Outcomes of elderly survivors of intensive care: a review of the literature

An increasing proportion of critically ill patients are elderly (ie, >or= 65 years of age). This poses complex challenges and choices for the management of elderly patients. Outcome following admission to the ICU has been traditionally concerned with mortality. Beyond mortality, outcomes such as functional status and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) have assumed greater importance. This article reviews the literature, published in English from 1990 to December 2003, pertaining to HRQOL and functional status outcomes of elderly patients. Functional status and HRQOL of elderly survivors of ICUs has been underinvestigated. There is no agreement as to the optimal instrument choice, and differences between studies preclude meaningful comparison or pooling of results.     

Machine learning-based scoring system to predict in-hospital outcomes in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

BackgroundThe evolution of patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still hard to predict, even after several months of dealing with the pandemic.AimsTo develop and validate a score to predict outcomes in patients hospitalized with COVID-19.MethodsAll consecutive adults hospitalized for COVID-19 from February to April 2020 were included in a nationwide observational study. Primary composite outcome was transfer to an intensive care unit from an emergency department or conventional ward, or in-hospital death. A score that estimates the risk of experiencing the primary outcome was constructed from a derivation cohort using stacked LASSO (Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator), and was tested in a validation cohort.ResultsAmong 2873 patients analysed (57.9% men; 66.6 ± 17.0 years), the primary outcome occurred in 838 (29.2%) patients: 551 (19.2%) were transferred to an intensive care unit; and 287 (10.0%) died in-hospital without transfer to an intensive care unit. Using stacked LASSO, we identified 11 variables independently associated with the primary outcome in multivariable analysis in the derivation cohort (n = 2313), including demographics (sex), triage vitals (body temperature, dyspnoea, respiratory rate, fraction of inspired oxygen, blood oxygen saturation) and biological variables (pH, platelets, C-reactive protein, aspartate aminotransferase, estimated glomerular filtration rate). The Critical COVID-19 France (CCF) risk score was then developed, and displayed accurate calibration and discrimination in the derivation cohort, with C-statistics of 0.78 (95% confidence interval 0.75–0.80). The CCF risk score performed significantly better (i.e. higher C-statistics) than the usual critical care risk scores.ConclusionsThe CCF risk score was built using data collected routinely at hospital admission to predict outcomes in patients with COVID-19. This score holds promise to improve early triage of patients and allocation of healthcare resources.     

The one year exercise and lifestyle intervention program KLAKS: Effects on anthropometric parameters,cardiometabolic risk factors and glycemic control in childhood obesity

Objective

Regular physical exercise within structured lifestyle programs may improve weight status and minimize metabolic risk factors in childhood obesity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the one-year combined physical exercise/lifestyle program KLAKS on anthropometric and metabolic parameters and glycemic control in childhood obesity.

Materials and Methods

142 overweight/obese (BMI > 90th percentile) candidates (7–18 years) were enrolled, 115 participants completed the program. Anthropometrics and biochemical parameters were obtained at beginning and completion. An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed in a subgroup of participants. Course of glucose and insulin levels within OGTT was correlated with several parameters and is reported here for those who completed the program.

Results

The mean standard deviation scores (SDS) decreased significantly for BMI, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and percentage body fat (all p ≤ 0.01). Improved metabolic risk markers included mean glucose levels within an OGTT at follow-up compared to baseline (p < 0.0001) and HbA1c (p = 0.05) as well as indications of improvement for gamma-glutamyl-transferase and free fatty acids.

Conclusions

The one-year combined exercise/lifestyle program KLAKS significantly improves markers of obesity and glycemic control. Impaired cardiometabolic risk markers, even subclinical, are also favorably influenced by program participation.     

Can rheumatoid arthritis affect sleep in Egyptian patients?

Aim of the work

To investigate sleep problems in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and to correlate sleep scores with disease characteristics and activity.

Is Frailty a Predictor of Outcomes in Elderly Inpatients with Acute Kidney Injury? A Prospective Cohort Study

Background

Frailty and acute kidney injury are independently associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. The degree of frailty can be assessed by the Clinical Frailty Score (CFS). This study assessed whether an individual's CFS was associated with acute kidney injury in acute elderly medical admissions and recorded the short-term outcomes.

Non-operative management of blunt liver trauma: feasible and safe also in centres with a low trauma incidence

Background and Aims

Non-operative management (NOM) of blunt liver trauma is currently, if possible, the preferred treatment of choice. The present study evaluates the experience of blunt liver injury in adults in a Swedish university hospital.

Material and Methods

Forty-six patients with blunt liver trauma were treated from January 1994 through to December 2004. Patient charts were reviewed retrospectively to examine injury severity score (ISS), liver injury grade, diagnostics, treatment and outcome.

Results

Thirty-five patients (76%) were initially treated non-operatively and 11 (24%) patients had immediate surgery. In four (11%) patients, NOM failed and the patients required surgery 8–72 h after admission. Patients failing non-operative care had a significantly lower systolic blood pressure on admission as compared with patients with successful NOM (P = 0.001). Patients immediately operated upon had higher ISS (P < 0.001) and were haemodynamically unstable to a greater extent (P < 0.001) as compared with patients initially considered for NOM. Operated patients had increased transfusion requirements (P < 0.001), longer total hospital stay (P = 0.011) and stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) unit (P < 0.001) as compared with NOM. One immediately operated and one failed NOM died (total mortality 4%). Seventeen patients in the NOM group were successfully treated without surgery despite the presence of at least one described risk factor.

Conclusions

Most patients with blunt liver trauma can be treated without surgery, and non-operative management may be performed even in the presence of established risk factors.     

心血管病高危与非高危人群的生存质量比较:倾向评分匹配分析

目的探究心血管病高危与非高危人群生存质量差异。方法采用2015-2017年国家心血管病高危人群早期筛查与综合干预项目江苏省项目点调查数据,对调查对象进行问卷调查和体格检查,运用倾向评分匹配分析(PSM)方法,按照1∶1匹配心血管病高危组与非高危组间性别和年龄,采用多重线性回归模型分析心血管病高危对生存质量[欧洲五维度健康量表(EQ-5D)]得分及其中的直观相似尺度(EQ-VAS)评分的影响。结果调查对象40 243(高危组20 839,非高危组19 404)人,倾向评分匹配后得到调查对象31 605(高危组15 948,非高危组15 657)人,EQ-5D指数得分0.97±0.07,EQ-VAS评分79.83±9.36,高危组行动能力、自理能力、日常生活能力和疼痛/不适报告有困难率高于非高危组(1.9%比1.0%、0.6%比0.3%、1.5%比0.8%、16.8%比15.7%,均P<0.05);高危组与非高危组焦虑/不适报告有困难率差异无统计学意义(4.5%比4.4%,P=0.785);女性、高龄、不在婚、初中及以下学历、不吸烟、不饮酒、肥胖、患有高血压、患有血脂异常的调查对象EQ-5D指数得分和EQ-VAS评分低于不在此状态或不患有此疾病人群(P<0.05),家庭年收入≤5万元、患有糖尿病的调查对象EQ-VAS评分低于不在此状态或不患有此疾病人群(P<0.001);多因素线性回归分析显示,调整基本情况和主要慢性病情况后,高危组EQ-VAS评分降低(β=-0.054, 95 CI-1.264^-0.766,P<0.001)。结论高危组人群的EQ-VAS评分低,应关注心血管病高危人群的生存质量。     

Designing Premarket Observational Comparative Studies Using Existing Data as Controls: Challenges and Opportunities

Due to the special nature of medical device clinical studies, observational (nonrandomized) comparative studies play important roles in the premarket safety/effectiveness evaluation of medical devices. While historical data collected in earlier investigational device exemption studies of a previously approved medical device have been used to form control groups in comparative studies, high-quality registry data are emerging to provide opportunities for the premarket evaluation of new devices. However, in such studies, various biases could be introduced in every stage and aspect of study and may compromise the objectivity of study design and validity of study results. In this article, challenges and opportunities in the design of such studies using propensity score methodology are discussed from regulatory perspectives.     

Overexpression of immunomodulatory mediators in oral precancerous lesions

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) G and E, programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1), IL-10 and TGF-β are proteins involved in failure of the antitumor immune response. We investigated the expression of these immunomodulatory mediators in oral precancerous lesions (oral leukoplakia-OL; n = 80) and whether these molecules were related to the risk of malignant transformation. Samples of normal mucosa (n = 20) and oral squamous cells carcinoma (OSCC, n = 20) were included as controls. Tissue and saliva samples were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and ELISA respectively. Fifteen OL samples showed severe dysplasia (18.7%) and 40 samples (50%) presented combined high Ki-67/p53. Irrespective of the degree of epithelial dysplasia and the proliferation/apoptosis index of OL, the expression of HLA-G, -E, PD-L1, IL-10, TGF-β2 and -β3 was higher to control (P < 0.05) and similar to OSCC (P > 0.05). The number of granzyme B⁺ cells in OL was similar to control (P = 0.28) and lower compared to OSCC (P < 0.01). Salivary concentrations of sHLA-G, IL-10 and TGF-β did not allow for a distinction between OL and healthy individuals. Overexpression of immunosuppressive mediators in the OL reflects the immune evasion potential of this lesion, which is apparently independent of at cytological and proliferation/apoptosis status.