Hours In Intensive Care Unit Research Articles

Mild hypothermia versus normothermia in patients undergoing cardiac surgery

ObjectiveTemperature during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for cardiac surgery has been controversial. The aim of the current study is to compare the outcomes for patients with mild hypothermia versus normothermic CPB temperatures. MethodsAll patients who underwent cardiac surgery with CPB and temperatures ≥32°C from 2011 to 2018 were included, which consisted of mild hypothermia (32°C-35°C) and normothermia (>35°C) cohorts. Propensity matching (1:1) was performed for risk adjustment. Primary outcomes included operative and long-term survival. Secondary outcomes included postoperative complications. ResultsA total of 6525 patients comprised 2 cohorts: mild hypothermia (32°C-35°C; n = 3148) versus normothermia (>35°C; n = 3377). Following adjustment for surgeon preference, there were 1601 propensity-matched patients who had similar baseline characteristics (standard mean difference, ≤0.10), including CPB time, crossclamp time, and intra-aortic balloon pump placement. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed no difference in long-term survival (82.6% vs 81.6%; P = .81). Over a median follow-up of 4.4 years, there were no differences in overall mortality (18.1% vs 18.1%; P = 1.1) or readmission (50.3% vs 48.3%; P = .2). Acute renal failure (3.7% vs 2.4%; P = .03) and intensive care unit hours (46.5 vs 45.1; P = .04) were significantly higher with hypothermia. There was no difference between cohorts for postoperative stroke (2.0% vs 2.0%; P = 1.0), reoperation (5.9% vs 6.0%; P = .9), or operative intra-aortic balloon pump placement (1.7% vs 1.8%; P = .9). ConclusionsPatients with mild hypothermia during CPB had increased postoperative renal failure and length of intensive care unit stay. Although there was no difference in long-term survival, mild hypothermia does not appear to offer patients appreciable benefits, compared with normothermia.

Burnout in health care providers working in the intensive care units of a tertiary care hospital, South India-a questionnaire-based survey.

BackgroundThe intensive care unit (ICU) is a special section of the hospital where intense monitoring and patient care are required. Health care providers (HCPs) who work in the ICU are exposed to a stressful environment and, in the long run, this may lead to exhaustion and burnout. It is observed that the burnout in HCPs in the ICU may have an impact on patient care and the psychological wellbeing of the caregiver. Thus, we aimed to assess the burnout in HCPs working in the ICUs of a tertiary care hospital in South India.MethodsA single-center, questionnaire-based survey was carried out by HCPs who work in the ICUs of a tertiary care hospital in South India. A Google form link was created after obtaining approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee. The link was then circulated to the HCPs who work in the ICU and the responses were collected. The Google form fetched data related to demographics, profession, area of work, duration of work per day, total days of work in the ICU during the work period, and details of night duty. The Oldenburg burnout inventory questionnaire was used to measure burnout in the HCPs.ResultsA total of 60 HCPs with a mean age of 23.37±2.93 years, consented and filled out the online questionnaire. Of the 60 HCPs, 41 (68.33%) were females and 19 (31.67%) were males. Most of the participants were working in adult medical ICUs. The overall burnout level in all the participants was 2.39± 0.31, with the exhaustion level being 2.45±0.43 and the disengagement level being 2.32± 0.31. Between 70% and 80% of HCPs experienced high levels of burnout while working in the ICUs. Work area, work duration, sleep duration, and clinical experience had an impact on burnout levels of the HCPs.ConclusionMost of the HCPs who work in the ICU experience high levels of burnout. Lack of clinical experience in the ICU and long work hours with lack of sleep can increase burnout in the HCPs.

Efficacy and safety of stress ulcer prophylaxis in septic patients: a retrospective cohort study based on large database

To evaluate the effects and safety of stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP) versus no prophylaxis in adult septic patients at risk of gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB). A retrospective cohort study was conducted, the data was extracted from Electronic Intensive Care Unit-Collaborative Research Database (eICU-CRD). All patients who received proton pump inhibitor (PPI) or H2 receptor antagonist (H2RA) or combined/sequential use for SUP within the first 48 hours of intensive care unit (ICU) admission were enrolled in the SUP group, those who did not received any SUP were enrolled in the non-SUP group. The differences of in-hospital mortality, length of ICU stay (LOS), the incidence of GIB and secondary infection complications between the two groups were compared. Propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted to balance the distributions of study variables between the two groups. Further subgroup analysis was performed according to whether SUP was used for more than 3 days. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the factors influencing the outcome of GIB and secondary pneumonia. A total of 11 413 patients were included in the final analysis, with 9 799 patients in SUP group and 1 614 in non-SUP group. A 1:1 PSM created 1 600 patients in each cohort. (1) Baseline characteristics: compared with SUP group, patients in non-SUP group were older [years old: 69.0 (56.0, 80.0) vs. 67.0 (56.0, 78.0)], acute physiology and chronic health evaluation IV (APACHE IV) score and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score were significantly lower [APACHE IV score: 65 (50, 73) vs. 72 (58, 87), SOFA score: 5 (4, 7) vs. 7 (5, 9)], higher rates of underlying diseases such as hypertension and diabetes [hypertension: 15.6% (252/1 614) vs. 12.2% (1 196/9 779), diabetes: 4.5% (72/1 614) vs. 3.3% (325/9 779), both P < 0.05], indicating that patients in the SUP group were more severe. (2) Comparison of clinical outcome: before PSM, SUP group had significantly higher in-hospital mortality [17.2% (1 688/9 799) vs. 10.9% (176/1 614)], longer LOS [days: 4.4 (2.9, 7.7) vs. 3.1 (2.5, 4.3)], and higher incidence of secondary pneumonia than non-SUP group [11.3% (1 112/9 799) vs. 6.8% (110/1 614)], with significant differences (all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of GIB and Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) between the two groups. After PSM, no significant differences were observed between the two groups with regard to in-hospital mortality, incidence of GIB and CDI. However, the SUP group had longer LOS [days: 3.9 (2.8, 6.6) vs. 3.1 (2.5, 4.3)], and higher incidence of secondary pneumonia [10.9% (174/1 600) vs. 6.8% (108/1 600)] compared with non-SUP group, the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). Subgroup analysis showed that compared with SUP < 3 days group, patients in SUP ≥ 3 days group had higher disease severity score [APACHE IV score: 66 (51, 79) vs. 62 (48, 72), SOFA score: 6 (4, 8) vs. 5 (4, 7), both P < 0.05], in addition, patients in SUP ≥ 3 days group had higher in-hospital mortality, incidence of GIB and secondary pneumonia (16.4% vs. 10.7%, 6.1% vs. 1.8%, 19.0% vs. 8.6%, respectively), and longer ICU LOS [days: 6.6 (4.1, 11.8) vs. 3.5 (2.6, 5.3), all P < 0.05]. (3) Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that SUP ≥ 3 days group was associated with more GIB than that of non-SUP group [odds ratio (OR) = 1.84, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 1.07-3.08, P = 0.030], and the incidence of GIB was less in SUP < 3 days group than that of non-SUP group (OR = 0.57, 95%CI was 0.34-0.94, P = 0.020). When compared with non-SUP group, the risk of secondary pneumonia was increased both in SUP ≥ 3 days group and SUP < 3 days group (OR values were 2.95 and 1.34, 95%CI were 2.10-4.13 and 1.01-1.77, P values were < 0.001 and 0.040, respectively). Among critically ill adult patients with sepsis at risk for GIB, SUP showed no effect on reducing in-hospital mortality, the rate of GIB and CDI, but was associated with increased risk of secondary pneumonia and prolonged LOS.

TELE-critical Care verSus usual Care On ICU PErformance (TELESCOPE): protocol for a cluster-randomised clinical trial on adult general ICUs in Brazil

IntroductionDaily multidisciplinary rounds (DMRs) consist of systematic patient-centred discussions aiming to establish joint therapeutic goals for the next 24 hours of intensive care unit (ICU) care. The aim of the...

Successful Lung Cryoablation for a Bulky Lung Carcinoma

A 49-year-old man was referred for ablation of a 6.3-cm lung tumor (Fig 1). Prior history included Hodgkin disease (1992), tobacco use, right upper lobectomy for lung adenocarcinoma (2013), and chemotherapy for a contralateral recurrence (2015), with a complete response. A recurrence occurred in 2017; he was contraindicated for additional surgery and radiotherapy because of prior radiation and compromised pulmonary function: forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) = 68% and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) = 41%. Lung cryoablation was planned. Using computed tomographic guidance, 7 cryoprobes (IceRoad-Cx, Galil Medical, Yokne'am Illit, Israel) (Figs 2, 3) were successfully placed and activated for 3 freeze-thaw cycles. A 24-hour intensive care unit recovery and chest tube were required due to a pneumothorax and lung consolidation. He was discharged 12 days later. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography after 2 years of follow-up showed a complete metabolic response and the shrinkage of the ablation scar (Fig 4). Figure 2Computed tomography volume rendering reformation demonstrated the 7 cryoprobes coursing through the chest wall into the mass. View Large Image Figure Viewer Download Hi-res image Figure 3Multiplanar reconstruction orthogonal to the long axis of the probes shows their distribution within the tumor in order to create an encompassing ice ball with safety margins. View Large Image Figure Viewer Download Hi-res image Figure 4Axial computed tomography with positron emission tomography fusion obtained 2 years after treatment shows the absence of metabolic activity and the shrinkage of the ablation scar. View Large Image Figure Viewer Download Hi-res image

A Novel Switching State-Space Model for Post-ICU Mortality Prediction and Survival Analysis.

Predicting mortality risk in patients accurately during and after intensive care unit (ICU) stay is an essential component for supporting critical care decision-making. To date, various scoring systems have been designed for survival analysis and mortality prediction by providing risk scores based on patient's vital signs and lab results. However, it is challenging using these universal scores to represent the overall severity level of illness and to look into patient's deterioration leading to high mortality risk during ICU stay. Thus, a close monitoring of the severity level over time during ICU stay is more preferable. In this study, we design a new switching state-space model by correlating patient's condition dynamics in last hours of ICU stay to the risk probabilities in a short time period (1-6 days) after ICU discharge. More specifically, we propose to integrate a cumulative hazard function estimating survival probability into the autoregressive hidden Markov model using time-interval sequential SAPS II scores as features. We demonstrate the significant improvement of mortality prediction comparing to SAPS I, SAPS II, and SOFA scoring systems for the PhysioNet MIMIC II Challenge data.

The Colistin-related nephrotoxicity and risk factors in the intensive care unit; a retrospective study

Objective: Colistimethate sodium (CMS) which is salvage therapy in the management of infections caused by multi-drug resistance (MDR) gram-negative pathogens is eliminated by the kidneys and cause nephrotoxicity. Many factors may also contribute to this nephrotoxic effect. In this study we aimed to determine the risks for the development of nephrotoxicity patients who received CMS in the intensive care unit (ICU).&#x0D; Materials and Methods: We evaluated retrospectively of the patients who have lung cancer or COPD, aged older than 18 years, and received intravenous CMS therapy at least 72 hours in ICU. Patients’ age, comorbidities, C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin, albumin, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), creatinine values on the 1st and 7th days of CMS treatment, positive inotropes, and nephrotoxic drugs used concurrently with CMS therapy, and renal replacement therapy (RRT) were recorded. RIFLE score , lenght of stay (LOS) in hospital and in the ICU, and 28-day mortality were also recorded.&#x0D; Results: In this study, the GFR and creatinine level deteriorated significantly on the 7th day with CMS therapy patients who had preexisting lower GFR, hypoalbuminemia, and concomitant nephrotoxic drugs usage. The incidence of acute kidney injury was higher in malignant patients and 28-day mortality increased in patients with nephrotoxicity.&#x0D; Conclusion: The CMS therapy with preexisting lower GFR, hypoalbuminemia, and concomitant nephrotoxic drugs usage significant risk factors to develop nephrotoxicity. It was also higher in malignant patients and increased 28-day mortality. Detailed clinical and laboratory evaluation of the patients is needed before CMS treatment.

Serum reactive oxygen species and apoptosis markers in septic patients.

Oxidative stress is one of the pathophysiological processes that occur during sepsis. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production causes lipid peroxidation and protein and DNA damage. ROS and DNA damage triggers apoptosis. Several studies have shown that organ failure in sepsis is mediated by apoptosis. The aim of this study is to investigate the levels of serum ROS and serum caspase-3 in septic patients and healthy volunteers, and their correlation. Serum samples were taken within the first 12 hours of ICU stay. The dichlorofluorescein technique was used to determine serum ROS levels, and the ELISA technique was used to quantify serum caspase-3 in septic patients and healthy volunteers. There was no difference in serum ROS levels between healthy volunteers and septic patients (P = 0.26), and there was asignificant difference in serum caspase-3 levels between healthy volunteers and septic patients (P < 0.001). There was no difference between patients who lived and died in the intensive care unit (ICU) in serum ROS (P = 0.089) and serum caspase-3 (P = 0.18). There was no correlation between both markers (R = -0.0013, P = 0.98). We conclude that there is no correlation between serum ROS and caspase-3; therefore, both processes might not be associated during the first hours of ICU stay.

Lactate Clearance as a Predictive Marker of Mortality in Adult Intensive Care Unit

Introduction: Lactate clearance has been widely investigated. Serial lactate concentrations can be used to examine disease severity and predict mortality in the intensive care unit. We investigated the diagnostic accuracy of lactate concentration and lactate clearance in predicting mortality in critically ill patients during the first 24 hours in Intensive Care Unit (ICU).Methods: It was a Prospective, observational study conducted in ICU. Sixty eight consecutive patients having blood lactate level &gt;2 mmol/L were included irrespective of disease and postoperative status. We measured blood lactate concentration at ICU admission(H0), at six hours(H6), 12 hours(H12), and 24 hours(H24). Lactate clearance was measured for H0-H6, H0-H12 and H0-H24 time period.Results: ICU mortality was 33.8%. Lactate clearance was 15.80 ± 17.21% in survivors and 1.73±11% in non survivors for the H0-H6 (p = 0.001) and remained higher in survivors than in non survivors over the study period of 24 hours; 17.97±15 vs. -2.04±19.84% for H0-H12 and 27.40 ± 11.41% vs. -14.83 ± 26.84% for the H0-H24 period (p &lt; 0.001 for each studied period). There was significant difference in lactate concentration (static) between survivors and non survivors during the course of initial 24 hours. The best predictor of ICU mortality was lactate clearance for the H0-H24 period (AUC =0.89; 95% CI 0.78-1.01). Logistic regression found that H0-H24 lactate clearance was independently correlated to a survival status (p = 0.005, OR = 0.922 and 95% CI 0.871-0.976).Conclusion: Blood lactate concentration and lactate clearance are both predictive for mortality during initial 24 hours of ICU admission.

Early Serum Biomarkers for Intensive Care Unit Treatment within the First 24 Hours in Patients with Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

The prognostic significance of serum biomarkers in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is not well investigated concerning inhospital mortality (IHM) and cardiopulmonary events within the first 24 hours of intensive care unit (ICU) treatment. The influence of troponin I (TNI) value and cortisol value (CV) on cardiopulmonary events within the first 24 hours of ICU treatment was reported in subarachnoid hemorrhage patients, but not in ICH patients up to now. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of early serum biomarkers on IHM and TNI value and CV on cardiopulmonary events within the first 24 hours of ICU treatment. A total of 329 patients with spontaneous ICH were retrospectively analyzed. Blood samples were taken on admission to measure serum biomarkers. The TNI value and CV were defined as biomarkers for cardiopulmonary stress. Demographic data, cardiopulmonary parameters, including norepinephrine application rate (NAR) in microgram per kilogram per minute and inspiratory oxygen fraction (FiO2) within the first 24 hours, and treatment regime were analyzed concerning their impact on ICU treatment and in hospital outcome. Binary logistic analysis was used to identify independent prognostic factors for IHM. Patients with initially nonelevated CVs required higher NAR (p = 0.01) and FiO2 (p = 0.046) within the first 24 hours of ICU treatment. Lower cholinesterase level (p = 0.004), higher NAR (p = 0.002), advanced age (p < 0.0001), larger ICH volume (p < 0.0001), presence of intraventricular hemorrhage (p = 0.007) and hydrocephalus (p = 0.009), raised level of C-reactive protein (p = 0.024), serum lactate (p = 0.003), and blood glucose (p = 0.05) on admission were significantly associated with IHM. In a multivariate model, age (odds ratio [OR]: 1.055; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.026-1.085; p < 0.0001), ICH volume (OR: 1.016; CI: 1.008-1.025; p < 0.0001), and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score (OR: 0.680; CI: 0.605-0.764; p < 0.0001) on admission as well as requiring NAR (OR: 1.171; CI: 1.026-1.337; p = 0.02) and FiO2 (OR: 0.951; CI: 0.921-0.983, p = 0.003) within the first 24 hours were independent predictors of IHM. Higher levels of C-reactive protein, serum lactate, blood glucose, and lower cholinesterase level on admission were significantly associated with IHM. Patients with initially nonelevated CVs required higher NAR and FiO2 within the first 24 hours of ICU treatment. Furthermore, requiring an NAR > 0.5 µg/kg/min or an FiO2 > 0.21 were identified as additional independent predictors for IHM. These results could be helpful to improve ICU treatment in ICH patients.

Relationship between nutritional status on admission to the intensive care unit and clinical outcomes.

To determine the prevalence of malnutrition on admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) and the relationship between nutritional status on admission and clinical outcomes in adult critically ill patients. This was a prospective study in an adult ICU. Patients with expected length of stay (LOS) >48 hours in ICU were assessed for nutritional status using the patient generated-subjective global assessment (PG-SGA) within 48 hours of admission to ICU. Primary outcomes were ICU and hospital mortality, ICU and hospital LOS and length of mechanical ventilation. A total of 166 patients were enrolled in this study. Patients were aged 59 ± 17 years on average with a mean BMI of 29 ± 7 kg/m2 and a mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score of 19 ± 7. The prevalence of malnutrition in critically ill patients was 36% (n = 60). Mortality rate of malnourished patients was 9% (n = 15) compared to 7.8% (n = 13) in well-nourished patients (adjusted odds ratio, 2.17; 95% confidence interval, 0.9-5.03, P = .069). There was no difference in hospital mortality between malnourished patients and well-nourished patients (10.2% vs 10.2% adjusted odds ratio, 1.93; 95% confidence interval, 0.89-4.19, P = .096). There was no relationship between nutritional status and length of mechanical ventilation (3.0 vs 1.0 days, P = .382)or ICU LOS (4.7 vs 4.8 days, P = .59). Malnourished patients had a longer LOS in hospital than well-nourished patients (24 vs 17 days, P = .03). Malnutrition is an independent risk factor for increased hospital LOS.

Evaluation of hand hygiene practices in pediatric unit in a tertiary care hospital, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh

Hand hygiene is a vital aspect of infection control and as such requires monitoring. The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Healthcare had been available since 2009 yet the average compliance of such practices among healthcare providers (HCPs) has remained unacceptably low.This study aimed to assess the compliance of hand hygiene practices and strategies for improvement in pediatric unit in a tertiary care hospital, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.This prospective cross-sectional survey was conducted during November 2016 – Feb 2017. Data was collected during day as well as night duty hours in intensive care unit (ICU) and wards using a self-structured questionnaire. Data obtained was analyzed using descriptive statistics.A total of 114 HCPs participated in this survey of which seventy six percent had good knowledge regarding moments and steps of hand hygiene. Good compliance (&amp;#62; 80%) was seen among faculty and nursing staff during day in ICU and was poor (&amp;#60;40%) among residents and interns, being the lowest during night hours in wards. The major reasons reported for low compliance were non-availability of soap &amp; disinfectants, high workload and lack of clear guidelines. Administrative and educational reforms were suggested to improve the compliance.HCPs at Department of Pediatrics have good knowledge and average compliance to hand hygiene practices. However, there is wide scope for improvement. Infrastructural support can be provided along with clear guidelines and robust training to improve these practices.

The Australian Injury Comorbidity Indices (AICIs) to predict in-hospital complications: A population-based data linkage study.

Hospital-admitted patients are at risk of experiencing certain adverse outcomes during their hospital-stay. Patients may need to be admitted to the intensive care unit or be placed on the ventilator while there is also a possibility for complications to develop. Pre-existing comorbidity could increase the risk of these outcomes. The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and the Elixhauser Comorbidity Measure (ECM), originally derived for mortality outcomes among general medical populations, are widely used for assessing these in-hospital complications even among specific injury populations. This study derived indices to specifically capture the effect of comorbidity on intensive care unit and ventilator use as well as hospital-acquired complications for injury patients. Retrospective data on injury hospital-admissions from July 2012 to June 2014 (161,334 patients) for the state of Victoria, Australia was analysed. Results from multivariable regression analysis were used to derive the Australian Injury Comorbidity Indices (AICIs) for intensive care unit and ventilator hours and hospital-acquired complications. The AICIs, CCI and ECM were validated on data from Victoria and two other Australian states. Five comorbidities were significantly associated with intensive care unit hours, two with ventilator hours and fifteen with hospital-acquired complications for hospitalised injury patients. Not all diseases listed in the CCI or ECM were found to be associated with these outcomes. The AICIs performed equally well in terms of predictive ability to the long-listed ECM and in most instances outperformed the CCI. Associations between outcomes and comorbidities vary based on the type of outcome measure. The new comorbidity indices developed in this study provide a relevant, parsimonious and up-to-date method to capture the effect of comorbidity on in-hospital complications among admitted injury patients and is better suited for use in that context compared to the CCI and ECM.

Risk factors for death and their predictive value on diabetic kidney disease patients in intensive care unit based on MIMIC-III database

To analyze the influencing factors of prognosis of patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in intensive care unit (ICU), and analyze their predictive value. Based on the inpatient information of more than 50 000 patients from June 2001 to October 2012 in the latest version of American Intensive Care Medical Information Database (MIMIC-III v1.4), the data of DKD patients were screened out, including gender, age, body weight, comorbidities [hypertension, coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic kidney disease (CKD)], sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, the length of ICU stay, the incidence of mechanical ventilation, vasoactive drugs and renal replacement therapy during the ICU hospitalization, complications of other diseases [ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), urinary tract infection (UTI), diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), acute myocardial infarction (AKI)] and prognosis of ICU. At the same time, the blood routine and biochemical data of the first 24 hours in ICU and the extremum values during the ICU hospitalization were collected. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to screen the prognostic factors of DKD patients in ICU, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to analyze the predictive value of death risk factors. 416 DKD patients were screened out, 20 patients were excluded due to data missing, and finally 396 patients were enrolled, including 220 survival patients and 176 dead patients. Compared with the survival group, the patients in the death group were older (years old: 57.13±13.04 vs. 52.61±14.15), with lower rates of hypertension and CKD (11.4% vs. 23.6%, 26.7% vs. 41.4%), higher SOFA scores and baseline values of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (SCr) and blood K+ [SOFA score: 5.86±2.79 vs. 4.49±2.56, BUN (mmol/L): 18.4±10.0 vs. 14.8±9.0, SCr (μmol/L): 387.2±382.8 vs. 284.6±244.9, K+ (mmol/L): 4.64±0.99 vs. 4.33±0.86], and longer ICU stay [days: 2.65 (1.48, 5.21) vs. 2.00 (1.00, 4.00)], and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.01). Further analysis of laboratory tests extremum values during ICU hospitalization showed that the maximum (max) and minimum (min) values of white blood cell (WBC), BUN and SCr, and K+max in the death group were significantly higher than those in the survival group [WBCmax (×109/L): 17.3±10.3 vs. 14.5±7.3, WBCmin (×109/L): 7.9±4.1 vs. 6.7±2.7, BUNmax (mmol/L): 23.8±10.4 vs. 18.8±10.2, BUNmin (mmol/L): 11.0±6.6 vs. 9.3±6.6, SCrmax (μmol/L): 459.7±392.5 vs. 350.1±294.4, SCrmin (μmol/L): 246.6±180.3 vs. 206.9±195.4, K+max (mmol/L): 5.35±0.93 vs. 5.09±0.99], and the minimum values of hemoglobin (Hbmin) and glucose (Glumin) were significantly lower than those in the survival group [Hbmin (g/L): 87.4±14.5 vs. 90.6±16.5, Glumin (mmol/L): 4.0±1.7 vs. 4.6±2.0], and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). The incidences of mechanical ventilation and vasoactive drugs during ICU hospitalization in the death group were significantly higher than those in the survival group (37.5% vs. 24.1%, 32.4% vs. 20.0%, both P < 0.01), and the incidences of UTI and AMI in the death group were significantly higher than those in the survival group (29.5% vs. 19.1%, 8.5% vs. 3.6%, both P < 0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that age [odds ratio (OR) = 1.019, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 1.003-1.036, P = 0.023], SOFA score (OR = 1.142, 95%CI was 1.105-1.246, P = 0.003), WBCmin (OR = 1.134, 95%CI was 1.054-1.221, P = 0.001) and BUNmax (OR = 1.010, 95%CI was 1.002-1.018, P = 0.018) were risk factors of death of DKD patients in ICU. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under ROC curve (AUC) of combination of risks factors of death was 0.706, the sensitivity was 61.6%, and the specificity was 73.2%. In order to prevent DKD patients from getting worse in ICU, we should pay close attention to the blood biochemical indexes, especially the renal function indexes, and give timely treatment. At the same time, we should actively prevent the occurrence of complications such as infection and cardiovascular disease.

How to Feed the Critically Ill—A Review

Number of recently published studies on nutritional support in the intensive care unit (ICU) have resulted in a paradigm shift of clinical practices. This review summarises the latest evidence in four main topics in the ICU, namely: (1) function of validated nutrition screening/assessment tools, (2) types and validity of body composition measurements, (3) optimal energy and protein goals, and (4) delivery methods. Recent studies that investigated the above aims were outlined and discussed. In addition, recent guidelines were also compared to highlight the similarities and differences in their approach to the nutrition support of critically ill patients. Regardless of nutritional status and body composition, all patients with >48 hours of ICU stay are at nutrition risk and should receive individualised nutrition support. Although a recent trial did not demonstrate an advantage of indirect calorimetry over predictive equations, it was recommended that indirect calorimetry be used to set energy targets with better accuracy. Initiation of enteral nutrition (EN) within 24-48 hours was shown to be associated with improved clinical outcomes. The energy and protein goals should be achieved gradually over the first week of ICU stay. This practice should be protocolised and regularly audited as critically ill patients receive only part of their energy and protein goals. Metabolic demands of critically ill patients can be variable and nutrition support should be tailored to each patient. Given that many nutrition studies are on-going, we anticipate improvements in the individualisation of nutrition support in the near future.

Assessment of tissue oxygenation to personalize mean arterial pressure target in patients with septic shock

ObjectiveTo investigate whether assessment of tissue oxygenation could help personalizing the mean arterial pressure (MAP) target in patients with septic shock. MethodsWe prospectively measured near-infrared spectroscopy variables in 22 patients with septic shock receiving norepinephrine with a MAP>75 mmHg within the first six hours of intensive care unit (ICU) stay for patients with community-acquired septic shock and within the first six hours of resuscitation for patients with ICU-acquired septic shock. All measurements were performed at MAP>75 mmHg (“high-MAP”) and at MAP 65–70 mmHg (“low-MAP”) after decreasing the norepinephrine dose. Relative changes in StO2 recovery slope (RS) >8% were considered clinically relevant. ResultsAfter decreasing the norepinephrine dose by 45 ± 24%, MAP significantly decreased from 81[78;84] to 68[67;69]mmHg, whereas cardiac index did not change. On average, the StO2-RS significantly decreased between high and low-MAP from 2.86[1.87;4.32] to 2.41[1.14;3.72]%/sec with a large interindividual variability: the StO2-RS decreased by >8% in 14 patients, increased by >8% in 4 patients and changes were < 8% in 4 patients. These changes in StO2-RS were correlated with the StO2-RS at low-MAP (r = 0.57,p = 0.006). At high-MAP, there was no difference between patients exhibiting a relevant decrease or increase in StO2-RS. ConclusionsA unique MAP target may not be suitable for all patients with septic shock as its impact on peripheral oxygenation may widely differ among patients. It could make sense to personalize MAP target through a multimodal assessment including peripheral oxygenation.

Clinical analysis of septic shock caused by acute upper and lower gastrointestinal perforation

To analyze the clinical characteristics of septic shock caused by upper and lower gastrointestinal perforation. Clinical data of patients with septic shock due to gastrointestinal perforation admitted to the department of critical care medicine of the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University from January 2018 to December 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. The general information; procalcitonin (PCT), acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores during the first 24 hours in intensive care unit (ICU); results of ascites culture during the first 72 hours in ICU; the maximum dosage and total time of norepinephrine (NE) in ICU; mechanical ventilation time, the length of ICU stay, occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI), continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and 28-day mortality were collected. The patients were divided into upper gastrointestinal tract group (stomach and duodenum) and lower gastrointestinal tract group (jejunum, ileum, appendix, colon and rectum), with a boundary of Treitz. The clinical features between the two groups were compared. There were 33 patients in the upper gastrointestinal tract group and 30 patients in the lower gastrointestinal tract group. There was no significant difference in gender and age between the two groups. The main pathogens in the ascites cultures in the upper gastrointestinal tract group were Candida albicans (45.5%), Enterococcus faecalis (18.2%) and Escherichia coli (18.2%). Escherichia coli (46.2%) and Enterococcus faecalis (30.8%) were the main pathogens in the lower gastrointestinal tract group. There were significant differences in PCT, the length of ICU stay, mechanical ventilation time, the maximum dosage and total time of NE between the upper gastrointestinal tract group and lower gastrointestinal tract group [PCT (μg/L): 17.69 (3.83, 26.62) vs. 32.82 (4.21, 100.00), the length of ICU stay (hours): 149.0 (102.5, 302.0) vs. 115.5 (30.8, 214.5), mechanical ventilation time (hours): 106.0 (41.5, 183.0) vs. 57.5 (25.0, 122.3), the maximum dosage of NE (μg×kg-1×min-1): 1.2 (0.5, 2.0) vs. 0.7 (0.5, 1.2), the total time of NE (hours): 72.0 (21.0, 145.0) vs. 26.5 (18.0, 80.5), all P < 0.05], while there was no statistically differences in APACHE II or SOFA scores [APACHE II: 30.0 (24.5, 35.0) vs. 28.0 (25.0, 33.5), SOFA: 10.67±4.14 vs. 9.50±3.33, both P > 0.05]. Compared with the lower gastrointestinal tract group, patients in the upper gastrointestinal tract group were more likely to have AKI (78.8% vs. 53.3%, P < 0.05) and require CRRT (39.4% vs. 16.7%, P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in the 28-day mortality (39.4% vs. 43.3%, P > 0.05). The clinical characteristics of septic shock caused by upper and lower gastrointestinal perforation are not the same. Patients with septic shock caused by upper gastrointestinal perforation are more likely to suffer from fungal infection, with more severe shock, more likely to have AKI and require CRRT, and significantly longer mechanical ventilation and the length of ICU stay. While patients with septic shock caused by lower gastrointestinal perforation showed higher PCT.

Effect of Early Mobilization on Respiratory and Limb Muscle Strength and Functionality of Nonintubated Patients in Critical Care: A Feasibility Trial

Purpose. To assess the potential effectiveness or efficacy of early mobilization on respiratory and peripheral muscle strengths and functionality in nonintubated patients. Methods. For 40 nonintubated patients over 18 years of age with over 24-hour intensive care unit (ICU) stay allocated to a single intervention, an incremental mobilization protocol was initiated. Maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures (MIP and MEP), peripheral muscle strength (handgrip strength (HGS) and Medical Research Council scale (MRC-s)), and functionality (FIM, ICF-BMS, PFIT-s, and FSS-ICU scales) were evaluated at ICU admission and discharge. Results. All outcomes were significantly improved (pre vs. post values): MIP (43.93 ± 21.95 vs. 54.12 ± 21.68 cmH2O; P&lt;0.001), MEP (50.32 ± 28.65 vs. 60.30 ± 21.23; P=0.002), HGS (25.5 (9.58) vs. 27.5 (9.48); P=0.046), MRC-s (58.52 ± 2.84 vs. 59.47 ± 1.81; P=0.023), FIM (54.4 ± 22.79 vs. 69.48 ± 12.74), ICF-BMS (28.63 ± 16.19 vs. 14.03 ± 11.15), PFIT-s (9.55 ± 2.34 vs. 11.18 ± 1.32) (P&lt;0.001), and FSS-ICU (28.7 ± 9.1 vs. 32.6 ± 5.0; P=0.001). The ceiling effect at admission/discharge was in MRC-s (60/82.5%), FSS-ICU (50/70%), and FIM (35/62.5%). The floor effect occurred at discharge in ICF-BMS (7.5/52.5%). Conclusions. The early mobilization protocol seemed effective at maintaining/increasing the respiratory muscle strength and functionality of nonintubated patients in critical care. Ceiling effect was high for MRC-s, FSS-ICU, and FIM scales.

Acute kidney injury in critically ill cancer patients is associated with mortality: A retrospective analysis.

In critically ill patients, acute kidney injury (AKI) is common and associated with short- and long-term complications. Our objectives were to describe the epidemiology and impact of AKI in cancer patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). We identified all patients with a haematological malignancy (HM) or solid tumour (ST) who had an emergency admission to the ICU in a tertiary care centre between January 2004 and July 2012. AKI was defined according to the KDIGO criteria. 429 patients were included of whom 259 (60%) had AKI. Among HM patients, 73 (78%) had AKI (70% AKI on admission to ICU; 7% during ICU stay); among ST patients, 186 (56%) had AKI (45% on admission to ICU, 11% during ICU stay). ICU and 28-day mortality rates were 33% and 48%, respectively in HM patients, and 22% and 31%, respectively in ST patients. Multivariable analysis showed that AKI was an independent risk factor for both ICU and 28-day mortality. New AKI after 24 hours in ICU was associated with higher mortality than AKI on admission. AKI is common in critically ill cancer patients and independently associated with ICU and 28-day mortality.

Variable Costs of the Intensive Care Units and its Determinants in Iranian Hospitals

Background: Managers can avoid waste in resources and provide valuable insight by studying the variables associated with the costs in the intensive care units (ICU). The aim of this study was to evaluate the variable costs of ICUs and factors that contribute to cost structure in Iran. Methods: A retrospective micro-costing method was performed on 468 admissions with a length of stay ≥ 24 hours in ICUs in a university hospital in 2017. The variable costs were consumables, laboratory tests, and medicines. The IBM SPSS24software was used to analyze the data. Results: The variable costs per ICU day and patient were $94.14 and $1,309, respectively, and the total variable cost was $612,641. The costs for consumables, laboratory tests, and medicine were responsible for 19 %, 27 %, and 54 % of the variable costs, respectively. The average variable costs for non-survivors were 2.5 times higher than the other variables. Medicine was the key driver of costs in all ICUs. Overall, antibiotics, blood derivatives, blood biochemistry, blood group &amp; Rh, cutter, and tracheal intubation had the highest costs. Conclusion: To reduce the costs, national standard treatment guidelines and essential medicine lists based on treatments of the choice should be revised. Patients who are in the final stages of a terminal illness can continue their treatment at home-based care or alternative cares such as palliative to reduce the hospital costs.