RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Clinical Use of the Volume-Time Curve for Endotracheal Tube Cuff Management JF Respiratory Care FD American Association for Respiratory Care SP respcare.02683 DO 10.4187/respcare.02683 A1 Douglas Willian Bolzan A1 Walter Jose Gomes A1 Thatiana Cristina Alves Peixoto A1 Sônia Maria Faresin A1 Antônio Carlos de Camargo Carvalho A1 Ângelo Amato Vincenzo De Paola A1 Solange Guizilini YR 2014 UL http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/early/2014/06/10/respcare.02683.abstract AB BACKGROUND: Previous investigation showed that the volume-time curve technique could be an alternative for endotracheal tube (ETT) cuff management. However, the clinical impact of the volume-time curve application has not been documented. The purpose of this study was to compare the occurrence and intensity of a sore throat, cough, thoracic pain, and pulmonary function between these 2 techniques for ETT cuff management: volume-time curve technique versus minimal occlusive volume (MOV) technique after coronary artery bypass grafting. METHODS: A total of 450 subjects were randomized into 2 groups for cuff management after intubation: MOV group (n = 222) and volume-time curve group (n = 228). We measured cuff pressure before extubation. We performed spirometry 24 h before and after surgery. We graded sore throat and cough according to a 4-point scale at 1, 24, 72, and 120 h after extubation and assessed thoracic pain at 24 h after extubation and quantified the level of pain by a 10-point scale. RESULTS: The volume-time curve group presented significantly lower cuff pressure (30.9 ± 2.8 vs 37.7 ± 3.4 cm H2O), less incidence and intensity of sore throat (1 h, 23.7 vs 51.4%; and 24 h, 18.9 vs 40.5%, P < .001), cough (1 h, 19.3 vs 48.6%; and 24 h, 18.4 vs 42.3%, P < .001), thoracic pain (5.2 ± 1.8 vs 7.1 ± 1.7), better preservation of FVC (49.5 ± 9.9 vs 41.8 ± 12.9%, P = .005), and FEV1 (46.6 ± 1.8 vs 38.6 ± 1.4%, P = .005) compared with the MOV group. CONCLUSIONS: The subjects who received the volume-time curve technique for ETT cuff management presented a significantly lower incidence and severity of sore throat and cough, less thoracic pain, and minimally impaired pulmonary function than those subjects who received the MOV technique during the first 24 h after coronary artery bypass grafting.