Objective:

To quantify the acute impact of closed-system suctioning on subjective respiratory distress in mechanically ventilated patients.

Approach:

Key Findings:

• D-VAS scores increased significantly from 2.8 ± 1.9 at T0 to 6.4 ± 2.1 at T1 (mean increase 3.6, P < 0.001).
• Scores decreased to 3.2 ± 1.7 at T2 (P < 0.001 vs. T1).
• Dyspnea worsened in 92.5% of procedures at T1, with 15.1% not returning to baseline at T2.
• SpO2 increased from 97.2 ± 2.1% to 99.1 ± 1.3% at T1, indicating a dissociation between oxygenation status and subjective respiratory distress.

Interpretation:

Closed-system suctioning may induce a significant but transient worsening of dyspnea.

Limitations:

• Single-center convenience sample without prospective sample size calculation.

Conclusion:

Individual dyspnea assessment during routine suctioning care warrants attention, and confirmatory multicenter studies with prospective power calculations are needed.

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