The impact of implementing a patient-ventilator asynchrony (PVA) management protocol on clinical outcomes in ICU patients

Background Mechanical ventilation is a critical life support for ICU patients. However, this intervention can be associated with complications such as patient-ventilator asynchrony (PVA) and subsequent adverse events. This study aimed to investigate the impact of implementing a PVA management protocol on clinical outcomes in ICU patients. Methods In this randomized controlled trial conducted in 2023, 66 mechanically ventilated patients admitted to the ICU of a hospital affiliated with Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, were randomly assigned to either an intervention or control group. For the intervention group, PVA was assessed twice daily during the morning and evening shifts, and interventions were performed according to the protocol if necessary. The control group did not receive any specific protocol for PVA management. Data were collected using a checklist and analyzed using SPSS version 22. Results There was a significant difference between the intervention and control groups in terms of duration of mechanical ventilation (p < 0.001), length of ICU stay (p < 0.001), and successful weaning from the ventilator (p = 0.026). In all three dimensions, the intervention group showed better outcomes. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of ICU mortality (p = 0.138) or self-extubation (p = 0.85). Conclusion The use of a PVA management protocol can lead to positive outcomes such as reduced duration of mechanical ventilation, shorter ICU stay, and increased successful weaning from the ventilator for ICU patients. Given the promising results of this study, it is recommended that this easy-to-implement and cost-effective PVA management protocol be widely adopted in ICU settings. Further research is needed to solidify these findings and explore potential variations in implementation.