Extrapyramidal effects of acute organophosphate poisoning

Background: There is limited information on extrapyramidal symptoms in acute organophosphate (OP) poisoning. We describe the course and outcome of severely poisoned patients who develop extrapyramidal manifestations. Methods: In this prospective observational study, spanning 8 months (Apr–Nov 2013) adult patients (>18 years) admitted with OP poisoning were enrolled. Patients on anti-psychotic therapy, those refusing consent or presenting with co-ingestions were excluded. Treatment included atropine and supportive care (e.g. ventilation and inotropes as indicated); oximes were not administered. The presence of rigidity, tremors, dystonia and chorea were assessed daily till discharge using modifications of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease rating scale and the Tremor rating scale. The presence of extrapyramidal manifestations was correlated with length of ventilation and hospital stay and mortality. Results: Of the 77 patients admitted with OP poisoning, 32 were enrolled; 17 (53.1%) developed extrapyramidal manifestations which included rigidity (94.1%), tremors (58.8%) and dystonia (58.8%). None developed chorea. The median (inter-quartile range) time of symptom onset was 8 (5–11) days; extrapyramidal features resolved in 11 (6–17) days. The median duration of intensive care stay in patients not developing extrapyramidal symptoms was 6 (2–8) days, indicating that most of these patients had recovered even before symptom onset in patients who developed extrapyramidal manifestations. Overall, 27/32 (84%) were ventilated. Hospital mortality was 6.25% (2/32). When compared with patients not developing extrapyramidal signs, those with extrapyramidal manifestations had significantly prolonged ventilation (5 versus 16 median days; p?=?0.001) and hospitalization (8 versus 21 days; p?<?0.001), reduced ventilator-free days (23 versus 12 days; p?=?0.023) and increased infections (p?=?0.03). The need for ventilation and mortality were not significantly different (p?>?0.6). Extrapyramidal symptoms were not observed in non-OP poisoned patients with prolonged ICU stay. Conclusion: In this small series of acute OP poisoning, extrapyramidal manifestations were common after 1 week of intensive care but self-limiting. They are significantly associated with longer duration of ventilation and hospital stay.     

Intensive care management of organophosphate insecticide poisoning

Introduction  

Organophosphate (OP) insecticides inhibit both cholinesterase and pseudo-cholinesterase activities. The inhibition of acetylcholinesterase causes accumulation of acetylcholine at synapses, and overstimulation of neurotransmission occurs as a result of this accumulation. The mortality rate of OP poisoning is high. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment is often life saving. Treatment of OP poisoning consists of intravenous atropine and oximes. The clinical course of OP poisoning may be quite severe and may need intensive care management. We report our experience with the intensive care management of serious OP insecticide poisonings.     

Is oxygen required before atropine administration in organophosphorus or carbamate pesticide poisoning? – A cohort study

Background. Early and adequate atropine administration in organophosphorus (OP) or carbamate insecticide poisoning improves outcome. However, some authors advise that oxygen must be given before atropine due to the risk of inducing ventricular dysrhythmias in hypoxic patients. Because oxygen is frequently unavailable in district hospitals of rural Asia, where the majority of patients with insecticide poisoning present, this guidance has significant implications for patient care. The published evidence for this advice is weak. We therefore performed a patient cohort analysis to look for early cardiac deaths in patients poisoned by anticholinesterase pesticides. Methods. We analysed a prospective Sri Lankan cohort of OP or carbamate-poisoned patients treated with early atropine without the benefit of oxygen for evidence of early deaths. The incidence of fatal primary cardiac arrests within 3 h of admission was used as a sensitive (but non-specific) marker of possible ventricular dysrhythmias. Results. The cohort consisted of 1957 patients. The incidence of a primary cardiac death within 3 h of atropine administration was 4 (0.2%) of 1957 patients. The majority of deaths occurred at a later time point from respiratory complications of poisoning. Conclusion. We found no evidence of a high number of early deaths in an observational study of 1957 patients routinely given atropine before oxygen that might support guidance that oxygen must be given before atropine. The published literature indicates that early and rapid administration of atropine during resuscitation is life-saving. Therefore, whether oxygen is available or not, early atropinisation of OP- and carbamate-poisoned patients should be performed.     

Late steroid therapy in primary acute lung injury

Objective: To investigate the effect of steroid treatment in the late phase of primary acute lung injury (ALI) with special emphasis on pneumococcal pneumonia. Design: Retrospective study. Setting: Multidisciplinary intensive care unit (ICU) in a university hospital. Patients: Of 31 patients with primary ALI requiring mechanical ventilation for more than 10 days, 16 were treated with methylprednisolone and 15 served as controls. Measurements and results: Steroid and control groups were comparable regarding demographic data, APACHE II score, Multiple Organ Dysfunction Score (MODS), and PaO₂/FiO₂-ratio on admission to ICU. The mean start of steroid therapy was 9.7 days after establishment of respiratory failure, and values for control patients were registered on day 10. The PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio improved significantly within 3 days after the start of steroid therapy, and MODS and C-reactive protein decreased concurrently. No differences in mortality, in length of ICU stay, or in length of mechanical ventilation were detectable. In a subgroup analysis, for patients with Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia, beneficial change in physiological variables was evident. Conclusions: In patients with primary ALI, steroid therapy, started 10 days after the start of mechanical ventilation, improves gas exchange and is associated with a decrease in multiorgan dysfunction. Received: 21 July 1999 Final revision received: 1 November 1999 Accepted: 15 December 1999     

Programmed multi-level ventilation in COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome: a multi-center retrospective observational study

ObjectiveWe evaluated pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV) with multiple programmed levels of positive end expiratory pressure (programmed multi-level ventilation; PMLV) in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).MethodsWe conducted a multicenter, retrospective study from November 2020 to February 2021. PMLV was used with PCV in all patients with intensive care admission until improvement in oxygenation (fraction of inspired oxygen [FiO₂] ≤0.50 and oxygen saturation [SpO₂] >92%). The observed outcomes were improvement of hypoxemia, length of mechanical ventilation, partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO₂) stability, and adverse events.ResultsOf 188 mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19-related ARDS, we analyzed 60 patients treated with PMLV. Hypoxemia improved in 55 (92%) patients, as measured by the change in partial pressure of oxygen/FiO₂ and SpO₂/FiO₂ ratios on day 3 versus day 1, and in 32 (66%) ventilated patients on day 7 versus day 3. The median (interquartile range) length of mechanical ventilation for survivors and non-survivors was 8.4 (4.7–14.9) and 6.7 (3.6–10.3) days, respectively.ConclusionsPMLV appears to be a safe and effective ventilation strategy for improving hypoxemia in patients with COVID-19-related ARDS. Further studies are needed comparing the PMLV mode with the conventional ARDS ventilatory approach.     

Acute effects of hyperoxemia on dyspnoea and respiratory variables during pressure support ventilation

Objective To evaluate the acute effect of hyperoxemia on the comfort and the respiratory variables in patients undergoing pressure support ventilation (PSV) for acute respiratory failure (ARF). Design and Setting Prospective, observational study performed in the intensive care unit of a university hospital. Patients Thirteen semirecumbent patients were ventilated in PSV mode, the setting of which was established by the treating physician who was blinded to the study. Measurements The variables measured at different levels (21–80%) of FiO₂ randomly applied were: minute volume (V _E), respiratory frequency (f) and the pressure develing during the first 100 ms of an occluded breath (P_0.1). These variables were firstly measured at the level of FiO₂ chosen by the treating physician. Severity of dyspnea was rated using the visual analogue scale 15' after each FiO₂ variation. Results Modulation of FiO₂ was able to vary significantly the respiratory variables, since a FiO₂ increase was associated with a decrease in dyspnea, P_0.1, f, and V _E. While valuable variations were detected at both lower and higher values of FiO₂ than those established by the treating physician, a significant improvement in the respiratory variables was detected at FiO₂ 60%. The reduction in respiratory drive was statistically related to an amelioration of dyspnea (R² = 0.89) even at values of FiO₂ higher than 60%. Conclusions During PSV the respiratory drive can be heavily modulated by varying the FiO₂ since even at FiO₂ greater than 0.6 dyspnea and respiratory variables continued to improve.     

Short-term glucose dysregulation following acute poisoning with organophosphorus insecticides but not herbicides,carbamate or pyrethroid insecticides in South Asia

Background: Ingestion of organophosphorus (OP) insecticides is associated with acute hyperglycaemia. We conducted a prospective study to determine whether glucose dysregulation on admission associated with ingestion of OP insecticides or other pesticides is sustained to hospital discharge or to 3–12 months later.

Methods: We recruited participants to two similar studies performed in parallel in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, and Chittagong, Bangladesh, following hospitalisation for OP insecticide, herbicide or other pesticide self-poisoning. Two-hour 75?g oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT) was performed after recovery from the acute poisoning, at around the time of discharge. In Sri Lanka, a four time-point OGTT for area-under-the-curve (AUC), C-peptide and homeostatic modelling of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was undertaken, repeated after 1 year. In Bangladesh, a 2-h OGTT for glucose was undertaken and repeated after 3 months in participants with initial elevated 2-h glucose. We compared glucose homeostasis by poison group and adjusted findings for age, BMI and sex.

Findings: Seventy-three Sri Lankan and 151 Bangladeshi participants were recruited. We observed higher mean [SD] fasting (4.91 [0.74] vs. 4.66 [0.46] mmol/L, p?=?.003) and 2-h glucose (7.94 [2.54] vs. 6.71 [1.90] mmol/L, p?p?=?.352; 2-h glucose 6.96 [2.31] mmol/L vs. 6.27 [1.86] mmol/L, p?=?.225).

Conclusion: We found in this small prospective study that acute OP insecticide poisoning caused acute glucose dysregulation that was sustained to hospital discharge but had recovered by 3–12 months. Acute glucose dysregulation was related to defects in insulin action and secretion. This study did not address long-term risk of diabetes following acute OP insecticide poisoning, but could provide the data for a power calculation for such a study     

Intensive care clinicians’ opinion of conservative oxygen therapy (SpO2 90–92%) for mechanically ventilated patients

BackgroundIn the ICU, SpO₂ ≥ 96% are regularly targeted implying that more oxygen may be given than desirable. To reduce exposure to hyperoxia a conservative oxygen therapy protocol (targeted SpO₂ 90–92% using lowest FiO₂) for mechanically ventilated patients was introduced in a single tertiary ICU in September 2012.ObjectivesTo describe intensive care clinicians’ opinion of conservative oxygen therapy for mechanically ventilated adult patients.MethodsA structured multi-choice questionnaire of intensive care clinicians was conducted between February and March 2013.ResultsResponses were received from 90 staff members: 81 intensive care nurses and 9 medical doctors. A majority of respondents (60.7%) considered oxygen related lung injury as ‘a major concern’. Most respondents (81/89; 91.1%) felt conservative oxygen therapy was easy to perform and few respondents (6/88; 8%) considered performing conservative oxygen therapy to be stressful. Most respondents (58%) reported not performing more arterial blood gases to monitor PaO₂ during conservative oxygen therapy and 90% (81/90) of respondents indicated a desire to continue conservative oxygen therapy. Free text comments indicated adoption of this protocol was a paradigm shift yet more education and research to elucidate the benefits/harm of lower oxygen saturation targeting is needed.ConclusionsIntensive care clinicians readily accepted the introduction of a conservative oxygen therapy protocol into their practice. Most respondents found conservative oxygen therapy easy and not stressful to perform. Further evaluation the administration of oxygen therapy, its management by intensive care clinicians and possible impact on outcome for mechanically ventilated patients appears well accepted by clinical staff.     

The Effects of Fresh Frozen Plasma on Cholinesterase Levels and Outcomes in Patients with Organophosphate Poisoning

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the effects of fresh frozen plasma, as a source of cholinesterase, on butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE; plasma or pseudo cholinesterase) levels and outcomes in patients with organophosphate poisoning. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was performed at the Department of Intensive Care of Erciyes University Medical School. Over 2 yrs, patients admitted to the ICU for OP poisoning were entered into the study. OP poisoning was diagnosed on the basis of history and BuChE levels. All patients received atropine. Fresh frozen plasma was given to 12 patients. The study was approved by the Ethical Committee, and verbal informed consent was obtained. Results: Thirty‐three patients were included in the study. BuChE levels measured at admission and the pralidoxime and atropine doses administered were not different between groups (p > 0.05). Although intermediate syndrome developed in 28.6% of patients receiving pralidoxime, there were no intermediate syndrome cases in patients receiving plasma prior to developing intermediate syndrome. The mortality rates were 14.3% in the pralidoxime group and 0% in the plasma + atropine + pralidoxime group. Two patients received plasma after developing the intermediate syndrome, and one patient who received only atropine died. BuChE levels of fresh frozen plasma were 4069.5 ± 565.1 IU/L. Every two bags of plasma provided an increase in BuChE levels of approximately 461.7 ± 142.1 IU/L. Conclusion: Fresh frozen plasma therapy increases BuChE levels in patients with organophosphate poisonings. The administration of plasma may also prevent the development of intermediate syndrome and related mortality. Plasma (fresh frozen or freshly prepared) therapy may be used as an alternative or adjunctive treatment method in patients with organophosphate pesticide poisoning, especially in cases not given pralidoxime. Further randomized controlled and animal studies are required to infer a definitive result.     

Outcome of older patients receiving mechanical ventilation

Objective To determine the threshold of age that best discriminates the survival of mechanically ventilated patients and to estimate the outcome of mechanically ventilated older patients.Design International prospective cohort study.Setting Three hundred sixty-one intensive care units from 20 countries.Patients and participants Five thousand one hundred eighty-three patients mechanically ventilated for more than 12 h.Interventions None.Measurements and results Recursive partitioning and logistic regression were used and an outcome model was derived and validated using independent subgroups of the cohort. Two age thresholds (43 and 70 years) were found, by partitioning recursive analysis, to be associated with outcome. This study focuses on the analysis of patients older than 43 years of age, divided in two subgroups: between 43 and 70 years (middle age group) and older than 70 years (elderly group). Survival in hospital was 45% (95% C.I.: 43–48) for the elderly group and 55% (53–57) for the middle age group (p<0.001). Advanced age was not associated with prolongation of mechanical ventilation, weaning or length of stay in the ICU and in hospital (p>0.05). Variables associated with mortality in the elderly were: acute renal failure, shock, Simplified Acute Physiology Score II and a ratio of PaO₂ to FIO₂ more than 150.Conclusions Older mechanically ventilated patients (age >70 years) had a lower ICU and hospital survival, but the duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU and hospital stay were similar to younger patients. Factors associated with the highest risk of mortality in patients older than 70 were the development of complications during the course of mechanical ventilation, such as acute renal failure and shock.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at The authors wrote this paper on behalf of the Mechanical Ventilation International Study Group, whose members are listed in the electronic supplementary material.Supported by grant 98/0233 from the Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria, by the Red GIRA (G03/063 from the Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias), by the Red Respira (C03/11 from the Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias) and Merit Review Grant from Veterans Administration Research Service.Dr. Ely is funded by the Paul Beeson Faculty Scholar Award for Study of Aging and the National Institute of Aging (#AG01023–01A1)     

Étude FLORALI (High-FLow Oxygen Therapy for the Resuscitation of Acute Lung Injury): intérêt de l’oxygénothérapie nasale humidifiée et réchauffée à haut débit dans l’insuffisance respiratoire aiguë non hypercapnique de l’adulte. Présentation d’un essai multicentrique, randomisé, contrôlé en ouvert

The use of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in nonimmunosuppressed patients with acute hypoxemic nonhypercapnic respiratory failure is controversial. About 60% of the patients treated with NIV require intubation with a high mortality rate. Nasal high-flow oxygen therapy (NHFO) is a recent device with possible beneficial effects as delivering high FiO₂ and improving comfort between NIV sessions. The FLORALI study aims to evaluate the use of NHFO in non-immunosuppressed patients with acute hypoxemic non-hypercapnic respiratory failure. Patients and methods: we are conducting a randomized multicentric study comparing three strategies of ventilation support in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for acute hypoxemic respiratory failure: 1) standard oxygen therapy, 2) NHFO, and 3) NHFO associated with NIV for at least 8 h per day during three days. All patients admitted to the ICU for acute respiratory failure can be included if presenting respiratory rate ≥ 25 breaths per minute, hypoxemia defined by PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio ≤ 300 mmHg using at least 10 l/min oxygen, FiO₂ being measured using an oxygen analyzer located in the mask, and PaCO₂ ≤ 45 mmHg. The main objective is to compare rates of intubation with each of the three tested strategies. A sample of 300 patients (100 patients in each group) is required to detect a 20% reduction in the intubation rate, considering an intubation rate of 60% in the standard group and of 40% in the groups using NHFO. This study is supported by the REVA group.     

Association between administered oxygen, arterial partial oxygen pressure and mortality in mechanically ventilated intensive care unit patients

Introduction

The aim of this study was to investigate whether in-hospital mortality was associated with the administered fraction of oxygen in inspired air (FiO₂) and achieved arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO₂).

Methods

This was a retrospective, observational study on data from the first 24 h after admission from 36,307 consecutive patients admitted to 50 Dutch intensive care units (ICUs) and treated with mechanical ventilation. Oxygenation data from all admission days were analysed in a subset of 3,322 patients in 5 ICUs.

Results

Mean PaO₂ and FiO₂ in the first 24 h after ICU admission were 13.2 kPa (standard deviation (SD) 6.5) and 50% (SD 20%) respectively. Mean PaO₂ and FiO₂ from all admission days were 12.4 kPa (SD 5.5) and 53% (SD 18). Focusing on oxygenation in the first 24 h of admission, in-hospital mortality was shown to be linearly related to FiO₂ value and had a U-shaped relationship with PaO₂ (both lower and higher PaO₂ values were associated with a higher mortality), independent of each other and of Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II, age, admission type, reduced Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, and individual ICU. Focusing on the entire ICU stay, in-hospital mortality was independently associated with mean FiO₂ during ICU stay and with the lower two quintiles of mean PaO₂ value during ICU stay.

Conclusions

Actually achieved PaO₂ values in ICU patients in The Netherlands are higher than generally recommended in the literature. High FiO₂, and both low PaO₂ and high PaO₂ in the first 24 h after admission are independently associated with in-hospital mortality in ICU patients. Future research should study whether this association is causal or merely a reflection of differences in severity of illness insufficiently corrected for in the multivariate analysis.     

Effects of early rehabilitation therapy on patients with mechanical ventilation

BACKGROUND:

For patients in intensive care unit (ICU), mechanical ventilation is an effective treatment to survive from acute illness and improve survival rates. However, long periods of bed rest and restricted physical activity can result in side effects. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of early rehabilitation therapy in patients with mechanical ventilation.

METHODS:

A randomized controlled trial was carried out. Sixty patients, with tracheal intubation or tracheostomy more than 48 hours and less than 72 hours, were admitted to the ICU of the Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, from May 2010 to May 2012. These patients were randomly divided into a rehabilitation group and a control group. In the rehabilitation group, rehabilitation therapy was performed twice daily, and the training time and intensity were adjusted according to the condition of the patients. Early rehabilitation therapy included heading up actively, transferring from the supine position to sitting position, sitting at the edge of the bed, sitting in chair, transferring from sitting to standing, and ambulating bedside. The patient''s body mass index, days to first out of bed, duration of mechanical ventilation, length of ICU stay, APACHE II score, highest FiO₂, lowest PaO₂/FiO₂ and hospital mortality of patients were all compared between the rehabilitation group and the control group. The differences between the two groups were compared using Student''s t test.

RESULTS:

There was no significant difference in body mass index, APACHE II score, highest FiO₂, lowest PaO₂/FiO₂ and hospital mortality between the rehabilitation group and the control group (P>0.05). Patients in the rehabilitation group had shorter days to first out of bed (3.8±1.2 d vs. 7.3±2.8 d; P=0.00), duration of mechanical ventilation (5.6±2.1 d vs. 12.7±4.1 d; P=0.005) and length of ICU stay (12.7±4.1 d vs. 15.2±4.5 d; P=0.01) compared with the control group.

CONCLUSION:

Early rehabilitation therapy was feasible and effective in improving the outcomes of patients with mechanical ventilation.KEYWORDS: Early rehabilitation therapy, Mechanical ventilation, Intensive care unit, Hospital mortality, APACHE II score     

Repeated pulse intramuscular injection of pralidoxime chloride in severe acute organophosphorus pesticide poisoning

Objective

This study aimed to clarify the efficacy of 2 therapies for patients with severe acute organophosphorus pesticide poisoning, including atropine adverse effects, the length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, complications, and mortality.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of 152 cases collected from May 2008 to November 2012 at 2 urban university hospitals was conducted. Patients admitted to the hospital for organophosphate poisoning were divided into 2 groups with different therapeutic regimens: group A was administered a repeated pulse intramuscular injection of pralidoxime chloride, and group B received the same initial dosage of atropine and pralidoxime chloride, but pralidoxime chloride intravenous therapy was administered for only 3 days, regardless of the length of atropine therapy. Subsequently, atropine adverse effects, length of ICU stay, complications, and mortality were statistically analyzed and compared between the 2 groups.

Results

The total dose of atropine was 57.40 ± 15.14 mg in group A and 308.26 ± 139.16 mg in group B; group A received less atropine than did group B (P = .001). The length of ICU stay in group A was reduced (P = .025), and group A had fewer atropine adverse effects (P = .002). However, there was no significant difference in the mortality or complication rate between the 2 groups (P > .05).

Conclusion

In patients with severe poisoning, group A used less atropine, had fewer atropine adverse effects, and had a shorter ICU stay. We suggest that therapy should be started as early as possible using a sufficient amount of pralidoxime chloride started intramuscularly in combination with atropine and that the drugs should not be prematurely discontinued.     

Assessment of the inflammatory effect of low-dose oxygen in mechanically ventilated patients

Purpose

Although low doses of oxygen (FiO₂ <0.50) are considered nontoxic, recent studies have shown that even lower doses increase pulmonary inflammatory mediators. We aimed to evaluate the acute effects of reducing FiO₂ on pulmonary inflammation in mechanically ventilated patients without respiratory failure.

Methods

This study was a prospective, single-center crossover study in a medical/surgical intensive care unit at a university hospital. Hemodynamically stable patients under mechanical ventilation for >24 h without severe respiratory failure (PaO₂/FiO₂ >250). A basal FiO₂ of 0.40 was reduced to 0.21 provided SpO₂ remained higher than 90 %. Patients who could not tolerate the reduction in FiO₂ to 0.21 were excluded.

Results

We screened 40 patients, but only 28 (70 %) tolerated FiO₂ 0.21. We measured common clinical variables and inflammatory mediators in plasma and in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) at the end of three 4-h periods: (1) basal (FiO₂ 0.40), (2) after FiO₂ reduction to 0.21, and (3) after returning FiO₂ 0.40. We used one-way ANOVA for repeated measurements with FiO₂ as the grouping variable. Median values of inflammatory mediators in EBC showed nonsignificant changes among the three periods: NO₂ + NO₃ 17.1, 14.1 and 11.0 μmol/L (p = 0.2), and 8-isoprostane 4.4, 8.2 and 5.3 pg/ml (p = 0.6) for the three periods, respectively. Plasma levels also showed nonsignificant changes during the period of the study: NO₂ + NO₃ 12.6, 16.3 and 15.0 μmol/L (p = 0.9), TNFα 13.5, 18.0 and 14.5 pg/ml (p = 0.8), IL-4 12.9, 18.7 and 23.9 pg/ml (p = 0.1), IL-6 50.9, 35.1 and 28.3 pg/ml (p = 0.6), and IL-10 15.2, 22.2 and 22.2 pg/ml (p = 0.7) for the three periods, respectively.

Conclusion

FiO₂ 0.40 in mechanically ventilated patients without severe respiratory failure did not increase systemic or pulmonary inflammation.     

Incidence of Inadequate Pain Treatment among Ventilated,Critically Ill Surgical Patients in a Thai Population

BackgroundInadequate pain treatment during intensive care unit stays causes many unfavorable outcomes. Pain assessment in mechanically ventilated patients is challenging because most cannot self-report pain. The incidence of pain among Thai surgical intensive care unit (SICU) patients has never been reported.AimsTo determine the inadequate pain control incidence among ventilated, critically ill, surgical patients.DesignProspective, observational study.SettingSICU of a university-based hospital during November 2017–January 2019.ParticipantsPatients aged > 18 years, admitted to the SICU for a foreseeable duration of mechanical ventilation > 24 hours were included.MethodsOn post-admission Day 2, each was assessed for pain at rest (every 4 hours) and during bed-bathing using the Critical Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT; Thai version) or the 0–10 numeric rating scale (NRS). CPOT scores > 2 or NRS scores > 3 signified inadequate pain control, while a RASS score ≤ -3 was defined as overtreatment.Results118 were included. The inadequate-pain-management incidence was 34% (n = 40) at rest and 29% (n = 34) during bed-bathing. The severe-pain incidence (NRS > 6, or CPOT > 5) was 5.9% (n = 7). Our incidence of overtreatment was 1.7%. The demographic data and ICU complication-rates of patients with adequate and inadequate pain treatment were similar.ConclusionsPain assessment tools in critically ill patients should be developed and validated to the language of the tool users in order to determine the incidence of pain accurately. The inadequate-pain-treatment incidence in ventilated critically ill, Thai surgical patients was lower than previously reported from other countries.     

Relationship between D-dimers and dead-space on disease severity and mortality in COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome: A retrospective observational cohort study

BackgroundDespite its diagnostic and prognostic importance, physiologic dead space fraction is not included in the current ARDS definition or severity classification. ARDS caused by COVID-19 (C-ARDS) is characterized by increased physiologic dead space fraction and hypoxemia. Our aim was to investigate the relationship between dead space indices, markers of inflammation, immunothrombosis, severity and intensive care unit (ICU) mortality.ResultsRetrospective data including demographics, gas exchange, ventilatory parameters, and respiratory mechanics in the first 24 h of invasive ventilation. Plasma concentrations of D-dimers and ferritin were not significantly different across C-ARDS severity categories. Weak relationships were found between D-dimers and VR (r = 0.07, p = 0.13), P_ETCO₂/PaCO₂ (r = −0.1, p = 0.02), or estimated dead space fraction (r = 0.019, p = 0.68). Age, PaO₂/FiO₂, pH, P_ETCO₂/PaCO₂ and ferritin, were independently associated with ICU mortality. We found no association between D-dimers or ferritin and any dead-space indices adjusting for PaO₂/FiO₂, days of ventilation, tidal volume, and respiratory system compliance.ConclusionsWe report no association between dead space and inflammatory markers in mechanically ventilated patients with C-ARDS. Our results support theories suggesting that multiple mechanisms, in addition to immunothrombosis, play a role in the pathophysiology of respiratory failure and degree of dead space in C-ARDS.     

Probability of mortality of critically ill cancer patients at 72?h of intensive care unit (ICU) management

Goals To develop and validate a model for probability of hospital mortality for cancer patients at 72 h of intensive care unit (ICU) management.Patients and methods This is an inception cohort study performed at four ICUs of academic medical centers in the United States. Defined continuous and categorical variables were collected on consecutive patients with cancer admitted to the ICU. A preliminary model was developed from 827 patients and then validated on an additional 415 patients. Multiple logistic regression modeling was used to develop the models, which were subsequently evaluated for discrimination and calibration. The main outcome measure is in-hospital death.Results A probability of mortality model, which incorporates ten discrete categorical variables, was developed and validated. All variables were collected at 72 h of ICU care. Variables included evidence of disease progression, performance status before hospitalization, heart rate >100 beats/min, Glasgow coma score 5, mechanical ventilation, arterial oxygen pressure/fractional inspiratory oxygen (PaO₂/FiO₂) ratio <250, platelets <100 k/µl, serum bicarbonate (HCO₃)<20 mEq/l, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) >40 mg/dl, and a urine output of <150 ml for any 8 h in the previous 24 h. The p values for the fit of the preliminary and validation models were 0.535 and 0.354 respectively, and the areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were 0.809 and 0.820.Conclusions We report a multivariable logistic regression model to estimate the probability of hospital mortality in critically ill cancer patients at 72 h of ICU care. The model is comprised of ten unambiguous and readily available variables. When used in conjunction with clinical judgment, this model should improve discussions about goals of care of these patients. Additional validation in a community hospital setting is warranted.Funding for initiation and coordination of this project was provided by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Participating institutions providing resources for site-specific data collection. This paper was presented in part at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in May, 2001 held in San Francisco, CA, USA     

Patient State Index (PSI) measures depth of sedation in intensive care patients

Objective To investigate whether the electroencephalogram (EEG)-based Patient State Index (PSI) indicates the level of sedation as measured by Ramsay score in intubated and mechanically ventilated patients in the ICU.Design Prospective, single-blinded observer study.Setting Surgical intensive care unit.Patients Forty-one consecutive adult patients requiring intubation and ventilation during intensive care therapy.Measurements and results Following skin preparation with alcohol and placement of EEG electrodes, PSI was recorded while patients were ventilated and sedated with constant drug infusion rates. After 30 min, the level of sedation was measured by an assessor, who was blinded to PSI values, using the Ramsay sedation score. For analysis, the mean of PSI values measured during the last minute before clinical assessment of sedation was calculated. General Linear Model (GLM) analysis revealed significant differences between the PSI values at different levels of sedation as measured by the Ramsay score, except for the differentiation of level 5 from levels 4 and 6 (p>0.3) and level 2 from level 3, where only a trend was reached (p=0.077). The prediction probability of PSI was 0.920±0.037.Conclusion As the high prediction probability and the analysis of paired comparisons suggest, PSI may be used to quantify the level of propofol/sufentanil sedation in ICU patients. Further studies are required to test whether these promising results can be verified for other drug combinations.This work was financed from departmental sources and supported by a grant from B. Braun AG, Melsungen, Germany.