Jebmh.com Original Research Article J. Evid. Based Med. Healthc., pISSN- 2349-2562, eISSN- 2349-2570/ Vol. 6/Issue 32/Aug. 12, 2019 Page 2156 RESPIRATORY INTENSIVE CARE UNIT- A NEED OF THE HOUR Sarika Patil 1 , Mahavir Munot 2 , Dharani M. 3 , Lata Rajwad 4 , Ketaki Utpat 5 , Unnati Desai 6 , Jyotsna M. Joshi 7 , Ramesh N. Bharmal 8 1 Assistant Medical Officer, TNMC and BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra. 2 Resident, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, TNMC and BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra. 3 Resident, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, TNMC and BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra. 4 Resident, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, TNMC and BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra. 5 Assistant Professor, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, TNMC and BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra. 6 Associate Professor and In-charge, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, TNMC and BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra. 7 Ex-Professor and HOD, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, TNMC and BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra. 8 Director, Medical Education & Major Hospitals, MCGM & The Dean, TNMC and BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND A respiratory intensive care unit (RICU) is a designated area specially designed for management of patients with acute respiratory conditions with an essential endeavour of meticulous cardiorespiratory monitoring and holistic management of acute respiratory conditions. Availability of ventilation thorough the non-invasive mode (NIV) has revolutionised therapy in chronic respiratory diseases. METHODS We analysed the data of 50 patients over two-months’ duration. The mean duration of stay and treatment outcomes were analysed. The qualitative data was analysed using percentages and mean. Chi-Square test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS Study sample was of 50 patients out of which 26 were men and 24 were women. The indications for hospitalisation were classified as per aetiology as COPD- 29 (58%), ILD- 6 (12%), parenchymal diseases- 5 (10%), pleural diseases- 4 (8%), malignancy- 3 (6%), others- 3 (6%). The patients were further classified into; 21 (42%) with type I respiratory failure and 29 (58%) with type II respiratory failure. Of the total 50; one-third (18) required only oxygen therapy and two-third (32) mechanical ventilation (25 NIV and 7 IMV). The mode of ventilation impacted outcomes significantly with oxygen therapy and NIV having very good outcomes (Chi Square test; p-value is 0.000838). CONCLUSIONS RICU is the need of the hour to manage patients with critical respiratory illnesses. KEYWORDS RICU, Tertiary Care, COPD HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Patil S, Munot M, Dharani M, et al. Respiratory intensive care unit- a need of the hour. J. Evid. Based Med. Healthc. 2019; 6(32), 2156-2159. DOI: 10.18410/jebmh/2019/440 BACKGROUND Respiratory diseases are the notorious culprits of mortality in community as well as hospital set ups. Respiratory medicine and critical care medicine are specialities that are offshoots of general medicine and have developed along parallel lines but are intricately related. 1 A major bulk of the patients requiring an intensive care has a predominant or associated respiratory aetiology. A respiratory intensive care unit (RICU) is a designated area specially designed for management of patients with acute respiratory conditions with an essential endeavour of meticulous cardiorespiratory monitoring and holistic management of acute respiratory conditions. The target beneficiaries include those suffering from acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD), exacerbations of other airway diseases like obliterative bronchiolitis, bronchiectasis, acute severe asthma, acute exacerbations of interstitial lung diseases (ILD), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), severe community acquired pneumonia (CAP) and respiratory failures due to various other conditions like obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS). It caters to various respiratory requirements. Invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) can be offered to patients with severe respiratory acidosis with altered neurological status or hemodynamic compromise. Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is another specialty care which has landmark role in management COPD and other airway diseases, pulmonary oedema and post thoracic surgery status. 2 Apart from this management of patients with artificial airways such as Financial or Other, Competing Interest: None. Submission 16-07-2019, Peer Review 22-07-2019, Acceptance 31-07-2019, Published 06-08-2019. Corresponding Author: Dr. Unnati Desai, Associate Professor and In-charge, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, TNMC and BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra. E-mail: unnati_desai82@yahoo.co.in DOI: 10.18410/jebmh/2019/440