimulation using a multielectrode stimulating central venous catheter (bilateral phrenic stimulation) and standard of care (treatment) (n = 57) or standard of care (control) (n = 55). In seven patients, the catheter could not be inserted, and in seven others, pacing therapy could not be delivered; consequently, data were available for 43 patients. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients successfully weaned. Other endpoints were mechanical ventilation duration, 30-day survival, maximal inspiratory pressure, diaphragm-thickening fraction, adverse events, and stimulation-related pain. Measurements and Main Results The incidences of successful weaning were 82% (treatment) and 74% (control) (absolute difference [95% confidence interval (CI)], 7% [−10 to 25]), P = 0.59. Mechanical ventilation duration (mean ± SD) was 12.7 ± 9.9 days and 14.1 ± 10.8 days, respectively, P = 0.50; maximal inspiratory pressure increased by 16.6 cm H2O and 4.8 cm H2O, respectively (difference [95% CI], 11.8 [5 to 19]), P = 0.001; and right hemidiaphragm thickening fraction during unassisted spontaneous breathing was +17% and −14%, respectively, P = 0.006, without correlation with changes in maximal inspiratory pressure. Serious adverse event frequency was similar in both groups. Median stimulation-related pain in the treatment group was 0 (no pain). Conclusions Temporary transvenous diaphragm neurostimulation did not increase the proportion of successful weaning from mechanical ventilation. It was associated with a significant increase in maximal inspiratory pressure, suggesting reversal of the course of diaphragm dysfunction. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 03096639) and the European Database on Medical Devices (CIV-17-06-020004).