Intensive care unit safety incidents for medical versus surgical patients: a prospective multicenter study

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to determine if patient safety incidents and the system-related factors contributing to them systematically differ for medical versus surgical patients in intensive care units. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a multicenter prospective study of 646 incidents involving adult medical patients and 707 incidents involving adult surgical patients that were reported to an anonymous patient safety registry over a 2-year period. We compared incident characteristics, patient harm, and associated system factors for medical versus surgical patients. RESULTS: The proportion of safety incidents reported for medical versus surgical patients differed for only 3 of 11 categories: equipment/devices (14% vs 19%; P = .02), "line, tube, or drain" events (8% vs 13%; P = .001), and computerized physician order entry (13% vs 6%; P < or = .001). The type of patient harm associated with incidents also did not differ. System factors were similar for medical versus surgical patients, with training and teamwork being the most important factors in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Medical and surgical patients in the intensive care unit experience very similar types of safety incidents with similar associated patient harm and system factors. Common initiatives to improve patient safety for medical and surgical patients should be undertaken with a specific focus on improving training and teamwork among the intensive care team.     

Epidemiology and outcome of thrombocytopenic patients in the intensive care unit: results of a prospective multicenter study

Purpose

To assess the epidemiology of intensive care unit (ICU) patients with thrombocytopenia (TP).

Methods

All consecutive ICU-admitted patients with TP either on admission or acquired during ICU stay were included. TP was defined as either absolute (platelet count <100 × 10⁹/L) or relative (decrease in the platelet count >30 %). Extensive diagnostic workup of TP including bone marrow aspiration was performed.

Results

Absolute TP was diagnosed in 208 patients and relative TP in 93. In six patients (2 %), no cause of TP was identified. The median number of TP etiologies per patient was two, with sepsis being the leading cause. Bone marrow aspirates were analyzed in 238 patients. They showed a normal megakaryocyte number in 221 (93 %) and provided novel information for diagnosis in 52 (22 %). Results were susceptible to having an impact on patient management in 22 cases (11 %). The frequency of bone marrow aspiration with results susceptible to having an impact on management did not differ between patients with and without disseminated intravascular coagulation (P = 0.22) and with and without sepsis/septic shock (P = 0.7) but was significantly lower in patients with relative TP than in those with absolute TP (P < 0.01). A serious bleeding event was observed in 30 patients (14.9 %) and a nadir platelet count below 50 × 10⁹/L was an independent risk factor (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

In thrombocytopenic patients, sepsis is the leading cause of TP. Bone marrow aspirates may yield significant information on TP mechanisms and contribute to the subsequent management of patients, especially those with absolute TP.     

Complications of care in a pediatric intensive care unit: A prospective study

Objectives (a) To examine the frequency, type, and severity of complications occurring in a pediatric intensive care unit; (b) to identify populations at risk; and (c) to study the impact of complications on morbidity and mortality.Design Prospective survey.Setting Pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a university-affiliated hospital.Patients 1035consecutive admissions over an 18-month period.Results 115 complications occurred during 83 (8.0%) admissions, for 2.7 complications per 100 PICU-days; 48 (42%) complications were major, 45 (39%) moderate, and 22 (19%) minor. Sixty complications (52%) were ventilator-related, 14 were drug-related, 13 procedure-related, 24 infectious, and 22 involved invasive devices (18 vascular catheters). Human error was involved in 41 (36%) cases, 21 of which were major (18%). Treatments included reintubation <24 h (28), intravenous antimicrobials (24), and invasive bedside procedures (14). Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was required in 6 patients. Thirteen patients with complications died (15.7%); 2 deaths were directly due to complications.Patients with complications were younger, had longer lengths of stay, and had a higher mortality. Length of stay was a positive risk factor for complication risk (odds ratio=1.09, 95% confidence interval: 1.05 to 1.13;p=0.0001); other patient characteristics had no predictive effect. Kaplan-Meier estimates showed that the most severe complications occurred early in the PICU stay. The best indicators of patient mortality were number of complications (odds ratio=2.96, 95% confidence interval 1.72 to 5.08;p=0.0001), and mortality risk derived from the Pediatric Risk of Mortality Score (odds ratio=1.08, 95% confidence interval 1.06 to 1.10;p=0.0001). Mortality was correlated with increasing severity of complications.Conclusion Complications have a significant impact on patient care. Patients may be at increased risk earlier in their PICU course, when the number of interventions may be greatest. Complications may increase patient mortality and predict patient death better than other patient variables.     

Blood glucose amplitude variability as predictor for mortality in surgical and medical intensive care unit patients: a multicenter cohort study

Purpose

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that blood glucose amplitude variability (BGAV) is associated with mortality in critically ill patients.

Method

A prospectively collected multicenter data set including all glucose measurements during intensive care unit (ICU) treatment and outcome was analyzed. We used logistic regression to assess the association between hospital mortality and standard deviation (SD), mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE), mean absolute glucose change per hour (MAG), and glycemic lability index (GLI). The analysis was adjusted for ICU, Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation IV–expected mortality, the presence of severe hypoglycemia, mean glucose, mean glucose measurement interval, and interaction between the latter 2.

Results

There were 855?032 glucose measurements included of 20?375 patients admitted to 37 Dutch ICUs in 2008 and 2009. Median Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation IV–predicted mortality was 14%, and median glucose was 7.3 mmol/L. In all patients combined, adjusted hospital mortality was associated with SD and MAGE, but not with MAG and GLI. In surgical patients, adjusted hospital mortality was associated with SD, MAGE, and MAG, but not GLI. In medical patients, adjusted mortality was associated with SD but not with other BGAV measures.

Conclusion

Not all BGAV measures were associated with mortality. Blood glucose amplitude variability as quantified by SD was consistently independently associated with hospital mortality.     

Nosocomial infections in intensive care wards: A multicenter prospective study

In a three-year prospective investigation, a total of 6,952 patients were investigated prospectively in nine intensive care wards and their rate of nosocomial infections was analysed. The frequency of the nosocomial infections varied between 3% and 27%. The most frequent nosocomial infections were urinary tract infections, sepsis, infections of the skin and of the subcutaneous tissue, pneumonia and wound infections. The most frequent causes of sepsis were ventilation pneumonia, venous catheters, wound infections and urinary tract infections. The pathogen spectrum was analysed. By specific control of infection with employment of an infection control nurse, the frequency of nosocomial infections on intensive care wards was lowered from 17.2% to 14.3% within one year in one of the hospitals.     

Erythrocyte selenium concentration predicts intensive care unit and hospital mortality in patients with septic shock: a prospective observational study

Introduction

Selenoenzymes can modulate the extent of oxidative stress, which is recognized as a key feature of septic shock. The pathophysiologic role of erythrocyte selenium concentration in patients with septic shock remains unknown. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the association of erythrocyte selenium concentration with glutathione peroxidase (GPx1) activity, GPx1 polymorphisms and with ICU and hospital mortality in septic shock patients.

Methods

This prospective study included all patients older than 18 years with septic shock on admission or during their ICU stay, admitted to one of the three ICUs of our institution, from January to August 2012. At the time of the patients’ enrollment, demographic information was recorded. Blood samples were taken within the first 72 hours of the patients’ admission or within 72 hours of the septic shock diagnosis for determination of selenium status, protein carbonyl concentration, GPx1 activity and GPx1 Pro198Leu polymorphism (rs 1050450) genotyping.

Results

A total of 110 consecutive patients were evaluated. The mean age was 57.6 ± 15.9 years, 63.6% were male. Regarding selenium status, only erythrocyte selenium concentration was lower in patients who died in the ICU. The frequencies for GPx1 Pro198Leu polymorphism were 55%, 38% and 7% for Pro/Pro, Pro/Leu and Leu/Leu, respectively. In the logistic regression models, erythrocyte selenium concentration was associated with ICU and hospital mortality in patients with septic shock even after adjustment for protein carbonyl concentration and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II score (APACHE II) or sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA).

Conclusions

Erythrocyte selenium concentration was a predictor of ICU and hospital mortality in patients with septic shock. However, this effect was not due to GPx1 activity or Pro198Leu polymorphism.     

Human errors in a multidisciplinary intensive care unit: a 1-year prospective study

OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence and identify risk factors of critical incidents in an ICU. DESIGN: Prospective observational study of consecutive patients admitted over 1 year to an ICU. Critical incidents were recorded using predefined criteria. Their causes and consequences were analysed. The causes were classified as technical failure, patient's underlying disease, or human errors (subclassified as planning, execution, or surveillance). The consequences were classified as lethal, leading to sequelae, prolonging the ICU stay, minor, or without consequences. The correlation between critical incidents and specific factors including patient's diagnosis and severity score, use of monitoring and therapeutic modalities was analysed by uni- and multivariate analysis. SETTING: An 11-bed multidisciplinary ICU in a non-university teaching hospital. PATIENTS: 1,024 consecutive patients admitted to the ICU. INTERVENTION: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The median length of ICU stay by the 1,024 patients was 1.9 days. Of the 777 critical incidents reported 2% were due to technical failure and 67 % to secondary to underlying disease. There were 241 human errors (31%) in 161 patients, evenly distributed among planning (n = 75), execution (n = 88), and surveillance (n = 78). One error was lethal, two led to sequelae, 26 % prolonged ICU stay, and 57 % were minor and 16 % without consequence. Errors with significant consequences were related mainly to planning. Human errors prolonged ICU stay by 425 patient-days, amounting to 15 % of ICU time. Readmitted patients had more frequent and more severe critical incidents than primarily admitted patients. CONCLUSIONS: Critical incidents add morbidity, workload, and financial burden. A substantial proportion of them are related to human factors with dire consequences. Efforts must focus on timely, appropriate care to avoid planning and execution mishaps at the beginning of the ICU stay; surveillance intensity must be maintained, specially after the fourth day.     

Toward less sedation in the intensive care unit: a prospective observational study

Purpose

Excessive sedation is associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation and longer intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stays. We evaluated the feasibility of using minimal sedation in the ICU.

Methods

Prospective observational study in a university hospital 34-bed medico-surgical department of intensive care. All adult patients who stayed in the ICU for more than 12 hours over a 2-month period were included. Intensive care unit admission diagnoses, severity scores, use of sedatives and/or opiates, duration of mechanical ventilation, length of ICU stay, and 28-day mortality were recorded for each patient.

Results

Of the 335 patients (median age, 61 years) admitted during the study period, 142 (42%) received some sedation, most commonly with midazolam and propofol. Sedative agents were administered predominantly for short periods of time (only 10% of patients received sedation for >24 hours). One hundred fifty-five patients (46%) received mechanical ventilation, generating 15?240 hours of mechanical ventilation, of these, only 2993 (20%) hours were accompanied by a continuous sedative infusion. Self-extubation occurred in 6 patients, but only 1 needed reintubation.

Conclusions

In a mixed medical-surgical ICU, minimal use of continuous sedation seems feasible without apparent adverse effects.     

The effect of postintensive care syndrome on the quality of life of intensive care unit survivors: A secondary analysis

BackgroundDespite increasing interest in postintensive care syndrome and the quality of life of intensive care unit survivors, the empirical literature on the relationship between these two variables is limited.ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine whether postintensive care syndrome predicts the quality of life of intensive care unit survivors.MethodsWe analysed secondary data, which were collected as part of a larger cross-sectional study. The participants were recruited from six health institutions in Korea. The data of 496 survivors who had been admitted to an intensive care unit for at least 48 h during the past year were analysed. They responded to measures of postintensive care syndrome and quality of life.ResultsThe participants' mean physical and mental component summary scores (quality of life) were 40.08 ± 8.99 and 40.24 ± 11.19, respectively. Physical impairment (β = ?0.48, p < 0.001), unemployment (β = ?0.19, p < 0.001), low income (β = ?0.11, p = 0.004), older age (β = ?0.08, p = 0.039), and cognitive impairment (β = ?0.11, p = 0.045) predicted lower physical component summary scores. Mental (β = ?0.49, p < 0.001) and cognitive impairment (β = ?0.14, p = 0.005) and low income (β = ?0.09, p = 0.014) predicted mental component summary scores.ConclusionsThe participants reported poor physical and mental health–related quality of life. Postintensive care syndrome, unemployment, low income, and older age were the main predictors of poor quality of life. In addition, postintensive care syndrome was a stronger risk factor for poor quality of life than demographic characteristics and intensive care unit treatment factors.     

Factors associated with mortality in pediatric in-hospital cardiac arrest: a prospective multicenter multinational observational study

Purpose

To analyze prognostic factors associated with in-hospital cardiac arrest (CA) in children.

Methods

A prospective, multicenter, multinational, observational study was performed on pediatric in-hospital CA in 12 countries and included 502 children between 1 month and 18 years. The primary endpoint was survival at hospital discharge. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the influence of each factor on mortality.

Results

Return of spontaneous circulation was achieved in 69.5 % of patients; 39.2 % survived to hospital discharge and 88.9 % of survivors had good neurological outcome. The pre-arrest factors related to mortality were lower Human Development Index [odds ratio (OR) 2.32, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.28–4.21], oncohematologic disease (OR 3.33, 95 % CI 1.60–6.98), and treatment with inotropic drugs at the time of CA (OR 2.35, 95 % CI 1.55–3.56). CA and resuscitation factors related to mortality were CA due to neurological disease (OR 5.19, 95 % CI 1.49–18.73) and duration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation greater than 10 min (OR 4.00, 95 % CI 1.49–18.73). Factors related to survival were CA occurring in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) (OR 0.38, 95 % CI 0.16–0.86) and shockable rhythm (OR 0.26, 95 % CI 0.09–0.73).

Conclusions

In-hospital CA in children has a low survival but most of the survivors have a good neurological outcome. Some prognostic risk factors cannot be modified, making it important to focus efforts on improving hospital organization to care for children at risk of CA in the PICU and, in particular, in other hospital areas.     

Resource consumption and costs of palliative care services in Spain: a multicenter prospective study

Patients (n = 395) with terminal-stage cancer receiving attention from palliative care services (PCSs) were recruited over a period of 15 consecutive days from 171 participating PCS units. Resource consumption and costs were evaluated for 16 weeks of follow-up, and the findings were compared with a study conducted in 1992 so as to assess change over time. The most frequent health care interventions were homecare visits, hospital admissions, and patient-consultant phone calls. PCS provided 67% of all services and consultation interventions in 91% of patients. Compared with the historical data, there was a significant shift from the use of conventional hospital beds toward palliative care beds, a reduced hospital stay (25.5–19.2 days; P = 0.002), an increase in the death-at-home option (31%–42%), a lower use of hospital emergency rooms (52%–30.6%; P = 0.001), and an increase in programmed care. Compared to the previous resource consumption and expenditure study in 1992, the current PCS policy implies a cost saving of 61%, with greater efficiency and no compromise of patient care.     

Cefepime versus imipenem-cilastatin for treatment of nosocomial pneumonia in intensive care unit patients: a multicenter, evaluator-blind, prospective, randomized study

In a randomized, evaluator-blind, multicenter trial, we compared cefepime (2 g three times a day) with imipenem-cilastatin (500 mg four times a day) for the treatment of nosocomial pneumonia in 281 intensive care unit patients from 13 centers in six European countries. Of 209 patients eligible for per-protocol analysis of efficacy, favorable clinical responses were achieved in 76 of 108 (70%) patients treated with cefepime and 75 of 101 (74%) patients treated with imipenem-cilastatin. The 95% confidence interval (CI) for the difference between these response rates (-16 to 8%) failed to exclude the predefined lower limit for noninferiority of -15%. In addition, therapy of pneumonia caused by an organism producing an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) failed in 4 of 13 patients in the cefepime group but in none of 10 patients in the imipenem group. However, the clinical efficacies of both treatments appeared to be similar in a secondary intent-to-treat analysis (95% CI for difference, -9 to 14%) and a multivariate analysis (95% CI for odds ratio, 0.47 to 1.75). Furthermore, the all-cause 30-day mortality rates were 28 of 108 (26%) patients in the cefepime group and 19 of 101 (19%) patients in the imipenem group (P = 0.25). Rates of documented or presumed microbiological eradication of the causative organism were similar with cefepime (61%) and imipenem-cilastatin (54%) (95% CI, -23 to 8%). Primary or secondary resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was detected in 19% of the patients treated with cefepime and 44% of the patients treated with imipenem-cilastatin (P = 0.05). Adverse events were reported in 71 of 138 (51%) and 62 of 141 (44%) patients eligible for safety analysis in the cefepime and imipenem groups, respectively (P = 0.23). Although the primary end point for this study does not exclude the possibility that cefepime was inferior to imipenem, some secondary analyses showed that the two regimens had comparable clinical and microbiological efficacies. Cefepime appeared to be less active against organisms producing an ESBL, but primary and secondary resistance to imipenem was more common for P. aeruginosa. Selection of a single agent for therapy of nosocomial pneumonia should be guided by local resistance patterns.     

The cost of an intensive care unit: A prospective study

The cost of intensive care for patients admitted to the ICU were estimated. Patients suffering from severe combined acute respiratory and renal failure who required mechanical ventilation and renal replacement therapy (SCARRF-D) cost per day significantly more than non-renal patients (£ 938 compared to £ 653 per patient respectively) and their average length of stay in hospital is nearly 4 times as long (28.8 compared to 7.6 days respectively). Approximately 44% of the total cost was staff related (28% for the provision of nurses and 16% for the rest). Retrieving information related to cost was difficult, time consuming and labour intensive.     

Epidemiology and outcome of severe pneumococcal pneumonia admitted to intensive care unit: a multicenter study

ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) account for a high proportion of ICU admissions, with Streptococcus pneumoniae being the main pathogen responsible for these infections. However, little is known on the clinical features and outcomes of ICU patients with pneumococcal pneumonia. The aims of this study were to provide epidemiological data and to determine risk factors of mortality in patients admitted to ICU for severe S. pneumoniae CAP. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of two prospectively-acquired multicentre ICU databases (2001-2008). Patients admitted for management of severe pneumococcal CAP were enrolled if they met the 2001 American Thoracic Society criteria for severe pneumonia, had life-threatening organ failure and had a positive microbiological sample for S. pneumoniae. Patients with bronchitis, aspiration pneumonia or with non-pulmonary pneumococcal infections were excluded. RESULTS: Two hundred and twenty two patients were included, with a median SAPS 2 score reaching 47 [36-64]. Acute respiratory failure (n=154) and septic shock (n=54) were their most frequent causes of ICU admission. Septic shock occurred in 170 patients (77%) and mechanical ventilation was required in 186 patients (84%); renal replacement therapy was initiated in 70 patients (32%). Bacteremia was diagnosed in 101 patients. The prevalence of S. pneumoniae strains with decreased susceptibility to penicillin was 39.7%. Although antibiotherapy was adequate in 92.3% of cases, hospital mortality reached 28.8%. In multivariate analysis, independent risk factors for mortality were age [OR 1.05 (95% CI: 1.02-1.08)], male sex [OR 2.83 (95% CI: 1.16-6.91)] and renal replacement therapy [OR 3.78 (95% CI: 1.71-8.36)]. Co-morbidities, macrolide administration, concomitant bacteremia or penicillin susceptibility did not influence outcome. CONCLUSIONS: In ICU, mortality of pneumococcal CAP remains high despite adequate antimicrobial treatment. Baseline demographic data and renal replacement therapy have a major impact on adverse outcome.