Interpretable machine learning models for predicting the incidence of antibiotic- associated diarrhea in elderly ICU patients.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) can prolong hospitalization, increase medical costs, and even lead to higher mortality rates. Therefore, it is essential to predict the incidence of AAD in elderly intensive care unit(ICU) patients. The objective of this study was to create a prediction model that is both interpretable and generalizable for predicting the incidence of AAD in elderly ICU patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data from the First Medical Center of the People's Liberation Army General Hospital (PLAGH) in China. We utilized the machine learning model Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) and Shapley's additive interpretation method to predict the incidence of AAD in elderly ICU patients in an interpretable manner. RESULTS: A total of 848 adult ICU patients were eligible for this study. The XGBoost model predicted the incidence of AAD with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) of 0.917, sensitivity of 0.889, specificity of 0.806, accuracy of 0.870, and an F1 score of 0.780. The XGBoost model outperformed the other models, including logistic regression, support vector machine (AUC = 0.809), K-nearest neighbor algorithm (AUC = 0.872), and plain Bayes (AUC = 0.774). CONCLUSIONS: While the XGBoost model may not excel in absolute performance, it demonstrates superior predictive capabilities compared to other models in forecasting the incidence of AAD in elderly ICU patients categorized based on their characteristics.

Advances in the Application of AI Robots in Critical Care: Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: In recent epochs, the field of critical medicine has experienced significant advancements due to the integration of artificial intelligence (AI). Specifically, AI robots have evolved from theoretical concepts to being actively implemented in clinical trials and applications. The intensive care unit (ICU), known for its reliance on a vast amount of medical information, presents a promising avenue for the deployment of robotic AI, anticipated to bring substantial improvements to patient care. OBJECTIVE: This review aims to comprehensively summarize the current state of AI robots in the field of critical care by searching for previous studies, developments, and applications of AI robots related to ICU wards. In addition, it seeks to address the ethical challenges arising from their use, including concerns related to safety, patient privacy, responsibility delineation, and cost-benefit analysis. METHODS: Following the scoping review framework proposed by Arksey and O'Malley and the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, we conducted a scoping review to delineate the breadth of research in this field of AI robots in ICU and reported the findings. The literature search was carried out on May 1, 2023, across 3 databases: PubMed, Embase, and the IEEE Xplore Digital Library. Eligible publications were initially screened based on their titles and abstracts. Publications that passed the preliminary screening underwent a comprehensive review. Various research characteristics were extracted, summarized, and analyzed from the final publications. RESULTS: Of the 5908 publications screened, 77 (1.3%) underwent a full review. These studies collectively spanned 21 ICU robotics projects, encompassing their system development and testing, clinical trials, and approval processes. Upon an expert-reviewed classification framework, these were categorized into 5 main types: therapeutic assistance robots, nursing assistance robots, rehabilitation assistance robots, telepresence robots, and logistics and disinfection robots. Most of these are already widely deployed and commercialized in ICUs, although a select few remain under testing. All robotic systems and tools are engineered to deliver more personalized, convenient, and intelligent medical services to patients in the ICU, concurrently aiming to reduce the substantial workload on ICU medical staff and promote therapeutic and care procedures. This review further explored the prevailing challenges, particularly focusing on ethical and safety concerns, proposing viable solutions or methodologies, and illustrating the prospective capabilities and potential of AI-driven robotic technologies in the ICU environment. Ultimately, we foresee a pivotal role for robots in a future scenario of a fully automated continuum from admission to discharge within the ICU. CONCLUSIONS: This review highlights the potential of AI robots to transform ICU care by improving patient treatment, support, and rehabilitation processes. However, it also recognizes the ethical complexities and operational challenges that come with their implementation, offering possible solutions for future development and optimization.

Protective and immunomodulatory effects of mesenchymal stem cells on multiorgan injury in male rats with heatstroke.

Heatstroke (HS) causes multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) with a mortality rate of 60% after hospitalization. Currently, there is no effective and targeted approach for the treatment of HS. Despite growing evidence that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) may reduce multiorgan damage and improve survival through immunomodulatory effects in several diseases, no one has tested whether MSCs have immunomodulatory effects in heatstroke. The present study focused on pathological changes and levels of the cytokines and immunoglobulins to investigate the mechanisms underlying the protective effect and the anti-inflammatory effects of MSCs. We found that MSCs treatment significantly reduced the 28-day mortality rate (P < 0.05), the levels of hepatic and renal function markers on day 1 (P < 0.01) and the pathological lesion scores of multiple organs in HS rats. The levels of IgG1, IgM, and IgA of the HS + MSC group was significantly higher than that in HS group on days 3 and 28(P < 0.05). In conclusion, MSCs contribute to protecting against multiorgan injury, reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines, stabilizing immunoglobulins, and reducing the mortality rate of HS rats.

Missed diagnosis of acute kidney injury in older patients with invasive mechanical ventilation: a multicenter retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: Patients who undergo mechanical ventilation (MV) are at higher risk of suffering from acute kidney injury (AKI). However, whether AKI is diagnosed in all patients and the association between AKI and mortality are unclear. METHODS: This was a retrospective, observational, multicenter cohort study conducted from January 2008 to December 2020 that included 3271 consecutive older patients (≥ 75 years) who received invasive MV from four medical centers in Chinese PLA General Hospital. AKI was diagnosed according to the serum creatinine (Scr)-based Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes guidelines by an absolute increase in Scr of ≥ 26.5 µmol/L within the first 48 h of MV. The outcomes of patients with and without AKI and whether AKI was recognized were compared. RESULTS: A total of 1292 patients were included in the final evaluation. Three hundred seventy-six patients (29.1%) fulfilled the diagnostic criteria. Among the 376 AKI patients, the recognition rate and nonrecognition rate were 62.8% (236/376) and 37.2% (140/376), respectively. The overall 90-day mortality rate was 45.2% (584/1,292), which was dramatically increased in unrecognized AKI patients and recognized AKI compared to non-AKI patients (70.7% vs. 54.7% vs. 38.9%, respectively, P < 0.001). The survival of patients with recognized AKI was better than that of patients with unrecognized AKI. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that recognized AKI was significantly associated with mean arterial pressure, positive end-expiratory pressure, uric acid, baseline Scr, and peak Scr. AKI was identified as an independent predictor of all-cause 90-day mortality (recognized AKI vs. non-AKI: HR = 1.722; 95% CI = 1.399-2.119; P < 0.001 and unrecognized AKI vs. non-AKI: HR = 2.632; 95% CI = 2.081-3.329; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: AKI is a common complication in older patients undergoing MV, with substantial underdiagnosis and undertreatment. Interventions for improving the diagnosis of AKI are urgently needed.

Incidence and interaction factors of delirium as an independent risk of mortality in elderly patients in the intensive units: a retrospective analysis from MIMIC-IV database.

BACKGROUND: As delirium is a common problem in critcal elderly patients, the aim of the study was to investigate the interaction factors of delirium as an independent risk of mortality in elderly patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Elderly patients (age ≥ 65) were selected from Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-IV database. Demographics data were collected on the 1st day of admission to ICU. The main outcome is in-hospital mortality. Propensity score matching analysis (PSMA) was used to remove the influence of comfounding factors between survival and nonsurvival groups. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis was used to identify the association between delirium and in-hospital death. Stratified analysis and interaction analysis was used to evaluate the interaction factors of delirium as a risk of in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: 22,361 patients were selected, and in which 2809 patients died. 5453 patients had delirium (about 24.4%). There is a significant difference in delirium between the survival and nonsurvival groups before and after PSMA (p = 0.000 and p = 0.030). Logistic regression showed delirium, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), and hemoglobin were all significantly related to in-hospital death (p = 0.000). SOFA score and hemoglobin concentration were proved to be remarkable interaction factors of delirium (p = 0.000, and p = 0.041). Significant correlation between delirium and hospital mortality was inhibited when SOFA was more than 12 or hemoglobin was higher than 15 g/dL. In-hospital mortality (49.1% vs. 10.5%, p = 0.000) and shock incidence (87.9% vs. 15.8%, p = 0.000) of the patients with SOFA ≥ 12 was much higher than that of the patients with SOFA ≤ 11. CONCLUSION: SOFA and hemoglobin are interaction factors of delirium as an independent risk of in-hospital mortality in elderly patients in the intensive care unit.

Timing of renal replacement therapy initiation for acute kidney injury in critically ill patients: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common serious complication in critically ill patients. AKI occurs in up to 50% patients in intensive care unit (ICU), with poor clinical prognosis. Renal replacement therapy (RRT) has been widely used in critically ill patients with AKI. However, in patients without urgent indications such as acute pulmonary edema, severe acidosis, and severe hyperkalemia, the optimal timing of RRT initiation is still under debate. We conducted this systematic review of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis (TSA) to compare the effects of early RRT initiation versus delayed RRT initiation. METHODS: We searched databases (PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library) from inception through to July 20, 2020, to identify eligible RCTs. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality. Two authors extracted the data independently. When the I2 values < 25%, we used fixed-effect mode. Otherwise, the random effects model was used as appropriate. TSA was performed to control the risk of random errors and assess whether the results in our meta-analysis were conclusive. RESULTS: Eleven studies involving 5086 patients were identified. Two studies included patients with sepsis, one study included patients with shock after cardiac surgery, and eight others included mixed populations. The criteria for the initiation of RRT, the definition of AKI, and RRT modalities existed great variations among the studies. The median time of RRT initiation across studies ranged from 2 to 7.6 h in the early RRT group and 21 to 57 h in the delayed RRT group. The pooled results showed that early initiation of RRT could not decrease 28-day all-cause mortality compared with delayed RRT (RR 1.01; 95% CI 0.94-1.09; P = 0.77; I2 = 0%). TSA result showed that the required information size was 2949. The cumulative Z curve crossed the futility boundary and reached the required information size. In addition, early initiation of RRT could lead to unnecessary RRT exposure in some patients and was associated with a higher incidence of hypotension (RR 1.42; 95% CI 1.23-1.63; P < 0.00001; I2 = 8%) and RRT-associated infection events (RR 1.34; 95% CI 1.01-1.78; P = 0.04; I2 = 0%). CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis suggested that early initiation of RRT was not associated with survival benefit in critically ill patients with AKI. In addition, early initiation of RRT could lead to unnecessary RRT exposure in some patients, resulting in a waste of health resources and a higher incidence of RRT-associated adverse events. Maybe, only critically ill patients with a clear and hard indication, such as severe acidosis, pulmonary edema, and hyperkalemia, could benefit from early initiation of RRT.

Individualized resuscitation strategy for septic shock formalized by finite mixture modeling and dynamic treatment regimen.

BACKGROUND: Septic shock comprises a heterogeneous population, and individualized resuscitation strategy is of vital importance. The study aimed to identify subclasses of septic shock with non-supervised learning algorithms, so as to tailor resuscitation strategy for each class. METHODS: Patients with septic shock in 25 tertiary care teaching hospitals in China from January 2016 to December 2017 were enrolled in the study. Clinical and laboratory variables were collected on days 0, 1, 2, 3 and 7 after ICU admission. Subclasses of septic shock were identified by both finite mixture modeling and K-means clustering. Individualized fluid volume and norepinephrine dose were estimated using dynamic treatment regime (DTR) model to optimize the final mortality outcome. DTR models were validated in the eICU Collaborative Research Database (eICU-CRD) dataset. RESULTS: A total of 1437 patients with a mortality rate of 29% were included for analysis. The finite mixture modeling and K-means clustering robustly identified five classes of septic shock. Class 1 (baseline class) accounted for the majority of patients over all days; class 2 (critical class) had the highest severity of illness; class 3 (renal dysfunction) was characterized by renal dysfunction; class 4 (respiratory failure class) was characterized by respiratory failure; and class 5 (mild class) was characterized by the lowest mortality rate (21%). The optimal fluid infusion followed the resuscitation/de-resuscitation phases with initial large volume infusion and late restricted volume infusion. While class 1 transitioned to de-resuscitation phase on day 3, class 3 transitioned on day 1. Classes 1 and 3 might benefit from early use of norepinephrine, and class 2 can benefit from delayed use of norepinephrine while waiting for adequate fluid infusion. CONCLUSIONS: Septic shock comprises a heterogeneous population that can be robustly classified into five phenotypes. These classes can be easily identified with routine clinical variables and can help to tailor resuscitation strategy in the context of precise medicine.

Short-course versus long-course antibiotic treatment in patients with uncomplicated gram-negative bacteremia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Gram-negative bacteremia remains a major health problem around the world. The optimal duration of antibiotic treatment has been poorly defined, and there are significant differences of opinion between clinicians. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the clinical outcomes of short-course and long-course treatments in patients with uncomplicated gram-negative bacteremia. METHODS: We searched public databases (PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library) to identify eligible studies. The primary outcomes were all-cause mortality and the incidence of recurrent bacteremia through day 30. We used the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool to evaluate the risk of bias for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for non-RCTs. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Six studies involving 2689 patients were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. No significant difference was found between short-course and long-course antibiotic treatments in 30-day mortality (risk ratio [RR] 0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.65-1.13; P = .26), 30-day recurrent bacteremia (RR 1.07; 95% CI 0.68-1.67; P = .78), 90-day mortality (RR 0.84; 95% CI 0.57-1.24; P = .38), 90-day recurrent bacteremia (RR 0.98; 95% CI 0.50-1.89; P = .94), adverse events (RR 1.14; 95% CI 0.89-1.45; P = .30), Clostridium difficile infection (RR 0.86; 95% CI 0.40-1.86; P = .71) or resistance development (RR 1.19; 95% CI 0.66-2.14; P = .57). WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: Short-course was non-inferior to long-course antibiotic treatments for patients with uncomplicated gram-negative bacteremia. Considering the drug-related side effects and cost-effectiveness, a shorter duration of antibiotic treatment may be preferable for this particular population. However, additional high-quality RCTs are needed to further assess whether a shorter course of antibiotic treatment is of greater benefit for patients with uncomplicated gram-negative bacteremia.

Mesenchymal stem cells regulate activation of microglia cells to improve hippocampal injury of heat stroke rats.

Heat stroke is a severe systemic inflammatory response disease caused by high fever, mainly with nervous system damage. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are currently believed to have anti-inflammation and immunomodulatory effects. Therefore, we aimed to explore the protective effect and mechanism of MSCs on heat stroke-induced excessive inflammation and neurological dysfunction. We established a heat stroke model in rats under conditions of continuous high temperature and high humidity. After modeling, rats were randomly divided into heat stroke model group, MSCs treatment group and normal temperature control group without any treatment. We performed survival analysis, neurological deficit score, histological staining of hippocampus and cerebellum, immunofluorescence staining of microglia, detection of inflammatory and chemokine levels in the hippocampus and cerebellum in each group. We found that MSCs treatment not only significantly reduced early (day 3) and late (day 28) mortality, but also prominently reduced nerve injury in heat stroke rats, and improved pathology and neuronal cell damage in the hippocampus and cerebellum. In addition, MSCs treatment can significantly inhibit the over-activation of hippocampal microglia in heat stroke rats and the levels of pro-inflammatory factors and chemokines in the hippocampus. Early treatment of MSCs can greatly promote the activation of cerebellar microglia in heat stroke rats. Meanwhile, MSCs treatment has an inhibitory effect on the level of chemokine in the cerebellum of rats in the early stage of heat stroke. In conclusion, the application of MSCs in the treatment of heat stroke in rats can significantly reduce mortality and neurological deficits and improve hippocampal damage, possibly by inhibiting the excessive activation of hippocampal microglia in heat stroke rats.

Brain Natriuretic Peptide for Predicting Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome Undergoing Coronary Angiography: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic value of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) for contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing coronary angiography. BACKGROUND: ACS remains a major cause of death worldwide. Patients with ACS undergoing coronary angiography are more likely to develop CI-AKI, which correlates highly with poor clinical outcomes. Early diagnosis of CI-AKI remains a challenge. Many recent studies have suggested that BNP or NT-proBNP may be a useful biomarker for the early diagnosis of CI-AKI. METHODS: We searched databases (PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library) to identify eligible studies. Two authors independently screened the studies and extracted data. We used the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2) criteria to assess the methodological quality of the included studies and STATA to perform all statistical analyses. RESULTS: Nine studies including 2832 patients were identified. The pooled sensitivity of 0.73 (95% CI 0.65-0.79), specificity of 0.79 (95% CI 0.70-0.85), and area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.81 (95% CI 0.77-0.84) suggested that BNP or NT-proBNP had a good diagnostic value for CI-AKI in patients with ACS undergoing coronary angiography. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that BNP or NT-proBNP may be an effective predictive marker for CI-AKI. However, additional high-quality studies are required to find the optimal cutoff value and the diagnostic value of BNP or NT-proBNP in combination with other biomarkers.

Predictive values of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio on disease severity and mortality in COVID-19 patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a highly infectious disease, has been rapidly spreading all over the world and remains a great threat to global public health. Patients diagnosed with severe or critical cases have a poor prognosis. Hence, it is crucial for us to identify potentially severe or critical cases early and give timely treatments for targeted patients. In the clinical practice of treating patients with COVID-19, we have observed that the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) of severe patients is higher than that in mild patients. We performed this systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the predictive values of NLR on disease severity and mortality in patients with COVID-19. METHODS: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Wanfang databases to identify eligible studies (up to August 11, 2020). Two authors independently screened studies and extracted data. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed by Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2). RESULTS: Thirteen studies involving 1579 patients reported the predictive value of NLR on disease severity. The pooled sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPE) and area under curve (AUC) were 0.78 (95% CI 0.70-0.84), 0.78 (95% CI 0.73-0.83) and 0.85 (95% CI 0.81-0.88), respectively. Ten studies involving 2967 patients reported the predictive value of NLR on mortality. The pooled SEN, SPE and AUC were 0.83 (95% CI 0.75-0.89), 0.83 (95% CI 0.74-0.89) and 0.90 (95% CI 0.87-0.92), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: NLR has good predictive values on disease severity and mortality in patients with COVID-19 infection. Evaluating NLR can help clinicians identify potentially severe cases early, conduct early triage and initiate effective management in time, which may reduce the overall mortality of COVID-19. TRIAL REGISTRY: This meta-analysis was prospectively registered on PROSPERO database (Registration number: CRD42020203612).

Hospital-acquired acute kidney injury in very elderly men: clinical characteristics and short-term outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: We explored the risk factors for, and the clinical characteristics of, acute kidney injury (AKI), and the causes of death 28 days after such injury, in very elderly men. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study using data from the Geriatric Department of the Chinese PLA General Hospital. A total of 3464 elderly patients (≥ 75 years) were enrolled from January 2007 to December 2015. All patients were followed for 28 days or until death after AKI. RESULTS: In total, 668 patients (39.0%) developed AKI, and 623 men were included for the final analysis. The median age was 87 years. The 28-day mortality rate was 25.7%. The AKI etiologies were infections (39.6%), hypovolemia (23.8%), cardiovascular events (15.9%), nephrotoxicity (12.0%), and surgery (7.1%). Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (46.4%) and pulmonary infection (22.5%) were the principal causes of death. Multivariate analysis revealed that time for AKI to develop (HR = 0.865; 95% CI 0.799-0.937; P < 0.001), low mean arterial pressure (HR = 0.970; 95% CI 0.958-0.981; P < 0.001), low serum prealbumin (HR = 0.924; 95% CI 0.894-0.955; P < 0.001) level, oliguria (HR = 2.261; 95% CI 1.424-3.590; P = 0.001), mechanical ventilation (HR = 1.492; 95% CI 1.047-2.124; P = 0.027), blood urea nitrogen (HR = 1.037; 95% CI 1.025-1.049; P < 0.001) level, magnesium (HR = 2.512; 95% CI 1.243-5.076; P = 0.010) level, and more severe AKI stages (stage 2: HR = 3.709; 95% CI 1.926-7.141; P < 0.001 and stage 3: HR = 5.660; 95% CI 2.990-10.717; P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for 28-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of AKI increases significantly as age advanced. Identification of risk factors might lead to more intensive monitoring and early prevention, and might improve AKI patients' outcomes in the very elderly.

Analysis of the short-term prognosis and risk factors of elderly acute kidney injury patients in different KDIGO diagnostic windows.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Follow-up observation was performed on elderly acute kidney injury (AKI) patients to analyze the short-term prognosis and risk factors of AKI patients in the 48-h diagnostic window and 7-day diagnostic window of the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines. METHODS: Inpatients aged ≥ 75 years in the geriatric ward of the People's Liberation Army General Hospital, China, between January 2007 and December 2015 were selected as the research subjects. According to two diagnostic criteria in the KDIGO guidelines, patients were divided into a 48-h diagnostic window group and a 7-day diagnostic window group. The medical data of the patients were divided into the death group and the survival group for analysis based on the survival condition of the patients after 90 days of AKI. Factors that affected the 90-day survival of patients in the 48-h diagnostic window and 7-day diagnostic window groups were analyzed using multivariate Cox regression. RESULTS: During the follow-up period, a total of 652 patients were enrolled in this study. Among them, 623 cases were men, accounting for 95.6% of the patients. The median age was 87 (84-91) years. According to the KDIGO staging criteria, there were 308 (47.2%) cases in AKI stage 1, 164 (25.2%) cases in stage 2, and 180 (27.6%) cases in stage 3. Among the 652 patients, 334 (51.2%) were diagnosed with AKI based on the 48-h diagnostic criteria window, and 318 (48.8%) were diagnosed with AKI based on the baseline 7-day diagnostic criteria. The 90-day mortality of AKI patients was 42.5% in the 48-h diagnostic window and 24.2% in the 7-day diagnostic window. The multivariate Cox analysis results showed that low mean arterial pressure (HR = 0.966; P < 0.001), low serum prealbumin level (HR = 0.932; P < 0.001), infection (HR = 1.448; P = 0.047), mechanical ventilation (HR = 1.485; P = 0.038), high blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level (HR = 1.026; P < 0.001), blood magnesium level (HR = 2.560; P = 0.024), and more severe AKI stage (stage 2: HR = 3.482; P < 0.001 and stage 3: HR = 6.267; P < 0.001) were independent risk factors affecting the 90-day mortality of elderly patients in the 48-h diagnostic window, whereas low body mass index (HR = 0.851; P < 0.001), low mean arterial pressure (HR = 0.980; P = 0.036), low serum prealbumin level (HR = 0.950; P = 0.048), low serum albumin level (HR = 0.936; P = 0.015), high BUN level (HR = 1.046; P < 0.001), and more severe AKI stage (stage 2: HR = 4.249; P = 0.001 and stage 3: HR = 9.230; P < 0.001) were independent risk factors affecting the 90-day mortality of elderly patients in the 7-day diagnostic window. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical differences of AKI and risk factors for 90-day mortality in elderly AKI individuals vary depending on the definition used. An increment of Scr ≥ 26.5 µmol/L in 48 h (48-h KDIGO window) alone predicts adverse clinical outcomes.

Cooling therapy upregulates protein C activation in heat stressed rats: An experimental study.

Protein C (PC) pathway homeostasis is implicated in heat stress (HS). This study determines whether cooling could improve the PC pathway in HS. Fifty-six anesthetized rats were warmed to achieve HS (rectal temperature [Tr] 42°C). These rats were divided into seven groups: (a) control group:sacrifice immediately 15 min after HS; (b) HS+I:sacrifice immediately after 15 min ice-water treatment or (c) 3 hr after HS; (d) HS+C:sacrifice immediately after 15-min cold-water treatment or (e) 3 hr after HS; (f) HS: sacrifice immediately 15 min after HS or (g) 3 hr after HS. Plasma PC, activated protein C (APC), and soluble thrombomodulin (sTM) levels were tested at both time points. After cooling, Tr in the HS+I and HS+C groups significantly decreased, when compared with the HS group, and Tr was significantly lower in the HS+I group than in the HS+C group ( p < 0.05). Furthermore, sTM levels were highest in the HS group among the groups at both time points. Plasma PC and APC levels increased after HS. In the HS+I and HS+C groups, plasma APC levels and the APC/PC ratio significantly increased at both time points. The proportions were significantly higher in the HS+I group than in the HS+C group, and there was no significant increase in APC/PC ratio in the HS group. Cooling exerts an anticoagulant effect following HS by increasing APC levels. Ice-water blanket therapy is more effective than cold-water blanket therapy in increasing APC levels.

Balanced crystalloids versus normal saline for fluid resuscitation in critically ill patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Fluid resuscitation is a fundamental component of the management of critically ill patients, but whether choice of crystalloid affects patient outcomes remains controversial. Therefore, we performed this meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of balanced crystalloids with normal saline. METHODS: We searched the MEDLINE, Cochrane Central and EMBASE up to October 2018 to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared balanced crystalloids versus normal saline in critically ill patients. The primary outcome was mortality. The secondary results were the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) and risk of receiving renal replacement therapy (RRT). Two authors independently screened articles based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The meta-analysis was conducted using Revman 5.3, trial sequential analysis (TSA) 0.9 and STATA 12.0. RESULTS: Nine RCTs were identified. The pooled analyses showed that there were no significant differences in mortality (relative risk (RR) = 0.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.86, 1.01, P = 0.08), incidence of AKI (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.88, 1.00, P = 0.06) or RRT use rate (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.69, 1.27, P = 0.67) between balanced crystalloids and normal saline groups. However, TSA did not provide conclusive evidence. CONCLUSIONS: Among critically ill patients receiving crystalloid fluid therapy, use of a balanced crystalloid compared with normal saline did not reduce the mortality, risk of severe AKI or RRT use rate. Further large randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm or refute this finding. TRIAL REGISTRATION: A protocol of this meta-analysis has been registered on PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42018094857).

Auscultation-assisted bedside postpyloric placement of feeding tube in critically ill patients: a prospective, observational study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy and safety of auscultation-assisted bedside postpyloric feeding tube (ABPFT) placement in early enteral nutritional support for critically ill patients. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A prospective observational study was conducted and 92 critically ill patients who met the inclusion criteria undergoing ABPFT placement after the intravenous injection of 10 mg of metoclopramide were included. Abdominal X-ray was performed to confirm the location of the catheter tip. End points investigated were the success rate of tube placement, rate of jejunal tube placement, duration of the procedure, length of insertion, and number of attempts. Operational-related adverse events or complications were also documented and evaluated. RESULTS: The total success rate of postpyloric feeding tube implantation was 97.8% (90/92), among which, 89.1% (82/92) of the tubes were placed proximal to the jejunum. The first-attempt success rate was 91.3% (84/92) and the mean attempt per individual patient was 1.11±0.38 times. The mean operation time was 28.6±17.7 minutes, and the mean insertion length of tube was 106±9.6 cm. A total of 27 adverse events occurred in 19.6% (18/92) patients and there was no serious adverse events or complications during the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Assistance by auscultation can significantly improve the success rate of nasal feeding tube placement. This simple, safe and fast approach is feasible for the application among health practitioners in the intensive care unit.

The impact of daily use of an enteral feeding checklist on clinical outcomes in shock patients: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The optimal delivery of enteral nutrition in shock patients has an important prognostic clinical value; thus, checklists for standardizing enteral nutrition should be developed. This study examined whether the use of an enteral feeding checklist can improve enteral nutrition in shock patients. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. A multidisciplinary working group developed an enteral feeding checklist. Information on patients' demographics, checklist items, and clinical outcomes was collected. RESULTS: In total, 148 patients were included. The checklist was used for 35 patients but not for the remaining 113 patients. Patients in the checklist group received enteral nutrition earlier (2.6 vs 4.6 days, p=0.017) and had a lower mechanical ventilation rate (62.9% vs 85.0%, p=0.004). The checklist group had shorter intensive care unit stay (mean 17.3 vs 25.7 days, p=0.043). No significant differences were observed in 28- and 90- day mortality, mechanical ventilation duration, and intolerance to enteral nutrition. CONCLUSIONS: The use of an enteral feeding checklist in shock patients was associated with earlier enteral nutrition delivery and decreased intensive care unit stay.

Normal saline for intravenous fluid therapy in critically ill patients.

The efficacy and safety of normal saline (NS) for fluid therapy in critically ill patients remain controversy. In this review, we summarized the evidence of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) which compared NS with other solutions in critically ill patients. The results showed that when compared with 6% hydroxyethyl starch (HES), NS may reduce the onset of acute kidney injury (AKI). However, there is no significant different in mortality and incidence of AKI when compared with 10% HES, albumin and buffered crystalloid solution. Therefore, it is important to prescribe intravenous fluid for patients according to their individual condition.

Regional citrate versus heparin anticoagulation for continuous renal replacement therapy in critically ill patients: a meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Regional citrate or heparin is often prescribed as an anticoagulant for continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). However, their efficacy and safety remain controversial. Therefore, we performed this meta-analysis to compare these two agents and to determine whether the currently available evidence is sufficient and conclusive by using trial sequential analysis (TSA). METHODS: We searched for relevant studies in PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library databases and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) Database from database inception until September 2015. We selected randomized controlled trials comparing regional citrate with heparin in adult patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) who were prescribed CRRT. RESULTS: Fourteen trials (n = 1134) met the inclusion criteria. Pooled analyses showed that there was no difference in mortality between the regional citrate and heparin groups (relative risk (RR) 0.97, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.84, 1.13, P > 0.05), which was confirmed by TSA. Compared with heparin, regional citrate significantly prolonged the circuit life span in the continuous venovenous haemofiltration (CVVH) subgroup (mean difference (MD) 8.18, 95 % CI 3.86, 12.51, P < 0.01) and pre-dilution subgroup (MD 17.51, 95 % CI 9.85, 25.17, P < 0.01) but not in the continuous venovenous haemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) subgroup (MD 28.60, 95 % CI -3.52, 60.73, P > 0.05) or post-dilution subgroup (MD 13.06, 95 % CI -2.36, 28.48, P > 0.05). However, the results were not confirmed by TSA. A reduced risk of bleeding was found in the regional citrate compared with the systemic heparin group (RR 0.31, 95 % CI 0.19, 0.51, P < 0.01) and TSA provided conclusive evidence. Fewer episodes of heparin-induced thrombocytopoenia (HIT) (RR 0.41, 95 % CI 0.19, 0.87, P = 0.02) and a greater number of episodes of hypocalcaemia (RR 3.96, 95 % CI 1.50, 10.43, P < 0.01) were found in the regional citrate group. However, TSA did not provide conclusive evidence. CONCLUSION: In adult patients with AKI, there is no difference in mortality between the regional citrate and heparin treated groups. However, regional citrate is more efficacious in prolonging circuit life span and reducing the risk of bleeding and should be recommended as the priority anticoagulant for critically ill patients who require CRRT.