Forced Vital Capacity as Criterion for Transfer Out of the Intensive Care Unit

Area of Science:

• Trauma Surgery
• Critical Care Medicine
• Pulmonary Function Testing

Background:

• Forced vital capacity (FVC) is a key metric for risk stratification in traumatic rib fracture (RFx) patients.
• Previous research supports FVC's utility in determining appropriate patient care levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) as a criterion for intensive care unit (ICU) discharge in patients with traumatic rib fractures.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of adult trauma patients with rib fractures admitted to the ICU (2014-2021).
• Collected data included FVC, ICU/hospital length of stay, complications, and readmissions.
• Investigated patterns and thresholds of FVC improvement.

Main Results:

• No association was found between FVC thresholds or improvement patterns and clinical outcomes (ICU readmissions, unplanned intubations, pneumonia).
• Median ICU length of stay was 3 days, increasing with complications.
• The study may have been limited by a low observed complication rate.

Conclusions:

• Forced vital capacity (FVC) measurement may be most useful within the first 24 hours after ICU admission for traumatic rib fracture patients.
• Additional research is required to establish the optimal frequency for FVC monitoring in this population.