S01E50: The MARCH Trial, When ICU Mucoactives Cause Harm Without Benefit

Should mechanically ventilated patients with difficult-to-clear secretions routinely receive carbocisteine or nebulized hypertonic saline?In this episode of PRISM Rounds, we examine the MARCH randomized trial, which enrolled 1,956 patients across 71 UK intensive care units. Neither intervention shortened mechanical ventilation or improved major clinical outcomes. However, carbocisteine increased clinically important gastrointestinal bleeding, while hypertonic saline increased bronchoconstriction and hypoxemia during nebulization.We discuss the trial’s factorial design, the absence of a number needed to treat, and the approximate numbers needed to harm: 88 for gastrointestinal bleeding with carbocisteine, 51 for bronchoconstriction with hypertonic saline, and 26 for hypoxemia during nebulization. We then translate these findings into practical de-implementation strategies for airway care in the ICU.Article:https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2603406 Educational use only. This podcast is not medical advice.TagsMARCH trial, carbocisteine, hypertonic saline, mucoactive agents, mechanical ventilation, acute respiratory failure, airway secretions, mucus clearance, hypoxemia, bronchoconstriction, gastrointestinal bleeding, critical care, intensive care, ICU, respiratory therapy, pulmonary medicine, evidence-based medicine, randomized clinical trial, de-implementation, NEJM, PRISM Rounds