Care Units In Australia Research Articles

Genesis of the College of Intensive Care Medicine of Australia and New Zealand.

In 2009 the College of Intensive Care Medicine (CICM) of Australia and New Zealand was inaugurated in Melbourne, Australia. This College now regulates the education, training and accreditation for specialist intensivists for Australia and New Zealand. CICM origins started in 1975 with the formation of the Section of Intensive Care of the Faculty of Anaesthetists, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS), which moved through intermediary stages as the Faculty of Intensive Care, Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) when that College was formed from the former Faculty of Anaesthetists RACS, and then the Joint Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine (ANZCA and the Royal Australasian College of Physicians [RACP]), until becoming completely independent as CICM in 2010. There was a period of about 40-50 years evolution from the first formations of intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand, and discussions by the personnel staffing those units amongst themselves and with Members of the Board of the Faculty of Anaesthetists RACS, to the formation of the Section of Intensive Care, then through two intermediary Faculties of Intensive Care Medicine, to the final independent formation of the College of Intensive Care Medicine of Australia and New Zealand in 2010.

The systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria and their differential association with mortality

PurposeDespite the recent Sepsis-3 consensus, the Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) criteria continue to be assessed and recommended. Such use implies equivalence and interchangeability of criteria. Thus, we aimed to test whether such criteria are indeed equivalent and interchangeable. Materials and methodsFrom 2000 to 2015, we identified patients with infection, organ failure, and at least one SIRS criterion in 179 Intensive Care Units in Australia and New.Zealand. We studied the association of different SIRS criteria with hospital mortality. ResultsAmong 131,016 patients with infection and organ failure, mortality increased from 10.6% for the respiratory rate criterion to 15.8% for the heart rate criterion (P<0.01); from 10.1% for the high leukocyte count criterion to 20.0% for a low count and from 10.1% for a high temperature to 14.4% for a low temperature criterion. With any two SIRS criteria, hospital mortality varied from 11.5% to 30.8% depending on the combination of criteria. This difference remained unchanged after adjustments and was consistent over time. ConclusionsDifferent individual and combinations of SIRS criteria were associated with marked differences in hospital mortality. These differences remained unchanged after adjustment and over time and imply that individual SIRS criteria are not equivalent or interchangeable.

Association of Hypercapnia and Hypercapnic Acidosis With Clinical Outcomes in Mechanically Ventilated Patients With Cerebral Injury

Clinical studies investigating the effects of hypercapnia and hypercapnic acidosis in acute cerebral injury are limited. The studies performed so far have mainly focused on the outcomes in relation to the changes in partial pressure of carbon dioxide and pH in isolation and have not evaluated the effects of partial pressure of carbon dioxide and pH in conjunction. To review the association of compensated hypercapnia and hypercapnic acidosis during the first 24 hours of intensive care unit admission on hospital mortality in adult mechanically ventilated patients with cerebral injury. Multicenter, binational retrospective review of patients with cerebral injury (traumatic brain injury, cardiac arrest, and stroke) admitted to 167 intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand between January 2000 and December 2015. Patients were classified into 3 groups based on combination of arterial pH and arterial carbon dioxide (normocapnia and normal pH, compensated hypercapnia, and hypercapnic acidosis) during the first 24 hours of intensive care unit stay. Hospital mortality. A total of 30 742 patients (mean age, 55 years; 21 827 men [71%]) were included. Unadjusted hospital mortality rates were highest in patients with hypercapnic acidosis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis and Cox proportional hazards analysis in 3 diagnostic categories showed increased odds of hospital mortality (cardiac arrest odds ratio [OR], 1.51; 95% CI, 1.34-1.71; stroke OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.27-1.6; and traumatic brain injury OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.06-1.42; P <.001) and hazard ratios (HR) (cardiac arrest HR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.14-1.34; stroke HR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.21-1.4; traumatic brain injury HR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1-1.27), in patients with hypercapnic acidosis compared with normocapnia and normal pH. There was no difference in mortality between patients who had compensated hypercapnia compared with patients who had normocapnia and normal pH. In patients with hypercapnic acidosis, the adjusted OR of hospital mortality increased with increasing partial pressure of carbon dioxide, while no such increase was noted in patients with compensated hypercapnia. Hypercapnic acidosis was associated with increased risk of hospital mortality in patients with cerebral injury. Hypercapnia, when compensated to normal pH during the first 24 hours of intensive care unit admission, may not be harmful in mechanically ventilated patients with cerebral injury.

Supplemental parenteral nutrition versus usual care in critically ill adults: a pilot randomized controlled study

BackgroundIn the critically ill, energy delivery from enteral nutrition (EN) is often less than the estimated energy requirement. Parenteral nutrition (PN) as a supplement to EN may increase energy delivery. We aimed to determine if an individually titrated supplemental PN strategy commenced 48–72 hours following ICU admission and continued for up to 7 days would increase energy delivery to critically ill adults compared to usual care EN delivery.MethodsThis study was a prospective, parallel group, phase II pilot trial conducted in six intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand. Mechanically ventilated adults with at least one organ failure and EN delivery below 80% of estimated energy requirement in the previous 24 hours received either a supplemental PN strategy (intervention group) or usual care EN delivery. EN in the usual care group could be supplemented with PN if EN remained insufficient after usual methods to optimise delivery were attempted.ResultsThere were 100 patients included in the study and 99 analysed. Overall, 71% of the study population were male, with a mean (SD) age of 59 (17) years, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score of 18.2 (6.7) and body mass index of 29.6 (5.8) kg/m2. Significantly greater energy (mean (SD) 1712 (511) calories vs. 1130 (601) calories, p < 0.0001) and proportion of estimated energy requirement (mean (SD) 83 (25) % vs. 53 (29) %, p < 0.0001) from EN and/or PN was delivered to the intervention group compared to usual care. Delivery of protein and proportion of estimated protein requirements were also greater in the intervention group (mean (SD) 86 (25) g, 86 (23) %) compared to usual care (mean (SD) 53 (29) g, 51 (25) %, p < 0.0001). Antibiotic use, ICU and hospital length of stay, mortality and functional outcomes were similar between the two groups.ConclusionsThis individually titrated supplemental PN strategy applied over 7 days significantly increased energy delivery when compared to usual care delivery. Clinical and functional outcomes were similar between the two patient groups.Trial registrationClinical Trial registry details: NCT01847534 (First registered 22 April 2013, last updated 31 July 2016)

Maintenance fluid practices in paediatric intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand

Maintenance fluid practices in paediatric intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand

Barriers to regaining control within a constructivist grounded theory of family resilience in ICU: Living with uncertainty.

To discuss families' experiences of their interactions when a relative is admitted unexpectedly to an Australian intensive care unit. The overwhelming emotions associated with the unexpected admission of a relative to an intensive care unit are often due to the uncertainty surrounding the condition of their critically ill relative. There is limited in-depth understanding of the nature of uncertainty experienced by families in intensive care, and interventions perceived by families to minimise their uncertainty are not well documented. Furthermore, the interrelationships between factors, such as staff-family interactions and the intensive care unit environment, and its influence on families' uncertainty particularly in the context of the Australian healthcare system, are not well delineated. A grounded theory methodology was adopted for the study. Datawerecollected between 2009-2013, using in-depth interviews with 25 family members of 21 critically ill patients admitted to a metropolitan, tertiary-level intensive care unit in Australia. This paper describes the families experiences of heightened emotional vulnerability and uncertainty when a relative is admitted unexpectedly to the intensive care unit. Families uncertainty is directly influenced by their emotional state, the foreign environment and perceptions of being 'kept in the dark', as well as the interrelationships between these factors. Staff are offered an improved understanding of the barriers to families' ability to regain control, guided by a grounded theory of family resilience in the intensive care unit. The findings reveal in-depth understanding of families' uncertainty in intensive care. It suggests that intensive care unit staff need to focus clinical interventions on reducing factors that heighten their uncertainty, while optimising strategies that help alleviate it. Families are facilitated to move beyond feelings of helplessness and loss of control, and cope better with their situation.

Empiric antibiotic regimens for neonatal sepsis in Australian and New Zealand neonatal intensive care units.

Neonatal sepsis remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality, and requires prompt empiric treatment. However, only a minority of babies who receive antibiotics for suspected sepsis have an infection. Antimicrobial exposure in infancy has important short- and long-term consequences. There is no consensus regarding empirical antimicrobial regimens. The study included a survey of empiric antimicrobial regimens in all tertiary neonatal intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand in 2013-2014. All 27 units responded. For early-onset sepsis, all units used a combination of gentamicin with either penicillin or ampicillin. For late-onset sepsis, the frequency of units using empiric vancomycin (41%) versus empiric flucloxacillin (48%) was similar. Gestational age or the presence of a central venous catheter had little influence on using vancomycin instead of flucloxacillin. For late-onset sepsis with meningitis there was marked variation in antimicrobial combinations, with 15 different regimens described. A total of 93% used a cefotaxime-based regimen, either as monotherapy (22%) or combined with a second (22%) or third (48%) agent. For suspected necrotising enterocolitis, 89% used an aminoglycoside, metronidazole and a penicillin. Historical outbreaks of multi-resistant organisms exerted long-term influence over regimen choice. There was limited use of broad-spectrum agents such as carbapenems or third-generation cephalosporins. In this region with low methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus prevalence, empiric vancomycin use was common, selected for activity against coagulase-negative staphylococci. Empiric vancomycin is rarely necessary because coagulase-negative staphylococci are often contaminants and sepsis is rarely fulminant, occurring almost exclusively in extremely low birthweight infants. Implementation of appropriate, local antimicrobial policies is crucial to minimise antimicrobial exposure in this vulnerable population and halt the development of antimicrobial resistance.

Developing a minimum dataset for nursing team leader handover in the intensive care unit: A focus group study

BackgroundDespite increasing demand for structured processes to guide clinical handover, nursing handover tools are limited in the intensive care unit. ObjectivesThe study aim was to identify key items to include in a minimum dataset for intensive care nursing team leader shift-to-shift handover. MethodsThis focus group study was conducted in a 21-bed medical/surgical intensive care unit in Australia. Senior registered nurses involved in team leader handovers were recruited. Focus groups were conducted using a nominal group technique to generate and prioritise minimum dataset items. Nurses were presented with content from previous team leader handovers and asked to select which content items to include in a minimum dataset. Participant responses were summarised as frequencies and percentages. ResultsSeventeen senior nurses participated in three focus groups. Participants agreed that ISBAR (Identify-Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendations) was a useful tool to guide clinical handover. Items recommended to be included in the minimum dataset (≥65% agreement) included Identify (name, age, days in intensive care), Situation (diagnosis, surgical procedure), Background (significant event(s), management of significant event(s)) and Recommendations (patient plan for next shift, tasks to follow up for next shift). Overall, 30 of the 67 (45%) items in the Assessment category were considered important to include in the minimum dataset and focused on relevant observations and treatment within each body system. Other non-ISBAR items considered important to include related to the ICU (admissions to ICU, staffing/skill mix, theatre cases) and patients (infectious status, site of infection, end of life plan). Items were further categorised into those to include in all handovers and those to discuss only when relevant to the patient. ConclusionsThe findings suggest a minimum dataset for intensive care nursing team leader shift-to-shift handover should contain items within ISBAR along with unit and patient specific information to maintain continuity of care and patient safety across shift changes.

Content validity testing of the ESAT©: A decision aid tool for performing endotracheal suction in children

Background and purposeEndotracheal tube suction performed in children can affect clinical stability. Previous research has identified clinical indicators used to perform endotracheal suction. These were used to develop the Endotracheal Suction Assessment Tool© (ESAT©). This study sought to evaluate the degree to which the ESAT© items as a whole constitute an operational definition of the construct used to determine whether a paediatric intensive care nurse should perform the endotracheal tube suction procedure. MethodsLynn's process for calculation of content validity and scale content validity index using a team of expert reviewers was adopted. Experts were drawn from paediatric intensive care units in Australia (n=6), United Kingdom (n=1), Switzerland (n=1) and Canada (n=1). These experts established the content validity index of the Endotracheal Suction Assessment Tool© using a minimum preset a-priori criterion agreement of 0.78 and a scale content validity index of 0.8. Scale content validity index was used to enhance the interpretability of the content validity data. ResultsAll 15 items achieved the preset a-priori agreement for apparent internal consistency. Minor adjustments were required to improve the clarity of four items. The content validity index ranged from 0.8 to 1.0 and scale content validity index ranged from 0.9 to 1.0 for all items. ConclusionItem and scale content validity indexes of the tool were established. Further psychometric testing for construct validity and stability over time is required to establish clinical utility of the tool and practice of novice paediatric intensive care nurses and other PIC health professionals.

Approaches and adjuncts used by physiotherapists when suctioning adult patients who are intubated and ventilated in intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand: A cross-sectional survey

BackgroundSuctioning is an integral component of care for patients who are intubated and ventilated in an intensive care unit (ICU). There appears to be no published data of physiotherapy suctioning practices in Australia or New Zealand. ObjectiveTo describe suctioning practices and the factors which have shaped these practices, of experienced physiotherapists working with adults who are intubated and ventilated in an ICU across Australia and New Zealand. Areas of investigation focused on: (i) suctioning approach (i.e. open vs. closed system); (ii) use of adjuncts to suctioning such as hyperoxygenation, hyperinflation and saline lavage; (iii) use of subglottic suctioning and; (iv) factors influencing suctioning practices. MethodsElectronic surveys were emailed to experienced physiotherapists working in ICUs across Australia and New Zealand which had the capacity to intubate and ventilate adult patients for ≥24h. ResultsThe participation rate was 84.8% (112/132). Closed suction system was used in most ICUs (97/112, 86.6%). Hyperoxygenation was commonly performed on ‘all’ or ‘most’ patients before suctioning (71/112, 63.4%), but less frequently after suctioning (38/112, 33.9%). Hyperinflation was infrequently performed on ‘all’ or ‘most’ patients before (22/112, 19.6%) or after suctioning (22/112, 19.6%). Saline lavage and subglottic suctioning were infrequently performed on ‘all’ or ‘most’ patients (3/112, 2.7%; 17/112, 15.2%, respectively). ‘Personal experience’ and ‘established practice in the ICU’ had the greatest influence on suctioning practices. ConclusionsMost ICUs in Australia and New Zealand are equipped for closed system suctioning. As hyperoxygenation minimises desaturation during suctioning, there may be scope for a larger proportion of physiotherapists to use this adjunct. The practice of hyperinflation before and after suctioning was uncommon despite the emerging evidence for improved lung compliance with this procedure. Subglottic suctioning was infrequently available as a choice for physiotherapists despite the strong evidence, which suggests an evidence-practice gap.

Minimum standards for ultrasound equipment in intensive care. Recommendations from CICM Ultrasound Special Interest Group.

Critical care ultrasonography allows rapid bedside assessment and monitoring of severely ill patients. It provides important information on a real-time basis for patients' management and clinical decision-making, leading to improvements in delivered quality of care. Provision of this service is not possible without appropriate equipment. This document recommends minimum standards for ultrasound equipment required for use in intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand.

Prevalence of ketosis, ketonuria, and ketoacidosis during liberal glycemic control in critically ill patients with diabetes: an observational study.

BackgroundIt is uncertain whether liberal glucose control in critically ill diabetic patients leads to increased ketone production and ketoacidosis. Therefore, we aimed to assess the prevalence of ketosis, ketonuria and ketoacidosis in critically ill diabetic patients treated in accordance with a liberal glycemic control protocol.MethodsWe performed a prospective observational cohort study of 60 critically ill diabetic patients with blood and/or urine ketone bodies tested in ICU. All patients were treated according to a liberal glucose protocol targeting a blood glucose level (BGL) between 10 and 14 mmol/l in a single tertiary intensive care unit in Australia. We measured quantitative bedside blood 3-beta-hydroxybutyrate (β-OHB) and semi-quantitative urine ketones on ICU admission and daily during ICU stay, for a maximum of 10 consecutive days.ResultsMedian blood β-OHB level on admission was 0.3 (0.1, 0.8) mmol/l. Ketoacidosis was rare (3 %), but some level of ketosis (β-OHB ≥0.6 mmol/l) was found in 38 patients (63 %) early during their ICU stay. However, there was no significant difference in prevalence or severity of ketonemia and ketonuria among patients with BGL above (permissive hyperglycemia) or below 10 mmol/l. On multivariable linear regression analysis there was no association between blood ketone levels and BGL, HbA1c, lactate levels, hematocrit, catecholamine infusion or APACHE III score. In contrast, blood ketone levels tended to be higher after cardiopulmonary bypass surgery (P = 0.06).ConclusionsLiberal glycemic control in critically ill diabetic patients does not appear to be associated with a high prevalence of ketoacidosis or ketonemia. Moreover, ketosis is typically present on admission and resolves rapidly. Finally, cardiopulmonary bypass surgery may be an important trigger of ketone body production.Trial registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12615000216516; trial registration date 5 March 2015).Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13054-016-1462-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Maintenance fluid practices in intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand

Maintenance fluid practices in intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand

Effect of Dexmedetomidine Added to Standard Care on Ventilator-Free Time in Patients With Agitated Delirium: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Effective therapy has not been established for patients with agitated delirium receiving mechanical ventilation. To determine the effectiveness of dexmedetomidine when added to standard care in patients with agitated delirium receiving mechanical ventilation. The Dexmedetomidine to Lessen ICU Agitation (DahLIA) study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group randomized clinical trial involving 74 adult patients in whom extubation was considered inappropriate because of the severity of agitation and delirium. The study was conducted at 15 intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand from May 2011 until December 2013. Patients with advanced dementia or traumatic brain injury were excluded. Bedside nursing staff administered dexmedetomidine (or placebo) initially at a rate of 0.5 µg/kg/h and then titrated to rates between 0 and 1.5 µg/kg/h to achieve physician-prescribed sedation goals. The study drug or placebo was continued until no longer required or up to 7 days. All other care was at the discretion of the treating physician. Ventilator-free hours in the 7 days following randomization. There were 21 reported secondary outcomes that were defined a priori. Of the 74 randomized patients (median age, 57 years; 18 [24%] women), 2 withdrew consent later and 1 was found to have been randomized incorrectly, leaving 39 patients in the dexmedetomidine group and 32 patients in the placebo group for analysis. Dexmedetomidine increased ventilator-free hours at 7 days compared with placebo (median, 144.8 hours vs 127.5 hours, respectively; median difference between groups, 17.0 hours [95% CI, 4.0 to 33.2 hours]; P = .01). Among the 21 a priori secondary outcomes, none were significantly worse with dexmedetomidine, and several showed statistically significant benefit, including reduced time to extubation (median, 21.9 hours vs 44.3 hours with placebo; median difference between groups, 19.5 hours [95% CI, 5.3 to 31.1 hours]; P < .001) and accelerated resolution of delirium (median, 23.3 hours vs 40.0 hours; median difference between groups, 16.0 hours [95% CI, 3.0 to 28.0 hours]; P = .01). Using hierarchical Cox modeling to adjust for imbalanced baseline characteristics, allocation to dexmedetomidine was significantly associated with earlier extubation (hazard ratio, 0.47 [95% CI, 0.27-0.82]; P = .007). Among patients with agitated delirium receiving mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit, the addition of dexmedetomidine to standard care compared with standard care alone (placebo) resulted in more ventilator-free hours at 7 days. The findings support the use of dexmedetomidine in patients such as these. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01151865.

In Vivo Microdialysis To Determine Subcutaneous Interstitial Fluid Penetration and Pharmacokinetics of Fluconazole in Intensive Care Unit Patients with Sepsis.

The objective of the study was to describe the subcutaneous interstitial fluid (ISF) pharmacokinetics of fluconazole in critically ill patients with sepsis. This prospective observational study was conducted at two tertiary intensive care units in Australia. Serial fluconazole concentrations were measured over 24 h in plasma and subcutaneous ISF using microdialysis. The concentrations in plasma and microdialysate were measured using a validated high-performance liquid chromatography system with electrospray mass spectrometer detector method. Noncompartmental pharmacokinetic analysis was performed. Twelve critically ill patients with sepsis were enrolled. The mean in vivo fluconazole recovery rates ± standard deviation (SD) for microdialysis were 51.4% ± 16.1% with a mean (±SD) fluconazole ISF penetration ratio of 0.52 ± 0.30 (coefficient of variation, 58%). The median free plasma area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 24 h (AUC0-24) was significantly higher than the median ISF AUC0-24 (340.4 versus 141.1 mg · h/liter; P = 0.004). There was no statistical difference in median fluconazole ISF penetration between patients receiving and not receiving vasopressors (median, 0.28 versus 0.78; P = 0.106). Both minimum and the maximum concentrations of drug in serum (Cmax and Cmin) showed a significant correlation with the fluconazole plasma exposure (Cmax, R(2) = 0.86, P < 0.0001; Cmin, R(2) = 0.75, P < 0.001). Our data suggest that fluconazole was distributed variably, but incompletely, from plasma into subcutaneous interstitial fluid in this cohort of critically ill patients with sepsis. Given the variability of fluconazole interstitial fluid exposures and lack of clinically identifiable factors by which to recognize patients with reduced distribution/exposure, we suggest higher than standard doses to ensure that drug exposure is adequate at the site of infection.

Outborns or Inborns: Where Are the Differences? A Comparison Study of Very Preterm Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Infants Cared for in Australia and New Zealand and in Canada

Background: Very preterm infants born outside tertiary centers are at higher risks of adverse outcomes than inborn infants. Regionalization of perinatal care has been introduced worldwide to improve outcomes. Objective: To compare the risk-adjusted outcomes of both inborn and outborn infants cared for in tertiary neonatal intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand and in Canada. Methods: Deidentified data of infants <32 weeks' gestational age from the 29 Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network units (ANZNN; n = 9,893) and 26 Canadian Neonatal Network units (CNN; n = 7,133) between 2005 and 2007 were analyzed for predischarge adverse outcomes. Results: ANZNN had lower rates of outborns compared to CNN (13 vs. 19%), particularly of late admissions (>2 days of age; 5.8 vs. 22.2% of outborns) who had high morbidity rates. After adjusting for confounding variables including gestation, ANZNN inborn infants had lower odds of chronic lung disease [CLD; 17.0 vs. 23.3%; adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.64-0.77], severe neurological injuries on ultrasound (SNI; 4.1 vs. 6.7%; AOR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.53-0.73), severe retinopathy (5.6 vs. 7%; AOR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.59-0.84) and necrotizing enterocolitis (3.5 vs. 5.4%; AOR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.56-0.79), but no difference in mortality odds. After excluding the late outborn admissions, ANZNN outborns had lower odds of SNI (AOR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.32-0.58) and CLD (AOR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.49-0.81) than CNN. Conclusions: ANZNN inborn and early admitted outborn infants had lower odds of neonatal morbidities than their CNN counterparts. However, compared to ANZNN, the higher CNN rates of outborns and their late admissions are likely related to the differences in regionalization and referral practices, and may explain differences in outcomes.

A survey of physiotherapy suctioning practices of adult patients in intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand

A survey of physiotherapy suctioning practices of adult patients in intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand

Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome Criteria in Defining Severe Sepsis

BackgroundThe consensus definition of severe sepsis requires suspected or proven infection, organ failure, and signs that meet two or more criteria for the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). We aimed to test the sensitivity, face validity, and construct validity of this approach.MethodsWe studied data from patients from 172 intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand from 2000 through 2013. We identified patients with infection and organ failure and categorized them according to whether they had signs meeting two or more SIRS criteria (SIRS-positive severe sepsis) or less than two SIRS criteria (SIRS-negative severe sepsis). We compared their characteristics and outcomes and assessed them for the presence of a step increase in the risk of death at a threshold of two SIRS criteria.ResultsOf 1,171,797 patients, a total of 109,663 had infection and organ failure. Among these, 96,385 patients (87.9%) had SIRS-positive severe sepsis and 13,278 (12.1%) had SIRS-negative severe sepsis. Over a period of 14 years, these groups had similar characteristics and changes in mortality (SIRS-positive group: from 36.1% [829 of 2296 patients] to 18.3% [2037 of 11,119], P<0.001; SIRS-negative group: from 27.7% [100 of 361] to 9.3% [122 of 1315], P<0.001). Moreover, this pattern remained similar after adjustment for baseline characteristics (odds ratio in the SIRS-positive group, 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.96 to 0.97; odds ratio in the SIRS-negative group, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.94 to 0.98; P=0.12 for between-group difference). In the adjusted analysis, mortality increased linearly with each additional SIRS criterion (odds ratio for each additional criterion, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.11 to 1.15; P<0.001) without any transitional increase in risk at a threshold of two SIRS criteria.ConclusionsThe need for two or more SIRS criteria to define severe sepsis excluded one in eight otherwise similar patients with infection, organ failure, and substantial mortality and failed to define a transition point in the risk of death. (Funded by the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Centre.)

Ongoing challenges responding to behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.

Mid- to late-stage dementia is often characterized by behavioural and psychological symptoms, including, but not limited to physical and verbal aggression. Although there is a considerable research about the prevalence, aetiology, and management of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, there is limited research about the experience of caring for people with such symptoms in long-term aged care facilities. The aims of the study were to describe: (i) nurses' experiences of caring for people with behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in long-term aged care facilities, and (ii) strategies nurses used to deal with these symptoms. A qualitative exploratory and descriptive design, involving focus group interviews with 30 nurses from three long-term aged care units in Australia. The transcripts were analysed using inductive content analysis. The findings revealed five interrelated themes: (i) working under difficult conditions, (ii) behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia: an everyday encounter, (iii) making sense of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, (iv) attempting to manage behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, and (v) feeling undervalued. This study highlighted the difficult conditions under which nurses worked and the complexity of caring for individuals who have behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. Organizational efforts to enhance the quality of care for individuals with behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in long-term aged care facilities should extend beyond staff education to heed nurses' concerns about organizational barriers to interpersonal care.

Use of inhaled nitric oxide in preterm infants: A regional survey of practices

ObjectivesTo conduct a regional survey of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) Directors in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) to ascertain current practice. BackgroundUse of inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) therapy in infants < 34 weeks gestational age is not supported by current evidence. MethodsA cross-sectional electronic survey based on structured questionnaire was conducted amongst the Directors of all the tertiary neonatal intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand Neonatal Network (ANZNN). Information was collected on indications, dosage, monitoring response and weaning for iNO therapy. ResultsThe survey was sent to 28 units, of which 2 were quaternary units' not routinely admitting preterm infants, hence were excluded from analysis. The response rate was 77% (20/26). Majority of units (16; 80%) did not have preterm specific protocol. In almost all units nitric was used as early rescue for hypoxemic respiratory failure (95%; 19/20). Neonatologist performed functional echocardiography (fECHO) was frequently used for prior assessment (90%) and monitoring (65%). Variations were noted regarding initiating criteria, dosage and weaning strategies. ConclusionsWide variation in practice was noted highlighting the need for the formulation of consensus guidelines.