The AVF is an independent non-profit working group to promote and encourage sharing of advanced Ventilation techniques among respiratory care practitioners in Asia.

AVF Mission

Through the organization of educational seminars, workshops and events, we will assist clinicians from across the Asian region in communicating their research, foster an atmosphere of open communication without geographical boundaries, and aide all healthcare professionals in their pursuit to enlighten their clinical knowledge in Respiratory Care.

AVF Vision

Our vision is to become a partner in the promotion of evidence-based practice and critical care education across the Asian region.

AVF Values

The values of the AVF are collaboration, contribution, and improvement.

History of the AVF

• The concept of the AVF was initiated by Tyco Healthcare (Now known as Covidien) after the establishment of the Tyco Clinical Institute - TCI (Now known as the Covidien Clinical Institute – CCI) in Shanghai.
  
  
• The 1st AVF held in Shanghai, China: 24 - 25 August, 2006
  • Topic: PAV+ with guest speaker Dr. Dimitris Georgopoulos from Greece
    
    
• The 2nd AVF held in Shanghai, China: 3 - 4 March, 2007
  • Patient synchrony animal lab conducted by Professor Zhang Xiangyu from Shanghai.
  • NIV
  • Launch of www.asiaventforum.com on February 28th, 2007
    
    
• The 3rd AVF held in Shanghai, China: 23 - 24 June, 2007:
  • ALI & COPD
  • Lung recruitment animal workshop conducted by Professor Robert Kacmarek from The United States.
  • Establishment of the AVF board of Directors. (China, Korea, Thailand, India, Taiwan)
    
    
• The 4th AVF held in Bangkok, Thailand, 26 - 27 January, 2008:
  • Clinical Aspects of H5N1
  • Assisted Ventilation in ALI with guest lecturer Professor Paolo Pelosi from Italy
    
    
• The 5th AVF held in Shanghai, China, 2 August, 2008:
  • Sichuan earthquake experience
  • Asynchrony
  • VAP
  • Board of Directors expanded to include two directors from Japan
  • Board of Directors agree to coordinate the MOSAICS study in Asia
    (see more on the MOSAICS study below)
    
    
• The 6th AVF held in Chengdu, China, 4 - 5 April, 2009
  • VAP
  • Humidification
  • Weaning from Ventilation
  • Non-invasive ventilation
  • History of the Respiratory therapy profession in America by Tammy M. Redasky & Amy Brown from Pima Medical Institute
  • 4 workshops conducted by members of the AVF Board Directors
  • 1st National Coordinator’s meeting of the MOSAICS study held in conjunction with the 6th AVF


• The 7th AVF held in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 12 - 13 June 2010
  • Infection Control
  • Long Term Mechanical Ventilation
  • The role of non-invasive ventilation in long term respiratory care & Respiratory protocols during a pandemic by Professor Dean Hess from Harvard Medical School
  • 4 workshops conducted by member of the AVF Board Directors & 3 Guess speakers from Taiwan & US
  • 1st AVF Pro-Con Debate series: Current Issues in Respiratory Care


• The 8th AVF held in Shanghai, China, 12 - 13 June 2010
  • Technical Aspects of Respiratory Care
  • Pandemic Preparation
  • 1 Animal workshop conducted by Dr. Javier Fernandez from US
  • 2 workshops conducted by member of the AVF Board Directors
  • 2nd AVF Pro-Con Debate series: patient Safety Issue

• Prof. Younsuck Koh, Korea - Current Chairman
• Prof. Zhang Xiangyu, China
• Prof. Du Bin, China
• Prof. Shin Ok Koh, Korea
• Ms. Tu Mei Lien, Taiwan
• Prof. Sumalee Kiatboonsri, Thailand
• Prof. Masaji Nishimura, Japan
• Prof. Masayuki Suzukawa, Japan
• Dr. Jason Phua, Singapore
• Prof. Jigeeshu Vasishtha Divatia, India
• Dr. Cheng Cheng Tan, Malaysia
• Dr. Bambang Wahjuprajitno, Indonesia

• Professor Puttipannee Vorrakitpokatom, Thailand
• Professor M. Ravishankar, India

Management Of Severe sepsis in Asia’s Intensive Care units The MOSAICS study

Severe sepsis is a prevalent, costly and frequently fatal condition. The Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines were first released in 2004 in an attempt to improve outcomes in severe sepsis. The Surviving Sepsis Campaign and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement recommended a 6-hour resuscitation bundle including various aspects of Rivers’ early goal directed therapy, early blood cultures and antibiotics. A 24-hour management bundle was also recommended, which includes the administration or consideration of low-dose steroids and human recombinant activated protein C (rhAPC), glucose control, and guidelines on ventilatory support. Several single as well as multicentre studies have shown that compliance with these recommendations can lead to a survival benefit.

However, many questions remain unanswered. Adherence to guidelines is often poor for various reasons, and whether Asia’s intensive care units (ICUs) and emergency departments follow the Surviving Sepsis Campaign bundles is unknown. Outcomes of severe sepsis differ between races, and predominantly Western recommendations may not be readily applicable to Asians. Recent papers have questioned the purported benefits of the recommended interventions, and the revised Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines released in 2008 have toned down the recommendations for steroids and rhAPC.

Accordingly, the AVF Board of Directors decided at their 2008 annual meeting to coordinate the MOSAICS study. This is an investigators-driven academic project with voluntary participation from Asian countries. More than 200 ICUs from at least 19 countries are participating. This promises to be a landmark multicentre study that will collect data from all patients with severe sepsis in the study ICUs in July in 2009. In addition to evaluating how ICUs in Asia manage severe sepsis, especially where the Surviving Sepsis Campaign’s resuscitation and management bundles are concerned, it is hoped that the MOSAICS study will stimulate a long term collaborative effort to promote multicentre critical care research across Asia.

PROCEED TO FORUM