Background: An unobstructed, protected airway and adequate ventilation are critical to prevent hypoxemia. Emergency medicine is an emerging branch in India at present and no research has been conducted to evaluate baseline demographic features, indications, modes of ventilation etc for patients requiring mechanical ventilation in ED.

Methods: All patients requiring mechanical ventilation with age >12 years, not treated outside and admitted to emergency medicine department from July 2017 to September 2019 were included in our study. Data collected for each patient included age, sex, vitals on presentation i.e. temperature, pulse, BP, SpO2, RR, GCS, systemic examination, diagnosis, mode of mechanical ventilation and ABG.

Results: 57% subjects were ventilated by invasive, 33% by non invasive ventilation and 10% by both mode of ventilation. Mean age of study subjects was 57.37±16.42.67% of the patients were males and 33% were females. Most common diagnosis was COPD exacerbation. Of patients who were invasively ventilated, 63% were on volume assist mode and 4 % on pressure control mode. Out of 33 patients kept on NIV, 11 patients were on CPAP mode and rest 22 on PSV+CPAP mode.42% patients had respiratory acidosis and 29% had metabolic acidosis. The subjects with lower GCS, low SpO2 and raised RR on presentation required invasive mode. Among NIV and intubation group Systolic BP, Diastolic BP and Respiratory rate showed significant difference in mean values(p<0.05).

Conclusion: This study provided information about recent epidemiological trends in our ED and may help derive a management protocol for better outcome of patients in future.

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Dr Varsha Shinde

Department of Emergency Medicine, Dr DY Patil Medical College, DY Patil Vidyapeeth University,

Pune-411018, India