Mixed Medical-surgical Intensive Care Unit Research Articles

Knowing your team in the intensive care unit: an ethnographic study on familiarity

ABSTRACT Effective interprofessional team function is integral to high-quality care in the intensive care unit (ICU). However, little is known about how familiarity develops among teams, which may be an important antecedent to effective team function and quality care. To examine team familiarity and how it impacts ICU team function and care, we conducted an ethnographic study in four ICUs (two medical ICUs, one mixed medical-surgical ICU, and one surgical ICU) in two community hospitals and one academic medical center. We conducted 57.5 h of observation, 26 shadowing experiences, and 26 interviews across the four ICUs sequentially. We used thematic analysis to examine familiarity among the team. We found that ICU team members become familiar with their team through interpersonal, relational interactions, which involved communication, time working together, social interactions, trust, and respect. Our findings underscore the relational aspect of effective teams and demonstrate that time working together, social interactions, communication, developing trust, and respect are pathways to familiarity and optimal team function. Leveraging unique and creative ways to enhance the relational aspects of ICU teams could be an area for future research and lead to improved ICU outcomes.

Enteral free water vs. parenteral dextrose 5% in water for the treatment of hypernatremia in the intensive care unit: a retrospective cohort study from a mixed ICU.

Effective treatment options for patients with hypernatremia are limited. Free water administration (parenterally or enterally) is the mainstay of treatment but the impact of each strategy on lowering serum sodium (Na) is not known.The purpose of the study was thus toassess the effectiveness of enteral free water vs. parenteral dextrose 5% in water (D5W) in treating ICU-acquired hypernatremia. An electronic medical record-based, retrospective cohort study was conducted in a 30-bed mixed medical-surgical intensive care unit (ICU) in Japan. All adult patients admitted to the ICU from August 2017 to July 2021 were reviewed. After a 2-step exclusion, patients who stayed in the ICU ≥ 24h and received either or both treatments for ICU-acquired hypernatremia (Na ≥ 145mEq/L) constituted the study cohort. The primary outcome was a change in serum Na during the 24h before treatment each day (ΔNa); the secondary outcomes were gastrointestinal complications, serum glucose levels, ICU/hospital mortality, ICU/hospital length of stay, and the duration of mechanical ventilation. Repeated measurements on each patient were addressed using a generalized estimated equation (GEE) for multiple linear regression analysis. Analysis was conducted with R version 4.0.3. In total, 256/6596 (131: D5W, 125: enteral free water) patients were analyzed. Median treatment lasted 6days [3-17] for the D5W group vs 7days [3-14] for the enteral free water group with a total median daily treatment volume of 799 [IQR 299-1221] mL vs. 400 [IQR 262-573] mL. GEE multiple linear regression analysis showed an estimated mean ΔNa per liter of treatment fluid of - 2.25 [95% CI - 2.76 to - 1.74] mEq/L per liter of parenteral D5W vs. - 1.91mEq decrease [95% CI - 2.75 to - 1.07] per liter of enteral free water. Hydrochlorothiazide was the only medication associated with a statistically significant negative ΔNa by- 0.89 [- 1.57 to - 0.21] mEq/L. There were no significant inter-group differences for secondary outcomes. These results suggest that both enteral free water and parenteral D5W are effective for treating ICU-acquired hypernatremia. Parenteral D5W was slightly more effective than enteral free water to lower serum Na levels in patients with ICU-acquired hypernatremia. Not applicable.

Characterization of sound pressure levels and sound sources in the intensive care unit: a 1 week observational study.

Exposure to elevated sound pressure levels within the intensive care unit is known to negatively affect patient and staff health. In the past, interventions to address this problem have been unsuccessful as there is no conclusive evidence on the severity of each sound source and their role on the overall sound pressure levels. Therefore, the goal of the study was to perform a continuous 1 week recording to characterize the sound pressure levels and identify negative sound sources in this setting. In this prospective, systematic, and quantitative observational study, the sound pressure levels and sound sources were continuously recorded in a mixed medical-surgical intensive care unit over 1 week. Measurements were conducted using four sound level meters and a human observer present in the room noting all sound sources arising from two beds. The mean 8 h sound pressure level was significantly higher during the day (52.01 ± 1.75 dBA) and evening (50.92 ± 1.66 dBA) shifts than during the night shift (47.57 ± 2.23; F(2, 19) = 11.80, p < 0.001). No significant difference was found in the maximum and minimum mean 8 h sound pressure levels between the work shifts. However, there was a significant difference between the two beds in the based on location during the day (F(3, 28) = 3.91, p = 0.0189) and evening (F(3, 24) = 5.66, p = 0.00445) shifts. Cleaning of the patient area, admission and discharge activities, and renal interventions (e.g., dialysis) contributed the most to the overall sound pressure levels, with staff talking occurring most frequently. Our study was able to identify that continuous maintenance of the patient area, patient admission and discharge, and renal interventions were responsible for the greatest contribution to the sound pressure levels. Moreover, while staff talking was not found to significantly contribute to the sound pressure levels, it was found to be the most frequently occurring activity which may indirectly influence patient wellbeing. Overall, identifying these sound sources can have a meaningful impact on patients and staff by identifying targets for future interventions, thus leading to a healthier environment.

Prevalence of Augmented Renal Clearance (ARC), Utility of Augmented Renal Clearance Scoring System (ARC score) and Augmented Renal Clearance in Trauma Intensive Care Scoring System (ARCTIC score) in Predicting ARC in the Intensive Care Unit: Proactive Study.

We aimed to study the prevalence of augmented renal clearance (ARC) and validate the utility of ARC and ARCTIC scores. We also aimed to assess the correlation and agreement between estimated GFR (eGFR-EPI) and 8-hour measured creatinine clearance (8 hr-mCLcr). This was a prospective, observational study done in the mixed medical-surgical intensive care unit (ICU) and 90 patients were recruited. 8 hr-mCLcr, ARC, and ARCTIC scores and eGFR-EPI were calculated for all patients. ARC was said to be present if 8 hr-mCLcr was ≥ 130 mL/min. Four patients were excluded from the analysis. The prevalence of ARC was 31.4%. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of ARC and ARCTIC scores were found to be 55.6, 84.7, 62.5, 80.6, and 85.2, 67.8, 54.8, and 90.9 respectively. AUROC for ARC and ARCTIC scores were 0.802 and 0.765 respectively. A strong positive correlation and poor agreement were observed between eGFR-EPI and 8 hr-mCLcr. The prevalence of ARC was significant and the ARCTIC score showed good potential as a screening tool to predict ARC. Lowering the cut-off of ARC score to ≥5 improved its utility in predicting ARC. Despite its poor agreement with 8 hr-mCLcr, eGFR-EPI with a cut-off ≥114 mL/min showed utility in predicting ARC. Kanna G, Patodia S, Annigeri RA, Ramakrishnan N, Venkataraman R. Prevalence of Augmented Renal Clearance (ARC), Utility of Augmented Renal Clearance Scoring System (ARC score) and Augmented Renal Clearance in Trauma Intensive Care Scoring System (ARCTIC score) in Predicting ARC in the Intensive Care Unit: Proactive Study. Indian J Crit Care Med 2023;27(6):433-443.

Anxiety and Depression Symptoms of Family Members of Intensive Care Unit Patients: A Prospective Observational Study and the Lived Experiences of the Family Members

Abstract Background The aim of this study is to investigate the factors affecting symptoms of anxiety and depression in the family members of critically ill patients. Methods This prospective cohort study was conducted in an adult tertiary care mixed medical–surgical intensive care unit (ICU) at a tertiary-level teaching hospital. The symptoms of anxiety and depression of first-degree adult relatives were evaluated with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Four family members were interviewed and asked about their experiences during the ICU process. Results A total of 84 patients and their family members were included in the study. The symptoms of anxiety were present in 44/84 (52.4%), and depression was present in 57/84 (67.9%) family members. A nasogastric tube was found to be related to anxiety (p = 0.005) and depressive symptoms (p = 0.002). The family members of the patients with an acute developed illness had 3.9 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4–10.9) times the odds of having the symptoms of anxiety and 6.2 (95% CI: 1.7–21.7) times the odds of having the symptoms of depression than the family members of the patients with an illness developed on a chronic basis. The family members of the patients who died in the ICU had 5.0 (95% CI: 1.0–24.5) times the odds of being depressed than the patients discharged from the ICU. All interviewees stated having difficulty understanding and remembering what was told. The common feelings of all the interviewees were desperation and fear. Conclusions Awareness of the emotional stress of family members can help develop interventions and attitudes to alleviate symptom burden.

Does hyperglycemia affect arginine metabolites in critically ill patients? A prospective cohort and in vitro study

BackgroundChanges in the arginine metabolites asymmetric dimethyl-L-arginine (ADMA) and L-homoarginine and acute blood glucose concentrations have been shown to cause endothelial dysfunction and be independently associated with mortality in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients. The aim of this study was to investigate whether hyperglycemia potentially modulates these arginine metabolite concentrations to provide a mechanism that may link hyperglycemia and mortality in this patient group.MethodsA clinical and in vitro study were undertaken. Glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin-A1c (HbA1c) and the stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR) (to quantify absolute, chronic and relative hyperglycemia respectively) were measured in 1155 acutely unwell adult patients admitted to a mixed medical-surgical ICU. SHR was calculated by dividing the admission glucose by the estimated average glucose over the last 3 months, which was derived from HbA1c. ADMA and l-homoarginine were measured in a plasma sample collected at admission to ICU by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The activity of dimethylarginine-dimethylaminohydrolase 1 (DDAH1), the main enzyme regulating ADMA concentrations, was assessed at varying glucose concentrations in vitro by quantifying the conversion of ADMA to citrulline in HEK293 cells that overexpress DDAH1.ResultsIn the clinical study, plasma ADMA was not significantly associated with any measure of hyperglycemia. L-homoarginine was positively associated with glucose (β = 0.067, p = 0.018) and SHR (β = 0.107, p < 0.001) after correction for glomerular filtration rate. However, as l-homoarginine is a negative predictor of mortality, the direction of these associations are the opposite of those expected if hyperglycemia was affecting mortality via changes in l-homoarginine. In vitro DDAH1 activity was not significantly influenced by glucose concentrations (p = 0.506).ConclusionIn critically ill patients the association between relative hyperglycemia and mortality is not mediated by changes in ADMA or L-homoarginine.Trial registration ANZCTR Trial ID ACTRN12615001164583.

Discussion Guide for the van Nieuw Amerongen Article.

Discussion Guide for the van Nieuw Amerongen Article.

Effect of an educational intervention on compliance with care bundle items to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia

ObjectivesWe aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of our ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention bundle implemented by education of the nursing staff, and to describe the tendency of knowledge retention. Research methodologyA prospective, before-and-after study was performed. The ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention bundle was implemented through a single educational intervention of the nursing staff. The risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia over time was estimated using a Cox proportional cause-specific hazard model. Compliance to preventive measures was assessed at three time-points: before education, at three months and 12 months after education. SettingA 29-bed mixed medical-surgical intensive care unit. Main outcome measuresVentilator-associate pneumonia incidence densities, the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia, and compliance to preventive measures in the pre-implementation and post-implementation periods. ResultsWe analyzed the data of 251 patients. The incidence density of pneumonia decreased from 29.3/1000 to 15.3/1000 ventilator-days after the implementation of the prevention program. Patients in the post-implementation period had significantly lower risk to develop pneumonia (hazard ratio 0.34, 95 % confidence interval 0.19–0.61, p = 0.001). At 3 months of implementation, a significant improvement was detected to all the individual bundle components. Complete compliance increased from 16.2 % to 62.2 % (p < 0.001). Compliance with bundle components decreased to baseline levels after 12 months of implementation apart from head-of-bed elevation. ConclusionThis study supports existing evidence that educational interventions improve compliance. The gained knowledge was well translated into clinical practice reflected by the decreasing ventilator-associated pneumonia rate. It may be assumed that a refresher educational session within 12 months after implementation is needed.

One-hour plasma glucose level after a 75 g oral glucose load and its relationship to gastric emptying in survivors of critical illness and stress hyperglycaemia

Objective: A 1-hour plasma glucose level ≥ 8.6 mmol/L in a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test has been strongly associated with increased morbidity and mortality in outpatients without diabetes. Our primary aim was to evaluate the 1-hour plasma glucose level in a 75 g glucose tolerance test in survivors of critical illness with stress hyperglycaemia at 3 months after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge, with the secondary aims to evaluate the 2-hour plasma glucose level, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), and gastric emptying. Design:Post hoc analysis of a single-centre, prospective cohort study. Setting: Single-centre, tertiary referral, mixed medical-surgical ICU. Participants: Consecutively admitted patients aged ≥ 18 years who developed stress hyperglycaemia and survived to hospital discharge were eligible. Interventions: Participants returned at 3 months after ICU discharge and underwent a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test. Main outcome measures: One- and 2-hour post load plasma glucose level, HbA1c, and assessment of gastric emptying via an isotope breath test. Results: Thirty-five patients (12 females; mean age, 58.5 years [SD, 10.5]; mean HbA1c, 37.4 mmol/mol [SD, 7.0]) attended the followup. In 32/35 patients (91%) the 1-hour post load plasma glucose level was ≥ 8.6 mmol/L. There was a positive correlation between the plasma glucose level at 1 hour (r2 = 0.21; P = 0.006), but no correlation between the 2-hour glucose level (r2 = 0.006; P = 0.63) and gastric emptying. Conclusion: Glucose intolerance, when defined as 1-hour glucose level ≥ 8.6 mmol/L following a 75 g oral glucose load, persists at 3 months in most survivors of stress hyperglycaemia and is dependent on the rate of gastric emptying. Longitudinal studies to characterise mechanisms underlying dysglycaemia and progression to diabetes in individuals with stress hyperglycaemia are indicated.

Comparison of the Beacon and Quark indirect calorimetry devices to measure resting energy expenditure in ventilated ICU patients

Critically ill patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) should receive nutritional support matched to their metabolic needs as both under- and overfeeding energy has been shown to increase mortality. Critical illness can significantly affect metabolism. Consequently, resting energy expenditure (REE) can vary markedly during critical illness. Therefore, indirect calorimetry to estimate REE is recommended to determine energy requirements in individual ICU patients and to guide optimal nutritional support. Currently, the Quark metabolic monitor is considered the gold standard in our ICU, but novel mechanical support devices are also equipped with indirect calorimetry functionalities. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of a currently unevaluated device. A cross-sectional analysis in mechanically ventilated patients was conducted in a mixed medical-surgical ICU. The primary outcome was a numerical and visual comparison of the performance of the Beacon indirect calorimeter to calculate REE compared to the Quark device using Bland Altman plots. Performance was evaluated using bias, precision, accuracy, and reliability. Secondary analysis included a comparison with REE estimated by predictive equations. Seventy-one measurements were obtained in 27 mechanically ventilated subjects. An underestimation by the Beacon device in calculated REE of-96.2kcal/day (4.5%) was found. There was a bias towards higher VCO2 and lower VO2 values with Beacon as compared to Quark. The reliability of the Beacon was good, with an absolute intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.897 (95%CI 0.751-0.955; p=0.000). There was a poor correlation (<0.40) between the separate indirect calorimetry devices and most predictive equations. Only the Faisy predictive equations had good reliability (ICC 0.687, p=0.002). Beacon indirect calorimetry accurately determined REE in mechanically ventilated critically ill patients compared to the gold standard in our ICU (Quark indirect calorimeter), although confidence intervals were wide. There was low bias and good reliability. On the other hand, predictive equations performed poorly compared to both devices, underestimating the true metabolic needs of mechanically ventilated ICU patients.

Improving physical function of patients following intensive care unit admission (EMPRESS): protocol of a randomised controlled feasibility trial

IntroductionPhysical rehabilitation delivered early following admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) has the potential to improve short-term and long-term outcomes. The use of supine cycling together with other rehabilitation...

ADMA and homoarginine independently predict mortality in critically ill patients

BackgroundArginine metabolites are associated with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in several patient groups. We investigated whether arginine metabolites are associated with mortality in patients with critical illness and whether associations are independent of other factors affecting prognosis in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Methods1155 acutely unwell adult patients admitted to a mixed medical-surgical ICU were studied. Arginine, asymmetric dimethyl-l-arginine (ADMA), monomethyl-l-arginine (MMA), symmetric dimethyl-l-arginine (SDMA) and l-homoarginine were measured in a plasma sample collected at admission to ICU by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Risk of death score was calculated using data submitted to the Australia and New Zealand Intensive Care Society. ResultsIn this cohort, 163 patients (14.1%) died. ADMA (odds ratio = 1.159 (1.033–1.300) per 0.1 μmol/L increment, p = 0.012), homoarginine (odds ratio = 0.963 (0.934–0.992), p = 0.013) and risk of death score (odds ratio = 1.045 (1.037–1.053) per 1% increment, p < 0.001) were independently associated with mortality in ICU patients. The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve for risk of death score, ADMA and homoarginine combined for mortality was greater than for risk of death score alone (0.815 (95% CI 0.790–0.837) vs 0.796 (95% CI 0.781–0.820), p = 0.019). Other arginine metabolites were not independently associated with mortality. ConclusionsADMA is positively and homoarginine negatively associated with mortality in ICU patients, independent of other clinical factors. Measuring ADMA and homoarginine may refine models to predict ICU mortality. Reducing ADMA and increasing homoarginine are potential therapeutic targets to reduce mortality in critically ill patients.

Clinico-demographic and Outcome Predictors in Solid Tumor Patients with Unplanned Intensive Care Unit Admissions: An Observational Study.

ObjectivesCritically ill solid organ malignancy patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) as unplanned medical admissions behave differently from other subsets of cancer patients (hematolymphoid malignancies and cancer patients admitted for postoperative care). These patients if appropriately selected may benefit from the ICU care. There is paucity of data on critically ill unplanned admissions of solid organ malignancies from South Asia. We analyzed data of patients with solid tumors with unplanned admissions to the ICU to determine the clinical, epidemiological characteristics, and predictors of hospital mortality in an Indian ICU.Materials and methodsThis prospective, observational study was done in our 14-bedded mixed medical–surgical ICU from July 2014 to November 2015. We included all consecutive adult unplanned admissions with solid organ malignancies having ICU stay of >24 hours. Surgical admissions, hematolymphoid malignancies, advanced malignancy with no treatment options, and those cured of cancer >5 years were excluded.ResultsTwo hundred and thirty-five consecutive patients were included in this cohort. ICU and hospital mortalities were 36.6 and 40%, respectively. On multivariate analysis, cancer status [odds ratio (OR): 3.204; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.271–8.078], invasive mechanical ventilation (OR: 5.940; 95% CI: 2.632–13.408), and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score on the day of ICU admission (OR: 1.199; 95% CI: 1.042–1.379) were independent predictors of hospital mortality.ConclusionAcute respiratory failure and septic shock are the common reasons of unplanned ICU admission for patients with solid organ malignancies. With good patient selection, more than half of such patients are likely to be discharged alive from the hospital.How to cite this articleSiddiqui SS, Narkhede AM, Chaudhari HK, Ravisankar NP, Dhundi U, Sarode S, et al. Clinico-demographic and Outcome Predictors in Solid Tumor Patients with Unplanned Intensive Care Unit Admissions: An Observational Study. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(12):1421–1426.

Safety and efficacy of peripheral versus centrally administered vasopressor infusion: A single-centre retrospective observational study

BackgroundShock affects one-third of patients admitted to intensive care and is associated with increased mortality. Vasopressor medications are used to maintain blood pressure in shock. Central venous catheters are associated with serious complications and pose logistical difficulties for insertion. Delivery of vasopressors via peripheral intravenous cannula may be a safe alternative. MethodsThis is a retrospective cohort study comparing safety profile and outcomes of vasopressor delivery via peripheral and central routes in critically ill patients over a 12-month period in a mixed medical-surgical intensive care unit. Demographics, clinical characteristics, treatments, and safety outcome data were extracted from medical records. Patients were classified into three groups: vasopressor infusions via peripheral intravenous cannula, combined peripheral intravenous cannula followed by central venous catheter, and central venous catheter only. Groups were compared using the Kruskal–Wallis test for continuous variables and Fisher's exact test for categorical variables. The impact of duration of vasopressor infusion on complication rates was assessed using logistic regression. ResultsWe identified 212 patients who received vasopressor infusion, 39 received via peripheral only (Group 1), 155 via peripheral followed by central (Group 2), and 18 via central only (Group 3). There were some baseline differences between groups. Group 1 had the lowest median Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation III score (64, interquartile range = 44–77), and Group 3, the highest (86, interquartile range = 57–101). Duration of vasopressor infusion was shortest in Group 1 and longer in Groups 2 and 3. There were no major complications; however, minor complications such as leakage, extravasation, and erythema occurred in 41% of Group 1 and 28% of Group 2 patients. Duration of peripheral vasopressor infusion was not associated with an increased risk of complications. ConclusionsAdministration of vasopressor infusions for short duration in critically ill patients via a peripheral venous cannula may be feasible, with low rates of complications, and offers a safe alternative to central venous access.

Video-assisted placement of enteral feeding tubes using the Integrated Real-Time Imaging System (IRIS)-technology in critically ill patients

In critically ill patients, nasogastric (NG) and nasojejunal (NJ) feeding tube placements are standard procedures. However, about 1.9% of blind tube insertions are malpositioned in the tracheopulmonary system, whereas guided procedures may result in a significant delay in nutritional delivery. Guided methods, such as Cortrak and fluoroscopy, have success rates of 82.6-85% and 93% respectively. The current study aims to investigate the performance of video-assisted feeding tube placement in the post-pyloric position using Integrated Real Time Imaging System (IRIS-) technology. A prospective cohort study in patients requiring enteral feeding was conducted in a mixed medical-surgical intensive care unit (ICU). The primary outcome was the post-pyloric placement of IRIS feeding tubes, as confirmed by X-ray. Secondary study objectives included gastric placement, ease of use and adverse events. Thirty-one feeding tubes were placed using IRIS-technology; one patient was excluded for analysis due to protocol violation. One procedure was terminated due to significant bleeding (epistaxis) and desaturation. Only eighteen (58%) feeding tubes were placed in post-pyloric position (including two past the ligament of Treitz). In subjects who needed post-pyloric placement due gastroparesis, IRIS was mostly unsuccessful (success rate of 25%). However, when gastric placement was the primary objective, 96.8% of tubes were correctly placed. During insertion, tracheal visualization occurred in 27% of cases, and the IRIS feeding tube was repositioned early in the procedure without causing patient harm. Real-time video-assisted post-pyloric feeding tube placement in critically ill ICU patients was only successful in 58% of cases and therefore currently cannot be recommended for this indication. However, a high success rate (96.8%) for gastric placement was achieved. IRIS tube placement detected tracheal misplacement immediately and had few adverse events.

A nomogram incorporating functional and tubular damage biomarkers to predict the risk of acute kidney injury for septic patients

BackgroundCombining tubular damage and functional biomarkers may improve prediction precision of acute kidney injury (AKI). Serum cystatin C (sCysC) represents functional damage of kidney, while urinary N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (uNAG) is considered as a tubular damage biomarker. So far, there is no nomogram containing this combination to predict AKI in septic cohort. We aimed to compare the performance of AKI prediction models with or without incorporating these two biomarkers and develop an effective nomogram for septic patients in intensive care unit (ICU).MethodsThis was a prospective study conducted in the mixed medical-surgical ICU of a tertiary care hospital. Adults with sepsis were enrolled. The patients were divided into development and validation cohorts in chronological order of ICU admission. A logistic regression model for AKI prediction was first constructed in the development cohort. The contribution of the biomarkers (sCysC, uNAG) to this model for AKI prediction was assessed with the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC), continuous net reclassification index (cNRI), and incremental discrimination improvement (IDI). Then nomogram was established based on the model with the best performance. This nomogram was validated in the validation cohort in terms of discrimination and calibration. The decision curve analysis (DCA) was performed to evaluate the nomogram’s clinical utility.ResultsOf 358 enrolled patients, 232 were in the development cohort (69 AKI), while 126 in the validation cohort (52 AKI). The first clinical model included the APACHE II score, serum creatinine, and vasopressor used at ICU admission. Adding sCysC and uNAG to this model improved the AUC to 0.831. Furthermore, incorporating them significantly improved risk reclassification over the predictive model alone, with cNRI (0.575) and IDI (0.085). A nomogram was then established based on the new model including sCysC and uNAG. Application of this nomogram in the validation cohort yielded fair discrimination with an AUC of 0.784 and good calibration. The DCA revealed good clinical utility of this nomogram.ConclusionsA nomogram that incorporates functional marker (sCysC) and tubular damage marker (uNAG), together with routine clinical factors may be a useful prognostic tool for individualized prediction of AKI in septic patients.

Age and the Length of Hospital Stay in Patients With Sepsis at the ICU Admission can Prolong the Duration of Endotracheal Intubation

Background: Endotracheal intubation (EI) associated with mechanical ventilation (MV) is frequently performed in critically ill patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) with sepsis. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the impact of important factors on the duration of tracheal intubation in patients with sepsis at the ICU admission. Methods: Adult patients admitted to the mixed medical–surgical ICUs with sepsis at the ICU admission who needs prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) (≥ 21 days) were included in this retrospective secondary analysis study. The primary outcome was ICU mortality. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of all patients were assessed as risk factors associated with the duration of MV by univariate and multivariate Binary logistic regression. Results: Eighty-five patients required more than 21 days of MV. Out of the 85 patients, 52 (61.2%) patients were intubated within 30 to 34.50 days and 33 (38.8%) patients had intubation within 34.51 to 65 days, and categorized as PMV and very prolonged MV groups, respectively. Two parameters were significantly associated with very prolonged MV which are as follows: older age 1.229 (95% CI: 1.002-1.507, P=0.048) and long hospital stay (LOS) 2.996 (95% CI: 1.676-5.356, P&lt;0.001). No significant survival difference was observed between the two groups of study. (33.3% vs. 25%, P=0.406). Conclusion: Our observations showed that the older age and LOS as pre-ICU stay in patients with positive sepsis at the ICU admission can prolong the duration of intubation. In addition, no significant survival difference was observed between patients with PMV and very prolonged MV.

Characteristics and outcomes of patients admitted to adult intensive care units in Hong Kong: a population retrospective cohort study from 2008 to 2018

BackgroundGlobally, mortality rates of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) have decreased over the last two decades. However, evaluations of the temporal trends in the characteristics and outcomes of ICU patients in Asia are limited. The objective of this study was to describe the characteristics and risk adjusted outcomes of all patients admitted to publicly funded ICUs in Hong Kong over a 11-year period. The secondary objective was to validate the predictive performance of Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) IV for ICU patients in Hong Kong.MethodsThis was an 11-year population-based retrospective study of all patients admitted to adult general (mixed medical-surgical) intensive care units in Hong Kong public hospitals. ICU patients were identified from a population electronic health record database. Prospectively collected APACHE IV data and clinical outcomes were analysed.ResultsFrom 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2019, there were a total of 133,858 adult ICU admissions in Hong Kong public hospitals. During this time, annual ICU admissions increased from 11,267 to 14,068, whilst hospital mortality decreased from 19.7 to 14.3%. The APACHE IV standard mortality ratio (SMR) decreased from 0.81 to 0.65 during the same period. Linear regression demonstrated that APACHE IV SMR changed by − 0.15 (95% CI − 0.18 to − 0.11) per year (Pearson’s R = − 0.951, p < 0.001). Observed median ICU length of stay was shorter than that predicted by APACHE IV (1.98 vs. 4.77, p < 0.001). C-statistic for APACHE IV to predict hospital mortality was 0.889 (95% CI 0.887 to 0.891) whilst calibration was limited (Hosmer–Lemeshow test p < 0.001).ConclusionsDespite relatively modest per capita health expenditure, and a small number of ICU beds per population, Hong Kong consistently provides a high-quality and efficient ICU service. Number of adult ICU admissions has increased, whilst adjusted mortality has decreased over the last decade. Although APACHE IV had good discrimination for hospital mortality, it overestimated hospital mortality of critically ill patients in Hong Kong.

An Observational Study on the Effects of Delayed Initiation of End-of-Life Care in Terminally ill Young Adults in the Intensive Care Unit.

Introduction:The early initiation of end-of-life (EOL) care in terminally ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) offers distinct advantages but requires the consent and cooperation of the patients or their relatives. The terminally ill young adults pose distinct set of challenges. The present study was conducted to measure the prevalence and identify and compare the risk factors for the delayed initiation of EOL in terminally ill young adults.Methods:The retrospective study was conducted in a mixed medical-surgical 7-bedded ICU after extracting the medical records of all terminally ill young adults in the age group of 20–40 years admitted between June 2014 and November 2018. Only “treatment futile” patients were eligible for inclusion. The patients already on EOL care or with unproven diagnosis were excluded from the study. The commencement of EOL care was divided into (a) normal group (N) and (b) late group (L). The two groups were compared with respect to the demographic factors, outcome, and patient satisfaction level. The factors responsible for the delay were investigated. All statistical analyses were performed using software SPSS 21.0 (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).Results:Out of 66 terminally ill young adults with treatment futility, 23 (38.9%) were in the N group and 36 (61.1%) were in the L group (0.8 ± 0.4 days vs. 3.1 ± 1.6 days; P = 0.01). The education level and social and family support of the relatives of the N group were higher (P = 0.03; P − 0.04). The N group had lesser drug consumption of ICU resource usage (14.7% vs. 36.1%, P = 0.01; 18.5% vs. 24.7%, P = 0.04). There was no difference in the duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU stay, and satisfaction level at the time of discharge (or death) from the ICU.Conclusions:Our study found a high prevalence of delayed initiation of EOL care in terminally ill young adults and identified the factors responsible for them. The normal initiation of EOL care reduced the usage of medications and resources without affecting the level of patient satisfaction.

Muscular weakness and muscle wasting in the critically ill.

AbstractBackgroundMuscular weakness and/or muscle wasting is recognized as a key medical problem in critically ill patients on intensive care units (ICUs) worldwide.Methods and ResultsIntensive care unit‐acquired weakness (ICUAW) results from various diseases leading to critical illness and is observed in about 40% [1080/2686 patients, 95% confidence interval (CI): 38–42%] of mixed (medical–surgical) ICU patients. Muscle strength at ICU discharge is directly associated with mortality 5 years after discharge [hazard ratio 0.946, 95% CI: 0.928–0.968 per point increase in Medical Research Council (MRC) scores, P = 0.001]. ICUAW serves as umbrella term for the subgroups ‘critical illness myopathy’, ‘critical illness polyneuropathy’, and ‘critical illness polyneuromyopathy’, the latter distinguished using electrophysiology and/or biopsy studies. Diagnosing, studying, and developing treatments for ICUAW among the critically ill seems challenging due to the acuity and severity of the underlying heterogeneous diseases. Ventilator‐induced diaphragmatic dysfunction occurs in up to 80% (n = 32/40) of ICUAW patients after mechanical ventilation and mostly results from distinct muscular pathologies, disuse, underlying critical illness, and/or effects imposed directly by mechanical ventilation. Swallowing disorders/dysphagia likely represent an additional (local) neuromuscular dysfunction/ICUAW sequelae and presents in 10.3% (n = 96/933) of mixed medical–surgical ICU survivors, with 60.4% (n = 58/96) of patients remaining dysphagia positive until hospital discharge. Key independent risk factors for dysphagia following mechanical ventilation are baseline neurological disease [odds ratio (OR) 4.45, 95% CI: 2.74–7.24, P &lt; 0.01], emergency admission (OR 2.04, 95% CI: 1.15–3.59, P &lt; 0.01), days on mechanical ventilation (OR 1.19, 95% CI: 1.06–1.34, P &lt; 0.01), days on renal replacement therapy (OR 1.1, 95% CI: 1–1.23, P = 0.03), and disease severity (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score within first 24 h; OR 1.03, 95% CI: 0.99–1.07, P &lt; 0.01). Dysphagia positivity independently predicts 28‐day and 90‐day mortality (90‐day univariate hazard ratio: 3.74; 95% CI, 2.01–6.95; P &lt; 0.001) and is associated with a 9.2% excess (all‐cause) mortality rate.ConclusionsNeuromuscular weakness and muscle wasting is observed in many survivors of critical illness. ICUAW, ventilator‐induced diaphragmatic dysfunction, and dysphagia are associated with complicated and prolonged ICU stay, impaired weaning from mechanical ventilation, impeded rehabilitative measures, and a considerable impact on morbidity and mortality is noted. Future research strategies should further explore underlying pathomechanisms and lead to development of causal treatment strategies.