Obesity is Unlikely to be an Impediment to First-Pass Success During the Intubation of Critically Ill Patients

Peter C. Nauka, Ari Moskowitz, Alana Siev, Ariel L. Shiloh, Lewis A. Eisen, Daniel G. Fein

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Background: Obesity has been described as a potential risk factor for difficult intubation among critically ill patients. Our primary aim was to further elucidate the association between obesity and first-pass success. Our secondary aim was to determine whether the use of hyper-angulated video laryngoscopy improves first-pass success compared to direct laryngoscopy when utilized for the intubation of critically ill obese patients. Study Design and Methods: A retrospective cohort study of adult patients undergoing endotracheal intubation outside of the operating room or emergency department between January 30, 2016 and May 1, 2020 at 3 campuses of an academic hospital system in the Bronx, NY. Our primary outcome was first-pass success of intubation. A multivariate logistic analysis was utilized to compare obesity status with first-pass success. Results: We identified 3791 critically ill patients who underwent endotracheal intubation of which 1417 were obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 30). The incidence of hyper-angulated video laryngoscopy increased over the study period. A total of 46.6% of obese patients underwent intubation with hyper-angulated video laryngoscopy as compared to 35.1% of the nonobese group. First-pass success was 79.2% among the entire cohort. Obesity status did not appear to be associated with first-pass success (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 090-1.27; P =.47). Hyper-angulated video laryngoscopy did not seem to improve first-pass success among obese patients as compared to nonobese patients (adjusted OR 1.21, 95% CI: 0.85-1.71; P =.29). These findings persisted even after redefining the obesity cutoff as BMI ≥ 40 and excluding patients intubated during cardiac arrests. Conclusion: We did not detect an association between obesity and first-pass success. Hyper-angulated video laryngoscopy did not appear offer additional benefit over direct laryngoscopy during the intubation of critically ill obese patients.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)816-824
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Intensive Care Medicine
Volume38
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2023

Keywords

  • airway management
  • endotracheal intubation
  • mechanical ventilation
  • obesity
  • video laryngoscopy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Obesity is Unlikely to be an Impediment to First-Pass Success During the Intubation of Critically Ill Patients'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this