Does continuous positive airway pressure improve lung function after cardiac surgery?
Continuous positive airway pressure administered during cardiopulmonary bypass decreased shunt fraction and alveolar-arterial oxygen partial pressure difference during surgery, but had no sustained effect on either variable postoperatively. We conclude that, in patients with normal preoperative pulmonary function, application of 10 cm H2O CPAP does not improve lung function after cardiac surgery.
The vast majority (97%) of patients in the moderately increased Down's syndrome risk range (1/51-1/270) following first trimester sequential screening did not pursue an invasive procedure based on their first trimester sequential screen risk. Using a>or = 1/50 risk cut-off in the first trimester is an effective screening policy for sequential screening.