Knowledge and awareness of infection control practices among nursing professionals: A cross-sectional survey from South Asia and the Middle East.

BACKGROUND: The proficiency of nursing professionals in the infection prevention and control (IPC) practices is a core component of the strategy to mitigate the challenge of healthcare associated infections. AIM: To test knowledge of nurses working in intensive care units (ICU) in South Asia and Middle East countries on IPC practices. METHODS: An online self-assessment questionnaire based on various aspects of IPC practices was conducted among nurses over three weeks. RESULTS: A total of 1333 nurses from 13 countries completed the survey. The average score was 72.8% and 36% of nurses were proficient (mean score > 80%). 43% and 68.3% of respondents were from government and teaching hospitals, respectively. 79.2% of respondents worked in < 25 bedded ICUs and 46.5% in closed ICUs. Statistically, a significant association was found between the knowledge and expertise of nurses, the country's per-capita income, type of hospitals, accreditation and teaching status of hospitals and type of ICUs. Working in high- and upper-middle-income countries (ß = 4.89, 95%CI: 3.55 to 6.22) was positively associated, and the teaching status of the hospital (ß = -4.58, 95%CI: -6.81 to -2.36) was negatively associated with the knowledge score among respondents. CONCLUSION: There is considerable variation in knowledge among nurses working in ICU. Factors like income status of countries, public vs private and teaching status of hospitals and experience are independently associated with nurses' knowledge of IPC practices.

Diaphragm Electromyography Versus Ultrasonography in the Prediction of Mechanical Ventilation Liberation Outcome.

BACKGROUND: ICU-acquired diaphragm paresis occurs in about 25% of patients after prolonged mechanical ventilation. Diaphragm function can be evaluated via several approaches including monitoring of electrical activity of diaphragm (electromyography [EMG]) or ultrasound (US) measurements. We aimed to assess the usefulness of diaphragm EMG indices in predicting liberation outcome in comparison with diaphragm US measurements. METHODS: We included consecutive subjects invasively ventilated for > 48 h for acute respiratory failure and who were considered ready to undergo a spontaneous breathing trial (SBT). Exclusion criteria were age < 18 y, pregnancy, tracheostomy, or patients with confirmed neuromuscular diseases. To start the SBT, we set pressure support to 0 cm H2O and PEEP to 5 cm H2O. During the initial 5 min of SBT, mean values of Δ electrical activity of the diaphragm (ΔEAdi) (EAdi peak - EAdi minimal), tidal volume (VT), and breathing frequency were measured. Neuroventilatory efficiency was calculated as VT divided by ΔEAdi. Rapid shallow breathing index was calculated as breathing frequency divided by VT. US examination of the diaphragm and assessment of diaphragmatic excursion (DE) and diaphragm thickening fraction (DTF) were recorded 30 min after initiation of SBT. RESULTS: Twenty-four subjects were included; DTF predicted weaning failure with area under the curve 0.96 and P value < .001 with sensitivity 100% and specificity 94% for the cutoff value ≤ 15%. DE for the cutoff ≤ 1.56 cm showed sensitivity 75% and specificity 69%, whereas ΔEAdi with cutoff value ≤ 4 µV showed sensitivity 25% and specificity 100%. Neuroventilatory efficiency with cutoff value ≤ 29 mL/µV showed sensitivity 50% and specificity 81%. All 3 parameters showed nonsignificant results with area under the curve 0.73, 0.56, and 0.62 and P values .08, .65, and .34, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Diaphragm EMG indices were inferior to diaphragm ultrasonography in prediction of mechanical ventilation liberation outcome.

Basic ultrasound head-to-toe skills for intensivists in the general and neuro intensive care unit population: consensus and expert recommendations of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine.

PURPOSE: To provide consensus, and a list of experts' recommendations regarding the basic skills for head-to-toe ultrasonography in the intensive care setting. METHODS: The Executive Committee of the European Society of Intensive Care (ESICM) commissioned the project and supervised the methodology and structure of the consensus. We selected an international panel of 19 expert clinicians-researchers in intensive care unit (ICU) with expertise in critical care ultrasonography (US), plus a non-voting methodologist. The panel was divided into five subgroups (brain, lung, heart, abdomen and vascular ultrasound) which identified the domains and generated a list of questions to be addressed by the panel. A Delphi process based on an iterative approach was used to obtain the final consensus statements. Statements were classified as a strong recommendation (84% of agreement), weak recommendation (74% of agreement), and no recommendation (less than 74%), in favor or against. RESULTS: This consensus produced a total of 74 statements (7 for brain, 20 for lung, 20 for heart, 20 for abdomen, 7 for vascular Ultrasound). We obtained strong agreement in favor for 49 statements (66.2%), 8 weak in favor (10.8%), 3 weak against (4.1%), and no consensus in 14 cases (19.9%). In most cases when consensus was not obtained, it was felt that the skills were considered as too advanced. A research agenda and discussion on training programs were implemented from the results of the consensus. CONCLUSIONS: This consensus provides guidance for the basic use of critical care US and paves the way for the development of training and research projects.

Can the cerebral regional oxygen saturation be a perfusion parameter in shock?

INTRODUCTION: Shock, defined as a state of tissue hypoperfusion and the tissues reperfusion, is the main goal of management of shock. Increase in central venous saturation (CvSo2) and decrease in blood lactate level are useful in assessment of adequacy of tissue perfusion. Near-infrared spectroscopy is a noninvasive way to observe real-time changes in regional cerebral saturation and has been used in patients with different brain diseases. There is a small body of literature suggesting that cerebral regional oxygen saturation (CrSo2) monitoring added a value in assessment and management of intensive care unit (ICU) patients. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine if CrSo2 can be used as an indicator of tissue perfusion in ICU patients with shock, and to determine the prognostic value of CrSo2 in survival prediction. METHODS: This is a prospective single-center pilot study entailed 20 patients who were diagnosed with shock admitted to adult ICU at King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The CrSo2 was monitored with near-infrared spectroscopy using Somatic, INVOS Oximeter 5100C (Covidien, Mansfield, Mass) with bilateral frontal electrode and mean value of the 2 readings was taken as well as blood lactate level, CvSo2, mean arterial blood pressure, and cardiac index at baseline time, 8, 24, 48, and 72 hours. All patients with history of cerebrovascular diseases and those who presented with neurological deficits were excluded from the study. RESULTS: Significant negative correlation was noticed between CrSo2 and lactic acid at 8, 24, 48, and 72 hours from admission (r=-0.625, -0.711, -0.745, and -0.722, respectively; P=.003, .001, .001, and .001, respectively). Significant positive correlation was noticed between CrSo2 and CvSo2 at 8, 24, 48, and 72 hours from admission (r=0.572, 0.674, 0.527, and 0.757; P=.008, .001, .017, and .001, respectively). In addition, significant positive correlation was found between CrSo2 and mean arterial pressure at 24, 48, and 72 hours from admission (r=0.523, 0.513, and 0.626, respectively; P=.018, .021, and .003, respectively). Significant difference was also detected between the value of CrSo2 in the survivors (12 patients) and the nonsurvivors (8 patients) after 72 hours from admission, as it was 52.58%±7.33% and 44.75%±9.44% (P=.049), whereas it was not significantly different in the first 3 days. CONCLUSIONS: Cerebral regional oxygen saturation might be helpful as one of the perfusion parameters in patients with shock and it could have a prognostic value in mortality prediction. However, further studies with larger sample size are still needed to validate these results.