Medical-surgical Intensive Care Unit Research Articles

Evaluating Vasopressor Discontinuation Strategies in Patients With Septic Shock on Concomitant Norepinephrine and Vasopressin Infusions.

There is little data guiding clinicians on how to discontinue vasopressors among septic shock patients on concomitant norepinephrine (NE) and vasopressin (VP). To determine the incidence of hypotension within 24 hours of discontinuing NE (NE DC first) versus VP (VP DC first) first in septic shock patients. This retrospective study evaluated septic shock patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit (MICU) and surgical ICU (SICU) receiving concomitant NE and VP. Receipt of additional vasopressors, mixed shock states, expired or care withdrawn, and NE and VP discontinued simultaneously were exclusion criteria. The primary outcome was incidence of hypotension within 24 hours of first vasopressor discontinuation. Secondary outcomes included time to hypotension, hospital length of stay (LOS), ICU LOS, and ICU mortality. A total of 80 patients were included (NE DC first [n = 35]; VP DC first [n = 45]), with a median age of 73 years and median modified Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores of 21 and 7, respectively. More patients in the NE DC first group were in the SICU (42.9% vs 20.0%; P = 0.048) with more intra-abdominal infections (40.0% vs 15.6%; P = 0.021) and fewer appropriate empirical antibiotics (62.9% vs 86.7%; P = 0.018). Hypotension within 24 hours of first agent discontinuation was higher in the VP DC first group (28.6% vs 62.2%; P = 0.004), with similar hospital LOS and ICU mortality. Multivariate analysis identified VP DC first as an independent predictor of hypotension (odds ratio = 7.2; CI = 2.3-22.7). Among septic shock patients on concomitant NE and VP, discontinuation of VP first was associated with an increased incidence of hypotension; future prospective control trials are warranted.

Critical care nurses' knowledge of, adherence to, and barriers toward institution-specific ventilator bundle

Although evidence-based practices are known to improve the quality of care, making it cost-efficient and improving clinical results, barriers to transferring research into clinical practice have hindered this process. To evaluate critical care nurses' knowledge of, adherence to, and barriers toward institution-specific ventilator bundle. In 2015, we conducted an institution-specific, cross-sectional study in a 26-bed adult mixed medical-surgical intensive care unit (ICU) in Finland using quantitative survey of knowledge and self-reported adherence with qualitative gathering of barrier data. A pre-validated multiple-choice Ventilator Bundle Questionnaire was distributed to all registered nurses who were direct care providers (n = 155). The final response rate was 55.5% (n = 86), and 47.2% (n = 34) of respondents had more than 10 years of ICU experience. The levels of knowledge and self-reported adherence were 71.1% and 65.8% of the total score, respectively. The level of knowledge was higher among respondents who had received in-service education about ventilator bundle compared with respondents who had not received in-service education (27.0 vs 24.0 [P = .012]). Less experienced nurses reported significantly higher adherence than nurses with more ICU experience (29.0 vs 25.0 [P = .034]). The correlation between knowledge and adherence scores was low (ρ 0.48 [P <.001]). The most well-known and adhered-to guidelines described patient positioning, daily chlorhexidine-based oral care, and strict hand hygiene. The least-known guidelines and those least adhered to described respiratory equipment, management of sedation and analgesia, and practices prior to and during endotracheal suctioning. The main barriers were related to the nurse respondents (e.g., lack of education [25.9%]), environment (e.g., role ambiguities [36.4%] and inadequate resources [21.1%]), and patients (e.g., patient discomfort [4.8%] and fear of adverse effects [4.6%]). Self-reported adherence did not correlate with knowledge and was not related to work experience. Most of the barriers toward evidence-based guidelines indicated a need for changes that are beyond the control of individual nurses.

Late complications of percutaneous tracheostomy using the balloon dilation technique

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to determine the late complications in critically ill patients requiring percutaneous tracheostomy (PT) using the balloon dilation technique. DesignA prospective, observational cohort study was carried out. ScopeTwo medical-surgical intensive care units (ICU). PatientsAll mechanically ventilated adult patients consecutively admitted to the ICU with an indication of tracheostomy. InterventionsAll patients underwent PT according to the Ciaglia Blue Dolphin® method, with endoscopic guidance. Survivors were interviewed and evaluated by fiberoptic laryngotracheoscopy and tracheal computed tomography at least 6 months after decannulation. VariablesIntraoperative, postoperative and long-term complications and mortality (in-ICU, in-hospital) were recorded. ResultsA total of 114 patients were included. The most frequent perioperative complication was minor bleeding (n=20) and difficult cannula insertion (n=19). Two patients had severe perioperative complications (1.7%) (major bleeding and inability to complete de procedure in one case and false passage and desaturation in the other). All survivors (n=52) were evaluated 211±28 days after decannulation. None of the patients had symptoms. Fiberoptic laryngotracheoscopy and computed tomography showed severe tracheal stenosis (>50%) in 2 patients (3.7%), both with a cannulation period of over 100 days. ConclusionsPercutaneous tracheostomy using the Ciaglia Blue Dolphin® technique with an endoscopic guide is a safe procedure. Severe tracheal stenosis is a late complication which although infrequent, must be taken into account due to its lack of clinical expressiveness. Evaluation should be considered in those tracheostomized critical patients who have been cannulated for a long time.

Autopsy-detected diagnostic errors over time in the intensive care unit

We evaluate the evolution over time of discrepancies between clinical diagnoses and postmortem findings in critically ill patients and assess the factors associated with these discrepancies. We conducted a prospective study of all consecutive patients who underwent autopsy in a medical-surgical intensive care unit (ICU) between January 2008 and December 2015. Among 7655 patients admitted to our ICU, 671 (8.8%) died. Clinical autopsy was performed in 215 (32%) patients. Major missed diagnoses were noted in 38 patients (17.7%). Eighteen patients (8.4%) had class I discrepancies, and 20 patients (9.3%) had class II discrepancies. The most frequently missed diagnoses were invasive aspergillosis, intestinal ischemia, myocardial infarction, cancer, and intra-abdominal abscesses. We did not find a statistically significant correlation between any premortem factor, including age, sex, severity of illness, length of hospital stay before ICU admission, length of ICU stay before death, duration of mechanical ventilation, or admitting unit, and the level of agreement between clinical and pathological diagnosis. In the last decades, the discrepancies between clinical and autopsy diagnoses persisted despite advances in medical skills and technology. Specific clinical entities such as invasive aspergillosis, mesenteric ischemia, myocardial infarction, intra-abdominal abscesses, and neoplastic diseases remain a diagnostic challenge in critically ill patients. Clinical level of diagnostic certainty does not increase with specific premortem characteristics.

Implementation of an Evidence-Based Practice Nursing Handover Tool in Intensive Care Using the Knowledge-to-Action Framework.

Miscommunication during handover has been linked to adverse patient events and is an international patient safety priority. Despite the development of handover resources, standardized handover tools for nursing team leaders (TLs) in intensive care are limited. The study aim was to implement and evaluate an evidence-based electronic minimum data set for nursing TL shift-to-shift handover in the intensive care unit using the knowledge-to-action (KTA) framework. This study was conducted in a 21-bed medical-surgical intensive care unit in Queensland, Australia. Senior registered nurses involved in TL handover were recruited. Three phases of the KTA framework (select, tailor, and implement interventions; monitor knowledge use; and evaluate outcomes) guided the implementation and evaluation process. A postimplementation practice audit and survey were carried out to determine nursing TL use and perceptions of the electronic minimum data set 3 months after implementation. Results are presented using descriptive statistics (median, IQR, frequency, and percentage). Overall (86%, n = 49), TLs' use of the electronic minimum data set for handover and communication regarding patient plan increased. Key content items, however, were absent from handovers and additional documentation was required alongside the minimum data set to conduct handover. Of the TLs surveyed (n = 35), those receiving handover perceived the electronic minimum data set more positively than TLs giving handover (n = 35). Benefits to using the electronic minimum data set included the patient content (48%), suitability for short-stay patients (16%), decreased time updating (12%), and printing the tool (12%). Almost half of the participants, however, found the minimum data set contained irrelevant information, reported difficulties navigating and locating relevant information, and pertinent information was missing. Suggestions for improvement focused on modifications to the electronic handover interface. Prior to developing and implementing electronic handover tools, adequate infrastructure is required to support knowledge translation and ensure clinician and organizational needs are met.

Predictors of Pressure Injuries in a Critical Care Unit in Lebanon: Prevalence, Characteristics, and Associated Factors.

The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with pressure injury in a medical-surgical intensive care unit (MSICU). Retrospective review of medical records. We reviewed the medical records of 145 patients who developed a new pressure injury in the MSICU of a 420-bed university medical center in Lebanon. Medical records of all patients cared for in the MSICU from December 2014 to June 2017 were reviewed by a research assistant using a standardized form. We extracted potential risk factors for pressure injury including sex, age, weight upon admission, weight at discharge, length of MSICU stay, episodes of hypotension, administration of inotropes/vasopressors, admitting diagnosis, comorbid conditions, and cumulative scores on the Braden Scale for Pressure Sore Risk. The outcome variable was development of any new pressure injury during their stay in our intensive care unit. Forty-nine patents (33.7%) developed a new pressure injury. Bivariate analysis found statistically significant associations between pressure injury occurrences and administration of vasopressors (odds ratio [OR] = 0.42; 95% confidence interval = 0.29-0.87; P = .02), the administration of dopamine (OR = 0.20; 95% confidence interval = 0.04-0.94; P = .04), and hospital-acquired pressure injury. Among the continuous variables, analysis revealed significant relationships between weight at discharge (t = 2.31, P = .02), MSICU length of stay (t = 5.30; P = .000), cumulative Braden Scale score (t = 3.06; P = .002), hypotension (t =-2.74; P = .007), and development a new pressure injury. Multivariate analysis indicated that length of stay (β= -.110; P = .002), administration of vasopressors (β=-.266; P = .029), and total hours of hypotension (β=-.53; P = .041) were significant predictors of pressure injury. Vasopressor use, hypotension, and length of stay were associated with an increased likelihood of pressure injury in adults managed in an MSICU. None of these factors is specifically evaluated during completion of the Braden Scale for Pressure Sore Risk. Based on these findings we recommend development of a pressure injury scale specific to critically ill adults.

Factors Predicting Lung Contusions in Critically Ill Trauma Children

The aim of the study was to identify factors predicting lung contusion in trauma children. Retrospective study conducted for a period of 8 years (January 01, 2005-December 31, 2012) in a medical surgical intensive care unit. All trauma patients younger than 15 years were included. Two groups were compared: those with lung contusions (C+ group) and those without lung contusions (C- group). We included 330 patients. The mean (SD) age was 7.6 (4.3) years. Chest injury was diagnosed in 70 patients (21.2%). All our patients needed mechanical ventilation. Lung contusions were diagnosed in 43 patients (13% of all patients and 61.4% of patients with chest trauma). In multivariate analysis, independent factors predicting lung contusion were road traffic accident (odds ratio [OR], 3.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-8.6; P = 0.019), increased Pediatric Risk of Mortality (PRISM) score (OR, 1.1; 95% CI, 1.1-1.2; P = 0.017), hepatic contusion (OR, 4.8; 95% CI, 1.3-17.1; P = 0.017), and pelvic ring fracture (OR, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.1-10.5; P = 0.026). Death occurred in 46 patients (13.9%). Intensive care unit mortality was significantly higher in the C+ group (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.2-5.4; P = 0.021). However, mortality was not different between the 2 groups after adjusting for PRISM score (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.5-2.9; P = 0.752) or after adjusting for Injury Severity Score (OR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.3-2.1; P = 0.565). Lung contusion is common in critically ill children with chest trauma. The diagnosis should be considered in patients with road traffic accident, increased PRISM score, hepatic contusion, and pelvic ring fracture.

Validation of a Postextubation Dysphagia Screening Tool for Patients After Prolonged Endotracheal Intubation.

Patients who receive prolonged endotracheal intubation (> 48 hours) are at risk for dysphagia. Nurses should conduct swallowing assessments after extubation because of the high likelihood of aspiration pneumonia developing. No valid and reliable postextubation dysphagia screening tools are available. To establish content validity, analyze interrater reliability, and determine sensitivity and specificity of an evidence-based postextubation dysphagia screening tool developed by a multidisciplinary team. A prospective nonexperimental study was conducted in 4 medical-surgical intensive care units in 4 hospitals. The study was conducted in 3 phases: (1) establishing content validity with clinical experts who participated in a Delphi survey, (2) establishing inter-rater reliability by agreement with nurses who simultaneously and independently completed the tool, and (3) establishing sensitivity and specificity with speech language pathologists and nurses who independently and blindly completed the tool for eligible patients. Individual item scores were > 0.82 and the overall content validity index was 0.93, indicating content validity. Interrater reliability was established (Cohen κ = 0.92). In 66 eligible patients, the prevalence of postextubation dysphagia was 56%, sensitivity of the postextubation dysphagia screening tool was 81%, and specificity was 69%. The reliability and validity of a postextubation dysphagia screening tool that can help nurses determine an extubated patient's ability to swallow after prolonged endotracheal intubation were established.

Reproducibility of clinical research in critical care: a scoping review

BackgroundThe ability to reproduce experiments is a defining principle of science. Reproducibility of clinical research has received relatively little scientific attention. However, it is important as it may inform clinical practice, research agendas, and the design of future studies.MethodsWe used scoping review methods to examine reproducibility within a cohort of randomized trials examining clinical critical care research and published in the top general medical and critical care journals. To identify relevant clinical practices, we searched the New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, and JAMA for randomized trials published up to April 2016. To identify a comprehensive set of studies for these practices, included articles informed secondary searches within other high-impact medical and specialty journals. We included late-phase randomized controlled trials examining therapeutic clinical practices in adults admitted to general medical-surgical or specialty intensive care units (ICUs). Included articles were classified using a reproducibility framework. An original study was the first to evaluate a clinical practice. A reproduction attempt re-evaluated that practice in a new set of participants.ResultsOverall, 158 practices were examined in 275 included articles. A reproduction attempt was identified for 66 practices (42%, 95% CI 33–50%). Original studies reported larger effects than reproduction attempts (primary endpoint, risk difference 16.0%, 95% CI 11.6–20.5% vs. 8.4%, 95% CI 6.0–10.8%, P = 0.003). More than half of clinical practices with a reproduction attempt demonstrated effects that were inconsistent with the original study (56%, 95% CI 42–68%), among which a large number were reported to be efficacious in the original study and to lack efficacy in the reproduction attempt (34%, 95% CI 19–52%). Two practices reported to be efficacious in the original study were found to be harmful in the reproduction attempt.ConclusionsA minority of critical care practices with research published in high-profile journals were evaluated for reproducibility; less than half had reproducible effects.

BIS monitoring versus clinical assessment for sedation in mechanically ventilated adults in the intensive care unit and its impact on clinical outcomes and resource utilization.

Patients admitted to intensive care and on mechanical ventilation, are administered sedative and analgesic drugs to improve both their comfort and interaction with the ventilator. Optimizing sedation practice may reduce mortality, improve patient comfort and reduce cost. Current practice is to use scales or scores to assess depth of sedation based on clinical criteria such as consciousness, understanding and response to commands. However these are perceived as subjective assessment tools. Bispectral index (BIS) monitors, which are based on the processing of electroencephalographic signals, may overcome the restraints of the sedation scales and provide a more reliable and consistent guidance for the titration of sedation depth.The benefits of BIS monitoring of patients under general anaesthesia for surgical procedures have already been confirmed by another Cochrane review. By undertaking a well-conducted systematic review our aim was to find out if BIS monitoring improves outcomes in mechanically ventilated adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients. To assess the effects of BIS monitoring compared with clinical sedation assessment on ICU length of stay (LOS), duration of mechanical ventilation, any cause mortality, risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), risk of adverse events (e.g. self-extubation, unplanned disconnection of indwelling catheters), hospital LOS, amount of sedative agents used, cost, longer-term functional outcomes and quality of life as reported by authors for mechanically ventilated adults in the ICU. We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, ProQuest, OpenGrey and SciSearch up to May 2017 and checked references citation searching and contacted study authors to identify additional studies. We searched trial registries, which included clinicaltrials.gov and controlled-trials.com. We included all randomized controlled trials comparing BIS versus clinical assessment (CA) for the management of sedation in mechanically ventilated critically ill adults. We used Cochrane's standard methodological procedures. We undertook analysis using Revman 5.3 software. We identified 4245 possible studies from the initial search. Of those studies, four studies (256 participants) met the inclusion criteria. One more study is awaiting classification. Studies were, conducted in single-centre surgical and mixed medical-surgical ICUs. BIS monitor was used to assess the level of sedation in the intervention arm in all the studies. In the control arm, the sedation assessment tools for CA included the Sedation-Agitation Scale (SAS), Ramsay Sedation Scale (RSS) or subjective CA utilizing traditional clinical signs (heart rate, blood pressure, conscious level and pupillary size). Only one study was classified as low risk of bias, the other three studies were classified as high risk.There was no evidence of a difference in one study (N = 50) that measured ICU LOS (Median (Interquartile Range IQR) 8 (4 to 14) in the CA group; 12 (6 to 18) in the BIS group; low-quality evidence).There was little or no effect on the duration of mechanical ventilation (MD -0.02 days (95% CI -0.13 to 0.09; 2 studies; N = 155; I2 = 0%; low-quality evidence)). Adverse events were reported in one study (N = 105) and the effects on restlessness after suction, endotracheal tube resistance, pain tolerance during sedation or delirium after extubation were uncertain due to very low-quality evidence. Clinically relevant adverse events such as self-extubation were not reported in any study. Three studies reported the amount of sedative agents used. We could not measure combined difference in the amount of sedative agents used because of different sedation protocols and sedative agents used in the studies. GRADE quality of evidence was very low. No study reported other secondary outcomes of interest for the review. We found insufficient evidence about the effects of BIS monitoring for sedation in critically ill mechanically ventilated adults on clinical outcomes or resource utilization. The findings are uncertain due to the low- and very low-quality evidence derived from a limited number of studies.

Thromboelastometry profile in critically ill patients: A single-center, retrospective, observational study.

BackgroundTransfusion therapy is associated with increased morbidity, mortality and costs. Conventional coagulation tests (CCT) are weak bleeding predictors, poorly reflecting coagulation in vivo. Thromboelastometry (ROTEM) provides early identification of coagulation disorders and can guide transfusion therapy by goals, reducing blood components transfusion.ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to describe coagulation profile of critically ill patients using ROTEM and evaluate the association between CCT and thromboelastometry.MethodsThis is a retrospective, observational study conducted in medical-surgical intensive care unit (ICU). Adult patients (≥18 years) admitted to ICU between November 2012 and December 2014, in whom ROTEM analyses were performed for bleeding management were included in this study. The first ROTEM and CCT after ICU admission were recorded simultaneously. Additionally, we collected data on blood components transfusion and hemostatic agents immediately after laboratory tests results.ResultsThe study included 531 patients. Most ROTEM tests showed normal coagulation profile [INTEM (54.8%), EXTEM (54.1%) and FIBTEM (53.3%)] with divergent results in relation to CCT: low platelet count (51.8% in INTEM and 55.9% in EXTEM); prolonged aPTT (69.9% in INTEM and 63.7% in EXTEM) and higher INR (23.8% in INTEM and 27.4% in EXTEM). However 16,7% of patients with normocoagulability in ROTEM received platelet concentrates and 10% fresh frozen plasma.ConclusionThe predominant ROTEM profile observed in this sample of critically ill patients was normal. In contrast, CCT suggested coagulopathy leading to a possibly unnecessary allogenic blood component transfusion. ROTEM test may avoid inappropriate allogeneic blood products transfusion in these patients.

Validity of a single PTSD checklist item to screen for insomnia in survivors of critical illness

BackgroundThere is no insomnia screening tool validated in intensive care unit (ICU) survivors. ObjectivesTo examine the validity of a single item from the PTSD checklist-Civilian version (PCL-C) to detect insomnia by Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) MethodsWe performed a secondary analysis of data from a longitudinal investigation in 120 medical-surgical ICU survivors. At 1 year post-ICU, patients completed ISI, PCL-C, and Medical Short-Form 12 (SF-12) by telephone. A single PCL-C item rates difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep over the past month. We compared performance characteristics of this PCL-C item to ISI-defined insomnia (ISI ≥15). ResultsA score of ≥3 on the PCL-C sleep item exhibited 91% sensitivity and 67% specificity for ISI-defined insomnia (ISI ≥ 15), and it demonstrated construct validity by correlation to related QOL indices. ConclusionsA single PCL-C sleep item score ≥ 3 is a reasonable screen to identify insomnia symptoms in ICU survivors.

Sustained multimodal antimicrobial stewardship in an Australian tertiary intensive care unit from 2008–2015: an interrupted time-series analysis

The long-term outcomes and sustainability of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in the intensive care unit (ICU) require evaluation. This study analysed the effect of a multimodal ICU AMS introduced in a 15-bed medical-surgical tertiary Australian adult ICU in November 2008, using interrupted time-series analysis of antibiotic usage, Gram-negative resistance and cost from November 2005 to October 2015, including national ICU average usage as a control. Overall ICU mortality, 30-day blood stream infection (BSI) mortality and length of stay (LOS) were compared over the same period. There were 2512 patients admitted to ICU before and 6435 after AMS intervention. Post-AMS there was a reduction in the trend of aminoglycoside usage both absolute from 63.3 DDD/1000 occupied bed days (OBD)/month (-1.1; 95% confidence interval [CI] -2.2, -0.1; P = 0.033) and relative to the national trend (-1.3; 95%CI -2.4, -0.3; P = 0.016). Vancomycin usage increased both absolute from 161.2 DDD/1000 OBD/month (1.8; 95%CI 0.03, 3.6; P = 0.046) and relative to the national trend (1.8; 95%CI -0.3, 3.9; P = 0.092). There were sustained post–AMS downward trends in carbapenem, antipseudomonal penicillin, third–generation cephalosporin and fluoroquinolone use that did not reach statistical significance. Post-AMS, antipseudomonal penicillin resistance declined (-12.8%; 95%CI −24.9, -0.6; P = 0.040). Antimicrobial acquisition costs declined by AUD$0.5/OBD/month (95%CI -1.1, 0.1; P = 0.096). Over the study period, severity-adjusted ICU mortality declined from 12.9% to 10.4%; risk ratio (RR) 0.92 (95%CI 0.82, 1.03) and BSI 30-day mortality from 37.9% to 26.3%; RR, 0.76 (95%CI 0.56, 1.03). Median ICU LOS for ICU survivors increased from 2.3 to 2.6 days. Multimodal AMS sustainably embedded in ICU was associated with reductions in broad-spectrum Gram–negative antibiotic use, overall antibiotic costs and Gram–negative resistance, without adverse clinical impact.

Transfers from intensive care unit to hospital ward: a multicentre textual analysis of physician progress notes

BackgroundLittle is known about documentation during transitions of patient care between clinical specialties. Therefore, we examined the focus, structure and purpose of physician progress notes for patients transferred from the intensive care unit (ICU) to hospital ward to identify opportunities to improve communication breaks.MethodsThis was a prospective cohort study in ten Canadian hospitals. We analyzed physician progress notes for consenting adult patients transferred from a medical-surgical ICU to hospital ward. The number, length, legibility and content of notes was counted and compared across care settings using mixed-effects linear regression models accounting for clustering within hospitals. Qualitative content analyses were conducted on a stratified random sample of 32 patients.ResultsA total of 447 patient medical records that included 7052 progress notes (mean 2.1 notes/patient/day 95% CI 1.9–2.3) were analyzed. Notes written by the ICU team were significantly longer than notes written by the ward team (mean lines of text 21 vs. 15, p < 0.001). There was a discrepancy between documentation of patient issues in the last ICU and first ward notes; mean agreement of patient issues was 42% [95% CI 31–53%]. Qualitative analyses identified eight themes related to focus (central point – e.g., problem list), structure (organization, – e.g., note-taking style), and purpose (intention – e.g., documentation of patient course) of the notes that varied across clinical specialties and physician seniority.ConclusionsImportant gaps and variations in written documentation during transitions of patient care between ICU and hospital ward physicians are common, and include discrepancies in documentation of patient information.

Retrospective Analyses of 200 Patients Over 65 Years Receiving Albumin Treatment in Intensive Care Unit

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of albumin infusion in critically ill geriatric patients and discuss the prognostic impact on mortality. This study is a retrospective analysis of patients with hypoalbuminemia (≤2.5 g/dl) over 65 years and older followed-up in a 38-bed-mixed medical-surgical tertiary intensive care unit (ICU) of a 650-bed-academic hospital affiliated to University of Health Sciences in Ä°stanbul during 1-year-period. We collected the data including sex, cause of admission, length of stay, duration of mechanical ventilation and APACHE II scores from patients’ medical records. The amount of albumin infused per patient and laboratory evaluation concerning albumin levels was processed by hospital electronic database. Overall 200 patients were included study. Among the patients, 90 (45%) were female, and 110 (53.5%) were male with overall mean age of 78.62±7.63 years. The cause of admission was due to non-surgical reasons in 119(59.5%) patients. Mean length of stay and mechanical ventilation time was significantly higher in non-survivors. The amount of albumin used per patient was similar in both study groups (p=0.276). Pretreatment level of serum album was 2.15±0.28 g/dl and 2.10±0.31 g/dl in both groups respectively (p=0.364) having no significant increase after treatment (p=0.352). In the non-survivors group, APACHE II score was significantly high. Long-term mortality ratio was significantly high which indicated that albumin had no beneficial effect on long-term mortality. The albumin transfusion in critically ill patients over 65 years old has no considerable effect on the treatment of hypoalbuminemia and ICU mortality.

Response to different furosemide doses predicts AKI progression in ICU patients with elevated plasma NGAL levels

BackgroundFurosemide responsiveness (FR) is determined by urine output after furosemide administration and has recently been evaluated as a furosemide stress test (FST) for predicting severe acute kidney injury (AKI) progression. Although a standardized furosemide dose is required for FST, variable dosing is typically employed based on illness severity, including renal dysfunction in the clinical setting. This study aimed to evaluate whether FR with different furosemide doses can predict AKI progression. We further evaluated the combination of an AKI biomarker, plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and FR for predicting AKI progression.ResultsWe retrospectively analyzed 95 patients who were treated with bolus furosemide in our medical–surgical intensive care unit. Patients who had already developed AKI stage 3 were excluded. A total of 18 patients developed AKI stage 3 within 1 week. Receiver operating curve analysis revealed that the area under the curve (AUC) values of FR and plasma NGAL were 0.87 (0.73–0.94) and 0.80 (0.67–0.88) for AKI progression, respectively. When plasma NGAL level was < 142 ng/mL, only one patient developed stage 3 AKI, indicating that plasma NGAL measurements were sufficient to predict AKI progression. We further evaluated the performance of FR in 51 patients with plasma NGAL levels > 142 ng/mL. FR was associated with AUC of 0.84 (0.67–0.94) for AKI progression in this population with high NGAL levels.ConclusionsAlthough different variable doses of furosemide were administered, FR revealed favorable efficacy for predicting AKI progression even in patients with high plasma NGAL levels. This suggests that a combination of FR and biomarkers can stratify the risk of AKI progression in a clinical setting.

Family members’ perceptions of pain behaviors and pain management of adult patients unable to self-report in the intensive care unit: A qualitative descriptive study

ABSTRACT Background Current guidelines suggest that family members be consulted in the pain assessment process of patients unable to self-report. However, little is known regarding family members’ perceptions of their loved one’s pain behaviors and pain management. Aims This qualitative descriptive study aimed to describe family members’ perceptions of pain behaviors and pain management in critically ill hospitalized patients admitted to an intensive care unit and unable to self-report. Methods A qualitative descriptive design was used. This study was conducted in a medical–surgical intensive care unit in Canada. Family members of nonverbal adult patients participated in a semistructured interview regarding their perceptions of pain behaviors and pain management in the intensive care unit. Results Ten family members with a nonverbal loved one admitted to the intensive care unit participated. Family members agreed on the presence of pain in the intensive care unit and reported being proactive and applying nonpharmacological interventions to help palliate pain of their loved one. Although family members identified behavioral indicators such as grimace, limb movement, and verbal complaints to assess pain in their loved one, the majority were unsure of their ability to detect pain. Conclusions Family members have intimate knowledge of their loved one and could be invited to share their perceptions of their loved one’s pain when they feel confident to do so.

A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON DRUG USE OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS IN MEDICAL AND SURGICAL INTENSIVE CARE UNITS OF A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL.

Objective: To identify the pattern of drug utilization of antimicrobials in prescriptions of patients admitted at medical intensive care unit (MICU) and surgical intensive care unit (SICU) department and to analyze the utilization of different classes of drugs.Methods: A prospective observational study was carried out in 10 bedded medical and surgical intensive care unit (ICU) of tertiary care hospital, Adayar, from October 1st 2016 to March 1st 2016. The study was performed in 100 prescriptions. The relevant data on drug prescription of each patient were collected from in-patient records. The demographic data, disease data, and the utilization of different classes of antimicrobial agents (AMAs) were analyzed.Results: In MICU, a total of 648 drugs were prescribed during the period of stay and AMAs accounted for 15% of total drug. The average length of stay was found to be 8 (±8.73). The mean number of drugs received by patients is 11.6 ± 2 drugs. The most frequently prescribed AMAs were ceftriaxone followed by meropenem and clindamycin. Cephalosporin is commonly prescribed due to their relatively lower toxicity and broader spectrum activity. The generally prescribed AMA combination was amoxicillin + clavulanic acid (32.50%) and piperacillin + tazobactam (27.50%). The laboratory reported positive cultures for 30 patients. The most prevailing organisms were Escherichia coli (50%). In SICU, a total of 780 drugs were prescribed during the period of stay and AMAs accounted for 18% of total drug. An average of 5 (±2.0) drugs was prescribed for each patient and each prescription contains an average of 2 (±0.9) AMAs. The results indicated that ceftriaxone was the most commonly prescribed AMAs (22%), followed by meropenem (18%), ciprofloxacin (18%), and colistin (8%). A total of five AMA combination therapies were used in SICU. Among them, piperacillin+clavulanic acid (36.84%) was the most commonly prescribed combination. In the study, 30 (60 %) cases had microbial growth and have performed sensitivity test.Conclusion: A wide class and percentage of AMAs were prescribed in ICUs. There is a need of antimicrobial agent’s usage guidelines and restriction policies for the rational prescribing of antimicrobials in critically ill patients.

A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON DRUG USE OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS IN MEDICAL AND SURGICAL INTENSIVE CARE UNITS OF A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL.

Objective: To identify the pattern of drug utilization of antimicrobials in prescriptions of patients admitted at medical intensive care unit (MICU) and surgical intensive care unit (SICU) department and to analyze the utilization of different classes of drugs.Methods: A prospective observational study was carried out in 10 bedded medical and surgical intensive care unit (ICU) of tertiary care hospital, Adayar, from October 1st 2016 to March 1st 2016. The study was performed in 100 prescriptions. The relevant data on drug prescription of each patient were collected from in-patient records. The demographic data, disease data, and the utilization of different classes of antimicrobial agents (AMAs) were analyzed.Results: In MICU, a total of 648 drugs were prescribed during the period of stay and AMAs accounted for 15% of total drug. The average length of stay was found to be 8 (±8.73). The mean number of drugs received by patients is 11.6 ± 2 drugs. The most frequently prescribed AMAs were ceftriaxone followed by meropenem and clindamycin. Cephalosporin is commonly prescribed due to their relatively lower toxicity and broader spectrum activity. The generally prescribed AMA combination was amoxicillin + clavulanic acid (32.50%) and piperacillin + tazobactam (27.50%). The laboratory reported positive cultures for 30 patients. The most prevailing organisms were Escherichia coli (50%). In SICU, a total of 780 drugs were prescribed during the period of stay and AMAs accounted for 18% of total drug. An average of 5 (±2.0) drugs was prescribed for each patient and each prescription contains an average of 2 (±0.9) AMAs. The results indicated that ceftriaxone was the most commonly prescribed AMAs (22%), followed by meropenem (18%), ciprofloxacin (18%), and colistin (8%). A total of five AMA combination therapies were used in SICU. Among them, piperacillin+clavulanic acid (36.84%) was the most commonly prescribed combination. In the study, 30 (60 %) cases had microbial growth and have performed sensitivity test.Conclusion: A wide class and percentage of AMAs were prescribed in ICUs. There is a need of antimicrobial agent’s usage guidelines and restriction policies for the rational prescribing of antimicrobials in critically ill patients.

Quality of life after intensive care unit: a multicenter cohort study protocol for assessment of long-term outcomes among intensive care survivors in Brazil.

ObjectiveTo establish the prevalence of physical, cognitive and psychiatric disabilities, associated factors and their relationship with the qualities of life of intensive care survivors in Brazil.MethodsA prospective multicenter cohort study is currently being conducted at 10 adult medical-surgical intensive care units representative of the 5 Brazilian geopolitical regions. Patients aged ≥ 18 years who are discharged from the participating intensive care units and stay 72 hours or more in the intensive care unit for medical or emergency surgery admissions or 120 hours or more for elective surgery admissions are consecutively included. Patients are followed up for a period of one year by means of structured telephone interviews conducted at 3, 6 and 12 months after discharge from the intensive care unit. The outcomes are functional dependence, cognitive dysfunction, anxiety and depression symptoms, posttraumatic stress symptoms, health-related quality of life, rehospitalization and long-term mortality.DiscussionThe present study has the potential to contribute to current knowledge of the prevalence and factors associated with postintensive care syndrome among adult intensive care survivors in Brazil. In addition, an association might be established between postintensive care syndrome and health-related quality of life.