Daily Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Research Articles

Assessing SOFA score trajectories in sepsis using machine learning: A pragmatic approach to improve the accuracy of mortality prediction.

An increasing amount of longitudinal health data is available on critically ill septic patients in the age of digital medicine, including daily sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score measurements. Thus, the assessment in sepsis focuses increasingly on the evaluation of the individual disease's trajectory. Machine learning (ML) algorithms may provide a promising approach here to improve the evaluation of daily SOFA score dynamics. We tested whether ML algorithms can outperform the conventional ΔSOFA score regarding the accuracy of 30-day mortality prediction. We used the multicentric SepsisDataNet.NRW study cohort that prospectively enrolled 252 sepsis patients between 03/2018 and 09/2019 for training ML algorithms, i.e. support vector machine (SVM) with polynomial kernel and artificial neural network (aNN). We used the Amsterdam UMC database covering 1,790 sepsis patients for external and independent validation. Both SVM (AUC 0.84; 95% CI: 0.71-0.96) and aNN (AUC 0.82; 95% CI: 0.69-0.95) assessing the SOFA scores of the first seven days led to a more accurate prognosis of 30-day mortality compared to the ΔSOFA score between day 1 and 7 (AUC 0.73; 95% CI: 0.65-0.80; p = 0.02 and p = 0.05, respectively). These differences were even more prominent the shorter the time interval considered. Using the SOFA scores of day 1 to 3 SVM (AUC 0.82; 95% CI: 0.68 0.95) and aNN (AUC 0.80; 95% CI: 0.660.93) led to a more accurate prognosis of 30-day mortality compared to the ΔSOFA score (AUC 0.66; 95% CI: 0.58-0.74; p < 0.01 and p < 0.01, respectively). Strikingly, all these findings could be confirmed in the independent external validation cohort. The ML-based algorithms using daily SOFA scores markedly improved the accuracy of mortality compared to the conventional ΔSOFA score. Therefore, this approach could provide a promising and automated approach to assess the individual disease trajectory in sepsis. These findings reflect the potential of incorporating ML algorithms as robust and generalizable support tools on intensive care units.

High dose esomeprazole as an anti-inflammatory agent in sepsis: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundSepsis is caused by dysregulated immune responses due to infection and still presents high mortality rate and limited efficacious therapies, apart from antibiotics. Recent evidence suggests that very high dose proton pump inhibitors might regulate major sepsis mediators' secretion by monocytes, which might attenuate excessive host reactions and improve clinical outcomes. This effect is obtained with doses which are approximately 50 times higher than prophylactic esomeprazole single daily administration and 17 times higher than the cumulative dose of a three day prophylaxis. We aim to perform a randomized trial to investigate if high dose esomeprazole reduces organ dysfunction in patients with sepsis or septic shock. MethodsThis study, called PPI-SEPSIS, is a multicenter, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial on critically ill septic patients admitted to the emergency department or intensive care unit. A total of 300 patients will be randomized to receive high dose esomeprazole (80 mg bolus followed by 12 mg/h for 72 h and a second 80 mg bolus 12 h after the first one) or equivolume placebo (sodium chloride 0.9%), with 1:1 allocation. The primary endpoint of the study will be mean daily Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score over 10 days. Secondary outcomes will include antibiotic-free days, single organ failure severity, intensive care unit-free days at day 28, and mortality. DiscussionThis trial aims to test the efficacy of high dose esomeprazole to reduce acute organ dysfunction in patients with septic shock.Trial registration: This trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov with the trial identification NCT03452865 in March 2018.

Joint modeling under competing risks: Application to survival prediction in patients admitted in Intensive Care Unit for sepsis with daily Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score assessments.

Joint models of longitudinal process and time-to-event data have recently gained attention, notably to provide individualized dynamic predictions. In the presence of competing risks, models published mostly involve cause-specific hazard functions jointly estimated with a linear or generalized linear model. Here we propose to extend the modeling to full parametric joint estimation of a nonlinear mixed-effects model and a subdistribution hazard model. We apply this approach on 6046 patients admitted in intensive care unit (ICU) for sepsis with daily Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score measurements. The joint model is built on a randomly selected training set of two thirds of patients and links the current predicted SOFA measurement to the instantaneous risks of ICU death and discharge from ICU, both adjusted on the patient age. Stochastic Approximation Expectation Maximization algorithm in Monolix is used for estimation. SOFA evolution is significantly associated with both risks: 0.37, 95% confidence interval (CI)=[0.35, 0.39] for the risk of death and -0.38, 95% CI=[-0.39, -0.36] for the risk of discharge. A simulation study, inspired from the real data, shows the good estimation properties of the parameters. We assess on the validation set the added value of modeling the longitudinal SOFA follow-up for the prediction of death compared with a model that includes only SOFA at baseline. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic area under the curve and Brier scores show that when enough longitudinal individual information is available, joint modeling provides better predictions. The methodology can easily be applied to other clinical applications because of the general form of the model.

Sequential organ failure assessment score improves survival prediction for left ventricular assist device recipients in intensive care.

Preoperative risk scores facilitate patient selection, but postoperative risk scores may offer valuable information for predicting outcomes. We hypothesized that the postoperative Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score would predict mortality after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. We retrospectively reviewed data from 294 continuous-flow LVAD implantations performed at Mayo Clinic Rochester during 2007 to 2015. We calculated the EuroSCORE, HeartMate-II Risk Score, and RV Failure Risk Score from preoperative data and the APACHE III and Post Cardiac Surgery (POCAS) risk scores from postoperative data. Daily, maximum, and mean SOFA scores were calculated for the first 5 postoperative days. The area under receiver-operator characteristic curves (AUC) was calculated to compare the scoring systems' ability to predict 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year mortality. For the entire cohort, mortality was 5% at 30 days, 10% at 90 days, and 19% at 1 year. The Day 1 SOFA score had better discrimination for 30-day mortality (AUC 0.77) than the preoperative risk scores or the APACHE III and POCAS postoperative scores. The maximum SOFA score had the best discrimination for 30-day mortality (AUC 0.86), and the mean SOFA score had the best discrimination for 90-day mortality (AUC 0.82) and 1-year mortality (AUC 0.76). We observed that postoperative mean and maximum SOFA scores in LVAD recipients predict short-term and intermediate-term mortality better than preoperative risk scores do. However, because preoperative and postoperative risk scores each contribute unique information, they are best used in concert to predict outcomes after LVAD implantation.

Mortality Predictive Value of APACHE II and SOFA Scores in COVID-19 Patients in the Intensive Care Unit.

Background COVID-19 pandemic has become a global dilemma since December 2019. Are the standard scores, such as acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE II) and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, accurate for predicting the mortality rate of COVID-19 or the need for new scores? We aimed to evaluate the mortality predictive value of APACHE II and SOFA scores in critically ill COVID-19 patients. Methods In a cohort study, we enrolled 204 confirmed COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care units at the Imam Khomeini hospital complex. APACHE II on the first day and daily SOFA scoring were performed. The primary outcome was the mortality rate in the nonsurvived and survived groups, and the secondary outcome was organ dysfunction. Two groups of survived and nonsurvived patients were compared by the chi-square test for categorical variables and an independent sample t-test for continuous variables. We used logistic regression models to estimate the mortality risk of high APACHE II and SOFA scores. Result Among 204 severe COVID-19 patients, 114 patients (55.9%) expired and 169 patients (82.8%) had at least one comorbidity that 103 (60.9%) of them did not survive (P=0.002). Invasive mechanical ventilation and its duration were significantly different between survived and nonsurvived groups (P ≤ 0.001 and P=0.002, respectively). Mean APACHE II and mean SOFA scores were significantly higher in the nonsurvived than in the survived group (14.4 ± 5.7 vs. 9.5 ± 5.1, P ≤ 0.001, 7.3 ± 3.1 vs. 3.1 ± 1.1, P ≤ 0.001, respectively). The area under the curve was 89.5% for SOFA and 73% for the APACHE II score. Respiratory diseases and malignancy were risk factors for the mortality rate (P=0.004 and P=0.007, respectively) against diabetes and hypertension. Conclusion The daily SOFA was a better mortality predictor than the APACHE II in critically ill COVID-19 patients. But they could not predict death with high accuracy. We need new scoring with consideration of the prognostic factors and daily evaluation of changes in clinical conditions.

Cardiorespiratory response to early rehabilitation in critically ill adults: A secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial.

Early rehabilitation is indicated in critically ill adults to counter functional complications. However, the physiological response to rehabilitation is poorly understood. This study aimed to determine the cardiorespiratory response to rehabilitation and to investigate the effect of explanatory variables on physiological changes during rehabilitation and recovery. In a prospectively planned, secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial conducted in a tertiary, mixed intensive care unit (ICU), we analysed the 716 physiotherapy-led, pragmatic rehabilitation sessions (including exercise, cycling and mobilisation). Participants were previously functionally independent, mechanically ventilated, critically ill adults (n = 108). Physiological data (2-minute medians) were collected with standard ICU monitoring and indirect calorimetry, and their medians calculated for baseline (30min before), training (during physiotherapy) and recovery (15min after). We visualised physiological trajectories and investigated explanatory variables on their estimated effect with mixed-effects models. This study found a large range of variation within and across participants' sessions with clinically relevant variations (>10%) occurring in more than 1 out of 4 sessions in mean arterial pressure, minute ventilation (MV) and oxygen consumption (VO2), although early rehabilitation did not generally affect physiological values from baseline to training or recovery. Active patient participation increased MV (mean difference 0.7l/min [0.4-1.0, p<0.001]) and VO2 (23ml/min [95%CI: 13-34, p<0.001]) during training when compared to passive participation. Similarly, session type 'mobilisation' increased heart rate (6.6bpm [2.1-11.2, p = 0.006]) during recovery when compared to 'exercise'. Other modifiable explanatory variables included session duration, mobilisation level and daily medication, while non-modifiable variables were age, gender, body mass index and the daily Sequential Organ Failure Assessment. A large range of variation during rehabilitation and recovery mirrors the heterogenous interventions and patient reactions. This warrants close monitoring and individual tailoring, whereby the best option to stimulate a cardiorespiratory response seems to be active patient participation, shorter session durations and mobilisation. German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) identification number: DRKS00004347, registered on 10 September 2012.

Prognostic role of automatic pupillometry in sepsis: a retrospective study.

Sepsis-associated brain dysfunction is a frequent disorder in septic patients and has a multifactorial pathophysiology. Cholinergic pathways and brainstem dysfunction may result in pupillary alterations. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether early assessment of the Neurological Pupil Index (NPiTM) derived from an automated pupillometry could predict mortality in critically ill septic patients. Retrospective cohort study of adult critically ill septic patients admitted to the intensive care unit of a University Hospital; patients with acute or known brain damage were excluded. Patients' severity was assessed by the daily Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score and the SOFA<inf>max</inf> (i.e., highest SOFA Score during the first five days) was computed. The worst NPi (i.e., lowest value from one eye) was collected daily and then computed over the first five days of assessment. Mortality was assessed at hospital discharge. A total of 75 patients were included over the study period (median age 67 [53-75] years and median SOFA Score at admission 10 [8-12]); 64 (85%) presented septic shock; 48 (64%) died at hospital discharge. The worst NPi during the first five days of sepsis was significantly lower in non-survivors compared to survivors (4.4 [3.6-4.6] vs. 4.5 [4.2-4.7]; P=0.042). The worst NPi was also significantly lower in high severity group (i.e., SOFA<inf>max</inf>≥12) when compared to others (4.4 [3.2- 4.5] vs. 4.5 [4.0-4.7] P=0.01). However, in the multivariate analyses, the NPi value was not independently associated with in-hospital mortality or high SOFA<inf>max</inf>. In this study, no independent prognostic role of NPi was observed in septic patients. Further larger prospective studies are needed to better evaluate the role of automated pupillometry in this setting.

A Novel Role for Cytochrome P450 Epoxygenase Metabolites in Septic Shock.

Oxylipins are oxidative breakdown products of cell membrane fatty acids. Animal models have demonstrated that oxylipins generated by the P450 epoxygenase pathway may be implicated in septic shock pathology. However, these mediators are relatively unexplored in humans with septic shock. We aimed to determine if there were patterns of oxylipins that were associated with 28-day septic shock mortality and organ dysfunction. Retrospective analysis of samples collected during the Vasopressin versus Norepinephrine as Initial Therapy in Septic Shock trial. ICUs in the United Kingdom. Adults recruited within 6 hours of onset of septic shock. Oxylipin profiling was performed on 404 serum samples from 152 patients using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Nonsurvivors were found to have higher levels of 14,15-dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acid (DHET) at baseline than survivors (p = 0.02). Patients with 14,15-DHET levels above the lower limit of quantification of the assay were more likely to die than patients with levels below this limit (hazard ratio, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.2-4.5). Patients with measurable 14,15-DHET had higher levels of organ dysfunction and fewer renal failure-free days than those in whom it was unmeasurable. Considering samples collected over the first week of intensive care stay, measurable levels of DHET species were associated with higher daily Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores that appeared to be accounted for predominantly by the liver component. Measurable 14,15-DHET showed positive correlation with bilirubin (r s = 0.38; p < 0.001) and lactate (r s = 0.27; p = 0.001). The P450 epoxygenase-derived DHET species of oxylipins were associated with organ, particularly liver, dysfunction in septic shock and 14,15-DHET was associated with septic shock mortality. These results support further investigation into the role of the P450 epoxygenase-derived oxylipins in sepsis and suggest that this pathway may offer a novel therapeutic strategy in septic shock.

The Impact of Normal Saline or Balanced Crystalloid on Plasma Chloride Concentration and Acute Kidney Injury in Patients With Predicted Severe Acute Pancreatitis: Protocol of a Phase II, Multicenter, Stepped-Wedge, Cluster-Randomized, Controlled Trial.

Introduction/aim: The supraphysiologic chloride concentration of normal saline may contribute to acute kidney injury (AKI). Balanced crystalloids can decrease chloride concentration and AKI in critically ill patients. We aim to test the hypothesis that, in patients with predicted severe acute pancreatitis (pSAP), compared with saline, fluid therapy with balanced crystalloids will decrease plasma chloride concentration.Methods/Design: This is a multicenter, stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized, controlled trial. All eligible patients presenting to the 11 participating sites across China during the study period will be recruited. All sites will use saline for the first month and sequentially change to balanced crystalloids at the pre-determined and randomly allocated time point. The primary endpoint is the plasma chloride concentration on day 3 of enrollment. Secondary endpoints will include major adverse kidney events on hospital discharge or day 30 (MAKE 30) and free and alive days to day 30 for intensive care admission, invasive ventilation, vasopressors, and renal replacement therapy. Additional endpoints include daily serum chloride and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score over the first seven days of enrollment.Discussion: This study will provide data to define the impact of normal saline vs. balanced crystalloids on plasma chloride concentration and clinical outcomes in pSAP patients. It will also provide the necessary data to power future large-scale randomized trials relating to fluid therapy.Ethics and Dissemination: This study was approved by the ethics committee of Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University (2020NZKY-015-01) and all the participating sites. The results of this trial will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and at scientific conferences.Trial registration: The trial has been registered at the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry (ChiCTR2100044432).

PREDICTION OF PHYSIOLOGICAL DETERIORATION AND MORTALITY IN MECHANICALLY VENTILATED PATIENTS ADMITTED TO THE ICU

TOPIC: Critical Care TYPE: Original Investigations PURPOSE: Recent studies have shown that the severity of lung damage in experimental models of ventilator-induced lung injury depend on the mechanical power (MP) of the ventilator, which describes the energy delivered by the ventilator to the respiratory system per unit time. This study aims to build machine learning models that leverage knowledge of ICU data and ventilator settings to predict physiological deterioration and mortality in mechanically ventilated patients. METHODS: Patient data from the Phillips eICU Database were used to build predictive models. Inclusion criteria include age ≥18 years, ICU stay duration ≥48 hours, ventilation duration ≥48 hours, and volume- or pressure-controlled mechanical ventilation. Physiological deterioration was defined as any increase between daily Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores within the first 7 days of ventilation. Daily maximum MP values were calculated using previously validated equations. Predictive features such as ventilator settings, lab values, medications, vitals, comorbidity indices, patient demographics, and hospital stay information were extracted for each patient stay. Classification models including logistic regression, random forest, and support-vector machines were evaluated for predicting mortality and physiological deterioration using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) with six-fold cross-validation. RESULTS: A total of 1338 patients met inclusion criteria for this study. After data processing and imputation, features from 789 patients were curated as inputs to predictive models. These preliminary models showed predictive power for overall physiological deterioration with an AUC of 0.74 ± 0.03. For organ-specific deterioration, these models exhibited comparable or higher performance in predicting renal deterioration (AUC: 0.74 ± 0.08) and pulmonary deterioration (AUC: 0.79 ± 0.03; p<0.05). Prediction of in-hospital mortality resulted in an AUC of 0.78 ± 0.05. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our preliminary data, these predictive models have the potential to be used in real-time to enable early detection and intervention for patients at high risk of physiological deterioration or in-hospital mortality. Implementation of additional time-series physiological data is expected to further improve the performance of these models. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: This study explores the effectiveness of multiple statistical learning models in predicting physiological deterioration and mortality in mechanically ventilated ICU patients. Our results have the potential to inform clinicians about the risk of downstream complications associated with a patient's ICU stay and can therefore aid in the prevention of end-organ dysfunction associated with mechanical ventilation. With models that have predictive capacity days before the onset of physiological deterioration, clinicians and other health care providers in the ICU will be able to provide more personalized care for mechanically ventilated patients. We foresee that these predictive models will not only minimize the risk of or prevent mechanical ventilation-associated adverse outcomes but will also be useful in risk-stratifying mechanically ventilated patients based on patient-specific and ventilator-derived data. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Timothy Bedard, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Yunru Chen, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Andy Ding, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Joseph Greenstein, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Madi Kusmanov, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Pedro Mendez-Tellez, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Morgan Sanchez, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Shreyash Sonthalia, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Raimond Winslow, source=Web Response

Evaluation of Organ Dysfunction Scores for Allocation of Scarce Resources in Critically Ill Children and Adults During a Healthcare Crisis.

When healthcare systems are overwhelmed, accurate assessments of patients' predicted mortality risks are needed to ensure effective allocation of scarce resources. Organ dysfunction scores can serve this essential role, but their evaluation in this context has been limited so far. In this study, we sought to assess the performance of three organ dysfunction scores in both critically ill adults and children at clinically relevant mortality thresholds and timeframes for resource allocation and compare it with two published prioritization schemas. Retrospective observational cohort study. Three large academic medical centers in the United States. Critically ill adults and children. None. We calculated the daily Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score in adults and the Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction 2 score and the Pediatric Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score in children. There were 49,290 (11.6% mortality) and 19,983 children (2.5% mortality) included in the analysis. Both the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment and Pediatric Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores had adequate discrimination across relevant timeframes and adequate distribution across relevant mortality thresholds. Additionally, we found that the only published state prioritization schema that includes pediatric and adult patients had poor alignment of mortality risks, giving adults a systematic advantage over children. In the largest analysis of organ dysfunction scores in a general population of critically ill adults and children to date, we found that both the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment and Pediatric Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores had adequate performance across relevant mortality thresholds and timeframes for resource allocation. Published prioritization schemas that include both pediatric and adult patients may put children at a disadvantage. Furthermore, the distribution of patient and mortality risk in the published schemas may not adequately stratify patients for some high-stakes allocation decisions. This information may be useful to bioethicists, healthcare leaders, and policy makers who are developing resource allocation policies for critically ill patients.

Assessing the Course of Organ Dysfunction Using Joint Longitudinal and Time-to-Event Modeling in the Vasopressin and Septic Shock Trial.

Secondary analysis of the Vasopressin and Septic Shock Trial data. Twenty-seven ICUs in Canada, Australia, and United States. Seven hundred sixty-three participants with septic shock who received blinded vasopressin (n = 389) or norepinephrine infusions (n = 374). Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores were calculated daily until discharge, death, or day 28 after randomization. Mortality was numerically higher in the norepinephrine arm (28 d mortality of 39% vs 35%; p = 0.25), and there was a positive association between higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores and patient mortality, characteristics that suggest a potential for bias from informative censoring of Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores by death. The best-fitting joint longitudinal (i.e., linear mixed-effects model) and survival (i.e., Cox proportional hazards model for the time-to-death) model showed that norepinephrine was associated with a more rapid improvement in the total Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score through day 4, and then the daily Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores converged and overlapped for the remainder of the study period. Short-term reversal of organ dysfunction occurred more rapidly with norepinephrine compared with vasopressin, although differences between study arms did not persist after day 4. Joint models are an accessible methodology that could be used in critical care trials to assess the effects of interventions on the longitudinal progression of key outcomes (e.g., organ dysfunction, biomarkers, or quality of life) that may be informatively truncated by death or other censoring events.

Levosimendan in septic shock in patients with biochemical evidence of cardiac dysfunction: a subgroup analysis of the LeoPARDS randomised trial

Myocardial dysfunction is common in sepsis but optimal treatment strategies are unclear. The inodilator, levosimendan was suggested as a possible therapy; however, the levosimendan to prevent acute organ dysfunction in Sepsis (LeoPARDS) trial found it to have no benefit in reducing organ dysfunction in septic shock. In this study we evaluated the effects of levosimendan in patients with and without biochemical cardiac dysfunction and examined its non-inotropic effects. Two cardiac biomarkers, troponin I (cTnI) and N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and five inflammatory mediators were measured in plasma from patients recruited to the LeoPARDS trial at baseline and over the first 6days. Mean total Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score and 28-day mortality were compared between patients with normal and raised cTnI and NT-proBNP values, and between patients above and below median values. Levosimendan produced no benefit in SOFA score or 28-day mortality in patients with cardiac dysfunction. There was a statistically significant treatment by subgroup interaction (p = 0.04) in patients with NT-proBNP above or below the median value. Those with NT-proBNP values above the median receiving levosimendan had higher SOFA scores than those receiving placebo (mean daily total SOFA score 7.64 (4.41) vs 6.09 (3.88), mean difference 1.55, 95% CI 0.43-2.68). Levosimendan had no effect on the rate of decline of inflammatory biomarkers. Adding levosimendan to standard care in septic shock was not associated with less severe organ dysfunction nor lower mortality in patients with biochemical evidence of cardiac dysfunction.

Describing organ dysfunction in the intensive care unit: a cohort study of 20,000 patients

BackgroundMultiple organ dysfunction is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in intensive care units (ICUs). Original development of the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score was not to predict outcome, but to describe temporal changes in organ dysfunction in critically ill patients. Organ dysfunction scoring may be a reasonable surrogate outcome in clinical trials but further exploration of the impact of case mix on the temporal sequence of organ dysfunction is required. Our aim was to compare temporal changes in SOFA scores between hospital survivors and non-survivors.MethodsWe performed a population-based observational retrospective cohort study of critically ill patients admitted from January 1, 2004, to December 31, 2013, to 4 multisystem adult intensive care units (ICUs) in Calgary, Canada. The primary outcome was temporal changes in daily SOFA scores during the first 14 days of ICU admission. SOFA scores were modeled between hospital survivors and non-survivors using generalized estimating equations (GEE) and were also stratified by admission SOFA (≤ 11 versus > 11).ResultsThe cohort consisted of 20,007 patients with at least one SOFA score and was mostly male (58.2%) with a median age of 59 (interquartile range [IQR] 44–72). Median ICU length of stay was 3.5 (IQR 1.7–7.5) days. ICU and hospital mortality were 18.5% and 25.5%, respectively. Temporal change in SOFA scores varied by survival and admission SOFA score in a complicated relationship. Area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve using admission SOFA as a predictor of hospital mortality was 0.77. The hospital mortality rate was 5.6% for patients with an admission SOFA of 0–2 and 94.4% with an admission SOFA of 20–24. There was an approximately linear increase in hospital mortality for SOFA scores of 3–19 (range 8.7–84.7%).ConclusionsExamining the clinical course of organ dysfunction in a large non-selective cohort of patients provides insight into the utility of SOFA. We have demonstrated that hospital outcome is associated with both admission SOFA and the temporal rate of change in SOFA after admission. It is necessary to further explore the impact of additional clinical factors on the clinical course of SOFA with large datasets.

Long-term health-related quality of life of critically ill patients with haematological malignancies: a prospective observational multicenter study

BackgroundAlthough outcomes of critically ill patients with haematological malignancies (HMs) have been fully investigated in terms of organ failure and mortality, data are scarce on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in this population. We aim to assess post-intensive care unit (ICU) burden and HRQOL of critically ill patients with HMs and to identify risk factors for quality-of-life (QOL) impairment.ResultsIn total, 1011 patients with HMs who required ICU admission in 17 ICUs in France and Belgium were included in the study; 278 and 117 patients were evaluated for QOL at 3 months and 1 year, respectively, after ICU discharge. HRQOL was determined by applying the interview form of the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire. Psychological distress symptoms were evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety Depression Score (HADS) and the Impact of Event Scale (IES). In-hospital mortality rates at 3 months and 1 year were, respectively, 39.1, 50.7 and 57.2%, respectively. At 3 months, median [IQR] physical and mental component summary scores (PCS and MCS) (SF-36) were 37 [28–46] and 51 [45–58], respectively. PCS was lower in ICU patients with HMs when compared to general ICU septic patients (52 [5–13], p = 0.00001). The median combined HAD score was 8 [5–13], and the median IES score was 8 [3–16]. However, recovery during the first year after ICU discharge was not consistent in all dimensions of HRQOL. Three months after ICU discharge, the maximum daily Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score and status of the underlying malignancy at ICU admission were significantly associated with MCS impairment (− 0.54 points [95% CI − 0.99; − 0.1], p = 0.018 and − 4.83 points [95% CI − 8.44; − 1.22], p = 0.009, respectively).ConclusionHRQOL is strongly impaired in critically ill patients with HMs at 3 months and 1 year after ICU discharge. Organ failure and disease status are strongly associated with QOL. The kinetic evaluation of QOL at 3 months and 1 year offers the opportunity to focus on QOL aspects that may be improved by therapeutic interventions during the first year after ICU discharge.

Non-utility of sepsis scores for identifying infection in surgical intensive care unit patients

BackgroundThe Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) and quick SOFA (qSOFA) scores replaced the Systemic Inflammatory Response System (SIRS) criteria for defining sepsis, and are often utilized to identify infection, however remain understudied in surgical populations. MethodsDaily SOFA, qSOFA, and SIRS scores were prospectively collected in a surgical/trauma intensive care unit (ICU), comparing scores between patients with and without new infection. Multivariable analysis controlled for ICU type and pre-existing infection. ResultsScores were recorded for 1942 patient-days, including 1385 (71%) with no infection, 439 (23%) with existing/treated infection, and 120 (6.2%) with new infection. Scores were globally elevated, with 98% having SOFA score ≥2, 82% with qSOFA score ≥2, and 92% meeting ≥2 SIRS criteria. Neither univariate nor multivariate analysis revealed a correlation between SOFA, qSOFA, or SIRS score and infection. ConclusionNo scores correlated with new infection, potentially related to increased existing inflammation in this population. SummaryThe Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) and quick SOFA (qSOFA) have replaced the Systemic Inflammatory Response System (SIRS) criteria for sepsis, however are not well investigated in surgical populations or for identifying infections, as they are often used in practice. In this study, neither daily SOFA, qSOFA, nor SIRS criteria correlated with new infection in a population of critically ill surgical patients. Scores were globally elevated in non-infected patients, potentially related to high levels of existing inflammation in this population.

Timing of Limitations in Life Support in Acute Lung Injury Patients

Substantial variability exists in the timing of limitations in life support for critically ill patients. Our objective was to investigate how the timing of limitations in life support varies with changes in organ failure status and time since acute lung injury onset. This evaluation was performed as part of a prospective cohort study evaluating 490 consecutive acute lung injury patients recruited from 11 ICUs at three teaching hospitals in Baltimore, MD. None. The primary exposure was proportion of days without improvement in Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, evaluated as a daily time-varying exposure. The outcome of interest was a documented limitation in life support defined as any of the following: 1) no cardiopulmonary resuscitation, 2) do not reintubate, 3) no vasopressors, 4) no hemodialysis, 5) do not escalate care, or 6) other limitations (e.g., "comfort care only"). For medical ICU patients without improvement in daily Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, the rate of limitation in life support tripled in the first 3 days after acute lung injury onset, increased again after day 5, and peaked at day 19. Compared with medical ICU patients, surgical ICU patients had a rate of limitations that was significantly lower during the first 5 days after acute lung injury onset. In all patients, more days without improvement in Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores was associated with limitations in life support, independent of the absolute magnitude of the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score. Persistent organ failure is associated with an increase in the rate of limitations in life support independent of the absolute magnitude of Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, and this association strengthens during the first weeks of treatment. During the first 5 days after acute lung injury onset, limitations were significantly more common in medical ICUs than surgical ICUs.

Albumin Supplementation for Hypoalbuminemia Following Burns

Following fluid resuscitation, patients with major burns frequently develop prolonged hypoalbuminemia. It is not known whether this should be corrected by albumin supplementation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are any benefits associated with albumin supplementation to correct hypoalbuminemia in burned adults. We conducted a retrospective comparison of patients with burns ≥ 20% TBSA admitted to an adult regional American Burn Association-verified burn center, from May 1, 2009, to September 30, 2010, where we did not routinely supplement albumin (control group), with patients admitted from October 1, 2010, to May 30, 2011, where we had instituted a protocol in which 5% human albumin was provided to maintain serum albumin levels >20 g/L (albumin group). Comparisons were made from postburn (PB) day 2 to day 30 inclusive. There were no significant differences between control (n = 26) and albumin (n = 17) in age (48 ± 15 vs 45 ± 21 years; P = .56), burn size (33 ± 13 vs 34 ± 13 %TBSA; P = .831), or full thickness burn size (19 ± 19 vs 23 ± 19 %TBSA; P = .581). Inhalation injury was significantly more frequent in the albumin group than in controls (71% vs 31%; P = .01). The groups did not differ significantly in need for admission escharotomy, admission Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, number of surgical procedures/first 30 days, or 24 and 48 hours fluid resuscitation volume requirements. The overall mean daily serum albumin level from PB day 2 to 30 in the albumin group (26.9 ± 3.0 g/L) was significantly greater than in controls (21.9 ± 4.4 g/L; P < .001). There were no significant differences between the groups in daily SOFA score/first 30 days, peak SOFA score, ΔSOFA, hospital length of stay, time to wound healing, duration of mechanical ventilation, or 30-day and in-hospital mortality. The cost of routinely supplementing 5% albumin between PB day 2 to 30 in the albumin group was more than four times that for the controls where we did not routinely provide albumin (Can $65.50 vs Can $16.57 per patient per day). We conclude that routine supplementation of 5% human albumin to maintain a serum albumin level ≥ 20 g/L in burn patients is expensive and provides no benefit.

Análisis de la insuficiencia de órganos y mortalidad en la sepsis por peritonitis secundaria

ObjectivesTo identify the organs most susceptible to develop multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS) in patients with sepsis due to secondary peritonitis, and to determine the outcome and mortality predicting utility of the SOFA (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment) system. DesignA prospective, observational cohort study was made. SettingThe resuscitation unit of a third-level university hospital. PatientsA prospective, observational cohort study was made of 102 patients with sepsis of abdominal origin and failure of at least one organ related to the infection. The demographic characteristics were documented, along with the abdominal origin of sepsis, mortality after 28 days, and the daily SOFA score. ResultsThe mortality rate after 28 days was 55%. A total of 53% of the patients presented failure of two or more organs on the first day of admission. The mean daily SOFA score was significantly higher among the patients that died after day 4 of admission. The variables showing a statistically significant correlation to increased mortality were: MODS (P=.000), central nervous system failure (P=.000) and SOFA score on day 4 of admission (P=.012). The area under the ROC curve showed the mortality predicting capacity of the SOFA score on day 4 of admission to be 0.703 (95%CI 0.538-0.853; P=.026). The maximum discriminating capacity was recorded for MODS, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.776 (95%CI 0.678-0.874; P=.000). ConclusionsOrgan failure outcome as predicted by the SOFA score showed high precision – the mean SOFA score on day 4 of admission being a good mortality predictor. MODS was the main cause of death, while central nervous system, renal and respiratory failure were identified as the mortality risk factors.

Impact of Intensive Care Unit Organ Failures on Mortality during the Five Years after a Critical Illness

The relationship between organ failure during critical illness and long-term survival is uncertain, especially among intensive care unit (ICU) survivors. To describe the relationship between individual organ failures, total organ failure burden, and mortality during the 5 years after an episode of critical illness. We studied a cohort of sequential admissions to 10 Scottish ICUs (n = 872). Logistic regression was used to explore independent associations between organ failures and mortality over a 5-year time horizon, adjusting for potential confounders. Daily Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores described organ dysfunction during ICU stay. The sum of the worst scores at any time point during the ICU stay for each organ system except neurological dysfunction was used to calculate total organ failure burden. Mortality was obtained from the national death register. Five-year mortality was 58.2%; 34.4% of deaths occurred within 28 days. In adjusted analyses, cardiovascular (odds ratio [OR], 2.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8-3.7), liver (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.1-5.0), and respiratory failure (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.3-3.5) were independently associated with 5-year mortality. Organ failure burden was strongly associated with mortality; 81% of patients in the highest tertile died during follow-up (OR, 6.3 relative to lowest tertile; P < 0.001). Patients surviving more than 12 months post-ICU were still more likely to subsequently die if they experienced greater organ failure burden in the ICU (OR, 2.4; P = 0.02, highest vs. lowest tertile). Cardiovascular, respiratory, and liver failures during critical illness strongly predict subsequent 5-year survival. Acute organ failure burden is associated with long-term mortality even among patients who survive up to 1 year after ICU admission.