Jesse A. Johnson, Kashka F. Mallari, Vincent M. Pepe, Taylor Treacy, Gregory McDonough, Phue Khaing, Christopher McGrath, Brandon J. George, Erika J. Yoo
Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(3):298-307. Published online August 23, 2023
Background There is increasing heterogeneity in the clinical phenotype of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19,) and reasons for mechanical ventilation are not limited to COVID pneumonia. We aimed to compare the characteristics and outcomes of intubated patients admitted to the ICU with the primary diagnosis of acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF) from COVID-19 pneumonia to those patients admitted for an alternative diagnosis.
Methods Retrospective cohort study of adults with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted to nine ICUs between March 18, 2020, and April 30, 2021, at an urban university institution. We compared characteristics between the two groups using appropriate statistics. We performed logistic regression to identify risk factors for death in the mechanically ventilated COVID-19 population.
Results After exclusions, the final sample consisted of 319 patients with respiratory failure secondary to COVID pneumonia and 150 patients intubated for alternative diagnoses. The former group had higher ICU and hospital mortality rates (57.7% vs. 36.7%, P<0.001 and 58.9% vs. 39.3%, P<0.001, respectively). Patients with AHRF secondary to COVID-19 pneumonia also had longer ICU and hospital lengths-of-stay (12 vs. 6 days, P<0.001 and 20 vs. 13.5 days, P=0.001). After risk-adjustment, these patients had 2.25 times higher odds of death (95% confidence interval, 1.42–3.56; P=0.001).
Conclusions Mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU with COVID-19-associated respiratory failure are at higher risk of hospital death and have worse ICU utilization outcomes than those whose reason for admission is unrelated to COVID pneumonia.
Background
In this study, we explored whether awake prone position (PP) can impact prognosis of severe hypoxemia coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.
Methods This was a prospective observational study of severe, critically ill adult COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Patients were divided into two groups: group G1, patients who benefited from a vigilant and effective PP (>4 hours minimum/24) and group G2, control group. We compared demographic, clinical, paraclinical and evolutionary data.
Results Three hundred forty-nine patients were hospitalized during the study period, 273 met the inclusion criteria. PP was performed in 192 patients (70.3%). The two groups were comparable in terms of demographic characteristics, clinical severity and modalities of oxygenation at intensive care unit (ICU) admission. The mean PaO2/ FIO2 ratios were 141 and 128 mm Hg, respectively (P=0.07). The computed tomography scan was comparable with a critical >75% in 48.5% (G1) versus 54.2% (G2). The median duration of the daily PP session was 13±7 hours per day. The average duration of spontaneous PP days was 7 days (4–19). Use of invasive ventilation was lower in the G1 group (27% vs. 56%, P=0.002). Healthcare-associated infections were significantly lower in G1 (42.1% vs. 82%, P=0.01). Duration of total mechanical ventilation and length of ICU stay were comparable between the two groups. Mortality was significantly higher in G2 (64% vs. 28%, P=0.02).
Conclusions Our study confirmed that awake PP can improve prognosis in COVID-19 patients. Randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm this result.
Louis Boutin, Louis Morisson, Florence Riché, Romain Barthélémy, Alexandre Mebazaa, Philippe Soyer, Benoit Gallix, Anthony Dohan, Benjamin G Chousterman
Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(3):343-352. Published online August 21, 2023
Background Sepsis is a severe and common cause of admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). Radiomic analysis (RA) may predict organ failure and patient outcomes. The objective of this study was to assess a model of RA and to evaluate its performance in predicting in-ICU mortality and acute kidney injury (AKI) during abdominal sepsis.
Methods This single-center, retrospective study included patients admitted to the ICU for abdominal sepsis. To predict in-ICU mortality or AKI, elastic net regularized logistic regression and the random forest algorithm were used in a five-fold cross-validation set repeated 10 times.
Results Fifty-five patients were included. In-ICU mortality was 25.5%, and 76.4% of patients developed AKI. To predict in-ICU mortality, elastic net and random forest models, respectively, achieved areas under the curve (AUCs) of 0.48 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.43–0.54) and 0.51 (95% CI, 0.46–0.57) and were not improved combined with Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II. To predict AKI with RA, the AUC was 0.71 (95% CI, 0.66–0.77) for elastic net and 0.69 (95% CI, 0.64–0.74) for random forest, and these were improved combined with SAPS II, respectively; AUC of 0.94 (95% CI, 0.91–0.96) and 0.75 (95% CI, 0.70–0.80) for elastic net and random forest, respectively.
Conclusions This study suggests that RA has poor predictive performance for in-ICU mortality but good predictive performance for AKI in patients with abdominal sepsis. A secondary validation cohort is needed to confirm these results and the assessed model.
Background
As sleep disturbances are common in the intensive care unit (ICU), this study assessed the sleep quality in the ICU and identified barriers to sleep.
Methods Patients admitted to the ICUs of a tertiary hospital between June 2022 and December 2022 who were not mechanically ventilated at enrollment were included. The quality of sleep (QoS) at home was assessed on a visual analog scale as part of an eight-item survey, while the QoS in the ICU was evaluated using the Korean version of the Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire (K-RCSQ). Good QoS was defined by a score of ≥50.
Results Of the 30 patients in the study, 19 reported a QoS score <50. The Spearman correlation coefficient showed no meaningful relationship between the QoS at home and the overall K-RCSQ QoS score in the ICU (r=0.16, P=0.40). The most common barriers to sleep were physical discomfort (43%), being awoken for procedures (43%), and feeling unwell (37%); environmental factors including noise (30%) and light (13%) were also identified sources of sleep disruption. Physical discomfort (median [interquartile range]: 32 [28.0–38.0] vs. 69 [42.0–80.0], P=0.004), being awoken for procedures (36 [20.0–48.0] vs. 54 [36.0–80.0], P=0.04), and feeling unwell (31 [18.0–42.0] vs. 54 [40.0–76.0], P=0.01) were associated with lower K-RCSQ scores.
Conclusions In the ICU, physical discomfort, patient care interactions, and feeling unwell were identified as barriers to sleep.
Mobilization in traumatic brain injury (TBI) have shown the improvement of length of stay, infection, long term weakness, and disability. Primary damage as a result of trauma’s direct effect (skull fracture, hematoma, contusion, laceration, and nerve damage) and secondary damage caused by trauma’s indirect effect (microvasculature damage and pro-inflammatory cytokine) result in reduced tissue perfusion & edema. These can be facilitated through mobilization, but several precautions must be recognized as mobilization itself may further deteriorate patient’s condition. Very few studies have discussed in detail regarding mobilizing patients in TBI cases. Therefore, the scope of this review covers the detail of physiological effects, guideline, precautions, and technique of mobilization in patients with TBI.
Background In patients with severe trauma, the diagnosis of acute kidney injury (AKI) is important because it is a predictive factor for poor prognosis and can affect patient care. The diagnosis and staging of AKI are based on change in serum creatinine (SCr) levels from baseline. However, baseline creatinine levels in patients with traumatic injuries are often unknown, making the diagnosis of AKI in trauma patients difficult. This study aimed to enhance the accuracy of AKI diagnosis in trauma patients by presenting an appropriate reference creatinine estimate (RCE). Methods: We reviewed adult patients with severe trauma requiring intensive care unit admission between 2015 and 2019 (n=3,228) at a single regional trauma center in South Korea. AKI was diagnosed based on the current guideline published by the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes organization. AKI was determined using the following RCEs: estimated SCr75-modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD), trauma MDRD (TMDRD), admission creatinine level, and first-day creatinine nadir. We assessed inclusivity, prognostic ability, and incrementality using the different RCEs. Results: The incidence of AKI varied from 15% to 46% according to the RCE used. The receiver operating characteristic curve of TMDRD used to predict mortality and the need for renal replacement therapy (RRT) had the highest value and was statistically significant (0.797, P<0.001; 0.890, P=0.002, respectively). In addition, the use of TMDRD resulted in a mortality prognostic ability and the need for RRT was incremental with AKI stage. Conclusions: In this study, TMDRD was feasible as a RCE, resulting in optimal post-traumatic AKI diagnosis and prognosis.
Providing critical nursing care for conscious mechanically ventilated patients is mediated via effective communication. This study aimed to identify and map the antecedents, attributes, consequences, and definition of nurse–conscious mechanically ventilated patient communication (N-CMVPC). This scoping review was conducted by searching the Cochrane Library and the CINAHL, EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases, between 2001 and 2021. The keywords queried included "nurses," "mechanically ventilated patients," "mechanical ventilation," "intubated patients," "communication," "interaction," "relationships," "nurse–patient communication," "nurse–patient relations," "intensive care units," and "critical care." Studies related to communication with healthcare personnel or family members were excluded. The results indicated that N-CMVPC manifests as a set of attributes in communication experiences, emotions, methods, and behaviors of the nurse and the patient and is classified into three main themes, nurse communication, patient communication, and quantitative-qualitative aspects. N-CMVPC is a complex, multidimensional, and multi-factor concept. It is often nurse-controlled and can express itself as questions, sentences, or commands in the context of experiences, feelings, and positive or negative behaviors involving the nurse and the patient.
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A Study on Nurses' Communication Experiences with Intubation Patients Ye Rim Kim, Hye Ree Park, Mee Kyung Shin The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing.2023; 26(1): 28. CrossRef
Background Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are increasing due to the spread of multi-drugresistant organisms. Gut dysbiosis in an intensive care unit (ICU) patients at admission showed an altered abundance of some bacterial genera associated with the occurrence of HAIs and mortality. In the present study, we investigated the pattern of the gut microbiome in ICU patients at admission to correlate it with the development of HAIs during ICU stay. Methods: Twenty patients admitted to an ICU with a cross-matched control group of 30 healthy subjects of matched age and sex. Quantitative SYBR green real-time polymerase chain reaction was done for the identification and quantitation of selected bacteria. Results: Out of those twenty patients, 35% developed ventilator-associated pneumonia during their ICU stay. Gut microbiome analysis showed a significant decrease in Firmicutes and Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio in ICU patients in comparison to the control and in patients who developed HAIs in comparison to the control group and patients who did not develop HAIs. There was a statistically significant increase in Bacteroides in comparison to the control group. There was a statistically significant decrease in Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and an increase in Lactobacilli in comparison to the control group with a negative correlation between Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score and Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes and Prevotella to Bacteroides ratios. Conclusions: Gut dysbiosis of patients at the time of admission highlights the importance of identification of the microbiome of patients admitted to the ICU as a target for preventing of HAIs
Background Predicting the length of stay (LOS) for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) is essential for efficient use of ICU resources. We analyzed the clinical characteristics of patients with severe COVID-19 based on their clinical care and determined the predictive factors associated with prolonged LOS. Methods: We included 96 COVID-19 patients who received oxygen therapy at a high-flow nasal cannula level or above after ICU admission during March 2021 to February 2022. The demographic characteristics at the time of ICU admission and results of severity analysis (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment [SOFA], Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation [APACHE] II), blood tests, and ICU treatments were analyzed using a logistic regression model. Additionally, blood tests (C-reactive protein, D-dimer, and the PaO2 to FiO2 ratio [P/F ratio]) were performed on days 3 and 5 of ICU admission to identify factors associated with prolonged LOS. Results: Univariable analyses showed statistically significant results for SOFA score at the time of ICU admission, C-reactive protein level, high-dose steroids, mechanical ventilation (MV) care, continuous renal replacement therapy, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and prone position. Multivariable analysis showed that MV care and P/F ratio on hospital day 5 were independent factors for prolonged ICU LOS. For D-dimer, no significant variation was observed at admission; however, after days 3 and 5 days of admission, significant between-group variation was detected. Conclusions: MV care and P/F ratio on hospital day 5 are independent factors that can predict prolonged LOS for COVID-19 patients.
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Predictors of prolonged ventilator weaning and mortality in critically ill patients with COVID-19 Marcella M Musumeci, Bruno Valle Pinheiro2, Luciana Dias Chiavegato1, Danielle Silva Almeida Phillip1, Flavia R Machado3, Fabrício Freires3, Osvaldo Shigueomi Beppu1, Jaquelina Sonoe Ota Arakaki1, Roberta Pulcheri Ramos1 Jornal Brasileiro de Pneumologia.2023; : e20230131. CrossRef
The distorted memories of patients treated in the intensive care unit during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study Gisela Vogel, Ulla Forinder, Anna Sandgren, Christer Svensen, Eva Joelsson-Alm Intensive and Critical Care Nursing.2023; 79: 103522. CrossRef
Background We assessed predictors of mortality in the intensive care unit (ICU) and investigated if Glasgow coma scale (GCS) is associated with mortality in patients undergoing endotracheal intubation (EI). Methods: From February 2020, we performed a 1-year study on 2,055 adult patients admitted to the ICU of two teaching hospitals. The outcome was mortality during ICU stay and the predictors were patients’ demographic, clinical, and laboratory features. Results: EI was associated with a decreased risk for mortality compared with similar patients (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.32; P=0.030). This shows that EI had been performed correctly with proper indications. Increasing age (AOR, 1.04; P<0.001) or blood pressure (AOR, 1.01; P<0.001), respiratory problems (AOR, 3.24; P<0.001), nosocomial infection (AOR, 1.64; P=0.014), diabetes (AOR, 5.69; P<0.001), history of myocardial infarction (AOR, 2.52; P<0.001), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AOR, 3.93; P<0.001), immunosuppression (AOR, 3.15; P<0.001), and the use of anesthetics/sedatives/hypnotics for reasons other than EI (AOR, 4.60; P<0.001) were directly; and GCS (AOR, 0.84; P<0.001) was inversely related to mortality. In patients with trauma surgeries (AOR, 0.62; P=0.014) or other surgical categories (AOR, 0.61; P=0.024) undergoing EI, GCS had an inverse relation with mortality (accuracy=82.6%, area under the receiver operator characteristic curve=0.81). Conclusions: A variety of features affected the risk for mortality in patients admitted to the ICU. Considering GCS score for EI had the potential of affecting prognosis in subgroups of patients such as those with trauma surgeries or other surgical categories.
Background Pediatric intensive care units (PICUs), where children with critical illnesses are treated, require considerable manpower and technological infrastructure in order to keep children alive and free from sequelae. Methods: In this retrospective comparative cohort study, hospital records of patients aged 1 month to 18 years who died in the study PICU between January 2015 and December 2019 were reviewed. Results: A total of 2,781 critically ill children were admitted to the PICU. The mean±standard deviation age of 254 nonsurvivors was 64.34±69.48 months. The mean PICU length of stay was 17 days (range, 1–205 days), with 40 children dying early (<1 day of PICU admission). The majority of nonsurvivors (83.9%) had comorbid illnesses. Children with early mortality were more likely to have neurological findings (62.5%), hypotension (82.5%), oliguria (47.5%), acidosis (92.5%), coagulopathy (30.0%), and cardiac arrest (45.0%) and less likely to have terminal illnesses (52.5%) and chronic illnesses (75.6%). Children who died early had a higher mean age (81.8 months) and Pediatric Risk of Mortality (PRISM) III score (37). In children who died early, the first three signs during ICU admission were hypoglycemia in 68.5%, neurological symptoms in 43.5%, and acidosis in 78.3%. Sixty-seven patients needed continuous renal replacement therapy, 51 required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support, and 10 underwent extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Conclusions: We found that rates of neurological findings, hypotension, oliguria, acidosis, coagulation disorder, and cardiac arrest and PRISM III scores were higher in children who died early compared to those who died later.
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Descriptive and Clinical Characteristics of Nonsurvivors in a Tertiary Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in Turkey: 6 Years of Experience Zeynep Karakaya, Merve Boyraz, Seyma Koksal Atis, Servet Yuce, Muhterem Duyu Journal of Pediatric Intensive Care.2023;[Epub] CrossRef
The provision of palliative care in the intensive care unit (ICU) is increasing. While some scholars have suggested the goals of palliative care to not be aligned with the ICU, some evidence show benefits of the integration. This review aimed to explore and synthesize research that identified barriers and facilitators in the provision of palliative care in the ICU. This review utilized Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Scoping Review guidelines based on population, concept, and context. We searched for eligible studies in five electronic databases (Scopus, PubMed, ProQuest, Science Direct, and Sage) and included studies on the provision of palliative care (concept) in the ICU (context) that were published in English between 2005–2021. We describe the provision of palliative care in terms of barriers and facilitators. We also describe the study design and context. A total of 14 papers was included. Several barriers and facilitators in providing palliative care in the ICU were identified and include lack of capabilities, family boundaries, practical issues, cultural differences. Facilitators of the provision of palliative care in an ICU include greater experience and supportive behaviors, i.e., collaborations between health care professionals. This scoping review demonstrates the breadth of barriers and facilitators of palliative care in the ICU. Hospital management can consider findings of the current review to better integrate palliative care in the ICU.
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Healthcare Professionals’ Attitudes towards and Knowledge and Understanding of Paediatric Palliative Medicine (PPM) and Its Meaning within the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU): A Summative Content Analysis in a Tertiary Children’s Hospital in Scotlan Satyajit Ray, Emma Victoria McLorie, Jonathan Downie Healthcare.2023; 11(17): 2438. CrossRef
Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with increased risk of sepsis and higher infection-related mortality compared to the general population. However, the evidence on the prognostic impact of RA in sepsis has been inconclusive. We aimed to estimate the population-level association of RA with short-term mortality in sepsis. Methods: We used statewide data to identify hospitalizations aged ≥18 years in Texas with sepsis, with and without RA during 2014–2017. Hierarchical logistic models with propensity adjustment (primary model), propensity score matching, and multivariable logistic regression without propensity adjustment were used to estimate the association of RA with short-term mortality among sepsis hospitalizations. Results: Among 283,025 sepsis hospitalizations, 7,689 (2.7%) had RA. Compared to sepsis hospitalizations without RA, those with RA were older (aged ≥65 years, 63.9% vs. 56.4%) and had higher burden of comorbidities (mean Deyo comorbidity index, 3.2 vs. 2.7). Short-term mortality of sepsis hospitalizations with and without RA was 26.8% vs. 31.4%. Following adjustment for confounders, short-term mortality was lower among RA patients (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.910; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.856–0.967), with similar findings on alternative models. On sensitivity analyses, short-term mortality was lower in RA patients among sepsis hospitalizations aged ≥65 years and those with septic shock, but not among those admitted to intensive care unit (ICU; aOR, 0.990; 95% CI, 0.909–1.079). Conclusions: RA was associated, unexpectedly, with lower short-term mortality in septic patients. However, this “protective” association was driven by those patients without ICU admission. Further studies are warranted to confirm these findings and to examine the underlying mechanisms.
Effects of prior antiplatelet and/or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use on mortality in patients undergoing abdominal surgery for abdominal sepsis Se Hun Kim, Ki Hoon Kim Surgery.2023; 174(3): 611. CrossRef
Background Pediatric Index of Mortality 3 (PIM 3) and Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2 (PELOD-2) are validated tools for predicting mortality in children. Research suggests that these tools may have different predictive performance depending on patient group characteristics. Therefore, we designed this study to identify the factors that make the mortality rates predicted by the tools different.
Methods This retrospective study included patients (<18 years) who were admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit from July 2017 to May 2019. After defining the predicted mortality of PIM 3 minus the predicted mortality rate of PELOD-2 as “difference in mortality prediction,” the clinical characteristics significantly related to this were analyzed using multivariable regression analysis. Predictive performance was analyzed through the Hosmer-Lemeshow test and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC).
Results In total, 945 patients (median [interquartile range] age, 3.0 [0.0–8.0] years; girls, 44.7%) were analyzed. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test revealed AUROCs of 0.889 (χ2=10.187, P=0.313) and 0.731 (χ2=6.220, P=0.183) of PIM 3 and PELOD-2, respectively. Multivariable linear regression analysis revealed that oxygen saturation, partial pressure of CO2, base excess, platelet counts, and blood urea nitrogen levels were significant factors. Patient condition-related factors such as cardiac bypass surgery, seizures, cardiomyopathy or myocarditis, necrotizing enterocolitis, cardiac arrest, leukemia or lymphoma after the first induction, bone marrow transplantation, and liver failure were significantly related (P<0.001).
Conclusions Both tools predicted observed mortality well; however, caution is needed in interpretation as they may show different prediction results in relation to specific clinical characteristics.