Factors associated with outcome in acute liver failure in an intensive care unit

Aim

To study the factors associated with outcome in acute liver failure (ALF) in an intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods

Consecutive patients with ALF admitted to the ICU from August 2003 to April 2010 were included. Factors associated with the primary outcome, death or survival, were compared.

Results

Of 52 patients of median age 19 years (range 3–65), 35 (67 %) died. The etiology was viral hepatitis in 66 %, drug induced (anti-tubercular therapy) in 15 % and idiopathic in 15 %. Grades III+IV encephalopathy were found in 12 (70.6 %) survivors as against 33 (94.3 %) nonsurvivors (p?=?0.019). The median admission sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score was eight in survivors vs. 12 in nonsurvivors (p?<?0.001). Median admission prothrombin time (PT) was 42 s in survivors vs. 51 in nonsurvivors (p?=?0.384); 16/17 (94.1 %) survivors had normal PT on day 4 as compared to 7/35 (20 %) nonsurvivors (p?<?0.001). Median PT on day 4 was 18 s in survivors against 37 in nonsurvivors (p?<?0.001). Serum bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase; and serum creatinine, sodium and phosphorus were similar in survivors and nonsurvivors. Mechanical ventilation, vasopressors and dialysis were used in 65 %, 30 %, and 12 % survivors as against 100 % (p?<?0.001), 51 % and 26 % nonsurvivors. Sixteen patients had upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleed. Blood cultures were positive more often in nonsurvivors (p?=?0.058). On multiple regression analysis, factors independently associated with outcome included admission SOFA score >9.5 and absolute value of PT on day 4.

Conclusions

Grades III and IV encephalopathy, higher SOFA score at admission and a prolonged PT which did not normalize by 4 days were associated with mortality in ALF.     

Tuberculosis in the intensive care unit: A retrospective descriptive cohort study with determination of a predictive fatality score

BACKGROUND:

Despite effective treatments, tuberculosis-related mortality remains high among patients requiring admission to the intensive care unit (ICU).

OBJECTIVE:

To determine prognostic factors of death in tuberculosis patients admitted to the ICU, and to develop a simple predictive scoring system.

METHODS:

A 10-year, retrospective study of 53 patients admitted consecutively to the Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Lariboisière (Paris, France) ICU with confirmed tuberculosis, was conducted. A multivariate analysis was performed to identify risk factors for death. A predictive fatality score was determined.

RESULTS:

Diagnoses included pulmonary tuberculosis (96%) and tuberculous encephalomeningitis (26%). Patients required mechanical ventilation (45%) and vasopressor infusion (28%) on admission. Twenty patients (38%) died, related to direct tuberculosis-induced organ failure (n=5), pulmonary bacterial coinfections (n=14) and pulmonary embolism (n=1). Using a multivariate analysis, three independent factors on ICU admission were predictive of fatality: miliary pulmonary tuberculosis (OR 9.04 [95% CI 1.25 to 65.30]), mechanical ventilation (OR 11.36 [95% CI 1.55 to 83.48]) and vasopressor requirement (OR 8.45 [95% CI 1.29 to 55.18]). A score generated by summing these three independent variables was effective at predicting fatality with an area under the ROC curve of 0.92 (95% CI 0.85 to 0.98).

CONCLUSIONS:

Fatalities remain high in patients admitted to the ICU with tuberculosis. Miliary pulmonary tuberculosis, mechanical ventilation and vasopressor requirement on admission were predictive of death.     

Glucose measurement of intensive care unit patient plasma samples using a fixed-wavelength mid-infrared spectroscopy system

Objective

Glycemic control is a rapidly developing field in intensive care medicine with the aim of reducing mortality, morbidity, and cost. Current intensive care unit (ICU) glucose measurement technologies are susceptible to interference from medications, volume expanders, and other substances present in critically ill patients. We hypothesized that a fixed-wavelength mid-infrared (mid-IR) spectroscopy system would be accurate for measuring glucose levels of ICU patients.

Research Design and Methods

This is a prospective investigation of plasma samples from two different institutions treating a heterogeneous population of ICU patients. The first 292 samples were collected from 86 patients admitted to Stamford Hospital, and the next 352 samples were collected from 75 patients from three ICUs at the University of Maryland. Plasma samples were measured on a Fourier-transform infrared or a proprietary spectrometer, with a glucose prediction algorithm to correct for spectral interference, which were compared with reference measurements taken using a YSI 2300 glucose analyzer.

Results

Glucose values ranged from 24 to 343 mg/dl. Numerous medications and injury/disease states were observed in the patient populations, with metoprolol, fentanyl, and multiple organ failure the most prevalent. Despite these interferents, there was a high correlation (r ≥ 0.94) and low standard error (≤12.8 mg/dl) between the predicted glucose values and those of the YSI 2300 STAT Plus reference instrument in the three studies. A total of 95.1% of the 644 values in the three studies met International Organization for Standardization 15197 criteria.

Conclusion

These results suggest that a fixed-wavelength mid-IR spectrometer can measure glucose accurately in the plasma of ICU patients.     

New Atlanta Classification of acute pancreatitis in intensive care unit: Complications and prognosis

BackgroundThe updated Atlanta Classification of acute pancreatitis (AP) in adults defined three levels of severity according to the presence of local and/or systemic complications and presence and length of organ failure. No study focused on complications and mortality of patients with moderately severe AP admitted to intensive care unit (ICU). The main aim of this study is to describe the complications developed and outcomes of these patients and compare them to those with severe AP.MethodsProspective, observational study. We included patients with acute moderately severe or severe AP admitted in a medical–surgical ICU during 5 years. We collected demographic data, admission criteria, pancreatitis etiology, severity of illness, presence of organ failure, local and systemic complications, ICU length of stay, and mortality.ResultsFifty-six patients were included: 12 with moderately severe AP and 44 with severe. All patients developed some kind of complications without differences on complications rate between moderately severe or severe AP. All the patients present non-infectious systemic complications, mainly acute respiratory failure and hemodynamic failure. 82.1% had an infectious complication, mainly non-pancreatic infection (66.7% on moderately severe AP vs. 79.5% on severe, p = 0.0443). None of the patients with moderately severe AP died during their intensive care unit stay vs. 29.5% with severe AP (p = 0.049).ConclusionsModerately severe AP has a high rate of complications with similar rates to patients with severe AP admitted to ICU. However, their ICU mortality remains very low, which supports the existence of this new group of pancreatitis according to their severity.     

Preoperative predictive factors for intensive care unit admission after pulmonary resection

Objective:

To determine whether the use of a set of preoperative variables can predict the need for postoperative ICU admission.

Methods:

This was a prospective observational cohort study of 120 patients undergoing elective pulmonary resection between July of 2009 and April of 2012. Prediction of ICU admission was based on the presence of one or more of the following preoperative characteristics: predicted pneumonectomy; severe/very severe COPD; severe restrictive lung disease; FEV₁ or DLCO predicted to be < 40% postoperatively; SpO₂ on room air at rest < 90%; need for cardiac monitoring as a precautionary measure; or American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status ≥ 3. The gold standard for mandatory admission to the ICU was based on the presence of one or more of the following postoperative characteristics: maintenance of mechanical ventilation or reintubation; acute respiratory failure or need for noninvasive ventilation; hemodynamic instability or shock; intraoperative or immediate postoperative complications (clinical or surgical); or a recommendation by the anesthesiologist or surgeon to continue treatment in the ICU.

Results:

Among the 120 patients evaluated, 24 (20.0%) were predicted to require ICU admission, and ICU admission was considered mandatory in 16 (66.6%) of those 24. In contrast, among the 96 patients for whom ICU admission was not predicted, it was required in 14 (14.5%). The use of the criteria for predicting ICU admission showed good accuracy (81.6%), sensitivity of 53.3%, specificity of 91%, positive predictive value of 66.6%, and negative predictive value of 85.4%.

Conclusions:

The use of preoperative criteria for predicting the need for ICU admission after elective pulmonary resection is feasible and can reduce the number of patients staying in the ICU only for monitoring.     

A novel mortality prediction model for the current population in an adult intensive care unit

Background

The accurate and reliable mortality prediction is very useful, in critical care medicine. There are various new variables proposed in the literature that could potentially increase the predictive ability for death in ICU of the new predictive scoring model.

Severe forms of influenza infections admitted in intensive care units: Analysis of mortality factors

Background

The severe forms of influenza infection requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission remain a medical challenge due to its high mortality. New H1N1 strains were hypothesized to increase mortality. The studies below represent a large series focusing on ICU-admitted influenza patients over the last decade with an emphasis on factors related to death.

Methods

A retrospective study of patients admitted in ICU for influenza infection over the 2010–2019 period in Réunion Island (a French overseas territory) was conducted. Demographic data, underlying conditions, and therapeutic management were recorded. A univariate analysis was performed to assess factors related to ICU mortality.

Results

Three hundred and fifty adult patients were analyzed. Overall mortality was 25.1%. Factors related to higher mortality were found to be patient age >65, cancer history, need for intubation, early intubation within 48 h after admission, invasive mechanical ventilation (MV), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), vaso-support drugs, extracorporal oxygenation by membrane (ECMO), dialysis, bacterial coinfection, leucopenia, anemia, and thrombopenia. History of asthma and oseltamivir therapy were correlated with a lower mortality. H1N1 did not impact mortality.

Conclusion

Patient's underlying conditions influence hospital admission and secondary ICU admission but were not found to impact ICU mortality except in patients age >65, history of cancer, and bacterial coinfections. Pulmonary involvement was often present, required MV, and often evolved toward ARDS. ICU mortality was strongly related to ARDS severity. We recommend rapid ICU admission of patients with influenza-related pneumonia, management of bacterial coinfection, and early administration of oseltamivir.     

Audit of patients with severe acute pancreatitis admitted to an intensive care unit

Background

Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a disease with high morbidity and mortality. We undertook a study of patients with SAP admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary referral hospital.

Methods

Between 2002 and 2007, 50 patients with SAP were admitted in our intensive care unit (ICU). Data were collected from their medical records and their clinical profile, course and outcome were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were categorized into survivor and nonsurvivor groups, and were further classified based on interventions such as percutaneous drainage and surgical necrosectomy.

Results

SAP contributed 5?% of total ICU admissions during the study period. Median age of survivors (n?=?20) was 34 against 44?years in nonsurvivors (n?=?30). Median Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score in nonsurvivors was 16.5 (8?C32) vs. 12.5 (5?C20) in survivors (p?=?0.002). Patients with APACHE II score ??12 had mortality >80?% compared to 23?% with score <12 (p?<?0.001). Median Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores on admission and on days 3, 7, 14, and 21 were significantly higher in nonsurvivors compared to survivors (p?<?0.05). Mean (SD) intraabdominal pressure was 23 (3.37) mmHg in nonsurvivors vs. 19.05 (2.51) in survivors (p?<?0.05). Patients with renal failure had significant mortality (p?<?0.001). Length of ICU stay, requirement for vasopressor, total parenteral nutrition, and the amount of blood and blood product transfusions differed significantly between patients with and without intervention.

Conclusions

APACHE II and SOFA scores and other clinical data correlated with outcome in SAP admitted to ICU.     

Respiratory viruses in patients and employees in an intensive care unit

Purpose

To evaluate the frequency of respiratory viruses in a nonselected population of intensive care unit patients and employees and to investigate the clinical as well as the epidemiological association with virological findings.

Methods

Between 12 January and 5 March 2009, nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from 55 intensive care unit (ICU) patients and 41 medical personnel at 16 different time-points and tested for 11 respiratory viruses by single real-time PCR using TaqMan or MGB probes.

Results

Among the 55 ICU patients tested, there were 30 virus-positive respiratory specimens (30/173, 17.3%) and 23 patients who tested positive at least once for respiratory viruses (23/55, 41.8%). Only the time from admission to the ICU was associated with the probability of testing positive, with the probability of testing positive decreasing with increasing length of stay (P?P?=?0.03) and having sick contacts at home (P?=?0.006) were significantly associated with swab positivity. Among the study population, patients had a significantly higher probability of having a positive swab result than employees. The distribution of viruses differed between the two groups.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that when hygiene precautions are adopted, the possibility of transmitting selected respiratory viruses between patients and personnel is limited. They also point to a greater importance of the community over the hospital environment for acquisition of viral respiratory infections by ICU patients and employees.     

AKI in Low-Risk versus High-Risk Patients in Intensive Care

Background and objectives

AKI in critically ill patients is usually part of multiorgan failure. However, nonrenal organ failure may not always precede AKI and patients without evidence of these organ failures may not be at low risk for AKI. This study examined the risk and outcomes associated with AKI in critically ill patients with and without cardiovascular or respiratory organ failures at presentation to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

A large, academic medical center database, with records from July 2000 through October 2008, was used and the authors identified a low-risk cohort as patients without cardiovascular and respiratory organ failures defined as not receiving vasopressor support or mechanical ventilation within the first 24 hours of ICU admission. AKI was defined using Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes criteria. The primary end points were moderate to severe AKI (stages 2–3) and risk-adjusted hospital mortality.

Results

Of 40,152 critically ill patients, 44.9% received neither vasopressors nor mechanical ventilation on ICU day 1. Stages 2–3 AKI occurred less frequently in the low-risk patients versus high-risk patients within 24 hours (14.3% versus 29.1%) and within 1 week (25.7% versus 51.7%) of ICU admission. Patients developing AKI in both risk groups had higher risk of death before hospital discharge. However, the adjusted odds of hospital mortality were greater (odds ratio, 2.99; 95% confidence interval, 2.62 to 3.41) when AKI occurred in low-risk patients compared with those with respiratory or cardiovascular failures (odds ratio, 1.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.09 to 1.3); interaction P<0.001.

Conclusions

Patients admitted to ICU without respiratory or cardiovascular failure have a substantial likelihood of developing AKI. Although survival for low-risk patients is better than for high-risk patients, the relative increase in mortality associated with AKI is actually greater for low-risk patients. Strategies aimed at preventing AKI should not exclude ICU patients without cardiovascular or respiratory organ failures.     

Device-associated infections in the intensive care units of Cyprus: results of the first national incidence study

Background  

Surveillance of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) has become an integral part of infection control programs in several countries, especially in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting. In contrast, surveillance data on the epidemiology of ICU-acquired infections in Cyprus are limited. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of ICU-acquired infections and to identify areas for improvement in Cypriot hospitals by comparing observed incidence rates with international benchmarks and by specifying the microbiological and antibiotic resistance profiles of infecting organisms.     

Average daily risk range as a measure of glycemic risk is associated with mortality in the intensive care unit: a retrospective study in a burn intensive care unit

Background

Although tight glycemic control has been associated with improved outcomes in the intensive care unit (ICU), glycemic variability may be the influential factor in mortality. The main goal of the study was to relate blood glucose (BG) variability of burn ICU patients to outcomes using a sensitive measure of glycemic variability, the average daily risk range (ADRR).

Method

Data from patients admitted to a burn ICU were used. Patients were matched by total body surface area (TBSA) and injury severity score (ISS) to test whether increased BG variability measured by ADRR was associated with higher mortality risk and whether we could identify ADRR-based classifications associated with the degree of risk.

Results

Four ADRR classifications were identified: low risk, medium-low, medium-high, and high. Mortality progressively increased from 25% in the low-risk group to over 60% in the high-risk group (p < .001). In a post hoc analysis, age also contributed to outcome. Younger (age < 43 years) survivors and nonsurvivors matched by TBSA and ISS had no significant difference in age, mean BG or standard deviation of BG; however, nonsurvivors had higher ADRR (p < .01).

Conclusions

Independent of injury severity, glycemic variability measured by the ADRR was significantly associated with mortality in the ICU. When age was considered, ADRR was the only measure of glycemia significantly associated with mortality in younger patients with burns.     

Glucose control in Mayo Clinic intensive care units

Background

Safe and effective glucose control in the intensive care unit (ICU) continues to be actively pursued. Large clinical trials have examined the safety and efficacy of insulin infusion protocols in medical and surgical ICUs. We report experiences of a single-center standardized nurse-driven insulin infusion protocol in three ICUs in an observational quality-improvement study.

Method

We analyzed the hourly point-of-care arterial blood glucose obtained during ICU insulin infusion protocol (protocol A) with a glucose target of 80–130 mg/dl in medical and surgical ICUs in February 2009. Following Normoglycemia in Intensive Care Evaluation and Survival Using Glucose Algorithm Regulation (NICE-SUGAR) study results, the protocol was amended (protocol B) to achieve target glucose of 110–150 mg/dl. The performance of protocol B was assessed in the ICUs in May 2010 and compared with protocol A with respect to glucose concentrations and rates of severe (<40 mg/dl) and moderate (40–60 mg/dl) hypoglycemia.

Results

With protocol A, in medical (n = 44) and surgical (n = 164) ICUs taken together, median glucose was 119 mg/dl, with severe and moderate hypoglycemia rates 1.4% (3/208) and 7.7% (16/208), respectively, which were significantly lower than those reported by the NICE-SUGAR and the Leuven studies. With protocol B, in medical (n = 44) and surgical (n = 167) ICUs taken together, median glucose was 132 mg/dl, with severe and moderate hypoglycemia of 0 % (0/211) and 0.5% (1/211), respectively.

Conclusion

The current ICU insulin infusion protocol (protocol B) reduces severe and moderate hypoglycemia without compromising glucose control when compared with protocol A. This could potentially impact patient-important outcomes.     

Outcomes and predictors of delayed endoscopic biliary drainage for severe acute cholangitis due to choledocholithiasis in an intensive care unit

BackgroundAcute cholangitis (AC) is an infection of the biliary tract secondary to biliary obstruction requiring biliary drainage through endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. This study aims to compare the outcome between the early and delayed ERCP in patients with severe AC.MethodsPatient with severe AC due to choledocholithiasis admitted to intensive care unit were included. Early ERCP was defined was as ERCP performed within 24 h following hospital admission. Propensity-score matching was used to reduce the imbalance between groups. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes included length of hospital and ICU stay, onset or persistent organ failure.ResultsThe delayed ERCP group had a higher mortality rate at 30 days (45,5 versus 13%, <0.001) and at 1 year (59,7% versus 15,6%, p <0.001). Delayed ERCP had also a higher rate of respiratory adverse events (54,5 versus 27,8%, p = 0,002), longer ICU (7.41 versus 4.61, p = 0,004) and hospital (11,88 versus 9,22, p = 0,042) length of stay. Predictors of delayed ERCP were cardiac arrythmias, liver disease, creatinine value and white blood cell count at baseline.ConclusionsDelays in ERCP for patients with severe AC appear to be associated with higher mortality rate and prolonged ICU and hospital stays.     

Analysis of clinical features and prognostic factors in Chinese patients with rheumatic diseases in an intensive care unit

Aim of the work

To describe the clinical features and prognostic factors in patients with rheumatic diseases (RDs) admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Adult intensive care patients' perception of endotracheal tube-related discomforts: A prospective evaluation

Objective

This study was designed to investigate adult patients' perceptions of endotracheal tube (ETT)-related discomfort at 5 days and 2 months after discharge from the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods

This prospective cohort study in 2 general ICUs included 250 intubated, mechanically ventilated adults admitted for more than 24 hours. Patients were interviewed 5 days and 2 months after discharge from the ICU about their ETT-related discomfort, using a modified Swedish ETT version of the ICU Stressful Experience Questionnaire that comprises 14 items.

Results

Of 116 patients describing their ETT experience during their ICU stay, 88% rated their discomfort as moderately to extremely stressful. At 2 months after discharge from the ICU, 23% (51/226) reported bothersome discomfort, vs. 46% (104/226) 5 days after discharge from the ICU, and 10 patients suffered from severe, persistent hoarseness.

Conclusion

The incidence of bothersome subjective complaints after tracheal intubation in the intensive-care setting is high, and severe ETT-related problems may persist several months after extubation.     

Sequential introduction of single room isolation and hand hygiene campaign in the control of methicillin-resistant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Staphylococcus aureus</Emphasis> in intensive care unit

Background  

After renovation of the adult intensive care unit (ICU) with installation of ten single rooms, an enhanced infection control program was conducted to control the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in our hospital.     

Predictors of outcome in patients with hematologic malignancies admitted to the intensive care unit

Purpose

Several studies showed conflicting results about prognosis and predictors of outcome of critically ill patients with hematological malignancies (HM). The aim of this study is to determine the hospital outcome of critically ill patients with HM and the factors predicting the outcome.