Objective To explore the effects of different intensity of inspiratory muscle training on pulmonary function, hospitalisation time and quality of life of critically ill patients. Methods A total of 42 patients were included in the intensive care ward, high dependency ward, and cardiac surgery ward of the Southern Theatre General Hospital from January 2023 to June 2023, and were randomly divided into 14 cases in the control group, 14 cases in the low-intensity inspiratory muscle training group, and 14 cases in the moderate-intensity inspiratory muscle training group; conventional treatment was used for the control group, and 20% of the maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP) was added as the starting threshold load for inspiratory muscle training for the patients of the low-intensity inspiratory muscle training group on the basis of conventional treatment. In the control group, conventional treatment was used; in the low-intensity inspiratory muscle training group, 20% of the maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP) was added to the conventional treatment as the starting threshold load for inspiratory muscle training; in the medium-intensity inspiratory muscle training group, 40% of the MIP was added to the conventional treatment as the starting threshold load for inspiratory muscle training; and the maximal inspiratory pressure, exertional lung capacity, diaphragm thickness and mobility, hospital stay and quality of life were evaluated after 6 weeks of training. Results A total of 40 patients completed the training, and the three groups showed statistically significant differences in MIP (P<0.05) and statistically significant differences in exertional lung capacity (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in diaphragm thickness (P=0.566), and diaphragm mobility was lower in the control group than in the low-intensity inspiratory muscle training group (P=0.021), and there was also a difference between the low-intensity inspiratory muscle training group and the moderate-intensity inspiratory muscle training group (P=0.036); there was a difference in the length of stay in the care unit among the three groups (P=0.034), and there was no statistically different (P=0.149), and the duration of hospital stay was significantly shorter in the moderate intensity inspiratory muscle training group compared to the control group (P=0.016). Medium-intensity inspiratory muscle training can significantly improve patients' quality of life compared with the control group and low-intensity inspiratory muscle training group (P<0.05). Conclusions Both low-intensity inspiratory muscle training and moderate-intensity inspiratory muscle training can enhance the lung function of critically ill patients, improve their diaphragm mobility, and promote their pulmonary rehabilitation. Medium-intensity inspiratory muscle training was significantly better than low-intensity inspiratory muscle training in improving the lung function of patients. Moreover, moderate-intensity inspiratory muscle training may have positive significance in improving patients' quality of life and shortening their hospitalisation time.
Objective To determine the incidence of vitamin B1 deficiency in critically ill patients, to compare vitamin B1 levels between septic and non-septic patients, and to explore the relationship between vitamin B1 levels and lactate levels. Methods Using a retrospective study method, critically ill patients admitted to the Department of Intensive Care of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from February 2022 to November 2022 were included in the study, and the patients were divided into sepsis and non-sepsis groups according to the admission diagnosis, and the differences in the vitamin B1 levels of the patients between the two groups were analyzed, as well as the correlation between the vitamin B1 levels and the lactic acid levels. Results There was a significant difference in serum vitamin B1 levels between the sepsis patients and the non-sepsis patients [(1.6±0.3)ng/mL vs. (2.1±0.2)ng/mL, P=0. 009]. For all patients, there was no correlation between vitamin B1 levels and lactate levels. But when the patient was in a hyperlactate state (lactate level ≥2 mmol/L), vitamin B1 levels were significantly negatively correlated with lactate levels (r=–0. 229, P=0. 004). Conclusions Vitamin B1 deficiency is prevalent in critically ill patients and is strongly correlated with whether or not the patient is septic. Vitamin B1 levels are significantly and negatively correlated with lactate levels when the patient's lactate level is ≥2 mmol/L.
Objective To investigate the accuracy of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system in emergency critically ill patients. Methods Critically ill patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Department of Emergency Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University between August 2022 and February 2023 were continuously enrolled. Blood glucose monitoring was performed using CGM system, while blood glucose in the patient’s fingertips was monitored every 4 hours. The correlation and consistency of blood glucose values between CGM system and fingertip glucose detection were compared. Results A total of 52 patients were included, and 1 504 matching blood glucose pairs were formed with fingertip blood glucose values. The overall correlation coefficient was 0.874 (P<0.001), the mean absolute relative difference was 14.50%, and the highest mean absolute relative difference (31.76%) was observed in the hypoglycemic range (<3.9 mmol/L). The percentage of CGM system blood glucose within ±15%, ±20% and ±30% of fingertip blood glucose was 56.65%, 75.56% and 94.75%, respectively. The intra-group correlation coefficient between CGM system blood glucose and fingertip blood glucose was 0.85 on the consistency test, and the Bland-Altman plot showed acceptable clinical accuracy. Conclusions The overall accuracy of the application of CGM system in critically ill patients is reasonable, but the accuracy in the range of low blood glucose values is poor. Whether the auxiliary use of CGM system can improve the blood glucose management of critically ill patients and reduce medical costs needs to be further studied.