The impact of psychological factors on the management of intraoperative haemodynamic events in children

International audienceIntroduction: Paediatric anaesthesia requires specific theoretical knowledge and practical training. Non-technical skills and psychological factors might influence learning and practice. The aim of this study was to assess personality type and decision-making styles of paediatric anaesthesiology residents during the management of simulated intraoperative life-threatening cases.Method: Residents in anaesthesiology (between 4 and 5 years of training) participated in a simulated hypoxic cardiac arrest in the operating theatre. Their performance was evaluated using a score derived from international recommended management algorithm. They were asked to answer self-assessment questionnaires regarding both their personality (the five personality factors) and their decision-making style. Correlations between performance and personality were investigated.Results: Thirty-eight residents participated in the simulation session and 36 accepted to answer the questionnaires. Good management scoring was positively correlated with agreeableness and conscientiousness personality traits but was negatively correlated with avoidance and spontaneous decision-making styles.Discussion: The current study identified personality traits and decision-making styles that might influence the management of critical situations during paediatric anaesthesia. The proper identification of these factors might allow targeted personalised training to improve knowledge mobilisation and translation in the clinical context

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for severe acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with COVID-19: a retrospective cohort study

International audienceBackgroundPatients with COVID-19 who develop severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) can have symptoms that rapidly evolve to profound hypoxaemia and death. The efficacy of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for patients with severe ARDS in the context of COVID-19 is unclear. We aimed to establish the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with respiratory failure and COVID-19 treated with ECMO.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study was done in the Paris–Sorbonne University Hospital Network, comprising five intensive care units (ICUs) and included patients who received ECMO for COVID-19 associated ARDS. Patient demographics and daily pre-ECMO and on-ECMO data and outcomes were collected. Possible outcomes over time were categorised into four different states (states 1–4): on ECMO, in the ICU and weaned off ECMO, alive and out of ICU, or death. Daily probabilities of occupation in each state and of transitions between these states until day 90 post-ECMO onset were estimated with use of a multi-state Cox model stratified for each possible transition. Follow-up was right-censored on July 10, 2020.FindingsFrom March 8 to May 2, 2020, 492 patients with COVID-19 were treated in our ICUs. Complete day-60 follow-up was available for 83 patients (median age 49 [IQR 41–56] years and 61 [73%] men) who received ECMO. Pre-ECMO, 78 (94%) patients had been prone-positioned; their median driving pressure was 18 (IQR 16–21) cm H2O and PaO2/FiO2 was 60 (54–68) mm Hg. At 60 days post-ECMO initiation, the estimated probabilities of occupation in each state were 6% (95% CI 3–14) for state 1, 18% (11–28) for state 2, 45% (35–56) for state 3, and 31% (22–42) for state 4. 35 (42%) patients had major bleeding and four (5%) had a haemorrhagic stroke. 30 patients died.InterpretationThe estimated 60-day survival of ECMO-rescued patients with COVID-19 was similar to that of studies published in the past 2 years on ECMO for severe ARDS. If another COVID-19 outbreak occurs, ECMO should be considered for patients developing refractory respiratory failure despite optimised care