Corticosteroids for blastomycosis-induced ARDS: a report of two patients and review of the literature

ARDS secondary to blastomycosis is associated with a high mortality rate despite appropriate antifungal therapy. Corticosteroids are of proven benefit in the treatment of severe Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia and are recommended for the treatment of severe pulmonary infections with Histoplasma capsulatum. However, their role in the treatment of severe pulmonary infections with Blastomyces dermatitidis has not been established. We report the cases of two previously healthy men who presented with severe ARDS secondary to blastomycosis. Refractory hypoxemia developed in both patients despite adequate antifungal coverage with amphotericin B. Dramatic improvement was seen in each patient after initiation of corticosteroids in addition to amphotericin B. Both patients survived and did well on follow-up. We suggest that treatment with corticosteroids may be of benefit in patients with blastomycosis-induced ARDS. This may be due to a decrease in the severity of the inflammatory response.     

Ventilator-dependent survivors of catastrophic illness transferred to 23 long-term care hospitals for weaning from prolonged mechanical ventilation

STUDY OBJECTIVES: This multicenter study was undertaken to characterize the population of ventilator-dependent patients admitted to long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) for weaning from mechanical ventilation. DESIGN: Observational study with concurrent data collection. Characteristics of the LTCHs were also surveyed. SETTING: Twenty-three LTCHs in the United States. PATIENTS: Consecutive ventilator-dependent patients admitted over a 1-year period: March 1, 2002, to February 28, 2003. RESULTS: A total of 1,419 patients were enrolled in the Ventilation Outcomes Study. Median age of the patients was 71.8 years old (range, 18 to 97.7 years), with an equal gender distribution. The premorbid domicile was home or assisted living in 86.5%; "good" premorbid functional status (Zubrod score 0-2) was assessed in 77%. There was a history of smoking in 59% (mean, 57 +/- 42 pack-years [+/- SD]); premorbid diagnoses averaged 2.6 per patient. Patients came to the LTCH after mean of 33.8 +/- 29 days at the transferring hospital; mean time to tracheotomy was 15.0 +/- 10 days. A medical illness led to ventilator dependency in 60.8% of patients; a surgical procedure led to ventilatory dependency in 39.2%. On admission to the LTCH, the median acute physiology score of APACHE (acute physiology and chronic health evaluation) III was 35 (range, 4 to 115); > 90% of patients had at least three penetrating indwelling tubes/catheters; 42% of patients had stage 2 or higher pressure ulceration. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first multicenter study to characterize ventilator-dependent survivors of catastrophic illness admitted to the post-ICU venue of LTCHs for weaning from prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV). Overall, our findings suggest that ventilator-dependent patients admitted to LTCHs for weaning will continue to require considerable medical interventions and treatments, owing to the burden of acute-on-chronic diseases resulting in PMV.     

Hyperventilation in head injury: a review

The aim of this review was to consider the effects of induced hypocapnia both on systemic physiology and on the physiology of the intracranial system. Hyperventilation lowers intracranial pressure (ICP) by the induction of cerebral vasoconstriction with a subsequent decrease in cerebral blood volume. The downside of hyperventilation, however, is that cerebral vasoconstriction may decrease cerebral blood flow to ischemic levels. Considering the risk-benefit relation, it would appear to be clear that hyperventilation should only be considered in patients with raised ICP, in a tailored way and under specific monitoring. Controversy exists, for instance, on specific indications, timing, depth of hypocapnia, and duration. This review has specific reference to traumatic brain injury, and is based on an extensive evaluation of the literature and on expert opinion.     

The relationship between reduced lung function and cardiovascular mortality: a population-based study and a systematic review of the literature

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Conditions that give rise to reduced lung function are frequently associated with low-grade systemic inflammation, which may lead to poor cardiovascular outcomes. We sought to determine the relationship between reduced FEV1 and cardiovascular mortality, independent of smoking. DESIGN: Longitudinal population-based study and a meta-analysis of literature. SETTING: Representative sample of the general population. PARTICIPANTS: Participants of the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Epidemiologic Follow-up Study who were 40 to 60 years of age at baseline assessment (n = 1,861). MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: We compared the risk of cardiovascular mortality across quintiles of FEV1. Individuals in the lowest FEV1 quintile had the highest risk of cardiovascular mortality (relative risk [RR], 3.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.54 to 7.34). Compared to FEV1 quintile 1, individuals in quintile 5 had a fivefold increase in the risk of death from ischemic heart disease (RR, 5.65; 95% CI, 2.26 to 14.13). We also performed a systematic review of large cohort studies (> 500 participants) that reported on the relationship between FEV1 and cardiovascular mortality (12 studies; n = 83,880 participants). Compared to participants in the highest FEV1 category, those with reduced FEV1 had a higher risk of cardiovascular mortality (pooled RR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.56 to 1.97). CONCLUSIONS: There is strong epidemiologic evidence to indicate that reduced FEV1 is a marker for cardiovascular mortality independent of age, gender, and smoking history.     

Safety of long-acting beta-agonists in stable COPD: a systematic review

BACKGROUND: Some studies have suggested that use of long-acting beta(2)-agonists (LABAs) leads to an increased risk for adverse events in patients with stable COPD. The purpose of this review was to assess the safety, and secondarily the efficacy of LABAs. METHODS: The authors conducted a systematic review with metaanalysis of randomized clinical trials (> or = 1 month in duration) in the published literature that have compared LABAs with placebo or anticholinergics in stable poorly reversible and reversible COPD. RESULTS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register were searched to identify 27 studies. LABAs reduced severe exacerbations compared with placebo (relative risk [RR], 0.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.67 to 0.91). There was no significant difference between LABA and placebo groups in terms of respiratory deaths (RR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.45 to 2.64). Use of LABAs with inhaled corticosteroids reduced the risk of respiratory death compared with LABAs alone (RR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.14 to 0.93). Patients receiving LABAs showed significant benefits in airflow limitation measures, health-related quality of life, and use of rescue medication. Finally, tiotropium decreased the incidence of severe COPD exacerbations compared with LABAs (RR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.31 to 0.87). CONCLUSION: This review supports the beneficial effects of the use of LABAs in patients with stable moderate-to-severe COPD, and did not confirm previous data about an increased risk for respiratory deaths. Also, our analysis suggests the superiority of tiotropium over LABAs for the treatment of stable COPD patients.     

Exercise testing in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome: case report with ECG and literature review

ECG changes during exercise stress testing, such as false-positive ST-segment depression and disappearance of the delta wave, are reported in patients with the Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) pattern. We present a case of exercise testing in a 53-year-old man with WPW syndrome with ischemic-appearing ECG changes and normal nuclear stress perfusion study findings who was thought to be at clinically low risk for having significant coronary disease. A literature review is discussed. Although ST-segment depression typical for ischemia occurs in half of the patients in whom WPW syndrome is reported, exercise testing is still an important tool in their evaluation. Data other than ECG response can be interpreted in the context of clinical history and physical examination findings to stratify the risk of coronary disease. Complete and sudden disappearance of the delta wave has been seen during exercise in 20% of patients with WPW syndrome and can identify those who are at low risk for sudden arrhythmic death.     

Silicone embolism syndrome: a case report, review of the literature, and comparison with fat embolism syndrome

Liquid silicone is an inert material that is utilized for cosmetic procedures by physicians as well as illegally by nonmedical personnel. We present a case report and collated clinical findings of 32 other patients who were hospitalized after illegal silicone injections. Symptoms and signs of the "silicone syndrome" included dyspnea, fever, cough, hemoptysis, chest pain, hypoxia, alveolar hemorrhage, and altered consciousness. Bilateral patchy alveolar infiltrates were present on the chest radiographs, and silicone pulmonary emboli were detected in all the patients. The patients could be divided into two groups based on the initial presentation and clinical outcome. Twenty-seven patients in group 1 presented predominantly with respiratory symptoms, and 93% of patients were discharged home within 3 weeks. Six patients (group 2) presented with severe neurologic findings, and experienced rapid deterioration and 100% mortality. The clinical findings after silicone embolism are very similar to the published reports of fat embolism, including hypoxemia in 92% of patients with silicone embolism (patients with fat embolism, 56 to 96%), dyspnea in 88% of patients (patients with fat embolism, 56 to 75%), fever in 70% of patients (patients with fat embolism, 23 to 67%), alveolar hemorrhage in 64% of patients (patients with fat embolism, 66%), neurologic symptoms in 33% of patients (patients with fat embolism, 22 to 86%), petechiae in 18% of patients (patients with fat embolism, 20 to 50%), chest pain in 15% of patients (patients with fat embolism, 26%), and mortality in 24% of patients (patients with fat embolism, 5 to 20%). The similarities among the mode of injury to the lung, the clinical findings, and the high incidence of alveolar hemorrhage suggest a common pathogenesis of silicone and fat embolism syndromes. We discuss the possibility that the activation of the coagulation system may be important in the development of these clinical syndromes.     

Toxicology in the critical care unit

Toxicologic conditions are encountered in critically ill patients due to intentional or unintentional misuse of or exposure to therapeutic or illicit drugs. Additionally, toxicities related to medical interventions may develop in hospitalized patients. This review focuses on recent developments in the field of critical care toxicology. Early interventions to decrease absorption or enhance elimination of toxins have limited value. Specific interventions to manage toxicities due to analgesics, sedative-hypnotics, antidepressants, antipsychotics, cardiovascular agents, alcohols, carbon monoxide, and cholinergic agents are reviewed. Hospital-acquired toxicities due to methemoglobinemia, propylene glycol, and propofol should be recognized and treated. The clinician is continually required to incorporate clinical judgment along with available scientific data and clinical evidence to determine the best therapy for toxicologic conditions.     

Mechanical ventilation in ARDS: a state-of-the-art review

Mechanical ventilation is an essential component of the care of patients with ARDS, and a large number of randomized controlled clinical trials have now been conducted evaluating the efficacy and safety of various methods of mechanical ventilation for the treatment of ARDS. Low tidal volume ventilation (相似文献   

Improving the ICU: part 1

ICUs are a vital component of modern health care. Improving ICU performance requires that we shift from a paradigm that concentrates on individual performance to a different paradigm that emphasizes the need to assess and improve ICU systems and processes. This is the first part of a two-part treatise. It discusses existing problems in ICU care, and the methods for defining and measuring ICU performance.     

The incidence of recognized heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in a large, tertiary care teaching hospital

BACKGROUND: Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is estimated to occur in up to 5% of patients receiving unfractionated heparin. The goal was to determine the incidence of HIT within our 1,061-bed tertiary care institution. METHODS: A retrospective review of three hospital database systems (ie, admission, pharmacy, and laboratory) was undertaken for a 1-year period ending in March 2004. The pharmacy database was queried to identify patients who received heparin and those who received a direct thrombin inhibitor (DTI). The medical records of patients receiving a DTI were reviewed to categorize the indication for DTI therapy. The laboratory system database was queried to retrieve heparin platelet factor 4 immunoassay results. RESULTS: A total of 58,814 patient admissions occurred with an estimated 24,068 patients being exposed to unfractionated heparin. DTI therapy was administered to 133 patients. Of these, 49 new HIT cases and 15 cases of suspected HIT (unconfirmed) were identified. The overall incidence of recognized new HIT was 0.2%. New HIT occurred in 0.76% of patients receiving therapeutic-dose IV heparin and in < 0.1% of patients receiving antithrombotic prophylaxis (subcutaneous heparin). Forty-nine percent of all new HIT cases were in coronary artery bypass and/or valve replacement surgery patients, while no cases were identified in hip/knee arthroplasty patients. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of recognized HIT in a large teaching institution was 0.2%, with a 0.76% incidence in those patients receiving therapeutic-dose IV heparin. The low incidence likely reflects a brief duration of heparin exposure for many patients. Approximately half of all new HIT cases were recognized in the cardiovascular surgery population.     

The impact of critical illness on perceived health-related quality of life during ICU treatment, hospital stay, and after hospital discharge: a long-term follow-up study

BACKGROUND: The time course of changes in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) following discharge from the ICU and during a general ward stay has not been studied. We therefore studied the immediate impact of critical illness on HRQOL and its recovery over time. METHODS: In a prospective study, all patients admitted to the ICU for > 48 h who ultimately survived to follow-up at 6 months were included. The Medical Outcomes Study 36-item short form was used to measure HRQOL before ICU admission, at discharge from the ICU and hospital, and at 3 and 6 months following discharge from the ICU and hospital. An age-matched healthy Dutch population was used as a reference. RESULTS: Of the 451 included patients, 252 could be evaluated at 6 months (40 were lost to follow-up, and 159 died). Pre-ICU admission HRQOL in survivors was significantly worse compared to the healthy population. Patients who died between ICU admission and long-term follow-up had significantly worse HRQOL in all dimensions already at ICU admission when compared to the long-term survivors. HRQOL decreased in all dimensions (p < 0.001) during ICU stay followed by a rapid improvement during hospital stay, gradually improving to near pre-ICU admission HRQOL at 6 months following ICU discharge. Physical functioning (PF), general health (GH), and social functioning (SF) remained significantly lower than pre-ICU admission values. Compared to the healthy Dutch population, ICU survivors had significantly lower HRQOL 6 months following ICU discharge (except for the bodily pain score). CONCLUSIONS: A sharp multidimensional decline in HRQOL occurs during ICU admission where recovery already starts following ICU discharge to the general ward. Recovery is incomplete for PF, GH, and SF when compared to baseline values and the healthy population.     

Predictors and Outcomes of Recurrent Stent Thrombosis: Results From a Multicenter Registry

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to determine the incidence, predictors, and outcomes of recurrent stent thrombosis (rST).BackgroundPatients who had an initial stent thrombosis (ST) develop may be at high risk of rST.MethodsWe analyzed a multicenter California registry of angiographic definite ST at 5 academic hospitals from 2005 to 2013. A detailed review of the angiogram and procedure was performed of patients with and without rST.ResultsAmong 221 patients with a median follow-up of 3.3 years, definite or probable rST developed in 29, including 19 with angiographic definite rST. The cumulative hazard ratio (HR) of definite or probable rST was 16% at 1 year and 24% at 5 years, whereas the cumulative HR of angiographic definite rST was 11% at 1 year and 20% at 5 years. Despite similar angiographic results, patients who had rST develop had significantly greater peak creatine kinase at the time of initial ST (mean, 2,655 mg/dl vs. 1,654 mg/dl; p = 0.05) than those without rST. The 3-year rate of major adverse cardiovascular events was 50% for patients with rST compared with 22% for patients with a single ST (p = 0.01). After multivariable adjustment, independent predictors of definite/probable rST were age (HR: 1.4; 95 confidence interval [CI]: 1.1 to 1.8 per 10 years), bifurcation ST (HR: 4.4; 95% CI: 1.8 to 10.9), and proximal vessel diameter (HR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.1 to 3.2 per millimeter).ConclusionsrST represents an important cause of long-term morbidity and mortality after an initial ST. Bifurcation ST and a larger proximal reference vessel diameter are independently associated with an increased risk of rST.     

Outcome of patients with small-vessel vasculitis admitted to a medical ICU

PURPOSES: This study aims to describe the clinical course and prognostic factors of patients with small-vessel vasculitis admitted to a medical ICU. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical records of 38 patients with small-vessel vasculitis admitted consecutively to the ICU between January 1997 and May 2004. The APACHE (acute physiology and chronic health evaluation) III prognostic system was used to determine the severity of illness on the first ICU day; the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score was used to measure organ dysfunction, and the Birmingham vasculitis activity score for Wegener granulomatosis (BVAS/WG) was used to assess vasculitis activity. Outcome measures were the 28-day mortality and ICU length of stay. RESULTS: Nineteen patients (50%) had Wegener granulomatosis, 16 patients (42%) had microscopic polyangiitis, 2 patients had CNS vasculitis, and 1 patient had Churg-Strauss syndrome. Reasons for ICU admission included alveolar hemorrhage in 14 patients (37%), sepsis in 5 patients (13%), seizures in 3 patients (8%), and pneumonia in 2 patients (5%). The median ICU length of stay was 4.0 days (interquartile range, 2.0 to 6.0 days). The APACHE III score was lower in survivors than nonsurvivors (p = 0.010). The predicted hospital mortality was 54% for nonsurvivors and 21% for survivors (p = 0.0038). The mean SOFA score was 11.6 (SD, 2.6) in nonsurvivors, compared to 6.9 (SD, 2.4) in survivors (p = 0.0004). Mean BVAS/WG scores were 8.6 (SD, 3.6) in nonsurvivors and 4.7 (SD, 4.6) in survivors (p = 0.0889). Twenty-six percent of the patients received invasive mechanical ventilation, and 33% underwent dialysis. The 28-day and 1-year mortality rates were 11% and 29%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The mortality of patients with small-vessel vasculitis admitted to the ICU is lower than predicted, and alveolar hemorrhage is the most common reason for ICU admission.