Mortality and suicide rates of involuntarily committed patients

The mortality and suicide rates for involuntarily committed patients in Denmark are presented. Two cohorts of psychiatric patients committed to a mental hospital from January 1, 1971 to December 31, 1975 (8322 people) and January 1, 1981 to December 31, 1985 (5253 people) have been followed. The standard mortality rate (SMR) in relation to the total Danish population were 4.9 (4.5–5.4) and 5.2 (4.7–5.8), respectively, for the two cohorts, during the first year after involuntarily commitment to a mental hospital. During the same period, the SMR for suicide among the committed patients were 44.9 (37.1–53.9) and 30.9 (24.2–38.9), respectively. The crude suicide rates among the committed patients during the first year after the commitment were 14.3 and 14.0, respectively, per 1000 years, unchanged between the cohorts. Short length of stay in hospital (< 14 days), a nonpsychotic main diagnosis, male sex, and age 35 years or more were equally related to high risk of suicide in the 1971 cohort as evaluated to proportional hazard methods (Cox regression), and short length of stay and commitment on the danger indication provided the most information in relation to high suicidal risk in the 1981 cohort. Methodological problems and the reasons for the results are discussed.     

The association between obesity and pressure ulcer development in critically ill patients: A prospective cohort study

BackgroundPressure ulcers (PUs) are one of the leading potentially preventable adverse events in the hospital. Critically ill patients are at risk for the development of PUs. The primary aim of the study was to investigate the relation of PUs and obesity in critically ill ICU patients.MethodsA single center prospective cohort study was conducted on adult patients with obesity (defined as a body mass index BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) and patients without obesity (BMI 18?25 kg/m²) admitted to the intensive care unit between May 2013 and July 2017 with an ICU length of stay of at least 3 days without pre-existing PUs at admission.Results851 of 1205 patients (70.6%) had a normal BMI and 354 (29.4%) had a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m² and were considered obese. Overall, 157 patients (13.0%) developed PUs; 112/851 (13.2%) of patients without obesity and 45/354 (12.7%) of patients with obesity (p = 0.907). There was no difference in the severity (p = 0.609) and PU location (p = 0.261). Mean days to PU development was 11.1; 11.7 days for patients without obesity and 9.5 days for patients with obesity (p = 0.270). Mean days to PU recovery was 13.2, which was 14.1 days for patients without obesity and 10.8 days for patients with obesity (p = 0.215). A multivariate logistic regression model showed no significant correlation between the occurrence of PUs in the ICU and obesity (OR 0.875 with 95% CI 0.528–1.448, p = 0.594). Subgroup analysis showed that patients with morbid obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m²) developed PUs earlier during ICU admission when compared to patients without obesity (p = 0.004).ConclusionOur study demonstrates that obesity is not an independent risk factor for the development of PUs in the ICU. However, patients with morbid obesity might develop PUs earlier compared to patients without obesity.     

Dopamine pharmacokinetics in critically ill newborn infants

Summary Dopamine is frequently used in critically ill newborn infants for treatment of shock and cardiac failure, but its pharmacokinetics has not been evaluated using a specific analytical method. Steady-state arterial plasma concentrations of dopamine were measured in 11 seriously ill infants receiving dopamine infusion, 5–20 g · kg^–1 · min^–1, for presumed or proven sepsis and hypotensive shock.Steady-state concentrations of dopamine ranged from 0.013–0.3 g/ml. Total body clearance averaged 115 ml · kg^–1 · min^–1. The apparent volume of distribution and elimination half life averaged 1.8 1 · kg^–1 and 6.9 min, respectively.No relationship was observed between dopamine pharmacokinetics and gestational age, postnatal age or birthweight. Substantial interindividual variation was seen in dopamine pharmacokinetics in seriously ill infants, and plasma concentrations could not be predicted accurately from its infusion rate.Marked variation in clearance explains in part, the wide dose requirements of dopamine needed to elicit clinical response in critically ill newborn infants.VBM was a Fellow at Ohio State University and Children's Hospital at the time of study and is now at the Department of Pharmacy Services and College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA     

Lack of accumulation of midazolam in plasma and lipoprotein fractions during intravenous lipid infusions in patients on artificial respiration

Summary Severely ill patients often require total parenteral nutrition including intravenous liqid emulsions concurrently administered with lipophilic drugs. Therefore we investigated whether therapeutic application of a mixed medium chain/long chain triglyceride infusion affects the disposition of midazolam necessary for sedation in patients on artificial respiration. The concentrations of midazolam were measured in unfractionated plasma, and in lipoprotein fractions isolated from ex vivo blood samples, including determination of triglycerides and cholesterol; the albumin level was also analysed.Midazolam in the VLDL fraction was only 0.246 g·ml^–1, whereas the total plasma concentration averaged 1.101 g·ml^–1, and the midazolam content of the LDL plus HDL fractions amounted to 1.771 g·ml^–1. Albumin in these lipoprotein fractions was just as unequally distributed. A lipid infusion resulted in a significant elevation of total triglycerides from 157 to 221 mg·dl^–1 and VLDL-triglycerides from 77 to 155 mg·dl^–1. The triglyceride content of the LDL plus HDL fraction rose from 102 to 139 mg·dl^–1. At the same time the midazolam concentration in unfractionated plasma and in the VLDL and the LDL + HDL fractions decreased to 0.899 g·ml^–1, 0.130 g·ml^–1, and 1.265 g·ml^–1, respectively. Cholesterol and albumin concentrations were not affected.The data show for the first time that a significant increase in plasma triglycerides during an intravenous lipid infusion does not result in accumulation of midazolam in lipoproteins, probably because albumin binding of the drug is very strong. The lack of midazolam trapping is important with respect to the safety of concurrent use of lipophilic drugs and intravenous lipid infusions.     

仙人掌属药用植物的研究进展

仙人掌属植物在中国和墨西哥作为药用植物具有悠久的历史，中国的主要药用种为仙人掌Opuntia dillenii。仙人掌含有有机酸、甾醇、生物碱、黄酮和萜类等成分，具有抑菌、消炎、镇痛、增强免疫、降血糖、抗脂质过氧化等多种药理作用，并有多种临床用途。     

妇科恶性肿瘤患者的生存期预测

目的建立一个预测临终期妇科肿瘤患者生存时间的评分办法。方法回顾性分析不再适于接受任何抗肿瘤治疗,并于院内死亡的91例临终期妇科恶性肿瘤患者的临床资料。91例患者年龄中位数56岁(13~83岁),从入院起生存中位数27d(1~240d)。分析19项临床和生化指标与生存时间的关系。对单因素分析方法显示的9项显著影响生存时间的指标进行多元逻辑回归分析,以逐步后退方法建立一个包括5项指标的回归模型。将各项指标的回归系数转换为简单分数,相加后得到每一例患者的预后评分。依据本评分方法将患者分为两组,A组≤9·5分,B组≥10分。结果单因素分析显示,对生存时间有显著影响的9项指标为:呼吸困难、Karnofsky功能指数(KPS)、年龄、发热、肿瘤发展速度、有无并发症、血尿素氮、肌酐、血小板。多元逻辑回归结果建立了包括呼吸困难、KPS、年龄、发热和血尿素氮5项指标在内的回归方程。方程的正确分辨能力83·5%。A组37例,平均生存时间为(65±7)d。B组54例,平均生存时间为(19±2)d。A组存活≥30d者占83·8%(31/37)、B组存活≤29d者占85·2%(46/54)。两组生存曲线的差异有统计学意义(P<0·001)。结论依据本组资料建立的评分办法简单实用,是预测临终患者生存时间的有效方法。     

Intra‐arterial blood pressure reading in intensive care unit patients in the lateral position

Background. Routine lateral turning of patients has become an accepted standard of care to prevent complications of immobility. The haemodynamic and oxygenation effects for patients in both lateral positions (45°) are still a matter of debate. We aimed to study the effect of these positions on blood pressure, heart rate and oxygenation in a general intensive care population. Design. Observational study. Method. Twenty stable intensive care unit patients had intra‐arterial blood pressure recordings in the supine and lateral positions with the correction of hydrostatic height compared with a fixed reference point (phlebostatic level). A multilevel model was used to analyse the data. Results. Mean arterial pressure readings in the lateral positions were, on average, 5 mmHg higher than in the supine position (p < 0·001). There were no significant differences between mean arterial pressure recordings in the left and right lateral position (p = 1·0). No important differences in oxygenation and heart rate were observed. After correction for covariates, the effects persisted. Conclusion. Our study demonstrated an increase, albeit small, in blood pressure in the lateral positions. No major differences between the left and right lateral position were found. No important differences in oxygenation and heart rate were observed. Relevance to clinical practice. Turning haemodynamically stable patients in the intensive care unit has no important effects on blood pressure measurements when continuous hydrostatic height correction is applied.     

危重症患者胃肠功能障碍的中医证候学研究

目的研究危重症患者胃肠功能障碍的中医证候特征。方法通过采集危重症患者初次发生胃肠功能障碍时的临床症状、体征,并对患者症状、舌脉、证型分布等采用频次描述的方法进行研究,从而探索危重症患者胃肠功能障碍的中医证候学研究。结果在79例病例中,症状方面:纳差(58例)、便秘(41例)、腹胀(40例)、少尿(34例)、呕吐(29例)出现频次最多,频率分别为73.42%、52.90%、50.63%、43.38%、36.71%。舌象方面:舌红、腻苔、黄苔、舌淡红、薄苔、厚苔出现频次最高,频率分别为59.49%、48.10%、39.24%、34.18%、32.91%、29.11%。脉象方面以细脉、数脉、弦脉、滑脉出现频次最高,频率依次为46.84%、31.65%、27.85%、24.05%。证型方面:脾胃虚弱证24例,湿热壅滞证共20例,寒湿内盛证共15例,瘀滞胃肠证共15例,肠热腑实证共5例,各自所占比例为30.38%、25.32%、18.99%、18.99%、6.33%。结论危重症胃肠功能障碍的主要病理因素为湿、热、瘀,主要证型以脾胃虚弱证、湿热壅滞证较为多见。初次发生胃肠功能障碍的危重症患者入院时即表现出整体状况不佳,发生胃肠功能障碍的程度则以轻中度为主。     

Factors contributing to poor sleep in critically ill patients: A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies

ObjectiveTo examine the causes of poor sleep in critically ill patients from nurses’ experiences.Review methodologyA meta-synthesis following the Enhancing Transparency in Reporting the Synthesis of Qualitative Research statement was conducted. Articles were searched systematically in the CINAHL, MEDLINE and Embase databases up to January 2020. Study selection and data extraction were performed by two authors working independently. Included articles were critically evaluated by both authors using the Critical Appraisal Screening Programme tool.FindingsThe meta-synthesis resulted in four analytical themes: (1) Inherent factors of critical illness, (2) Lack of implementation of evidence-based practice, (3) Lack of relational collaboration, (4) Hospital organisation and culture.ConclusionThis literature review indicates that promoting critically ill patients' sleep is difficult. Evidence-based interventions should be implemented into practice in order for nurses to be able to meet the patients' needs and improve sleep. Furthermore, the team surrounding the patient must have support from the health care organisation, and a culture change is necessary to improve communication between them to reach a shared goal to improve critically ill patients' sleep.     

Los 6 pasos necesarios para elaborar Critically Appraised Topics

Different types of critically appraised topics (CATs) can be elaborated in diagnostic imaging: comparison of diagnostic tests, evaluation of techniques for early detection (screening), economical analyses, or therapeutic aspects, among others. Their design will vary in function of the question they aim to answer. For example, for treatment evaluation, clinical trials are the best, but if there are secondary studies (systematic reviews or meta-analyses) that synthesize information from several studies, the results will be more important and the scientific conclusions will be more relevant. Regardless of the study design used, the elaboration of a CAT will involve six steps: 1) question; 2) systematic and efficient bibliographic search; 3) levels of evidence (choosing the articles that have the best level); 4) critical reading of the articles chosen; 5) applying conclusions to the context, and 6) recommendations. In this article, we will describe these steps and the nuances for different types of studies in each step.