BACKGROUND: High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) creates positive oropharyngeal airway pressure and improves oxygenation. It remains unclear, however, whether HFNC improves thoracoabdominal synchrony in patients with mild to moderate respiratory failure. Using respiratory inductive plethysmography, we investigated the effects of HFNC on thoraco-abdominal synchrony. METHODS: We studied 40 adult subjects requiring oxygen therapy in the ICU. Low-flow oxygen (up to 8 L/min) was administered via oronasal mask for 30 min, followed by HFNC at 30 -50 L/min. Respiratory inductive plethysmography transducer bands were circumferentially placed: one around the rib cage, and one around the abdomen. We measured the movement of the rib-cage and abdomen, and used the sum signal to represent tidal volume (V T ) during mask breathing, and at 30 min during HFNC. We calculated the ratio of maximum compartmental amplitude (MCA) to V T , and the phase angle. We assessed arterial blood gas and vital signs at each period, and mouth status during HFNC. We used multiple regression analysis to identify factors associated with improvement in thoraco-abdominal synchrony. RESULTS: During HFNC, breathing frequency significantly decreased from 25 breaths/min (IQR 22-27 breaths/min) to 21 breaths/min (IQR 18 -24 breaths/min) (P < .001), and MCA/V T (P < .001) and phase angle (P ‫؍‬ .047) significantly improved. CONCLUSIONS: HFNC improved thoraco-abdominal synchrony in adult subjects with mild to moderate respiratory failure.

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Introduction. Cardiac failure during pregnancy is usually related to preeclampsia/eclampsia, rarely to hyperthyroidism. While hyperthyroidism can easily lead to hypertensive cardiac failure and may harm the fetus, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish hyperthyroidism from normal pregnancy. Case Presentation. We encountered a case of 41-year-old pregnant woman with hypertensive cardiac failure. Because we initially diagnosed as pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, Caesarian section was performed. However, her symptoms still persisted after delivery. After thyroid function test results taken on the day of admission were obtained on the fourth day, we could diagnose that her cardiac failure was caused by thyrotoxic crisis. Conclusions. Hypertensive cardiac failure due to hyperthyroidism during pregnancy is rare and difficult to diagnose because of similar presentation of normal pregnancy. However, physicians should be aware of the risks posed by hyperthyroidism during pregnancy.

Background : Since diaphragm passivity induces oxidative stress that leads to rapid atrophy of diaphragm, we investigated the effect of controlled ventilation on diaphragm thickness during assist-control ventilation (ACV). Methods : Previously, we measured end-expiratory diaphragm thickness (Tdiee) of patients mechanically ventilated for more than 48 hours on days 1, 3, 5 and 7 after the start of ventilation. We retrospectively investigated the proportion of controlled ventilation during the initial 48-hour ACV (CV48%). Patients were classified according to CV48% : Low group, less than 25% ; High group, higher than 25%. Results : Of 56 patients under pressure-control ACV, Tdiee increased more than 10% in 6 patients (11%), unchanged in 8 patients (14%) and decreased more than 10% in 42 patients (75%). During the first week of ventilation, Tdiee decreased in both groups :