Safety in intrahospital transportation: evaluation of respiratory and hemodynamic parameters. A prospective cohort study

• Published in: São Paulo medical journal Vol. 126; no. 6; pp. 319 - 322
• Main Authors: Mazza, Bruno Franco, Amaral, José Luiz Gomes do, Rosseti, Heloisa, Carvalho, Rosana Borges, Senna, Ana Paula Resque, Guimarães, Hélio Penna, Machado, Flavia Ribeiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Brazil Associação Paulista de Medicina - APM 01.11.2008; Associação Paulista de Medicina
• Subjects: Epidemiologic Methods; Female; Hemodynamics - physiology; Humans; Intensive Care Units; Intermittent positive-pressure ventilation; Male; MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL; Middle Aged; Original; Oxygen Consumption - physiology; Patient transfer; Positive-pressure respiration; Pulmonary ventilation; Respiration, Artificial; Safety; Time Factors; Transportation of patients; Transportation of Patients - standards; Respiração com pressão positiva; Transferência de pacientes; Respiração artificial; Ventilação pulmonar; Transportation of patients; Intermittent positive-pressure ventilation; Transporte de pacientes; Patient transfer; Ventilação com pressão positiva intermitente; Pulmonary ventilation; Positive-pressure respiration; Respiration, artificial
• ISSN: 1516-3180; 1806-9460; 1806-9460; 1516-3180
• DOI: 10.1590/S1516-31802008000600005

Intrahospital transportation of mechanically ventilated patients is a high-risk situation. We aimed to determine whether transfers could be safely performed by using a transportation routine. Prospective cohort study with 'before and after' evaluation. Mechanically ventilated patients who needed transportation were included. Hemodynamic and respiratory parameters were measured before and after transportation. Statistical analysis consisted of variance analysis and paired Student's t test. Results were considered significant if P < 0.05. We studied 37 transfers of 26 patients (12 female) of mean age 46.6 +/- 15.7. Patients with pulmonary diseases, positive end expiratory pressure > 5, FiO2 > 0.4 and vasoactive drug use comprised 42.4%, 24.3%, 21.6% and 33.0% of cases, respectively. Mean duration of transportation was 43.4 +/- 18.9 minutes. Complications occurred in 32.4%. There was a significant increase in CO2 (before transportation, 29.6 +/- 7.3 and after transportation, 34.9 +/- 7.0; P = 0.000); a trend towards improved PO2/FiO2 ratio (before transportation, 318.0 +/- 137.0 and after transportation, 356.8 +/- 119.9; P = 0.053); increased heart rate (before transportation, 80.9 +/- 18.7 and after transportation, 85.5 +/- 17.6; P = 0.08); and no significant change in mean arterial blood pressure (P = 0.93). These results suggest that intrahospital transportation can be safely performed. Our low incidence of complications was possibly related to both the presence of a multidisciplinary transportation team and proper equipment.