Improved survival in cancer patients requiring mechanical ventilatory support: impact of noninvasive mechanical ventilatory support

OBJECTIVE: When a cancer patient becomes critically ill, mechanical ventilation (MV) is often considered futile. However, recent studies have found that outcomes of critically ill cancer patients have been improving over the years and that classic predictors of high mortality have lost their relevance. DESIGN: We retrospectively determined outcomes and predictors of 30-day mortality in 237 mechanically-ventilated cancer patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). PATIENTS: The 132 (55.7%) patients who were admitted between 1990 and 1995 were compared with 105 (44.3%) patients who were admitted between 1996 and 1998. The malignancy was leukemia/lymphoma in 119 (50.3%) patients, myeloma in 50 (21%), and a solid tumor in 68 (28.7%). Forty-two (17.7%) patients had bone marrow transplantation, and 91 (38.4%) were neutropenic. Median Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II) was 58 (range, 40-75). Reasons for MV were acute hypoxemic respiratory failure in 148 (62.5%) patients, coma in 54 (22.8%), and cardiogenic pulmonary edema in 35 (14.7%). Conventional MV was used first in 189 (79.8%) patients, and noninvasive MV (NIMV) was used in 48 (20.2%). Overall mortality rate was 72.5% (172 deaths). RESULTS: Logistic regression identified three variables associated with mortality: ICU admission between 1996 and 1998 (odds ratio [OR], 0.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.12-0.50) and the use of NIMV (OR, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.16-0.73) were protective, and the SAPS II was aggravating (OR, 1.04 per point; 95% CI, 1.02-1.06). To better define the impact of NIMV, we performed a pairwise-matched exposed-unexposed analysis. Forty-eight patients who did and 48 who did not receive NIMV as the first ventilation method were matched for SAPS II, type of malignancy, and period of ICU admission. Crude ICU mortality rates from exposed patients and controls were 43.7% and 70.8%, respectively. NIMV remained protective from mortality after adjustment for matching variables (OR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.12-0.82). CONCLUSION: Our results confirm that mortality has improved over the past decade in critically ill cancer patients, even those who require MV, and suggest that this may be, in part, because of a protective effect of NIMV.     

Hemodialysis for acute renal failure in patients with hematologic malignancies

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prognosis of patients with hematologic malignancies in acute renal failure who require hemodialysis. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: ICU. PATIENTS: Forty-three consecutive patients. METHODS: Prognostic analysis using both univariate and multivariate (stepwise regression) methods. RESULTS: Fifteen (35%) patients recovered from acute renal failure and 12 (28%) were discharged from the ICU. The prognosis of patients with acute renal failure linked to sepsis is poorer than the prognosis of the patients with acute renal failure from other etiologies. Only one patient survived in the former group (n = 26) and 11 in the latter group (n = 17); p less than .0001 in multivariate analysis. When accompanied by associated respiratory failure, mortality rate was higher (93% vs. 33%; p less than .0001). The Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) calculated within the first 24 hr of admission was significantly (p less than .001) related to mortality when the SAPS was greater than or equal to 13. The presence of neutropenia and the type of hematologic malignancy were not related to a worse prognosis. Tolerance to hemodialysis appeared good, and complications were rare.     

Delayed treatment contributes to mortality in ICU patients with severe active pulmonary tuberculosis and acute respiratory failure

OBJECTIVES: To clarify the patterns of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) that should result in a high index of suspicion, to increase the chances of early therapy and to identify predictors of 30-day mortality. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective, 7-year study in two medical intensive care units (ICUs). All patients admitted with pulmonary TB were enrolled. Clinical and laboratory data at admission and events within 48 h of admission were collected. Predictors of 30-day mortality were identified by univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The study included 99 patients with a median age of 41 years. Immunodeficiency was present in 60 patients, including 38 with AIDS. Fifty-nine patients had pulmonary TB alone, 22 also had extrapulmonary TB and 18 had miliary. All 99 patients were admitted for acute respiratory failure, some also with shock (20), neurologic disorders (18) or acute renal failure (10). Mechanical ventilation was needed in 50 patients; 22 patients met criteria for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The 30-day mortality rate was 26.2%. Four factors independently predicted mortality: a time from symptom onset to treatment of more than 1 month (OR, 3.49; CI, 1.20-10.20), the number of organ failures (OR, 3.15; CI, 1.76-5.76), a serum albumin level above 20 g/l (OR, 3.96; CI, 1.04-15.10), and a larger number of lobes involved on chest radiograph (OR, 1.83; CI, 1.12-2.98). CONCLUSION: Delayed clinical suspicion and treatment of active pulmonary TB with respiratory failure may contribute to the persistently high mortality rates in ICU patients with these diseases.     

Utility of fiberoptic bronchoscopy in neutropenic patients admitted to the intensive care unit with pulmonary infiltrates

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the impact of fiberoptic bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) on guiding the treatment and intensive care unit (ICU) clinical outcome in neutropenic patients with pulmonary infiltrates admitted to the ICU. DESIGN: Prospective collection of data. SETTING: Medical ICU in a teaching hospital. PATIENTS: During a 6-yr period, we analyzed the results of 93 fiberoptic bronchoscopies plus BALs performed in 93 consecutive neutropenic ICU patients. We separated the patients into two groups according to the cause of neutropenia (high-dose chemotherapy [n = 41] or stem cell transplantation [SCT; n = 52]). RESULTS: Of the 93 BALs, 53 were performed to evaluate diffuse infiltrates and 42 were performed on mechanically ventilated patients. Forty-nine percent of BALs (46 patients) were diagnostic, with a significantly better yield in ICU patients with high-dose chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (26 of 41 BALs). The number of cases of proven infectious pneumonia was significantly higher in this group of ICU neutropenic patients. In patients who underwent SCT, diffuse infiltrates were statistically correlated with a negative result of BAL. Twenty-six patients who underwent diagnostic BALs changed therapy. Sixteen complications (17%) occurred with only two intubations. The overall mortality rate in the ICU and the mortality rate in mechanically ventilated neutropenic patients were 71% and 93%, respectively. In neutropenic patients who underwent SCT, the mortality rate was statistically higher in patients in whom no diagnosis was established. Patients who had a diagnostic BAL that changed therapy did not have an increased probability of survival compared with patients who had a BAL that did not change therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The use of routine diagnostic BAL in ICU neutropenic patients with pulmonary infiltrates is difficult to establish, even if BAL is helpful in the management of these critically ill patients. BAL in our ICU neutropenic patient population had an acceptable overall diagnostic yield (49%), which was higher in ICU patients with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. Nevertheless, in the ICU, if BAL had a low complication rate, it had infrequently led to changed treatment and was not associated with improved patient survival.     

Postpartum emergencies: some aspects

The critical states occurring during pregnancy, labor, and early puerperium were analyzed. Seventy puerperas treated at intensive care units (ICU) were examined. The patients were divided into 5 groups: 1) those with preeclampsia (n = 15); 2) eclampsia (n = 22); 3) massive blood loss (n = 17); 4) pyoseptic complications (n = 10); 5) acute respiratory failure (n = 6). The APACHE II scale severity was 22 +/- 5.3 scores. The mean age of puerperas is 29.2 +/- 7.2 years. Total mortality was 14.3%. Parametric and non-parametric statistic methods were used to analyze the reasons for referral of the patients to ICU, their age composition, the association of an outcome to the time of their referral to ICU, the duration of stay there and at hospital, mortality, the time of controlled ventilation, the incidence of multiorgan failure. The common reasons for referral of the puerperas from maternity homes to ICU were eclampsia, preeclampsia, and massive blood loss. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (52.9%), encephalopathy (44.3%), coma (47.1%), and intestinal insufficiency (38.6%) were predominant in the pattern of multiorgan failure in intensive care obstetric patients. When emergencies occurred in puerperas, earlier referral from maternal homes to ICU caused a reduction in mortality from 33.% at referral on day 3 after their occurrence to 23.5% at referral on day 2, and to 11.5 at referral on day 1.     

Plasma concentrations of interleukin-6, organ failure, vasopressor support, and successful coronary revascularization in predicting 30-day mortality of patients with cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction

OBJECTIVE: Inflammation may play an important role in the pathogenesis, persistence, and prognosis of cardiogenic shock. We analyzed whether elevated plasma concentrations of inflammatory markers are independently associated with an adverse prognosis (increased 30-day mortality rate) in patients with cardiogenic shock. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Single-center study, eight-bed intensive care unit at a university hospital. PATIENTS: Retrospective study on stored plasma samples from 38 patients with cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Thirty-day nonsurvivors (n = 23, 61%) had been less frequently successfully revascularized, exhibited more frequently renal failure, needed higher vasopressor doses, and presented with significantly higher interleukin-6 plasma concentrations on intensive care unit admission than 30-day survivors. Univariate hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for 30-day mortality were 1.49 (1.24-1.80) for every 50 pg/mL increase in the interleukin-6 plasma concentration (p = .00003), 1.06 (1.02-1.10) for every 0.1 microg x kg x min increase in the total vasopressor dose (p = .007), 1.14 (1.04-1.25) for every mmol/L increase in serum lactate (p = .006), 2.47 (1.06-5.73) for acute renal failure (p = .036), and 0.34 (0.14-0.82) for successful revascularization (p = .016). However, interleukin-6 plasma concentrations were correlated with vasopressor need and were significantly higher in patients with acute renal failure and in patients without or unsuccessful revascularization. In a multivariate Cox-proportional hazard model, interleukin-6 was the only significant predictor of 30-day mortality with a hazard ratio of 1.42 (1.12-1.80, p = .004). Accordingly, interleukin-6 concentrations > or =200 pg/mL (the point of maximum interest by receiver operating characteristic analysis with a specificity of 87% and a sensitivity of 74%) were associated with a significantly increased 30-day mortality rate in both patients with and patients without successful revascularization. CONCLUSIONS: Interleukin-6 concentrations are an independent predictor of 30-day mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock.     

One-year mortality among Danish intensive care patients with acute kidney injury: a cohort study

ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION: There are few studies on long-term mortality among intensive care unit (ICU) patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). We assessed the prevalence of AKI at ICU admission, its impact on mortality during one year of follow-up, and whether the influence of AKI varied in subgroups of ICU patients. METHODS: We identified all adults admitted to any ICU in Northern Denmark (approximately 1.15 million inhabitants) from 2005 through 2010 using population-based medical registries. AKI was defined at ICU admission based on the risk, injury, failure, loss of kidney function, and end-stage kidney disease (RIFLE) classification, using plasma creatinine changes. We included four severity levels: AKI-risk, AKI-injury, AKI-failure, and without AKI. We estimated cumulative mortality by the Kaplan-Meier method and hazard ratios (HRs) using a Cox model adjusted for potential confounders. We computed estimates for all ICU patients and for subgroups with different comorbidity levels, chronic kidney disease status, surgical status, primary hospital diagnosis, and treatment with mechanical ventilation or with inotropes/vasopressors. RESULTS: We identified 30,762 ICU patients, of which 4,793 (15.6%) had AKI at ICU admission. Thirty-day mortality was 35.5% for the AKI-risk group, 44.2% for the AKI-injury group, and 41.0% for the AKI-failure group, compared with 12.8% for patients without AKI. The corresponding adjusted HRs were 1.96 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.80-2.13), 2.60 (95% CI 2.38 to 2.85) and 2.41 (95% CI 2.21 to 2.64), compared to patients without AKI. Among patients surviving 30 days (n = 25,539), 31- to 365 day mortality was 20.5% for the AKI-risk group, 23.8% for the AKI-injury group, and 23.2% for the AKI-failure group, compared with 10.7% for patients without AKI, corresponding to adjusted HRs of 1.33 (95% CI 1.17 to 1.51), 1.60 (95% CI 1.37 to1.87), and 1.64 (95% CI 1.42 to 1.90), respectively. The association between AKI and 30-day mortality was evident in subgroups of the ICU population, with associations persisting in most subgroups during the 31- to 365-day follow-up period, although to a lesser extent than for the 30-day period. CONCLUSIONS: AKI at ICU admission is an important prognostic factor for mortality throughout the subsequent year.     

医院获得性急性肾功能衰竭的病死危险因素分析调查及临床对策

目的调查医院获得性急性肾功能衰竭(肾衰)的病死率及死亡危险因素。方法回顾性调查1991～1996年的1056例危重病患者,利用队列研究方法对医院获得性急性肾衰患者死亡危险因素进行分析。结果1　056例危重病患者中,143例发生急性肾衰,病死率64.34%。患者平均APACHEⅡ评分(24.20±8.53)分,而Liano急性肾衰预后评分(ATNISS)为(72.46±25.58)%。单纯急性肾衰的住院病死率为0,而急性肾衰合并肾外器官衰竭数目越多,患者的病死率越高。合并1个肾外器官衰竭者病死率25.00%,2个肾外器官衰竭者为47.62%,3个肾外器官衰竭者为81.58%,而发生4个肾外器官功能衰竭者病死率达90.20%。22个因素参与急性肾衰死亡危险因素的单因素分析,结果显示年龄(>60岁)、免疫功能低下、APACHEⅡ评分(>20分)、非手术、全身性炎症反应的程度、严重全身性感染、感染性休克、器官衰竭数目、机械通气、昏迷、低血压、黄疸及少尿等因素均与急性肾衰死亡关系显著(P均<0.05)。急性肾衰患者的最常见的直接病死原因是顽固性感染性休克(46.74%)。结论充分认识急性肾衰死亡的危险因素,并积极控制机体炎症反应,防治多器官功能衰竭,可能是降低急性肾衰病死率的关键。     

红细胞分布宽度对ICU急性呼吸衰竭患者预后的评估

目的探讨红细胞分布宽度（RDW）对急性呼吸衰竭（ARF）患者预后的评估价值。 方法提取来源于MIMIC-Ⅲ数据库的数据,根据国际ICD9-CODE诊断编码,查询ARF患者相关信息。用SQL语言提取患者的一般资料、并发症、评分、实验室检查结果等,并以患者28 d病死率、90 d病死率为主要指标,ICU病死率、院内病死率、入ICU时间和院内时间为次要指标。所有研究对象根据受试者工作特征曲线（ROC）最佳截断值分为高RDW组和正常RDW组,比较2组患者的基线数据及临床结局,采用Kaplan-Meier生存曲线分析2组患者28 d、90 d的累积生存率,Cox比例风险回归模型分析ARF患者28 d、90 d的死亡风险,并计算ROC的曲线下面积（AUC）。 结果共纳入6286例ARF的患者,正常RDW组和高RDW组28 d病死率分别为21.3%、33.7%,90 d病死率分别为27.8%、44.8%,倾向性评分匹配（PSM）后2组28 d病死率分别为25.9%、31.9%,90 d病死率分别为33.5%、43.1%,组间比较差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.001）;进行累积生存分析时发现,高RDW组28 d和90 d的累积生存率较正常RDW组均明显降低,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.001）;采用Cox比例风险回归模型进行分析,RDW每升高1%,ARF患者28 d、90 d的死亡风险显著增加。在28 d病死率预测价值上,RDW、序贯器官衰竭评估（SOFA）评分的ROC的AUC无明显差异（0.663 vs 0.662,P=0.926）,但在90 d病死率上,RDW的ROC的AUC高于SOFA评分,差异有统计学意义（0.678 vs 0.651,P=0.003）。 结论RDW升高可能是ARF患者预后的一个有价值的指标。     

Intensive care unit outcome in the very elderly.

OBJECTIVES: To determine if age, previous functional status, or acute severity of illness affect the acute and long-term mortality rates and functional status of the very elderly (> or = 85 yrs) after an ICU admission. DESIGN: Cohort study (retrospective entry for the first year of the study and prospective entry thereafter with prospective follow-up throughout). SETTING: An ICU in a community teaching hospital with follow-up at home or at a skilled nursing facility. PATIENTS: All (n = 105) patients > or = 85 yrs admitted to the ICU over a 2-yr period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ICU, 30-day posthospital discharge, and 1-yr mortality rates, activities of daily living scores, organ system failure score at the time of ICU admission. RESULTS: The ICU, 30-day posthospital discharge, and the 1-yr mortality rates were 30%, 43%, and 64%, respectively. Mortality rates significantly increased between the ICU stay or 30 days posthospital discharge and 1-yr follow-up periods. Of those patients who lived up to 6 months after hospital discharge, 86% survived to 1 yr with little change in functional status from baseline. In the patients with > or = 2 organ system failures, there were 88% 30-day posthospital discharge and 100% 1-yr mortality rates. Severity of illness, as measured by the number of organ system failures, was associated with increased ICU (odds ratio 3.38; 95% confidence interval, 1.51 to 7.60; p < .005) and 1 yr (odds ratio 5.76; 95% confidence interval, 2.49 to 13.29; p < .0001) mortality rates, while age within this group and preadmission functional status were not. CONCLUSIONS: Within the very elderly population, acute severity of illness is the most significant predictor of mortality after an ICU admission. For most very elderly patients, surviving 1 yr after an ICU admission, there is little change in functional status.     

Deterioration of previous acute lung injury during neutropenia recovery

DESIGN: Although neutropenia recovery is associated with a high risk of deterioration of respiratory condition, no studies designed to identify risk factors for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in this situation have been published. SETTING: Medical ICU in a French teaching hospital. SUBJECTS: We conducted a study to describe critically ill cancer patients with ARDS during neutropenia recovery (defined as the 7-day period centered on the day the neutrophil count rose above 1000/mm3 [day 0]) and to compare them with critically ill cancer patients without ARDS during neutropenia recovery. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: During a 10-yr period, 62 critically ill cancer patients recovered from neutropenia, of whom 21 experienced ARDS during neutropenia recovery, with a median time of -1 days (-2.5-1) between day 0 and ARDS. In-ICU mortality in these 21 patients was 61.9%. As compared with non-ARDS patients, ARDS patients were less likely to have myeloma and more likely to have leukemia/lymphoma treated with adriamycin, a history of pneumonia before neutropenia, and a neutropenia duration >10 days; they had a shorter time since malignancy diagnosis and a longer time from chemotherapy to neutropenia. Neither the leukocyte counts on day 0 nor those during the 6-day neutropenia recovery period were predictive of ARDS. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with acute respiratory failure after prolonged neutropenia complicated by pneumonia are at increased risk for ARDS.     

Hematopoietic colony-stimulating factors for neutropenic patients in the ICU

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether adjunct hematopoietic colony-stimulating factor (H-CSF) accelerates neutrophil recovery and improves survival. DESIGN: A retrospective study. SETTING: Medical/surgical intensive care unit (ICU). PATIENTS: 30 neutropenic patients admitted to the ICU and treated with H-CSF. Controls were the preceding 30 neutropenic patients not treated with H-CSF. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Patient admission characteristics were reviewed. Endpoints were neutrophil recovery ( > 1.0 x 10(9)/l), length of ICU stay and survival. Depth and duration of neutropenia (0.267 +/- 0.04 x 10(9)/l for 12 +/- 1.7 days vs 0.293 +/- 0.05 x 10(9)/l for 15 +/- 1.9 days; p = 0.67 and 0.21), and the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II and organ system failure scores were similar. Systemic candidiasis was lower in the H-CSF group (20 vs 3 %; p > 0.05). In 11 (36.6 %) and 10 (33.3 %) patients neutrophil count recovered ( > 1.0 x 10(9)/l); H-CSF did not reduce the duration of neutropenia (7.8 +/- 1.4 vs 5.7 +/- 1.3 days; p = 0. 28), the length of ICU stay (7.8 +/- 1.1 vs 8.9 +/- 1.5 days; p = 0. 55) or improve survival (23 vs 10 %; p = 0.168). CONCLUSION: H-CSF for treatment of neutropenia in patients admitted to the ICU did not accelerate neutrophil recovery or improve survival.     

多器官功能障碍综合征合并急性肾功能衰竭患者的病死危险因素分析

目的调查在ICU住院期间多器官功能障碍综合征(MODS)患者出现急性肾功能衰竭(ARF)的病死率及死亡危险因素。方法回顾性调查1998年至2002年住北京六家医院ICU的MODS患者共413例,采用流行病学研究方法对其中合并ARF患者死亡危险因素进行分析。结果413例MODS患者中,135例发生ARF,死亡77例,病死率57.03%。患者入院第一天平均APACHEⅡ评分(17.15±6.67)分。合并1个肾外器官功能衰竭者病死率28.00%,2个肾外器官功能衰竭者为58.62%,3个肾外器官功能衰竭者为61.29%,并发4个肾外器官功能衰竭者病死率达77.78%。单因素分析显示,机械通气、昏迷、低血压、少尿和器官衰竭的数目及血肌酐(Cr)峰值等因素均与ARF死亡关系显著(P<0.05)。对上述死亡危险因素进行Logistic回归分析,结果显示肿瘤术后、昏迷、严重代谢性酸中毒、应用肝素、制酸剂、机械通气等对死亡的影响有显著意义。结论在ICU的MODS患者中,出现ARF的死亡率很高,且与肾外器官衰竭的数目密切相关。     

Outcome of mechanical ventilation for acute respiratory failure in patients with pulmonary fibrosis

OBJECTIVE: During the course of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients may need invasive mechanical ventilation because of acute respiratory failure. We reviewed the charts of all patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis admitted to our ICU for mechanical ventilation to describe their ICU course and prognosis. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective, observational case series, from December 1996 to March 2001, in an 18-bed medical ICU in a tertiary university hospital. PATIENTS: Fourteen consecutive patients with idiopathic ( n=11) or secondary ( n=3) pulmonary fibrosis admitted to the medical ICU for mechanical ventilation. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Relevant factors of history and hospital course such as diagnostic and therapeutic interventions were retrieved as well as laboratory and radiological results. All patients were admitted for severe acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (PaO(2)/FIO(2) 111+/-64 mmHg), with a high clinical suspicion of lower respiratory tract infection. Despite ventilatory support and adjunctive therapies (antibiotics, steroids, or immunosuppressive drugs), all patients gradually worsened and eventually died in the ICU after a mean stay of 7.6+/-4.6 days. CONCLUSIONS: In this study mechanical ventilation for acute respiratory failure in pulmonary fibrosis patients was associated with a 100% mortality, despite aggressive therapeutic and diagnostic procedures.     

Scoring systems in acute pancreatitis: Which one to use in intensive care units?

Purpose

The aim of the study was to assess and compare the efficacy of various scoring systems in predicting the severity and outcome of patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) admitted in intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods

Prospective, single institution review of 55 consecutive AP patients admitted in ICU during a 2-year period. Disease severity scores and mortality predictions were calculated using the collected data in the first 48 hours of ICU admission for Ranson and Glasgow scores and in the first 24 hours for other scores.

Results

Forty-two patients (76.4%) developed severe pancreatitis. Intensive care unit and 30-day mortality was 18.2% and 27.3%, respectively. Use of mechanical ventilation (MV) was an independent predictor of outcome on multivariate analysis with lack of MV being protective (adjusted odds ratio, 0.003; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.00001-0.67; P = .04). All scoring systems had comparable accuracy in predicting severity and 30-day mortality, but sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score had greater efficacy with its area under curve for predicting severity and 30-day mortality being 0.81 (95% CI, 0.69-0.92) and 0.93 (95% CI, 0.85-0.99), respectively. Sensitivity and specificity (SOFA score, >4) was 76.2% and 69.2%, respectively, for predicting severity, and sensitivity and specificity (SOFA score, >8) was 86.7% and 90%, respectively, for predicting 30-day mortality.

Conclusions

Use of MV is an independent predictor of outcome in AP patients admitted to ICU. Although all scoring systems had reliable accuracy in predicting severity and outcome, SOFA score performed better with additional advantages of easy applicability and timely assessment.     

Prognosis in Patients Presenting with Non-Traumatic Coma

Background: Studies of patients presenting with coma are limited, and little is known about the prognosis of these cases. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the acute and long-term prognosis after an episode of non-traumatic coma. Methods: Adults admitted consecutively to an emergency department in Stockholm, Sweden between February 2003 and May 2005 with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 10 or below were enrolled prospectively. All available data were used to explore the cause of the impaired consciousness on admission. Patients surviving hospitalization were followed-up for 2 years regarding survival. Results: The final study population of 865 patients had the following eight different coma etiologies: poisoning (n = 329), stroke (n = 213), epilepsy (n = 113), circulatory failure (n = 60), infection (n = 56), metabolic disorder (n = 44), respiratory insufficiency (n = 33), and intracranial malignancy (n = 17). The hospital mortality rate among the 865 patients was 26.5%, varying from 0.9% for epilepsy to 71.7% for circulatory failure. The accumulated total 2-year mortality rate was 43.0%, varying from 13.7% for poisoning to 88.2% for malignancy. The level of consciousness on admission also influenced the prognosis: a GCS score of 3–6 was associated with a significantly higher hospital mortality rate than a GCS score of 7–10. Conclusion: The prognosis in patients presenting with non-traumatic coma is serious and depends largely on both the level of consciousness on admission and the etiology of the coma. Adding the suspected coma etiology to the routine coma grading of these emergencies may more accurately predict their prognosis.     

Outcomes of Pneumocystis pneumonia with respiratory failure in HIV-negative patients

Purpose

The outcomes and predictors of mortality from Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) in HIV-negative patients requiring mechanical ventilation (MV) for respiratory failure were evaluated.

Materials and Methods

This retrospective observational study enrolled 48 patients with PCP requiring MV in the medical intensive care unit (ICU). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors of in-hospital mortality.

Results

The main conditions underlying the PCP were malignancies (60%) or post solid organ transplant (35%). Excluding four patients whose initial treatment was changed due to adverse reactions, 21 (44%) of 44 patients did not respond to the initial treatment. During the ICU stay, additional complications developed: shock in 22 (46%), ventilator-associated pneumonia in 16 (33%), and acute kidney injury in 15 (31%). Ultimately, 31 (65%) patients died while hospitalised. In multivariate analysis, hospital mortality was independently associated with severity of illness on ICU admission, failure of initial antimicrobial treatment for PCP, and newly developed shock during ICU stay.

Conclusions

PCP in HIV-negative patients requiring MV for respiratory failure remains a serious illness with high mortality. Failure of the initial antimicrobial treatment for PCP as well as severity of illness was independent predictors of poor outcomes.     

48例转入或重回重症监护室死亡患者的相关因素分析

目的分析由普通病房转入或重回重症监护室(ICU)后患者的死亡原因,探讨降低ICU患者病死率的方法。方法将本院2002年11月—2004年10月期间ICU内死亡患者分为对照组(39例)、转入组(25例)和重回组(23例),分别对其急性生理学与慢性健康状况评分系统(APACHE)评分、死亡诱因以及治疗过程进行分类统计和汇总。结果对照组患者入ICU的总病死率较转入组和重回组低,差异均有显著性(P均<0.05)。对照组患者死亡直接诱因前3位分别为失血性休克/严重创伤、中枢神经系统损伤或疾病以及心功能障碍;转入组为严重感染、呼吸功能障碍、心功能障碍或失血性休克/严重创伤;重回组为呼吸功能障碍、心功能障碍和严重感染。对照组、转入组和重回组患者入ICU时APACHE评分分别为(18.67±3.28)分、(20.84±4.16)分和(20.39±3.15)分,均明显高于本院ICU患者入ICU的APACHE评分(4.28±1.52)分,P均<0.01;重回ICU患者前一次出ICU时的APACHE评分(12.83±2.76)分明显高于本院ICU患者出ICU的评分(3.28±3.42)分,P<0.01。结论加强对普通病房危重患者呼吸、循环系统的监测及早期干预治疗,提高对转出ICU患者当前状态和预后发展的评估水平,对降低转入或重回ICU患者病死率具有重要的作用。     

Risk factors for acute respiratory distress syndrome during neutropenia recovery in patients with hematologic malignancies

Introduction

Neutropenia recovery may be associated with deterioration in oxygenation and exacerbation of pre-existing pulmonary disease. However, risk factors for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) during neutropenia recovery in patients with hematologic malignancies have not been studied.

Methods

We studied critically ill patients with hematologic malignancies with the dual objectives of describing patients with ARDS during neutropenia recovery and identifying risk factors for ARDS during neutropenia recovery. A cohort of consecutive neutropenic patients with hematologic malignancies who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) was studied. During a 6-year period, 71 patients recovered from neutropenia, of whom 38 (53.5%) developed ARDS during recovery.

Results

Compared with non-ARDS patients, patients who experienced ARDS during neutropenia recovery were more likely to have pneumonia, be admitted to the ICU for respiratory failure, and receive mechanical ventilator therapy. The in-ICU mortality was significantly different between the two groups (86.8% versus 51.5%, respectively, for patients who developed ARDS during neutropenia recovery versus those who did not during neutropenia recovery). In multivariate analysis, only occurrence of pneumonia during the neutropenic episode was associated with a marked increase in the risk of ARDS (odds ratio, 4.76).

Conclusions

Patients with hematologic malignancies complicated by pneumonia during neutropenia are at increased risk for ARDS during neutropenia recovery.     

Efficacy and Tolerability of Micafungin Monotherapy for Candidemia and Deep-Seated Candidiasis in Adults with Cancer

The response rate among 58 patients with cancer and candidemia or deep-seated candidiasis treated with micafungin monotherapy was 81%. Intensive care unit (ICU) stay, concomitant nonfungal infections, and acute kidney injury were significantly associated with the 30-day crude mortality rate. Severe neutropenia was an independent predictor of micafungin failure. The efficacy and safety of micafungin in cancer patients with invasive candidiasis were comparable to those reported for patients without malignancy and for cancer patients treated with caspofungin.