Effect of the use of an endotracheal tube and stylet versus an endotracheal tube alone on first-attempt intubation success: a multicentre, randomised clinical trial in 999 patients

Abstract

The effect of the routine use of a stylet during tracheal intubation on first-attempt intubation success is unclear. We hypothesised that the first-attempt intubation success rate would be higher with tracheal tube\u2009+\u2009stylet than with tracheal tube alone. In this multicentre randomised controlled trial, conducted in 32 intensive care units, we randomly assigned patients to tracheal tube\u2009+\u2009stylet or tracheal tube alone (i.e. without stylet). The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with first-attempt intubation success. The secondary outcome was the proportion of patients with complications related to tracheal intubation. Serious adverse events, i.e., traumatic injuries related to tracheal intubation, were evaluated. A total of 999 patients were included in the modified intention-to-treat analysis: 501 (50%) to tracheal tube\u2009+\u2009stylet and 498 (50%) to tracheal tube alone. First-attempt intubation success occurred in 392 patients (78.2%) in the tracheal tube\u2009+\u2009stylet group and in 356 (71.5%) in the tracheal tube alone group (absolute risk difference, 6.7; 95%CI 1.4–12.1; relative risk, 1.10; 95%CI 1.02–1.18; P\u2009=\u20090.01). A total of 194 patients (38.7%) in the tracheal tube\u2009+\u2009stylet group had complications related to tracheal intubation, as compared with 200 patients (40.2%) in the tracheal tube alone group (absolute risk difference, − 1.5; 95%CI − 7.5 to 4.6; relative risk, 0.96; 95%CI 0.83–1.12; P =\u20090.64). The incidence of serious adverse events was 4.0% and 3.6%, respectively (absolute risk difference, 0.4; 95%CI, − 2.0 to 2.8; relative risk, 1.10; 95%CI 0.59–2.06. P\u2009=\u20090.76). Among critically ill adults undergoing tracheal intubation, using a stylet improves first-attempt intubation success.