The primary aim of this review is to explore current knowledge on the relationship between institutional intensive care unit (ICU) patient volume and patient outcomes. Studies indicate that a higher institutional ICU patient volume is positively correlated with patient survival. Although the exact mechanism underlying this association remains unclear, several studies have proposed that the cumulative experience of physicians and selective referral between institutions may play a role. The overall ICU mortality rate in Korea is relatively high compared to other developed countries. A distinctive aspect of critical care in Korea is the existence of significant disparities in the quality of care and services provided across regions and hospitals. Addressing these disparities and optimizing the management of critically ill patients necessitates thoroughly trained intensivists who are well-versed in the latest clinical practice guidelines. A fully functioning unit with adequate patient throughput is also essential for maintaining consistent and reliable quality of patient care. However, the positive impact of ICU volume on mortality outcomes is also linked to complex organizational factors, such as multidisciplinary rounds, nurse staffing and education, the presence of a clinical pharmacist, care protocols for weaning and sedation, and a culture of teamwork and communication. Despite some inconsistencies in the association between ICU patient volume and patient outcomes, which are thought to arise from differences in healthcare systems, ICU case volume significantly affects patient outcomes and should be taken into account when formulating related healthcare policies.
Luiza Gabriella Antonio e Silva, Claudia Maria Dantas de Maio Carrilho, Thalita Bento Talizin, Lucienne Tibery Queiroz Cardoso, Edson Lopes Lavado, Cintia Magalhães Carvalho Grion
Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(1):68-75. Published online February 27, 2023
Background Deaths can occur after a patient has survived treatment for a serious illness in an intensive care unit (ICU). Mortality rates after leaving the ICU can be considered indicators of health care quality. This study aims to describe risk factors and mortality of surviving patients discharged from an ICU in a university hospital. Methods: Retrospective cohort study carried out from January 2017 to December 2018. Data on age, sex, length of hospital stay, diagnosis on admission to the ICU, hospital discharge outcome, presence of infection, and Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) III prognostic score were collected. Infected patients were considered as those being treated for an infection on discharge from the ICU. Patients were divided into survivors and non-survivors on leaving the hospital. The association between the studied variables was performed using the logistic regression model. Results: A total of 1,025 patients who survived hospitalization in the ICU were analyzed, of which 212 (20.7%) died after leaving the ICU. When separating the groups of survivors and non-survivors according to hospital outcome, the median age was higher among non-survivors. Longer hospital stays and higher SAPS III values were observed among non-survivors. In the logistic regression, the variables age, length of hospital stay, SAPS III, presence of infection, and readmission to the ICU were associated with hospital mortality. Conclusions: Infection on ICU discharge, ICU readmission, age, length of hospital stay, and SAPS III increased risk of death in ICU survivors.
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.
Background The study aimed to describe the clinical course, outcomes, and prognostic factors of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with acute hypercapnic respiratory failure. Methods: This retrospective study involved patients with acute hypercapnic respiratory failure due to COPD of any cause admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for non-invasive or invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) support between December 2015 and February 2020. Results: One hundred patients were evaluated. The main causes of acute hypercapnic respiratory failure were bronchitis, pneumonia, and heart failure. The patients’ mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score was 23.0±7.2, and their IMV rate was 43%. ICU, in-hospital, and 90-day mortality rates were 21%, 29%, and 39%, respectively. Non-survivors had more pneumonia, shock within the first 24 hours of admission, IMV, vasopressor use, and renal replacement therapy, along with higher APACHE II scores, lower admission albumin levels and PaO2/ FiO2 ratios, and longer ICU and hospital stays than survivors. Logistic regression analysis identified APACHE II score (odds ratio [OR], 1.157; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.017–1.317; P=0.026), admission PaO2/FiO2 ratio (OR, 0.989; 95% CI, 0.978–0.999; P=0.046), and vasopressor use (OR, 8.827; 95% CI, 1.650–47.215; P=0.011) as predictors of ICU mortality. APACHE II score (OR, 1.099; 95% CI, 1.021–1.182; P=0.011) and admission albumin level (OR, 0.169; 95% CI, 0.056–0.514; P=0.002) emerged as predictors of 90-day mortality. Conclusions: APACHE II scores, the PaO2/FiO2 ratio, vasopressor use, and albumin levels are significant short-term mortality predictors in severely ill COPD patients with acute hypercapnic respiratory failure.
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COPD Exacerbation: Why It Is Important to Avoid ICU Admission Irene Prediletto, Gilda Giancotti, Stefano Nava Journal of Clinical Medicine.2023; 12(10): 3369. 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 Alcohol use disorders (AUD) are common in patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU) and increase the risk for worse outcomes. In this study, we describe factors associated with patient mortality after ICU admission and the effect of chemical dependency (CD) counseling on outcomes in the year following ICU admission. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patient demographics, hospital data, and documentation of CD counseling by medical providers for all ICU patients with AUD admitted to our institution between January 2017 and March 2019. Primary outcomes were in-hospital and 1-year mortality. Results: Of the 527 patients with AUD requiring ICU care, median age was 56 years (range, 18–86). Both in-hospital (12%) and 1-year mortality rates (27%) were high. Rural patients, comorbidities, older age, need for mechanical ventilation, and complications were associated with increased risk of in-hospital and 1-year mortality. CD counseling was documented for 73% of patients, and 50% of these patients accepted alcohol treatment or resources prior to discharge. CD evaluation and acceptance was associated with a significantly decreased rate of readmission for liver or alcohol-related issues (36% vs. 58%; odds ratio [OR], 0.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.27–0.61) and 1-year mortality (7% vs. 19.5%; OR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.16–0.64). CD evaluation alone, regardless of patient acceptance, was associated with a significantly decreased 1-year post-discharge mortality rate (12% vs. 23%; OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.25–0.77). Conclusions: ICU patients with AUD had high in-hospital and 1-year mortality. CD evaluation, regardless of patient acceptance, was associated with a significant decrease in 1-year mortality
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
Background Delayed intubation is associated with poor prognosis in patients with respiratory failure. However, the effect of delayed intubation in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) remains unknown. This study aimed to analyze whether timing of intubation after high-concentration oxygen therapy was associated with worse clinical outcomes in IPF patients. Methods: This retrospective propensity score-matched study enrolled adult patients with IPF who underwent mechanical ventilation between January 2011 and July 2021. Patients were divided into early and delayed intubation groups. Delayed intubation was defined as use of high-concentration oxygen therapy for at least 48 hours before tracheal intubation. The primary outcome was intensive care unit (ICU) mortality, and a conditional logistic regression model was used to evaluate the association between timing of intubation and clinical outcomes. Results: The median duration of high-concentration oxygen therapy before intubation was 0.5 days in the early intubation group (n=60) and 5.1 days in the delayed intubation group (n=36). The ICU mortality rate was 56.7% and 75% in the early and delayed intubation groups, respectively, before propensity matching (P=0.075). After matching for demographic and clinical covariates, 33 matched pairs were selected. In the propensity-matched cohort, delayed intubation significantly increased the risk of ICU mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 3.99; 95% confidence interval, 1.02–15.63; P=0.046). However, in-hospital mortality did not differ significantly between the groups. Conclusions: In patients with IPF, delayed intubation after initiation of high-concentration oxygen therapy was significantly associated with increased risk of ICU mortality compared to early intubation.
Background The transition of dialysis modalities from continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) to intermittent hemodialysis (iHD) is frequently conducted during the recovery phase of critically ill patients with acute kidney injury. Herein, we addressed the occurrence of intradialytic hypotension (IDH) after this transition, and its association with the mortality risk. Methods: A total of 541 patients with acute kidney injury who attempted to transition from CRRT to iHD at Seoul National University Hospital, Korea from 2010 to 2020 were retrospectively collected. IDH was defined as a discontinuation of dialysis because of hemodynamic instability plus a nadir systolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg or a decrease in systolic blood pressure ≥30 mm Hg during the first session of iHD. Odds ratios (ORs) of outcomes, such as in-hospital mortality and weaning from RRT, were measured using a logistic regression model after adjusting for multiple variables. Results: IDH occurred in 197 patients (36%), and their mortality rate (44%) was higher than that of those without IDH (19%; OR, 2.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.70–4.08). For patients exhibiting IDH, the iHD sessions delayed successful weaning from RRT (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.43–0.90) compared with sessions on those without IDH. Factors such as low blood pressure, high pulse rate, low urine output, use of mechanical ventilations and vasopressors, and hypoalbuminemia were associated with IDH risk. Conclusions: IDH occurrence following the transition from CRRT to iHD is associated with high mortality and delayed weaning from RRT.
Background Nutritional status is associated with mortality. The modified Nutrition Risk in the Critically Ill (mNUTRIC) score is one of the most commonly used nutritional risk assessment tools in intensive care units (ICUs). The purpose of this study was to compare the mortality predictive ability of the mNUTRIC score to that of the mNUTRIC-S2 score, which uses the Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II instead of the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II. Methods: This retrospective cohort analysis included patients admitted to the ICU between January and September 2020. Each patient’s electronic medical records were reviewed. The model discrimination for predicting ICU mortality was assessed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and a Cox regression model was performed to confirm the relationship between the groups and mortality. Results: In total, 220 patients were enrolled. The ROC curve for predicting ICU mortality was 0.64 for the mNUTRIC score versus 0.67 for the mNUTRIC-S2 score. The difference between the areas was 0.03 (95% confidence interval [CI], –0.01 to 0.06; P=0.09). Patients with mNUTRIC-S2 score ≥5 had a greater risk of ICU mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 3.64; 95% CI, 1.85–7.14; P<0.001); however, no such relationship was observed with mNUTRIC score (HR, 1.69; 95% CI, 0.62–4.62; P=0.31). Conclusions: The mNUTRIC-S2 score was significantly associated with ICU mortality. A cutoff score of 5 was selected as most appropriate.
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.
Background We aim to describe the demographics and outcomes of patients with severe disease with the Omicron variant. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus continues to mutate, and the availability of vaccines and boosters continue to rise, it is important to understand the health care burden of new variants. We analyze patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) in a large Academic Health System during New York City’s fourth surge beginning on November 27, 2021.
Methods All patients admitted to an ICU were included in the primary analysis. Key demographics and outcomes were retrospectively compared between patients stratified by vaccination status. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for in-hospital mortality.
Results In-hospital mortality for all admitted patients during the fourth wave was significantly lower than in previous waves. However, among patients requiring intensive care, in-hospital mortality was high across all levels of vaccination status. In a multivariate model older age was associated with increased in-hospital mortality, vaccination status of overdue for booster was associated with decreased in hospital mortality, and vaccination status of up-to-date with vaccination showed a trend to reduced mortality.
Conclusions In-hospital mortality of patients with severe respiratory failure from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains high despite decreasing overall mortality. Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 was protective against mortality. Vaccination remains the best and safest way to protect against serious illness and death from COVID-19. It remains unclear that any other treatment will have success in changing the natural history of the disease.
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Outcomes of Elderly Patients Hospitalized with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron B.1.1.529 Variant: A Systematic Review Roxana Manuela Fericean, Cristian Oancea, Akash Reddy Reddyreddy, Ovidiu Rosca, Felix Bratosin, Vlad Bloanca, Cosmin Citu, Satish Alambaram, Neeharika Gayatri Vasamsetti, Catalin Dumitru International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2023; 20(3): 2150. CrossRef
Background Sepsis and septic shock remain the leading causes of death in critically ill patients worldwide. Various biomarkers are available to determine the prognosis and therapeutic effects of sepsis. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of presepsin as a sepsis biomarker. Methods: Patients admitted to the intensive care unit with major or minor diagnosis of sepsis were categorized into survival and non-survival groups. The white blood cell count and serum C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and presepsin levels were measured in all patients. Results: The study included 40 patients (survival group, 32; non-survival group, 8; mortality rate, 20%). The maximum serum presepsin levels measured during intensive care unit admission were significantly higher in the non-survival group (median [interquartile range]: 4,205.5 pg/ml [1,155.8–10,094.0] vs. 741.5 pg/ml [520.0–1,317.5], P<0.05). No statistically significant intergroup differences were observed in the maximum, minimum, and mean values of the white blood cell count, as well as serum C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin levels. Based on the receiver operating characteristic curve, the area under the curve for presepsin as a predictor of sepsis mortality was 0.764. At a cut-off value of 1,898.5 pg/ml, the sensitivity and specificity of presepsin for prediction of sepsis-induced mortality were 75.0% and 87.5%, respectively. Conclusions: Early diagnosis of sepsis and prediction of sepsis-induced mortality are important for prompt initiation of treatment. Presepsin may serve as an effective biomarker for prediction of sepsis-induced mortality and for evaluation of treatment effectiveness.
Background The inflammatory response that occurs following cardiac arrest can determine the long-term prognosis of patients who survive out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. We evaluated the correlation between C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR) following cardiac arrest and long-term mortality. Methods: The current retrospective observational study examined patients with post-cardiac arrest syndrome (PCAS) treated with targeted temperature management at a single tertiary care hospital. We measured CAR at four time points (at admission and then 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours after) following cardiac arrest. The primary outcome was the patients’ 6-month mortality. We performed multivariable and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) analyses to investigate the relationship between CAR and 6-month mortality. Results: Among the 115 patients, 52 (44.1%) died within 6 months. In the multivariable analysis, CAR at 48 hours (odds ratio [OR], 1.130; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.027–1.244) and 72 hours (OR, 1.241; 95% CI, 1.059–1.455) after cardiac arrest was independently associated with 6-month mortality. The AUCs of CAR at admission and 24, 48, and 72 hours after cardiac arrest for predicting 6-month mortality were 0.583 (95% CI, 0.489–0.673), 0.622 (95% CI, 0.528–0.710), 0.706 (95% CI, 0.615–0.786), and 0.762 (95% CI, 0.675–0.835), respectively. Conclusions: CAR at 72 hours after cardiac arrest was an independent predictor for long-term mortality in patients with PCAS.
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Inflammatory response after out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest—Impact on outcome and organ failure development Asser M. J. Seppä, Markus B. Skrifvars, Pirkka T. Pekkarinen Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica.2023; 67(9): 1273. CrossRef
Comparison of Prognostic Performance between Procalcitonin and Procalcitonin-to-Albumin Ratio in Post Cardiac Arrest Syndrome Ju Hee Yoon, Woo Sung Choi, Yong Su Lim, Jae Ho Jang Journal of Clinical Medicine.2023; 12(14): 4568. CrossRef
Background
Prediction of intensive care unit (ICU) mortality in traumatic brain injury (TBI), which is a common cause of death in children and young adults, is important for injury management. Neuroinflammation is responsible for both primary and secondary brain injury, and C-reactive protein-albumin ratio (CAR) has allowed use of biomarkers such as procalcitonin (PCT) in predicting mortality. Here, we compared the performance of CAR and PCT in predicting ICU mortality in TBI.
Methods Adults with TBI were enrolled in our study. The medical records of 82 isolated TBI patients were reviewed retrospectively.
Results The mean patient age was 49.0 ± 22.69 years; 59 of all patients (72%) were discharged, and 23 (28%) died. There was a statistically significant difference between PCT and CAR values according to mortality (P<0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.646 with 0.071 standard error for PCT and 0.642 with 0.066 standard error for CAR. The PCT showed a similar AUC of the receiver operating characteristic to CAR.
Conclusions This study shows that CAR and PCT are usable biomarkers to predict ICU mortality in TBI. When the determined cut-off values are used to predict the course of the disease, the CAR and PCT biomarkers will provide more effective information for treatment planning and for preparation of the family for the treatment process and to manage their outcome expectations.