Ineffectiveness of routine abdominal radiography in patients with gastrointestinal hemorrhage admitted to an intensive care unit

GOALS: To determine the utility of plain abdominal radiography in the initial evaluation of acute gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage in a medical intensive care unit. BACKGROUND: Plain abdominal radiographs are frequently used in the routine evaluation of patients with GI bleeding. The utility of these studies in the intensive care unit setting is unclear. STUDY: The study was a retrospective chart review of 71 adult subjects admitted to a medical intensive care unit with the diagnosis of GI bleeding. Subjects were excluded if they presented with peritoneal signs, received an abdominal CT scan in the 24 hours prior to admission, or were chronically treated with immunosuppressive medication. Subjects were divided into two cohorts based on whether or not they underwent plain abdominal radiography during the first hospital day. The primary study endpoints were hospital mortality, intensive care unit length of stay, and whether or not radiographic findings altered clinical management. RESULTS: Of the 71 patients admitted with a diagnosis of GI bleeding (mean age 65.8 +/- 14.5 years, 73.2% male), 56 (79%) had a plain abdominal radiograph performed. Subjects who had a plain film did not differ significantly from those who did not in age, gender, degree of anemia, degree of coagulopathy, or in severity of illness as measured by Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) score. There was no statistically significant difference in hospital mortality or intensive care unit length of stay between patients who received plain films and those who did not. In no subject (0%; 95% confidence interval, 0%-5.4%) did abdominal radiography reveal an abnormality that altered clinical management. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our observations, plain films of the abdomen do not appear to alter clinical outcomes or management decisions for patients with GI bleeding and normal abdominal examinations who are admitted to the intensive care unit.     

Outcome predictors of cirrhosis patients admitted to the intensive care unit

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate outcome predictors of patients with cirrhosis admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: One hundred and twenty-nine consecutive patients with cirrhosis admitted to the ICU at a tertiary care transplant centre in Saudi Arabia between March 1999 and December 2000 were entered prospectively in an ICU database. Liver transplantation patients and readmissions to the ICU were excluded. The following data were documented: demographic features, severity of illness measures, parameters of organ failure, presence of gastrointestinal bleeding, and sepsis. The need for mechanical ventilation, renal replacement therapy and pulmonary artery catheter placement was recorded. The primary endpoint was hospital outcome. RESULTS: Cirrhotic patients admitted to the ICU had high hospital mortality (73.6%). However, the actual mortality was not significantly different from the predicted mortality using prediction systems. There was an association between the number of organs failing and mortality. Coma and acute renal failure emerged as independent predictors of mortality. All patients who were monitored with pulmonary artery catheterisation in this study died. Patients requiring mechanical ventilation and renal replacement therapy had very high mortalities (84% and 89%, respectively). All 13 cirrhotic patients admitted to ICU immediately post-cardiac arrest in this study died. CONCLUSIONS: Cirrhotic patients admitted to ICU have a poor prognosis, especially when admitted with coma, acute renal failure or post-cardiac arrest. The consistently poor prognosis associated with certain ICU interventions should raise new awareness regarding limitations of medical therapy. These mortality statistics compel a critical re-examination of uniformly aggressive life support for the critically ill cirrhotic patient, a percentage of whom will not benefit from invasive measures.     

Outcome of patients having dermatomyositis admitted to the intensive care unit

Patients having systemic rheumatic diseases constitute a small percentage of admissions to the medical intensive care units (ICUs). Dermatomyositis (DM) is one of the rheumatic diseases that have secondary complications that may lead to a critical illness requiring hospitalization in the ICU. Herein, we present the features, clinical course, and outcome of critically ill patients having DM who were admitted to the ICU. The medical records of six DM patients admitted to the ICU in a large tertiary hospital in a 12-year period were reviewed. The mean age of patients at time of admission to the ICU was 38 (range 16–37). Mean disease duration from diagnosis to admission to the ICU was 1.6 years (range 1 month–8 years), while the main reason for admission to the ICU was acute respiratory failure. Two of six patients died during the hospitalization. The main causes of death were respiratory complications and sepsis. The outcome of DM patients admitted to the ICU was generally not different from the outcome of other patients hospitalized in the ICU. The main reason for hospitalization was acute respiratory failure. As there are many reasons for respiratory failure in DM, an early diagnosis and aggressive appropriate treatment may help to further reduce the mortality in these patients.     

Determinants of outcome in elderly patients admitted to the intensive care unit

BACKGROUND: Age is thought to be strongly associated with intensive care outcomes, but this relationship may be confounded by many clinical variables. OBJECTIVES: To compare clinical characteristics of elderly patients (> or = 65 years) admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with those in younger patients and to identify the risk factors which independently could predict mortality in patients aged > or = 75 years. DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study. SETTING: Medical-surgical ICU in a university hospital. SUBJECTS: 2,067 adult patients admitted to the ICU. METHODS: Comparison of clinical characteristics of patients divided into groups according to their age. RESULTS: Elderly patients comprised 51% of the study population. Compared with younger patients, elderly patients were more severely ill on admission, had shock and renal dysfunction. The presence of infection on admission and the incidence rate of infection acquired during stay in the ICU also significantly increased with age. Hospital mortality increased with age: for patients aged > or = 75 years, it was more than double that of patients aged <65 years (39% versus 19%, P < 0.001). Using multivariate logistic regression analysis we determined the independent risk factors of hospital mortality for the patients aged > or = 75 years: impaired level of consciousness, infection on admission, ICU-acquired infection and severity of illness score. CONCLUSIONS: Morbidity and mortality in elderly patients admitted to the ICU are higher than in younger patients. The most important factors independently associated with the highest risk of death are the severity of illness, impaired level of consciousness and infection.     

Outcome of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis admitted to the intensive care unit

This retrospective study describes the clinical course of 38 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). There were 25 males and 13 females who were the mean age of 68.3 +/- 11.5 years. Twenty patients were on corticosteroids at the time of admission to the hospital, and 24 had been on home oxygen therapy. The most common reason for ICU admission was respiratory failure. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation III-predicted ICU and hospital mortality rates were 12% and 26%, whereas the actual ICU and hospital mortality rates were 45% and 61%, respectively. We did not find significant differences in pulmonary function or echocardiogram findings between survivors and nonsurvivors. Mechanical ventilation was used in 19 patients (50%). Sepsis developed in nine patients. Multiple organ failure developed in 14% of the survivors and in 43% of the nonsurvivors (p = 0.14). Ninety-two percent of the hospital survivors died at a median of 2 months after discharge. These findings suggest that patients with IPF admitted to the ICU have poor short- and long-term prognosis. Patients with IPF and their families should be informed about the overall outlook when they make decisions about life support and ICU care.     

Predictors of outcome in patients with hematologic malignancies admitted to the intensive care unit

Purpose

Several studies showed conflicting results about prognosis and predictors of outcome of critically ill patients with hematological malignancies (HM). The aim of this study is to determine the hospital outcome of critically ill patients with HM and the factors predicting the outcome.

Audit of patients with severe acute pancreatitis admitted to an intensive care unit

Background

Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a disease with high morbidity and mortality. We undertook a study of patients with SAP admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary referral hospital.

Methods

Between 2002 and 2007, 50 patients with SAP were admitted in our intensive care unit (ICU). Data were collected from their medical records and their clinical profile, course and outcome were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were categorized into survivor and nonsurvivor groups, and were further classified based on interventions such as percutaneous drainage and surgical necrosectomy.

Results

SAP contributed 5?% of total ICU admissions during the study period. Median age of survivors (n?=?20) was 34 against 44?years in nonsurvivors (n?=?30). Median Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score in nonsurvivors was 16.5 (8?C32) vs. 12.5 (5?C20) in survivors (p?=?0.002). Patients with APACHE II score ??12 had mortality >80?% compared to 23?% with score <12 (p?<?0.001). Median Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores on admission and on days 3, 7, 14, and 21 were significantly higher in nonsurvivors compared to survivors (p?<?0.05). Mean (SD) intraabdominal pressure was 23 (3.37) mmHg in nonsurvivors vs. 19.05 (2.51) in survivors (p?<?0.05). Patients with renal failure had significant mortality (p?<?0.001). Length of ICU stay, requirement for vasopressor, total parenteral nutrition, and the amount of blood and blood product transfusions differed significantly between patients with and without intervention.

Conclusions

APACHE II and SOFA scores and other clinical data correlated with outcome in SAP admitted to ICU.     

Hospital survival of older patients admitted to a medical intensive care unit

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: It is not well-known whether age or the severity of underlying conditions affects mortality in critically ill patients. The aim of this study was therefore to determine whether age is an independent predictor of hospital survival for critically ill patients. METHODS: Patients consecutively admitted to the intensive care unit from December 1 1999 to July 31 2001 were included in the study. Patients were stratified into 3 groups (< or = 65 years old, 66-75 years old, > 75 years old) and were compared, by both bivariate and multivariate analyses, to ascertain whether older critically ill patients had poorer hospital survival than younger patients. RESULTS: Of 331 patients, 178 (53.8%) patients were < or = 65 years old, 100 (30.2%) were 66-75 years old, and 53 (16%) were > 75 years old. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that older age, presence of fatal comorbidities, mechanical ventilation, central venous catheterization, and higher acute physiology and chronic health evaluation score II (excluding the score obtained from age) were independent predictors of hospital mortality in the study population. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that patients < or = 65 years old had better hospital survival than older patients (p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Older critically ill patients have poorer hospital survival than patients < or = 65 years old, when other confounding factors such as disease severity score, invasive procedures and comorbidities were controlled for.     

Prognosis and outcome of 26 patients with systemic necrotizing vasculitis admitted to the intensive care unit

OBJECTIVES: To investigate presenting features, prognostic factors and outcomes of patients with systemic necrotizing vasculitis (SNV) admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all 210 SNV patients followed in our university hospital and admitted to the ICU between 1982 and 2001, with respect to clinical features, ICU disease severity scores (APACHE II and SAPS II), the Birmingham vasculitis activity score (BVAS), the five-factors score (FFS) and outcomes. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients (16 men, 10 women) with a mean age of 46.3+/-16.5 yr were included. The reasons for ICU admission were: active SNV, 20 (77%); infection, 3 (12%); others, 3 (12%). SNV was diagnosed in 11 (42%) patients in the ICU. The mean APACHE II and SAPS II scores were significantly higher for patients who died in the ICU (P = 0.01 and P = 0.01 respectively). After a mean follow-up of 31.4+/-29.2 months, the overall mortality rate was 39% (10 patients). Among patients admitted to the ICU with active SNV, BVAS calculated at ICU admission was significantly higher for non-survivors at the end of follow-up (26.9+/-13.0 vs 14.7+/-4.6, P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: The main reason for admitting SNV patients to the ICU was active vasculitis, which was often the first manifestation of SNV and led to its diagnosis. ICU disease severity scores at admission were associated with mortality in the ICU but did not predict long-term outcome, unlike BVAS, which accurately predicted long-term outcome but not ICU prognosis for patients admitted to the ICU with active SNV.     

Implications of COPD in patients admitted to the intensive care unit by community-acquired pneumonia.

The mortality rate of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is reported to be low. However, studies carried out to date have included <20% of critically ill patients. The current authors performed a secondary analysis of a prospective study evaluating 428 immunocompetent patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for severe CAP. In total, 176 COPD patients were compared with 252 non-COPD patients. In COPD patients, ICU mortality (odds ratio (OR) 1.58; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.43) and mechanical ventilation (OR 2.78; 95% CI 1.63-4.74) rates were higher than in non-COPD patients. The ICU mortality was 39% for COPD patients initially intubated and 50% for those who failed noninvasive ventilation. The proportion of patients who were males, aged >/=70 yrs, smokers and who had chronic heart disease or Pseudomonas aeruginosa were higher in COPD patients. Inappropriate empirical antibiotic therapy was associated with higher mortality (OR 3.8; 95% CI 1.19-12.6). ICU mortality in COPD patients with adequate therapy was associated with bilateral pneumonia (OR 2.32; 95% CI 1.18-4.53) and shock (OR 3.53; 95% CI 1.31-9.71). In conclusion, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients hospitalised with community-acquired pneumonia in the intensive care unit had higher mortality and need of mechanical ventilation when compared with patients without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.     

Prognostic factors of mortality in Iranian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus admitted to intensive care unit

The aim was to determine the course, outcome, and determinants of mortality in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in intensive care unit (ICU). SLE patients admitted to ICU from 2004 to 2015 were recruited retrospectively. Demographic data, disease characteristics, causes of admission, baseline SLE disease activity index-2K (SLEDAI-2K) and Acute Physiologic and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE) score, the outcome, and the causes of death were recorded. Predictors of mortality were compared between alive and dead patients by Cox regression analysis. Ninety-four patients with SLE were enrolled. Mean age at the time of ICU admission was 29.6 years. Average scores of SLEDAI and APACHE II were 11.3 and 19.8, respectively. The most common causes of ICU admission were pneumonia, diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH), and seizure. Forty-seven patients (50%) died in ICU. The principal causes of death were septic shock (25.5%), multi-organ failure (12.5%), DAH (10.6%), and pneumonia (10.6%). After multivariate analysis, high APACHE II, septic shock, and duration of mechanical ventilation were indicators of survival outcome. Mean (95% CI) survival days in ICU in patients with and without respiratory failure were 14.6 (10.4–18.9) and 28.7 (17.9–39.5) days, respectively (P = 0.001). This figure for those with and without septic shock was 13.5 (4.9–11.1) and 22.3 (9.3–24.7) days, respectively (P = 0.016). High APACHE II, septic shock, and duration of mechanical ventilation were the main predictors of death in patients with SLE in ICU. Multicenter studies are needed to draw a fine picture of SLE behavior in ICU.     

RIFLE classification as predictive factor of mortality in patients with cirrhosis admitted to intensive care unit

Background and Aim:  To evaluate the association of the Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss and End-stage renal failure (RIFLE) score on mortality in patients with decompensated cirrhosis admitted to intensive care unit (ICU).
Methods:  A cohort of 412 patients with cirrhosis consecutively admitted to ICU was classified according to the RIFLE score. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the factors associated with mortality. Liver-specific, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) and RIFLE scores on admission, were compared by receiver–operator characteristic curves.
Results:  The overall mortality during ICU stay or within 6 weeks after discharge from ICU was 61.2%, but decreased over time (76% during first interval, 1989–1992 vs 50% during the last, 2005–2006, P  < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that RIFLE score (odds ratio: 2.1, P  < 0.001) was an independent factor significantly associated with mortality. Although SOFA had the best discrimination (area under receiver–operator characteristic curve = 0.84), and the APACHE II had the best calibration, the RIFLE score had the best sensitivity (90%) to predict death in patients during follow up.
Conclusions:  RIFLE score was significantly associated with mortality, confirming the importance of renal failure in this large cohort of patients with cirrhosis admitted to ICU, but it is less useful than other scores.     

Hepatocyte growth factor and cardiovascular thrombosis in patients admitted to the intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been reported as a marker of atherosclerosis and of thrombi synthesis, but the relationship between HGF and proven coronary thrombi has not been described. The aim of this study was to investigate this relationship in patients with chest pain. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study group comprised 107 patients with chest pain (61 acute myocardial infarction (AMI), 18 unstable angina, 15 stable angina, and 13 others; 65 males, 42 females; 66+/-11 years old). The presence of thrombi was evaluated by angiography, intravascular ultrasonography, angioscopy, and computed tomography. Serum HGF concentrations were measured using a new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum HGF was significantly higher in the patients with AMI (335.0 +/-197.5 pg/ml), unstable angina (269.1+/-152.7 pg/ml), acute aortic dissection (320.3+/-116.5 pg/ml), and pulmonary thromboembolism (292.5+/-101.9 pg/ml), than in those with stable angina (171.2+/-56.1 pg/ml). Serum HGF concentration was also higher in those patients with proven thrombi than in those patients without (326.7+/-189.7 pg/ml vs 226.9+/-110.8 pg/ml). CONCLUSION: Increased serum HGF concentrations correlate with the presence of thrombi in patients with acute coronary syndrome, acute aortic dissection, and pulmonary thromboembolism.     

重症监护病房系统性红斑狼疮患者预后因素分析

Objective To analyze the outcomes and prognostic factors associated with the death of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Methods During June 1996 to June 2007, all SLE patients admitted to the ICU were included. Patients were excluded if the diagnosis of SLE was established at or after ICU admission. A multivariate logistic regression model was applied using variables that were associated with death in the univariate analysis. Results A total of 101 patients meeting the criteria were included. The mortality rate was 48.6%. The most common causes of admission was lung disorder with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that SLICC/ACR DI>7.7 (OR=6.87), APACHE Ⅲ≥21 (OR=29.8), lung disorders with ARDS (OR =55.81 ), septic shock (OR =32.22 ), intracranial haemorrhage (OR =57.35 ), hypocytopenia (OR = 5.89), mean equivalent prednisone dose>25 mg/d (OR=7.65) and prolonged tracheal intubation (OR=5.98) were signi-ficantly associated with death. Whereas sex, age, SLEDAI >27, gastrointestinal bleeding, the cumulative dosage of CTX higher than 1.0 g, pulse intravenous methylprednisolone therapy were not associated with death. Conclusion The mortality rate of critically ill SLE patients in ICU is very high. SLICC/ACR DI> 7.7, APACHE Ⅲ≥21, lung disorders with ARDS, septic shock, intracraniai haemorrhage, average prednisone equivalent dosage higher than 25mg/d and prolonged tracheal intubation (longer than 4 days) are negative prognostic factors in SLE patients admitted to the ICU.     

重症监护病房系统性红斑狼疮患者预后因素分析

Objective To analyze the outcomes and prognostic factors associated with the death of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Methods During June 1996 to June 2007, all SLE patients admitted to the ICU were included. Patients were excluded if the diagnosis of SLE was established at or after ICU admission. A multivariate logistic regression model was applied using variables that were associated with death in the univariate analysis. Results A total of 101 patients meeting the criteria were included. The mortality rate was 48.6%. The most common causes of admission was lung disorder with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that SLICC/ACR DI>7.7 (OR=6.87), APACHE Ⅲ≥21 (OR=29.8), lung disorders with ARDS (OR =55.81 ), septic shock (OR =32.22 ), intracranial haemorrhage (OR =57.35 ), hypocytopenia (OR = 5.89), mean equivalent prednisone dose>25 mg/d (OR=7.65) and prolonged tracheal intubation (OR=5.98) were signi-ficantly associated with death. Whereas sex, age, SLEDAI >27, gastrointestinal bleeding, the cumulative dosage of CTX higher than 1.0 g, pulse intravenous methylprednisolone therapy were not associated with death. Conclusion The mortality rate of critically ill SLE patients in ICU is very high. SLICC/ACR DI> 7.7, APACHE Ⅲ≥21, lung disorders with ARDS, septic shock, intracraniai haemorrhage, average prednisone equivalent dosage higher than 25mg/d and prolonged tracheal intubation (longer than 4 days) are negative prognostic factors in SLE patients admitted to the ICU.