Impact of closed-system suctioning on self-reported dyspnea in mechanically ventilated patients: a prospective observational study.

Lijun Liang, Simei Wang, Zhenghua Liang, Xiaoli Qiu, Sha Xie, Jinlong Xu

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Article in Frontiers in medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

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6 authors.

Lijun Liang *Intensive Care Unit, Mianyang Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Mianyang, Sichuan, China.

Simei Wang *Intensive Care Unit, Mianyang Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Mianyang, Sichuan, China.

Zhenghua LiangIntensive Care Unit, Mianyang Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Mianyang, Sichuan, China.

Xiaoli QiuIntensive Care Unit, Mianyang Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Mianyang, Sichuan, China.

Sha XieIntensive Care Unit, Mianyang Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Mianyang, Sichuan, China.

Jinlong XuIntensive Care Unit, Mianyang Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Mianyang, Sichuan, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Endotracheal suctioning is an essential airway care procedure in mechanically ventilated patients, yet its acute impact on subjective respiratory distress has not been systematically quantified. Methods: In this prospective self-controlled observational study conducted from May to October 2025 in a tertiary intensive care unit (ICU) in Sichuan Province, China, awake mechanically ventilated adults with a Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) score of 0 to +1 requiring closed-system suctioning were enrolled. Dyspnea intensity was assessed using the Dyspnea Visual Analog Scale (D-VAS, 0-10) before suctioning (T0), immediately after suctioning (T1), and 5 min post-suctioning (T2). Peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO Results: Fifty-three suctioning procedures from 42 patients were included. D-VAS scores increased significantly from 2.8 ± 1.9 at T0 to 6.4 ± 2.1 at T1 (mean increase 3.6, 95% CI: 3.1-4.1, Conclusion: These findings suggest that closed-system suctioning may induce clinically significant but transient worsening of dyspnea that appears independent of oxygenation status. Individual dyspnea assessment during routine suctioning care warrants attention, and confirmatory multicenter studies with prospective power calculations are needed.

Indexed as

critical care nursingdyspneaendotracheal suctioningintensive caremechanical ventilationpatient-reported outcomessymptom assessment

Identifiers

PMID42415791

DOI10.3389/fmed.2026.1834389

PMCPMC13338921

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