Venous thromboembolism (VTE), including pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep venous thrombosis (DVT), is a common and severe complication of critical illness. Although well documented in the general ...population, the prevalence of PE is less known in the ICU, where it is more difficult to diagnose and to treat. Critically ill patients are at high risk of VTE because they combine both general risk factors together with specific ICU risk factors of VTE, like sedation, immobilization, vasopressors or central venous catheter. Compression ultrasonography and computed tomography (CT) scan are the primary tools to diagnose DVT and PE, respectively, in the ICU. CT scan, as well as transesophageal echography, are good for evaluating the severity of PE. Thromboprophylaxis is needed in all ICU patients, mainly with low molecular weight heparin, such as fragmine, which can be used even in cases of non-severe renal failure. Mechanical thromboprophylaxis has to be used if anticoagulation is not possible. Nevertheless, VTE can occur despite well-conducted thromboprophylaxis.
Summary Background Reduced duration of antibiotic treatment might contain the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria in intensive care units. We aimed to establish the effectiveness of an ...algorithm based on the biomarker procalcitonin to reduce antibiotic exposure in this setting. Methods In this multicentre, prospective, parallel-group, open-label trial, we used an independent, computer-generated randomisation sequence to randomly assign patients in a 1:1 ratio to procalcitonin (n=311 patients) or control (n=319) groups; investigators were masked to assignment before, but not after, randomisation. For the procalcitonin group, antibiotics were started or stopped based on predefined cut-off ranges of procalcitonin concentrations; the control group received antibiotics according to present guidelines. Drug selection and the final decision to start or stop antibiotics were at the discretion of the physician. Patients were expected to stay in the intensive care unit for more than 3 days, had suspected bacterial infections, and were aged 18 years or older. Primary endpoints were mortality at days 28 and 60 (non-inferiority analysis), and number of days without antibiotics by day 28 (superiority analysis). Analyses were by intention to treat. The margin of non-inferiority was 10%. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , number NCT00472667. Findings Nine patients were excluded from the study; 307 patients in the procalcitonin group and 314 in the control group were included in analyses. Mortality of patients in the procalcitonin group seemed to be non-inferior to those in the control group at day 28 (21·2% 65/307 vs 20·4% 64/314; absolute difference 0·8%, 90% CI −4·6 to 6·2) and day 60 (30·0% 92/307 vs 26·1% 82/314; 3·8%, −2·1 to 9·7). Patients in the procalcitonin group had significantly more days without antibiotics than did those in the control group (14·3 days SD 9·1 vs 11·6 days SD 8·2; absolute difference 2·7 days, 95% CI 1·4 to 4·1, p<0·0001). Interpretation A procalcitonin-guided strategy to treat suspected bacterial infections in non-surgical patients in intensive care units could reduce antibiotic exposure and selective pressure with no apparent adverse outcomes. Funding Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, France, and Brahms, Germany.
When patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome are moved out of an intensive care unit, the ventilator often requires changing. This procedure suppresses positive end expiratory pressure and ...promotes lung derecruitment. Clamping the endotracheal tube may prevent this from occurring. Whether or not such clamping maintains positive end-expiratory pressure has never been investigated. We designed a bench study to explore this further.
We used the Elysee 350 ventilator in 'volume controlled' mode with a positive end-expiratory pressure of 15 cmH2O, connected to an endotracheal tube with an 8 mm internal diameter inserted into a lung model with 40 ml/cmH2O compliance and 10 cmH2O/L/s resistance. We measured airway pressure and flow between the distal end of the endotracheal tube and the lung model. We tested a plastic, a metal, and an Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation clamp, each with an oral/nasal, a nasal, and a reinforced endotracheal tube. We performed an end-expiratory hold then clamped the endotracheal tube and disconnected the ventilator. We measured the change in airway pressure and volume for 30 s following the disconnection of the ventilator.
Airway pressure decreased thirty seconds after disconnection with all combinations of clamp and endotracheal tube. The largest fall in airway pressure (-17.486 cmH2O/s at 5 s and -18.834 cmH2O/s at 30 s) was observed with the plastic clamp combined with the reinforced endotracheal tube. The smallest decrease in airway pressure (0 cmH2O/s at 5 s and -0.163 cmH2O/s at 30 s) was observed using the Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation clamp with the nasal endotracheal tube.
Only the Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation clamp was efficient. Even with an Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation clamp, it is important to limit the duration the ventilator is disconnected to a few seconds (ideally 5 s).
Encephalitis caused by anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antibodies is the leading cause of immune-mediated encephalitis. There are limited data on intensive care unit (ICU) management of ...these patients.
To identify prognostic factors of good neurologic outcome in patients admitted to an ICU with anti-NMDAR encephalitis.
This was an observational multicenter study of all consecutive adult patients diagnosed with anti-NMDAR encephalitis at the French National Reference Centre, admitted to an ICU between 2008 and 2014. The primary outcome was a good neurologic outcome at 6 months after ICU admission, defined by a modified Rankin Scale score of 0-2.
Seventy-seven patients were included from 52 ICUs. First-line immunotherapy consisted of steroids (n = 61/74; 82%), intravenous immunoglobulins (n = 71/74; 96%), and plasmapheresis (n = 17/74; 23%). Forty-five (61%) patients received second-line immunotherapy (cyclophosphamide, rituximab, or both). At 6 months, 57% of patients had a good neurologic outcome. Independent factors of good neurologic outcome were early (≤8 d after ICU admission) immunotherapy (odds ratio, 16.16; 95% confidence interval, 3.32-78.64; for combined first-line immunotherapy with steroids and intravenous immunoglobulins vs. late immunotherapy), and a low white blood cell count on the first cerebrospinal examination (odds ratio, 9.83 for <5 vs. >50 cells/mm
; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-90.65). Presence of nonneurologic organ failures at ICU admission and occurrence of status epilepticus during ICU stay were not associated with neurologic outcome.
The prognosis of adult patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis requiring intensive care is good, especially when immunotherapy is initiated early, advocating for prompt diagnosis and early aggressive treatment.
In severe COVID-19 pneumonia, the appropriate timing and dosing of corticosteroids (CS) is not known. Patient subgroups for which CS could be more beneficial also need appraisal. The aim of this ...study was to assess the effect of early CS in COVID-19 pneumonia patients admitted to the ICU on the occurrence of 60-day mortality, ICU-acquired-bloodstream infections(ICU-BSI), and hospital-acquired pneumonia and ventilator-associated pneumonia(HAP-VAP). We included patients with COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to 11 ICUs belonging to the French OutcomeRea.sup.TM network from January to May 2020. We used survival models with ponderation with inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). The study population comprised 303 patients having a median age of 61.6 (53-70) years of whom 78.8% were male and 58.6% had at least one comorbidity. The median SAPS II was 33 (25-44). Invasive mechanical ventilation was required in 34.8% of the patients. Sixty-six (21.8%) patients were in the Early-C subgroup. Overall, 60-day mortality was 29.4%. The risks of 60-day mortality (.sub.IPTW HR = 0.86;95% CI 0.54 to 1.35, p = 0.51), ICU-BSI and HAP-VAP were similar in the two groups. Importantly, early CS treatment was associated with a lower mortality rate in patients aged 60 years or more (.sub.IPTW HR, 0.53;95% CI, 0.3-0.93; p = 0.03). In contrast, CS was associated with an increased risk of death in patients younger than 60 years without inflammation on admission (.sub.IPTW HR = 5.01;95% CI, 1.05, 23.88; p = 0.04). For patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, early CS treatment was not associated with patient survival. Interestingly, inflammation and age can significantly influence the effect of CS.
Increasing experimental evidence suggests that acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) may promote AKI. The primary objective of this study was to assess ARDS as a risk factor for AKI in ...critically ill patients.
This was an observational study on a prospective database fed by 18 intensive care units (ICUs). Patients with ICU stays >24 hours were enrolled over a 14-year period. ARDS was defined using the Berlin criteria and AKI was defined using the Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss of kidney function, and End-stage kidney disease criteria. Patients with AKI before ARDS onset were excluded.
This study enrolled 8029 patients, including 1879 patients with ARDS. AKI occurred in 31.3% of patients and was more common in patients with ARDS (44.3% versus 27.4% in patients without ARDS; P<0.001). After adjustment for confounders, both mechanical ventilation without ARDS (odds ratio OR, 4.34; 95% confidence interval 95% CI, 3.71 to 5.10) and ARDS (OR, 11.01; 95% CI, 6.83 to 17.73) were independently associated with AKI. Hospital mortality was 14.2% (n=1140) and was higher in patients with ARDS (27.9% versus 10.0% in patients without ARDS; P<0.001) and in patients with AKI (27.6% versus 8.1% in those without AKI; P<0.001). AKI was associated with higher mortality in patients with ARDS (42.3% versus 20.2%; P<0.001).
ARDS was independently associated with AKI. This study suggests that ARDS should be considered as a risk factor for AKI in critically ill patients.
Although short- and long-term survival in critically ill patients with cancer has been described, data on their quality of life (QoL) after an intensive care unit (ICU) stay are scarce. This study ...aimed to determine the impact of an ICU stay on QoL assessed at 3 months in patients with solid malignancies.
A prospective case-control study was conducted in three French ICUs between February 2020 and February 2021. Adult patients with lung, colorectal, or head and neck cancer who were admitted in the ICU were matched in a 1:2 ratio with patients who were not admitted in the ICU regarding their type of cancer, curative or palliative anticancer treatment, and treatment line. The primary endpoint was the QoL assessed at 3 months from inclusion using the mental and physical components of the Short Form 36 (SF-36) Health Survey. The use of anticancer therapies at 3 months was also evaluated.
In total, 23 surviving ICU cancer patients were matched with 46 non-ICU cancer patients. Four patients in the ICU group did not respond to the questionnaire. The mental component score of the SF-36 was higher in ICU patients than in non-ICU patients: median of 54 (interquartile range: 42-57) vs. 47 (37-52), respectively (p = 0.01). The physical component score of the SF-36 did not differ between groups: 35 (31-47) vs. 42 (34-47) (p = 0.24). In multivariate analysis, no association was found between patient QoL and an ICU stay. A good performance status and a non-metastatic cancer at baseline were independently associated with a higher physical component score. The use of anticancer therapies at 3 months was comparable between the two groups.
In patients with solid malignancies, an ICU stay had no negative impact on QoL at 3 months after discharge when compared with matched non-ICU patients.
Despite antiviral therapy (ART), 800,000 deaths still occur yearly and globally due to HIV infection. In parallel with the good virological control and the aging of this population, multiple ...comorbidities HIV-associated-non-AIDS (HANA) conditions may now be observed.
HIV adult patients hospitalized in intensive care unit (ICU) from all the French region from university and non-university hospital who participate to the OutcomeRea™ database on a voluntary basis over a 24-year period.
Of the 24,298 stays registered, 630 (2.6%) were a first ICU stay for HIV patients. Over time, the mean age and number of comorbidities (diabetes, renal and respiratory history, solid neoplasia) of patients increased. The proportion of HIV diagnosed on ICU admission decreased significantly, while the median duration of HIV disease as well as the percentage of ART-treated patients increased. The distribution of main reasons for admission remained stable over time (acute respiratory distress > shock > coma). We observed a significant drop in the rate of active opportunistic infection on admission, while the rate of active hemopathy (newly diagnosed or relapsed within the last 6 months prior to admission to ICU) qualifying for AIDS increased-nonsignificantly-with a significant increase in the anticancer chemotherapy administration in ICU. Admissions for HANA or non-HIV reasons were stable over time. In multivariate analysis, predictors of 60-day mortality were advanced age, chronic liver disease, past chemotherapy, sepsis-related organ failure assessment score > 4 at admission, hospitalization duration before ICU admission > 24 h, AIDS status, but not the period of admission.
Whereas the profile of ICU-admitted HIV patients has evolved over time (HIV better controlled but more associated comorbidities), mortality risk factors remain stable, including AIDS status.
Purpose
Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) had proven benefits in clinical trials that included selected patients admitted to highly skilled centers. Whether these benefits apply to every patient and in ...everyday practice deserves appraisal. The aim of the study was to assess the use and outcomes of NIV over the last 15 years.
Methods
Multicenter database study of critically ill patients who required ventilatory support for acute respiratory failure between 1997 and 2011. The impact of first-line NIV on 60-day mortality was evaluated using a marginal structural model. Follow-up was censored on day 60.
Results
Of 3,163 patients, 1,232 (39 %) received NIV. Over the study period, first-line NIV increased from 29 to 42 %, and NIV success rates increased from 69 to 84 %. NIV decreased 60-day mortality adjusted hazard ratio (aHR), 0.75; 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI), 0.68–0.83;
P
< 0.0001. This protective effect was observed in patients with acute-on-chronic respiratory failure (aHR, 0.71; 95 % CI, 0.57–0.90;
P
= 0.004), but not in patients with cardiogenic pulmonary edema (aHR, 0.85; 95 % CI, 0.70–1.03;
P
= 0.10) or in patients with hypoxemic ARF, either immunocompetent (aHR, 1.18; 95 % CI, 0.87–1.59;
P
= 0.30) or immunocompromised (aHR, 0.89; 95 % CI, 0.70–1.13;
P
= 0.35). NIV failure was an independent time-dependent risk factor for mortality (aHR, 4.2; 95 % CI, 2.8–6.2;
P
< 0.0001).
Conclusions
The use of NIV increased steadily over the study period. First-line NIV was associated with better 60-day survival and fewer ICU-acquired infections compared to first-line intubation. Survival benefits from NIV occurred only in patients with acute-on-chronic respiratory failure and immunocompromised patients.
Most vascular catheter-related infections (CRIs) occur extraluminally in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Chlorhexidine-impregnated and strongly adherent dressings may decrease catheter ...colonization and CRI rates.
To determine if chlorhexidine-impregnated and strongly adherent dressings decrease catheter colonization and CRI rates.
In a 2:1:1 assessor-masked randomized trial in patients with vascular catheters inserted for an expected duration of 48 hours or more in 12 French ICUs, we compared chlorhexidine dressings, highly adhesive dressings, and standard dressings from May 2010 to July 2011. Coprimary endpoints were major CRI with or without catheter-related bloodstream infection (CR-BSI) with chlorhexidine versus nonchlorhexidine dressings and catheter colonization rate with highly adhesive nonchlorhexidine versus standard nonchlorhexidine dressings. Catheter-colonization, CR-BSIs, and skin reactions were secondary endpoints.
A total of 1,879 patients (4,163 catheters and 34,339 catheter-days) were evaluated. With chlorhexidine dressings, the major-CRI rate was 67% lower (0.7 per 1,000 vs. 2.1 per 1,000 catheter-days; hazard ratio HR, 0.328; 95% confidence interval CI, 0.174-0.619; P = 0.0006) and the CR-BSI rate 60% lower (0.5 per 1,000 vs. 1.3 per 1,000 catheter-days; HR, 0.402; 95% CI, 0.186-0.868; P = 0.02) than with nonchlorhexidine dressings; decreases were noted in catheter colonization and skin colonization rates at catheter removal. The contact dermatitis rate was 1.1% with and 0.29% without chlorhexidine. Highly adhesive dressings decreased the detachment rate to 64.3% versus 71.9% (P < 0.0001) and the number of dressings per catheter to two (one to four) versus three (one to five) (P < 0.0001) but increased skin colonization (P < 0.0001) and catheter colonization (HR, 1.650; 95% CI, 1.21-2.26; P = 0.0016) without influencing CRI or CR-BSI rates.
A large randomized trial demonstrated that chlorhexidine-gel-impregnated dressings decreased the CRI rate in patients in the ICU with intravascular catheters. Highly adhesive dressings decreased dressing detachment but increased skin and catheter colonization. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 01189682).
PDF
