Initial Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Research Articles

Pulmonary fibrosis followed by severe pneumonia in patients with COVID-19 infection requiring mechanical ventilation: a prospective multicentre study

BackgroundsThe management of lung complications, especially fibrosis, after COVID-19 pneumonia, is an important issue in the COVID-19 post-pandemic era. We aimed to investigate risk factors for pulmonary fibrosis development in...

Early Mortality Stratification with Serum Albumin and the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score at Emergency Department Admission in Septic Shock Patients.

Background: Early risk stratification is crucial due to septic patients' heterogeneity. Serum albumin level may reflect the severity of sepsis and host status. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic ability of the initial sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score alone and combined with serum albumin levels for predicting 28-day mortality in patients with septic shock. Methods: We conducted an observational study using a prospective, multicenter registry of septic shock patients between October 2015 and May 2022 from 12 emergency departments in the Korean Shock Society and the results were validated by examining those from the septic shock cohort in Asan Medical Center. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to compare the predictive values of SOFA score alone and SOFA score combined with serum albumin level. Results: Among 5805 septic shock patients, 1529 (26.3%) died within 28 days. Mortality increased stepwise with decreasing serum albumin levels (13.6% in albumin ≥3.5, 20.7% in 3.5-3.0, 29.7% in 3.0-2.5, 44.0% in 2.5-2.0, 56.4% in <2.0). The albumin SOFA score was calculated by adding the initial SOFA score to the 4 points assigned for albumin levels. ROC analysis for predicting 28-day mortality showed that the area under the curve for the albumin SOFA score was 0.71 (95% CI 0.70-0.73), which was significantly higher than that of the initial SOFA score alone (0.68, 95% CI: 0.67-0.69). Conclusions: The combination of the initial SOFA score with albumin can improve prognostic accuracy for patients with septic shock, suggesting the albumin SOFA score may be used as an early mortality stratification tool.

Prognostic factors and clinical outcomes in Fournier’s Gangrene: a retrospective study of 35 patients

BackgroundFournier’s gangrene is a severe form of infectious necrotizing fasciitis affecting the perineum, perianal, and genital areas; it is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Hence, it is important to identify prognostic factors that can predict clinical outcomes and guide treatment strategies. Thus, our study aimed to analyze patient characteristics and determine prognostic factors affecting clinical outcomes in Fournier’s gangrene.MethodsThis retrospective study involved examining medical records spanning 18 years for patients with Fournier’s gangrene at our institution. Considering the exclusion criteria, data from 35 patients were included in this study.ResultsA total of 35 patients were included in the analysis. The mean age of the patients showed no statistically significant difference between the survivor and non-survivor groups. The Charlson Comorbidity Index, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score were not significantly different between the two groups. Notably, the initial Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score was significantly higher in the non-survivor group than that in the survivor group. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 17.1%. Moreover, the prevalence of multidrug resistant bacterial infection was markedly higher in the non-survivor group than that in the survivor group. Coagulation dysfunction was significantly more prevalent in the non-survivor group than that in the survivor group, and had the most significant impact on in-hospital mortality. A multivariable logistic regression analysis identified multidrug resistant bacterial infection to be independently associated with high in-hospital mortality.ConclusionsCoagulation dysfunction and multidrug resistant bacterial infection were identified as independent negative prognostic factors, highlighting the need for prompt monitoring and proactive strategies against Fournier’s gangrene.

The absolute lactate levels versus clearance for prognostication of post-cardiotomy patients on veno-arterial ECMO.

Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is a life-saving procedure for supporting patients with cardiogenic shock after cardiac surgery. This work aimed to analyse the impact of changes in blood lactate levels on the survival of patients on post-cardiotomy ECMO (PC-ECMO) and whether lactate clearance (LC) performs better than absolute lactate levels. We retrospectively analysed the data of adult patients who received PC-ECMO at our centre between 2016 and 2022. The primary outcome was the in-hospital mortality rate. Arterial lactate levels were measured at ECMO initiation, peak and 12 and 24h after VA-ECMO support. LC was calculated at 12 and 24h. Out of 2368 patients who received cardiac surgeries, 152 (median age, 48years; 57.9% of them were men) received PC-ECMO. Of them, 48 (31.6%) survived and were discharged, while 104 (68.4%) died during the index hospitalization. Non-survivors had higher frequencies of atrial fibrillation (41.35% vs. 12.5%, P<0.001), chronic kidney disease (26.9% vs. 6.3%, P=0.004), prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass (237 vs. 192min, P=0.016) and aortic cross-clamping times (160 vs. 124min, P=0.04) than survivors. Non-survivors had a significantly higher median Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score at ECMO initiation (13.5 vs. 9, P<0.001) and a lower median Survival After Veno-arterial ECMO (SAVE) score (-3 vs. 3, P<0.001) with higher SAVE classes (P<0.001) than survivors. After 12h of VA-ECMO support, the blood lactate level was negatively correlated with LC in survivors (r=-0.755, P<0.001) and non-survivors (r=-0.601, P<0.001). After 24h, the same negative correlation was identified between survivors (r=-0.764, P<0.001) and non-survivors (r=-0.847, P<0.001). Blood lactate levels measured at 12h to determine hospital mortality [>8.2mmol/L, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC): 0.868] and 24h (>2.6mmol/L, AUROC: 0.896) had the best performance, followed by LC-T12 (<21.94%, AUROC: 0.807), LC-T24 (<40.3%, AUROC: 0.839) and peak blood lactate (>14.35mmol/L, AUROC: 0.828). The initial pre-ECMO blood lactate (>6.25mmol/L, AUROC: 0.731) had an acceptable ability to discriminate mortality but was less than the following measurements and clearance. Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated that LC of <21.94% at T12h and <40.3% at T24h was associated with decreased survival (log-rank P<0.001). Cox proportional hazards regression analysis for mortality revealed that LC of <21.94% at T12h had an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 2.73 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.64-5.762, P<0.001] and LC of <40.3% at T24h had an adjusted HR of 1.98 (95% CI: 1.46-4.173, P<0.001). The predictors of hospital mortality after PC-ECMO were the lactate level at 12h [odds ratio (OR): 1.67, 95% CI: 1.121-2.181, P=0.001], initial SOFA score (OR: 1.593, 95% CI: 1.15-2.73, P<0.001), initial blood lactate (OR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.016-1.721, P=0.032) and atrial fibrillation (OR: 6.17, 95% CI: 2.37-57.214, P=0.003). Bivariate models using lactate levels and clearance at the same points revealed that blood lactate levels performed better than the clearance percentage. Serial measurements of arterial blood lactate and LC help in obtaining early prognostic guidance in adult patients supported by VA-ECMO after cardiac surgery. Absolute lactate levels, compared with LC at the same time points, demonstrated better performance in differentiating mortality.

Meta analysis of the predictive efficacy of various derived indicators of sequential organ failure assessment in outcomes of patients with sepsis

To systematically review and evaluate the predictive efficacy of various derived indicators of sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) in mortality rate of sepsis patients. Literature on sepsis and SOFA scores were searched in PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library. The retrieval time will be set to the time of database-building to February, 2023. The main outcome measures included 28-day mortality, 30-day mortality, in-hospital mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) mortality and long-term mortality. Literature screening, data extraction and quality evaluation were carried out independently by 2 researchers. Data were analyzed by Revman 5.3.5, Meta-disc and Stata software. Deek funnel plots were used to assess publication bias in the included studies. A total of 40 articles including 51 trials were included. Of these, 32 were in English and 8 in Chinese, 17 were in prospective trials and 34 were in retrospective trials, 38 were in initial SOFA-related trials and 9 were in the change of SOFA score (ΔSOFA)-related studies, a total of 59 962 patients were enrolled. (1) The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) of initial SOFA and ΔSOFA for predicting outcome in sepsis was 0.773 and 0.787 (Z = 0.115, P > 0.05), respectively. There was no significant difference between the two indexes in predicting the outcome of patients with sepsis. (2) In subgroup analysis, due to limitations in the number of literature articles, the 28-day mortality rate and 30-day mortality rate were merged for discussion. The predictive power of ΔSOFA for 28-day or 30-day mortality was significantly higher than that of initial SOFA (AUC was 0.854, 0.787, Z = 2.603, P ≤ 0.01). (3) There were few studies on ΔSOFA in predicting in-hospital mortality, ICU mortality and long-term mortality of sepsis patients. The AUC of the initial SOFA for predicting the study endpoints described above was: ICU mortality (0.814) > 28-day or 30-day mortality (0.787) > in-hospital mortality (0.697) > long-term mortality (0.646). (4) Initial SOFA and ΔSOFA in patients with sepsis of non-Han original had good predictive performance and there was no significant difference between them (AUC was 0.766, 0.811, respectively). However, the pooled sensitivity of ΔSOFA was higher (92%). (5) In prospective studies, initial SOFA was better at predicting outcomes in patients with sepsis (AUC was 0.804, pooled sensitivity 64%). The sensitivity of ΔSOFA indicators in predicting the outcome of sepsis patients was significantly higher than the initial SOFA (78% vs. 64%). The funnel plot showed that there was no significant publication bias in the included literature. ΔSOFA has a relatively high diagnostic efficacy in predicting short-term (28-day or 30-day) mortality in patients with sepsis.

The association of the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score at intensive care unit discharge with intensive care unit readmission in the cardiac intensive care unit.

Unplanned intensive care unit (ICU) readmissions contribute to increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. The severity of patient illness at ICU discharge may predict early ICU readmission. Thus, in this study, we investigated the association of cardiac ICU (CICU) discharge Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score with unplanned CICU readmission in patients admitted to the CICU. We retrospectively reviewed the hospital medical records of 4659 patients who were admitted to the CICU from 2012 to 18. Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores at CICU admission and discharge were obtained. The predictive performance of organ failure scoring was evaluated by using area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curves. The primary outcome was unplanned CICU readmission. Of the 3949 patients successfully discharged from the CICU, 184 (4.7%) had an unplanned CICU readmission or they experienced a deteriorated condition but died without being readmitted to the CICU (readmission group). The readmission group had significantly higher rates of organ failure in all organ systems at both CICU admission and discharge than the non-readmission group. The AUROC of the discharge SOFA score for CICU readmission was 0.731, showing good predictive performance. The AUROC of the discharge SOFA score was significantly greater than that of either the initial SOFA score (P = 0.020) or the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score (P < 0.001). In the multivariable regression analysis, SOFA score, overweight or obese status, history of heart failure, and acute heart failure as reasons for ICU admission were independent predictors of unplanned ICU readmission during the same hospital stay. The discharge SOFA score may identify patients at a higher risk of unplanned CICU readmission, enabling targeted interventions to reduce readmission rates and improve patient outcomes.

Clinical Characteristics and Mortality Predictors of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Patients in ICU- an Observational Study

Introduction: Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is an inflammatory lung condition characterized by a sudden onset of severe oxygen deficiency, bilateral chest infiltrates, and high morbidity and mortality rates. The causes and prognostic factors for ARDS may vary in tropical regions.&#x0D; Objective: This study aimed to investigate the causes, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of ARDS patients admitted in ICU.&#x0D; Methodology: We conducted a prospective observational study involving 92 ARDS patients admitted to the medical and surgical intensive care units of a tertiary care hospital in eastern Nepal from 2021 to 2023. We included patients aged 15 years and above who met all the Berlin criteria for ARDS. Patients with burns, end-stage renal disease, hepatic disease, head injuries, congestive cardiac failure, and postoperative patients were excluded. We assessed demographic parameters, initial clinical presentations, causative agents, ventilation parameters, organ failure during the ICU stay, and factors influencing patient mortality.&#x0D; Results: Our cohort had a mean age of 45.71 ± 20.02 years, with a predominance of male patients. The majority of patients presented with fever and shortness of breath. Approximately 26.1% had mild ARDS, while 25% had severe ARDS. The initial Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score was 10.11 ± 6.07, with most patients having a lung injury score of less than 2.5. Higher lung injury scores and low PaO2/FiO2 ratios were associated with increased mortality (P&lt;0.05). The overall mortality rate in our study was 33.6%.&#x0D; Conclusion: Pneumonia emerged as the most common cause of ARDS in our region. Low PaO2/FiO2 ratios and higher lung injury scores significantly influenced ARDS mortality.

Impact of sepsis on Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status among fully ambulatory patients: a prospective nationwide multicenter cohort.

Investigations of the impact of sepsis on the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) of fully ambulatory patients are scarce. This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected nationwide data on septic patients recruited from 19 hospitals of the Korean Sepsis Alliance between August 2019 and December 2020. Adult septic patients with good ECOG PS (i.e., 0 or 1) before sepsis were enrolled in this study. The change in ECOG PS and the prevalence of disability (ECOG PS ≥2) at hospital discharge were recorded. Of the 4,145 septic patients, 1,735 (41.9%) patients who had ECOG PS of 0 or 1 before sepsis and eventually survived to discharge were selected. After treatment for sepsis, the ECOG PS deteriorated in 514 (29.6%) patients; 376 (21.7%) patients had poor ECOG PS (i.e., ≥2) at hospital discharge. The proportion of patients with poor ECOG PS at hospital discharge increased with increases in the initial sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score and lactate level. Furthermore, poor ECOG PS at hospital discharge was found in young patients (aged <65 years, 17.4%), those with no history of cancer (18.2%) or with low comorbidities [Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) ≤2; 13.6%], and those without septic shock (19.9%). In multivariable analysis, age, solid cancer, immunocompromised condition, SOFA score, mechanical ventilation, and use of inappropriate empirical antibiotics (odds ratio: 1.786; 95% confidence interval: 1.151-2.771) were significant risk factors for poor ECOG PS. One in five septic patients who were fully ambulatory before sepsis were not functionally independent at hospital discharge. Incomplete functional recovery was also seen in a substantial proportion of younger patients, those with low comorbidities, and those without septic shock. However, the adequacy of empirical antibiotics may improve the functional status in such patients.

Prognostic accuracy of initial and 24-h maximum SOFA scores of septic shock patients in the emergency department

BackgroundWe compared the prognostic accuracy of in-hospital mortality of the initial Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFAini) score at the time of sepsis recognition and resuscitation and the maximum SOFA score (SOFAmax) using the worst variables in the 24 h after the initial score measurement in emergency department (ED) patients with septic shock. MethodsThis was a retrospective observational study using a multicenter prospective registry of septic shock patients in the ED between October 2015 and December 2019. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. The prognostic accuracies of SOFAini and SOFAmax were evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) curve. ResultsA total of 4860 patients was included, and the in-hospital mortality was 22.1%. In 59.7% of patients, SOFAmax increased compared with SOFAini, and the mean change of total SOFA score was 2.0 (standard deviation, 2.3). There was a significant difference in in-hospital mortality according to total SOFA score and the SOFA component scores, except cardiovascular SOFA score. The AUC of SOFAmax (0.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.69–0.72) was significantly higher than that of SOFAini (AUC, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.66–0.69) in predicting in-hospital mortality. The AUCs of all scores of the six components were higher for the maximum values. ConclusionThe prognostic accuracy of the initial SOFA score at the time of sepsis recognition was lower than the 24-h maximal SOFA score in ED patients with septic shock. Follow-up assessments of organ failure may improve discrimination of the SOFA score for predicting mortality.

Serial SOFA-score trends in ICU-admitted COVID-19 patients as predictor of 28-day mortality: A prospective cohort study.

The efficacy of Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA)score as predictor of clinical outcomes among ICU-admitted COVID-19 patients is still controversial. We aimed to assess whether SOFA-score in different time intervals could predict 28-day mortality compared with other well-acknowledged risk factors of COVID-19 mortality. This observational prospective cohort was conducted on 1057 patients from March 2020 to March 2022 at Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Iran. The univariate and multivariate Cox proportional analysis were performed to assess the hazards of SOFA-score models. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC)curves weredesigned to estimate the predictive values. Mean SOFA-score during first 96 h(HR: 3.82 [CI: 2.75-5.31]), highest SOFA-score (HR: 2.70 [CI: 1.93-3.78]), and initial SOFA-score (HR: 1.65 [CI: 1.30-2.11]) hadstrongest association with 28-daymortality (p < .0001). In contrast, SOFA scoresat 48and 96 has well as Δ-SOFA: 48-0 hand Δ-SOFA: 96-0 hdid not show significant correlations. Amongthem, merely mean SOFA-score (HR: 2.28 [CI: 2.21-3.51]; p < .001) remained as independent prognosticator on multivariate regression analysis; though having less odds of predicting value compared with age (HR: 3.81 [CI: 1.98-5.21]), hypertension (HR: 3.11 [CI: 1.26-3.81]), coronary artery disease [CAD] (HR: 2.82 [CI: 1.51-4.8]), and diabetes mellitus (HR: 2.45 [CI: 1.36-2.99]). The area under ROC (AUROC) for mean SOFA-score (0.77) and highest SOFA-score (0.71) were larger than other SOFA intervals. Calculating the first 96 hof SOFA trends, it was obtained that fatality rate was <12.3% if the score dropped, between 28.8%and 46.29% if the score remained unchanged, and >50.45% if the score increased. To predict the 28-day mortality among ICU-admitted COVID-19 patients, mean SOFA upon first 96 hof ICU stay is reliable; while having inadequate accuracy comparing with well-acknowledged COVID-19 mortality predictors (age, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, CAD). Notably, increased SOFA levels in the course of first 96 hof ICU-admission, prognosticate at least 50%fatality regardless of initial SOFA score.

Full neurological recovery from severe nonexertional heat stroke with multiple organ dysfunction: A case report

We report a rare case of full neurological recovery from severe nonexertional heat stroke in a 67-year-old woman with an initial Glasgow Coma Scale of 3. This report raises awareness among doctors that when heatstroke is diagnosed, comprehensive treatment should be implemented as soon as possible. Moreover, targeted temperature management, combination therapy with hemodialysis and hemoperfusion, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy may alleviate multiorgan failure and prevent neurological sequelae caused by heatstroke. A previously healthy 67-year-old woman with an initial Glasgow Coma Scale of 3 was found lying prone on the road at noon on a summer day. Laboratory tests revealed multiorgan failure. As soon as heatstroke was diagnosed, comprehensive treatment was implemented. On hospital Day 3, the patient was extubated. Her initial Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score at hospitalization was 14 and decreased to 2 on hospital Day 4. On the seventh day following hospital admission, as the patient's general condition improved, the levels of laboratory test findings decreased rapidly. Finally, the patient gradually recovered with no other neurological symptoms (the Glasgow Coma Scale at discharge was 15, and her ability to walk independently was restored). This case demonstrated that targeted temperature management, combination therapy with hemodialysis and hemoperfusion, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy may alleviate multiorgan failure and prevent neurological sequelae caused by heatstroke.

Clinical characteristics, course and outcome of critically ill COVID-19 patients with previous or current TB admitted in ICU of a tertiary care COVID centre of Indian subcontinent.

Clinical characteristics, course and outcome of critically ill COVID-19 patients with previous or current TB admitted in ICU of a tertiary care COVID centre of Indian subcontinent.

Accuracy of Rapid Emergency Medicine Score and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score in predicting acute paraphenylenediamine poisoning adverse outcomes

Paraphenylenediamine (PPD) is a commonly used xenobiotic in hair dying, causing deleterious outcomes in acute poisoning. Although many epidemiological studies and case reports explained their clinical presentations and fatal consequences, no studies have evaluated the early determinants of adverse outcomes. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the initial predictors of acute PPD poisoning adverse outcomes, focusing on the discriminatory accuracy of the Rapid Emergency Medicine Score (REMS) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score. A retrospective cohort study included all acute PPD-poisoned patients admitted to three Egyptian emergency hospitals from January 2020 to January 2022. Data was gathered on admission, including demographics, toxicological, clinical, scoring systems, and laboratory investigations. Patients were categorized according to their outcomes (mortality and complications). Ninety-seven patients with acute PPD poisoning were included, with a median age of 23 years, female predominance (60.8%), and suicidal intention (95.9%). Out of all patients, 25.77% died, and 43.29% had complicated outcomes. Respiratory failure was the primary cause of fatalities (10.30%), while acute renal failure (38.14%) was a chief cause of complications. The delay time till hospitalization, abnormal electrocardiogram, initial creatine phosphokinase, bicarbonate level, REMS, and SOFA scores were the significant determinants for adverse outcomes. The REMS exhibited the highest odds ratio (OR = 1.91 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.41–2.60], p < 0.001) and had the best discriminatory power with the area under the curve (AUC) = 0.918 and overall accuracy of 91.8% in predicting mortality. However, the SOFA score had the highest odds ratio (OR = 4.97 [95% CI: 1.16–21.21], p = 0.001) and only yielded a significant prediction for complicated sequels with AUC = 0.913 and overall accuracy of 84.7%. The REMS is a simple clinical score that accurately predicts mortality, whereas the SOFA score is more practicable for anticipating complications in acute PPD-poisoned patients.

Association between Mortality and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score during a Short Stay in the Intensive Care Unit after Non-Cardiac Surgery.

Background: The sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score has been validated in various clinical situations. However, it has not been investigated during a short stay in the intensive care unit (ICU). This study aimed to evaluate the association between the SOFA score and outcomes in patients who were monitored for less than one day after non-cardiac surgery. Methods: From a total of 203,787 consecutive adult patients who underwent non-cardiac surgery between January 2011 and June 2019, we selected 17,714 who were transferred to the ICU immediately after surgery and stayed for less than 24 h. Patients were divided according to quartile value and change between the initial and follow-up levels of SOFA score. Results: Three-year mortality tended to increase with a higher initial SOFA score (11.7%, 11.8%, 15.1%, and 17.8%, respectively). The patients were divided according to changes in the SOFA score at the midnight postoperative follow-up check: 16,176 (91.3%) in the stable group and 1538 (8.7%) in the worsened group. The worsened group showed significantly higher three-year mortality and complications (13.2% vs. 18.6%; HR [hazard ratio]: 1.236; 95% CI [confidence interval]: 1.108–1.402; p ≤ 0.0021 for three-year mortality and 3.8% vs. 9.1%; HR: 2.13; 95% CI: 1.73–2.60; p < 0.001 for acute kidney injury). Conclusions: The SOFA score during a short stay in the ICU after non-cardiac surgery showed an association with mortality. The change in SOFA score may need to be considered at discharge from the ICU.

Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) Score and Mortality Prediction in Patients With Severe Respiratory Distress Secondary to COVID-19.

BackgroundThis study looks at the validity of the sequential organ failure assessment score (SOFA) in detecting mortality in patients with Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. Also, it is looking to determine the optimal SOFA score that will discriminate between mortality and survival.MethodsIt is a retrospective chart review of the patients admitted to Henry Ford Hospital from March 2020 to December 2020 with COVID-19 pneumonia who developed severe respiratory distress. We collected the following information; patient demographics (age, sex, body mass index), co-morbidities (history of diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary artery disease, or cancer), SOFA scores (the ratio of arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) to the fraction of inspired oxygen, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, mean arterial pressure, serum creatinine level, bilirubin level, and platelet count) as well as inpatient mortality.ResultsThere were 320 patients; out of these, 111 were intubated. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for SOFA at the moment of inclusion in the study had an area under the curve of 0.883. The optimal point for discrimination between mortality and survival is SOFA of 5. A SOFA score of less than two is associated with 100% survival, while a score of more than 11 is associated with 100% mortality.ConclusionsSOFA score in COVID-19 patients with severe respiratory distress strongly correlates with the initial SOFA score. It is a valuable tool for predicting mortality in COVID-19 patients.

Clinical outcomes and predictors of acute cerebrovascular strokes after coronary artery bypass graft surgery

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery still carries a significant risk acute cerebrovascular stroke despite advances in anesthetic, surgical and medical managements. Objective To study the risk factors and get the predictors of acute stroke after CABG and study the clinical outcomes during hospitalization and follow up. Methods This retrospective study included 410 patients who underwent CABG at our tertiary care hospital from January 2016 to August 2020. The patients were divided into two groups according to the occurrence of acute cerebrovascular stroke. Results The study included 410 patients with a median age of 60(55-68) years with a male predominance (82.2%). Thirty-one (7.5%) patients developed strokes after CABG. The stroke group had significantly higher initial sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score [ 3(2-4) vs. 2(1-3), p=0.002], SOFA after 48 hours [5(1-7) vs. 1(0-2), p&amp;lt;0.001], higher peak blood lactate level [12.5(7.6-14.7) vs. 5.1(3.7-8.5),p&amp;lt;0.001], longer ICU stay [11(6-42) vs. 4(3-5), p&amp;lt;0.001], more ventilator days [10(2-32) vs. 1(1-2), p&amp;lt;0.001], more tracheostomies (38.7 vs. 0, p&amp;lt;0.001) ,longer post ICU ward stay [11(2-57) vs. 5(3-7), p=0.015] and greater hospital mortality (25.8 vs. 0.8, p&amp;lt;0.001) compared to the non-stroke group respectively. Both groups showed insignificant mortality during a follow up period of 41.5(26.5-54.5) months. Multivariate regression revealed that early hospital stroke was independently predicted with carotid artery disease (OR:8.22, 95%CI:2.92-23.1, p&amp;lt;0.001), CPB time (OR:5.64, 95%CI:1.97-16.11, p&amp;lt;0.001), initial SOFA score (OR:1.643, 95%CI:1.194-2.26, p=0.002), prior stroke (OR:4.412, 95%CI:1.286-15.14, p=0.018), postoperative new AF (OR: 3.014, 95%CI:1.158-7.84, p=0.024) and CKD (OR:1.28,95%CI:1.05-3.75, p=0.017). Late cerebrovascular stroke was independently predicted with CAD (OR:9.38, 95%CI:3.72-23.66, p&amp;lt;0.001), postoperative AF (OR: 2.35,95%CI:1.0125-5.41, p=0.016), prior stroke (OR:3.725,95%CI:1.179-11.768, p=0.025), CABG plus valve surgery (0R:7.44, 95%CI:2.75-20.145, p&amp;lt;0.001), HBA1c (OR:1.431, 95%CI:1.071-1.914, p=0.016) and CKD (OR:2.33, 95%CI:1.056-5.165, p=0.036). Conclusion Acute cerebrovascular stroke is a serious complication after CABG and associated with increased mortality, longer hospital stays with multiple morbidities and resources consumption. Appropriate assessment and management of carotid artery disease, and post-operative atrial fibrillation should be routinely implemented to reduce the risk of early and late strokes in patients undergoing CABG.

Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score in the ICU As a Predictor of Long-Term Survival After Cardiac Surgery.

OBJECTIVES:The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score is a predictor of mortality in ICU patients. Although it is widely used and has been validated as a reliable and independent predictor of mortality and morbidity in cardiac ICU, few studies correlate early postoperative SOFA with long-term survival.DESIGN:Retrospective observational cohort study.SETTING:Tertiary academic cardiac surgery ICU.PATIENTS:One-thousand three-hundred seventy-nine patients submitted to cardiac surgery.INTERVENTIONS:SOFA 24 hours, SOFA 48 hours, mean, and highest SOFA scores were correlated with survival at 12 and 24 months. Wilcoxon tests were used to analyze differences in variables. Multivariate logistic regressions and likelihood ratio test were used to access the predictive modeling. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to assess accuracy of the variables in separating survivor from nonsurvivors.MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:Lower SOFA scores have better survival rates at 12 and 24 months. Highest SOFA and SOFA at 48 hours showed to be better predictors of outcome and to have higher accuracy in distinguishing survivors from nonsurvivors than initial SOFA and mean SOFA. A decreasing score during the first 48 hours had mortality rates of 4.9%, while an unchanged or increased score was associated with a mortality rate of 5.7%.CONCLUSIONS:SOFA score in the ICU after cardiac surgery correlated with survival at 12 and 24 months. Patients with lower SOFA scores had higher survival rates. Differences in survival at 12 months were better correlated with the absolute value at 48 hours than with its variation. SOFA score may be useful to predict long-term outcomes and to stratify patients with higher probability of mortality.

SOFA Score Plus Impedance Ratio Predicts Mortality in Critically Ill Patients Admitted to the Emergency Department: Retrospective Observational Study.

Background: The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) is a scoring system used for the evaluation of disease severity and prognosis of critically ill patients. The impedance ratio (Imp-R) is a novel mortality predictor. Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the combination of the SOFA + Imp-R in the prediction of mortality in critically ill patients admitted to the Emergency Department (ED). Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed in adult patients with acute illness admitted to the ED of a tertiary-care referral center. Baseline SOFA score and bioelectrical impedance analysis to obtain the Imp-R were performed within the first 24 h after admission to the ED. A Cox regression analysis was performed to evaluate the mortality risk of the initial SOFA score plus the Imp-R. Harrell’s C-statistic and decision curve analyses (DCA) were performed. Results: Out of 325 patients, 240 were included for analysis. Overall mortality was 31.3%. Only 21.3% of non-surviving patients died after hospital discharge, and 78.4% died during their hospital stay. Of the latter, 40.6% died in the ED. The SOFA and Imp-R values were higher in non-survivors and were significantly associated with mortality in all models. The combination of the SOFA + Imp-R significantly predicted 30-day mortality, in-hospital mortality, and ED mortality with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.80 (95% CI: 74–0.86), 0.79 (95% CI: 0.74–0.86) and 0.75 (95% CI: 0.66–0.84), respectively. The DCA showed that combining the SOFA + Imp-R improved the prediction of mortality through the lower risk thresholds. Conclusions: The addition of the Imp-R to the baseline SOFA score on admission to the ED improves mortality prediction in severely acutely ill patients admitted to the ED.

Thymosin alpha 1 therapy alleviates organ dysfunction of sepsis patients: a retrospective cohort study

Aim: Thymosin alpha 1 (Tα1) is a promising treatment for the improvement of sepsis patients. Until now, its function in reducing acute organ damage of sepsis patients is still unclear. The aim of this study was to determine whether Tα1 can alleviate organ dysfunction in sepsis patients. Methods: This study retrospectively enrolled sepsis patients from a multicenter randomized controlled trial [efficacy of Tα1 for severe sepsis (ETASS)]. The sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score on day 0 (initial), day 3, and day 7 was collected. Absolute SOFAday07 was defined as initial SOFA score minus SOFA score on day 7 (initial SOFA–SOFA day7). Delta SOFA score (ΔSOFAday07) was provided by the formula: (initial SOFA–SOFA day7) × 100/initial SOFA, and it was expressed as a percentage. After propensity score matching (1:1 ratio), baseline characteristics were well-balanced between the Tα1 group and placebo group. The primary outcome was evaluated with a comparison of ΔSOFAday07 decline between patients treated with or without Tα1 therapy. Results: Among 288 enrolled patients, 149 patients received both Tα1 and standard therapy (Tα1 group), and 139 patients received both placebo and standard therapy (placebo group). Compared with the placebo group, the Tα1 group had significantly lower Absolute SOFAday07 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.8 (0–1.7), P = 0.049]. Among 111 pairs of patients matched by propensity score, the Tα1 group still had lower Absolute SOFAday07 [95% CI 1.0 (0.1–1.9), P = 0.029]. Meanwhile, Tα1 treatment could significantly improve ΔSOFAday07. When the amplitude of ΔSOFAday07 was graded, one third of patients in the Tα1 group had an increase of more than 60%, compared with 22% in the placebo group. Subgroup analysis found that the ΔSOFAday07 improved significantly after Tα1 therapy in sepsis patients with no immunoparalysis at baseline, no complications, and early intervention. Conclusions: For sepsis patients, Tα1 treatment can alleviate organ dysfunction, and ΔSOFAday07 can be used as an indicator of its therapeutic effect (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00711620).

Predictors of non-invasive ventilation failure in adult patients with cardiac dysfunction presenting with community-acquired pneumonia: an Egyptian multicenter prospective study

Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) might be successful if carefully selected in adult patients with cardiac dysfunction presenting with community-acquired pneumonia. The main objective of this study was to identify the early predictors of NIV failure. Adult patients with left ventricle ejection fraction (LV EF) &lt;50% admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with community-acquired pneumonia and acute respiratory failure were enrolled in this multicenter prospective study after obtaining informed consents (study registrationID: ISRCTN14641518). Non-invasive ventilation failure was defined as the requirement of intubation after initiation of NIV. All patients were assessed using the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores at admission, while their Heart rate Acidosis Consciousness Oxygenation and Respiratory rate (HACOR) and lung ultrasound (LUS) scores in addition to blood lactate were assessed at NIV initiation and 12 and 24 hours later. A total of 177 patients were prospectively enrolled from February 2019 to July 2020. Of them, 53 (29.9%) had failed NIV. The mean age of the study cohort was 64.1± 12.6 years, with a male predominance (73.4%) and a mean LV EF of 36.4 ± 7.8%. Almost 55.9% of the studied patients had diabetes mellitus, 45.8% had chronic systemic hypertension, 73.4% had ischemic heart disease, 20.3% had chronic kidney disease, and 9.6% had liver cirrhosis. No significant differences were observed between the NIV success and NIV failure groups regarding underlying morbidities or inflammatory markers. Patients who failed NIV were significantly older and had higher mean SOFA and APACHE II scores than those with successful NIV. We also found that NIV failure was associated with longer ICU stay (p &lt; 0.001), higher SOFA scores at 48 hours (p &lt; 0.001) and higher mortality (p &lt; 0.001) compared with the NIV success group. In addition, SOFA (Odds Ratio (OR): 4.52, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 2.59–7.88, p &lt; 0.001), HACOR (OR: 2.01, 95% CI: 0.97–4.18, p = 0.036) and LUS (OR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.014–1.106, p = 0.027) scores and blood lactate levels (OR: 9.35, 95% CI: 5.32–43.26, p &lt; 0.001) were independent factors for NIV failure. High initial HACOR and SOFA scores, persistent hyperlactatemia and non-decrementing LUS score were associated with early NIV failure in patients with cardiac dysfunction presenting with community-acquired pneumonia, and could be used as clinical and paraclinical variables for early decision making regarding invasive ventilation.