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Intraabdominal hypertension is less common than it used to be: A pilot step wedge trial Cover

Intraabdominal hypertension is less common than it used to be: A pilot step wedge trial

Open Access
|Jan 2025

Figures & Tables

Feasibility Metrics

Populationn
Patients meeting inclusion criteria114
Exclusion criteria -- death prior to assessment5
  Pregnancy0
  Expected ICU discharge less than 24 hrs.8
  Organ donors0
  Clinical team or SDM declined to enroll13
  Enrolled by deferred consent but subsequently declined2
  No SDM available within the time constraint18
Total number enrolled70

Medical management algorithm for management of IAH/ACS, adapted from World Society for the Abdominal Compartment Syndrome

Step Number / ActionEvacuate gastrointestinal intraluminal contentsEvacuate intra-abdominal space-occupying lesions/collectionsImprove abdominal wall complianceOptimize fluid administrationOptimize systemic/regional perfusion
Step 1Insert nasogastric and/or rectal tubeAbdominal ultrasound to identify lesionsEnsure adequate sedation and analgesiaAvoid excessive fluid resuscitationGoal-directed fluid resuscitation
Initiate prokinetic agentsRemove constrictive dressings, abdominal escharsAim for zero to negative fluid balance by day 3

Step 2Minimize enteral nutritionAbdominal computed tomography to identify lesions Percutaneous catheter drainageConsider reverse Trendelenberg positionResuscitate using hypertonic fluids, colloids Fluid removal through judicious diuresis once stableHemodynamic monitoring to guide resuscitation
Administer enemas

Step 3Consider colonoscopic decompressionConsider surgical evacuationConsider neuromuscular blockadeConsider hemodialysis/ultrafiltration
Discontinue enteral nutrition

Step 4If intraabdominal pressure greater than 20 mm Hg and new organ dysfunction/failure is present, patient's IAH/ACS is refractory to medical management. Strongly consider surgical abdominal decompression.

Prevalence of IAH, ACS, and incomplete IAP measurements

DescriptorTotalObservation periodIntervention period
IAH: IAP ≥ 12 mm Hg on two consecutive measurements (N (%))21 (16.2 )11 (8.5 )10 (7.8 )
IAP ≥ 12 mm Hg on any two measurements (N (%))32 (24.8)13 (22.0)19 (27.1)
IAP ≥ 20 mm Hg on any two measurements (N (%))1 (0.8)0 (0.0)1 (1.4)
Patients who did not have IAP measured twice (N (%))53 (41.1)19 (32.2)34 (48.6)

Patient demographics and clinical characteristics

DescriptorTotalObservation periodIntervention periodp-value
N1295970
Male, N (%)76 (58.8)33 (55.9)43 (61.4)0.592
Age, mean ± s.d., years61.6 ± 14.560.6 ± 15.462.7 ± 13.70.672

Indication for admission, N (%) 0.542
Medical90 (69.8)44 (74.6)46 (65.7)
Surgical15 (11.6)6 (10.2)9 (12.9)
Trauma24 (18.6)9 (15.3)15 (21.4)
MODS, mean ± s.d.4.8 ± 2.84.1 ± 2.35.5 ± 2.90.003
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jccm-2025-0002 | Journal eISSN: 2393-1817 | Journal ISSN: 2393-1809
Language: English
Page range: 95 - 100
Submitted on: Sep 16, 2024
Accepted on: Dec 19, 2024
Published on: Jan 31, 2025
Published by: University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 4 issues per year

© 2025 Shane Smith, Fran Priestap, Neil Parry, Robert Arntfield, Patrick Murphy, Kelly Vogt, Ian Ball, published by University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.