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Table 1 Patient characteristics (n = 190)

From: Adverse events during rotary-wing transport of mechanically ventilated patients: a retrospective cohort study

Demographics

 

   Age, years

55 ± 16

   Female gender, number (percentage)

85 (45)

Transferring hospital patient data

 

   Glasgow Coma Scale score

5 (3–9)

   Length of stay, days

1 (1–3)

   Location

 

Intensive care unit

113 (60)

Emergency room

76 (40)

Other

1 (<1)

   Vital signs

 

Heart rate, beats per minute

98 ± 24

Respiratory rate, breaths per minute

17 ± 5

Mean arterial pressure, mm Hg

90 ± 22

SaO2 < 90%

11 (6)

   Use of neuromuscular blockers prior to flight

101 (54)

   Use of sedation prior to flighta

150 (84)

   Use of vasopressors prior to flight

55 (29)

Transferring hospital ventilator data

 

   Mode

 

Assist control

152 (80)

Intermittent mandatory ventilation

19 (10)

Pressure support ventilation

2 (1)

Pressure control ventilation

3 (2)

Otherb

14 (7)

   Settings

 

Tidal volume, mL

654 ± 105

Positive end-expiratory pressure, cm H2O

5.4 ± 4.7

FiO2, percentage

0.73 ± 0.27

   Tracheostomy

7 (4)

Flight data

 

   Nighttime transfer

76 (40)

   Winter transfer

40 (21)

   Distance, km

48 (31–83)

   Flight time, minutes

13 (8–22)

In-flight ventilator data

 

   Initial mode

 

Assist control

147 (77)

Intermittent mandatory ventilation

14 (7)

Manual ventilationc

25 (13)

T-piece

2 (1)

Not recorded

2 (1)

   FiO2, percentage

0.84 ± 0.25

   Tidal volume, mL

662 ± 124

Receiving hospital outcomesd

 

   Duration of mechanical ventilation, days

6 (3–18)

   Intensive care unit length of stay, days

11 (3–21)

   Hospital length of stay, days

15 (6–31)

   Hospital mortality, percentage

42 (31)

  1. Values are presented as number (percentage), mean ± standard deviation, or median (interquartile range), as appropriate. aPre-flight sedation includes benzodiazepines, propofol, and opiates; data are missing for 9 patients. bIncludes airway pressure release, pressure-regulated volume controlled, and manual ventilation. cIncludes patients transitioned to manual ventilation during flight. dOutcome data are not available from the receiving hospital in 53 of 190 patients (28%). FiO2, fraction of inspired oxygen; SaO2, oxygen saturation.