Ecchymosis and/or haematoma formation after prophylactic administration of subcutaneous enoxaparin in the abdomen or arm of the critically ill patient. / Formación de equimosis y/o hematoma tras la administración profiláctica de enoxaparina subcutánea en abdomen o brazo en pacientes críticos.

INTRODUCTION: Ecchymosis and/or haematoma are the most common adverse events after subcutaneous administration of low molecular weight heparin. There is no strong recommendation as to the puncture site. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the adverse events, ecchymosis and/or haematoma after the administration of prophylactic subcutaneous enoxaparin in the abdomen vs the arm in the critically ill patient. METHODOLOGY: A randomised, two-arm clinical trial (injection in the abdomen vs the arm), performed between July 2014 and January 2017, in an 18-bed, polyvalent intensive care unit. Patients receiving prophylactic enoxaparin, admitted >72h, with no liver or haematological disorders, a body mass index (BMI) >18.5, not pregnant, of legal age and with no skin lesions which would impede assessment were included. We excluded patients who died or who were transferred to another hospital before completing the evaluation. We gathered demographic and clinical variables, and the onset of ecchymosis and/or haematomas at the injection site after 12, 24, 48 and 72hours. A descriptive analysis was undertaken, with group comparison and logistic regression. The study was approved by the ethics committee with the signed consent of patients/families. RESULTS: 301 cases (11 excluded): 149 were injected in the abdomen vs 141 in the arm. There were no significant differences in demographic and clinical variables, BMI, enoxaparin dose or antiplatelet administration [ecchymosis, abdomen vs arm, n(%): 66(44) vs 72(51), P=.25] [haematoma abdomen vs arm, n(%): 9(6) vs 14(10), P=.2]. Statistical significance was found in the size of the haematomas after 72h: [area of haematoma (mm2) abdomen vs arm, median (IQR): 2(1-5.25) vs 20(5.25-156), P=.027]. CONCLUSIONS: In our patient cohort, prophylactic subcutaneous enoxaparin administered in the abdomen causes fewer haematomas after 72hours, than when administered in the arm. The incidence rate of ecchymosis and haematoma was lower than the published incidence in critically ill patients, although patients receiving anti-platelet agents present a higher risk of injury. No relationship was observed in relation to BMI.

[Interobserver reliability of the Glasgow coma scale in critically ill patients with neurological and/or neurosurgical disease]. / Fiabilidad interobservador de la escala del coma de Glasgow en pacientes críticos con enfermedad neurológica o neuroquirúrgica.

INTRODUCTION: The Glasgow coma scale (GCS) is a common tool used for neurological assessment of critically ill patients. Despite its widespread use, the GCS has some limitations, as sometimes different observers may value differently the same response. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the interobserver agreement, among intensive care nurses with a minimum of 3 years experience, both in the overall estimate of GCS and for each of its components. METHODS: Prospective observational study including 110 neurological and/or neurosurgical patients conducted in a critical care unit of 18 beds, from October 2010 until December 2012. Registered variables: Demographic characteristics, reason for admission, overall GCS and its components. The neurological evaluation was conducted by a minimum of 3 nurses. One of them applied an algorithm and consensual assessment technique and all, independently, valued response to stimuli. Interobserver agreement was measured using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for a confidence interval (CI) of 95%. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee for Clinical Trails. RESULTS: The intraclass correlation coefficient (confident interval) for scale was: Overall GCS: 0.989 (0.985-0.992); ocular response: 0.981 (0.974-0.986); verbal response: 0.971 (0.960-0.979); motor response: 0.987 (0.982-0.991). CONCLUSION: In our cohort of patients we observed a high level of consistency in the application of both the GCS as in each of its components.

[Establishment of a nursing-driven sedation protocol: effect on the sedation level and accidental withdrawal of tubes and catheters]. / Implementación de un protocolo de sedación dirigido por enfermería: efecto sobre el nivel de sedación y la retirada accidental de tubos y catéteres.

INTRODUCTION: Mechanically ventilated patients require sedation during ventilatory support. Our study has aimed to determine if the effects on the sedation level of a nursing-driven sedation protocol has any influence in the accidental removal of tubes and catheters. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A quasi-experimental intervention study was performed in a medical-surgical intensive care unit. A 17-month pre-intervention observational period was followed by a 17-month intervention period where a nursing-driven sedation protocol based on the Glasgow Coma Score modified by Cook and Palma was implemented. In both periods, we registered the accidental removals of endotracheal tube, nasogastric tube, urinary catheter and intravascular catheters. RESULTS: A total of 176 patients (age: 65 +/- 17 years; SAPS II: 43 +/- 14) were included in the observation period and 189 patients (age: 65 +/- 15 years; SAPS II: 40 +/- 13) in the intervention period. In second period, the percentage of patients excessively sedated decreased (20% vs. 41%; p = 0.001) and the percentage of patients with optimal sedation increased (53% vs. 35%; p < 0.001). The rate of accidental removals of enteral tubes in the first period was 15.8 per 1,000 tube-days vs. 5.6 in the second period (p = 0.001). No accidental removal of intravascular catheters was found in the second period vs. a rate of 2.6 central venous catheters per 1,000 catheter-days and a rate of 3.4 intra-arterial catheters per 1,000 catheter-days during the first period. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a nursing-driven sedation protocol increases the percentage of patients with an optimal sedation and decreases the incidence of accidental removal of tubes and catheters.

[Reliability of the measurement of glucose at the bedside of critical patients]. / Fiabilidad de la determinación de la glucemia a la cabecera del paciente en pacientes críticos.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study is to measure the reliability of three measurement methods at the bedside of the patient, of glucose in the critical patient compared with the measurement of glucose in the central laboratory. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Observational, perspective study developed in a polyvalent unit of 18 beds for four months. Patients who had arterial catheter were included. Eight samples obtained at the patient's bedside were compared with the plasma glucose (gold Standard): three in capillary blood, four in arterial blood and one in arterial blood gases from a syringe. The measurements at bedside were conducted with reactive strips MediSense Optium Plus and glucometer MediSense Optium. A comparison was made of the means used in the Student's T test and Bland and Altman analysis. RESULTS: We obtained 630 samples in 70 patients. Mean glucose (SD) in mg/dl was: a) capillary samples: 149 (38), 149 (35), 147 (37); b) arterial samples: 140 (34), 142 (35), 143 (35), 142 (34); arterial gas sample syringe: 143 (33); c) plasma glucose: 138(33). There were significant differences (p < 0.001) between plasma glucose and capillary samples but not with arterial samples (p=0.2). In the arterial samples, the presence of some factors, such as vasoactive drugs, glycated solution perfusion, insulin perfusion and plasma concentration of hemoglobin, increase error and dispersion regarding the gold standard. CONCLUSIONS: The measurement of glucose at bedside in critical patients is more reliable in arterial samples than in capillary ones.