Effect of Flexible Family Visitation on Delirium Among Patients in the Intensive Care Unit: The ICU Visits Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: The effects of intensive care unit (ICU) visiting hours remain uncertain. Objective: To determine whether a flexible family visitation policy in the ICU reduces the incidence of delirium. Design, Setting and Participants: Cluster-crossover randomized clinical trial involving patients, family members, and clinicians from 36 adult ICUs with restricted visiting hours (<4.5 hours per day) in Brazil. Participants were recruited from April 2017 to June 2018, with follow-up until July 2018. Interventions: Flexible visitation (up to 12 hours per day) supported by family education (n = 837 patients, 652 family members, and 435 clinicians) or usual restricted visitation (median, 1.5 hours per day; n = 848 patients, 643 family members, and 391 clinicians). Nineteen ICUs started with flexible visitation, and 17 started with restricted visitation. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcome was incidence of delirium during ICU stay, assessed using the CAM-ICU. Secondary outcomes included ICU-acquired infections for patients; symptoms of anxiety and depression assessed using the HADS (range, 0 [best] to 21 [worst]) for family members; and burnout for ICU staff (Maslach Burnout Inventory). Results: Among 1685 patients, 1295 family members, and 826 clinicians enrolled, 1685 patients (100%) (mean age, 58.5 years; 47.2% women), 1060 family members (81.8%) (mean age, 45.2 years; 70.3% women), and 737 clinicians (89.2%) (mean age, 35.5 years; 72.9% women) completed the trial. The mean daily duration of visits was significantly higher with flexible visitation (4.8 vs 1.4 hours; adjusted difference, 3.4 hours [95% CI, 2.8 to 3.9]; P < .001). The incidence of delirium during ICU stay was not significantly different between flexible and restricted visitation (18.9% vs 20.1%; adjusted difference, -1.7% [95% CI, -6.1% to 2.7%]; P = .44). Among 9 prespecified secondary outcomes, 6 did not differ significantly between flexible and restricted visitation, including ICU-acquired infections (3.7% vs 4.5%; adjusted difference, -0.8% [95% CI, -2.1% to 1.0%]; P = .38) and staff burnout (22.0% vs 24.8%; adjusted difference, -3.8% [95% CI, -4.8% to 12.5%]; P = .36). For family members, median anxiety (6.0 vs 7.0; adjusted difference, -1.6 [95% CI, -2.3 to -0.9]; P < .001) and depression scores (4.0 vs 5.0; adjusted difference, -1.2 [95% CI, -2.0 to -0.4]; P = .003) were significantly better with flexible visitation. Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients in the ICU, a flexible family visitation policy, vs standard restricted visiting hours, did not significantly reduce the incidence of delirium. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02932358.

Study protocol to assess the effectiveness and safety of a flexible family visitation model for delirium prevention in adult intensive care units: a cluster-randomised, crossover trial (The ICU Visits Study).

INTRODUCTION: Flexible intensive care unit (ICU) visiting hours have been proposed as a means to improve patient-centred and family-centred care. However, randomised trials evaluating the effects of flexible family visitation models (FFVMs) are scarce. This study aims to compare the effectiveness and safety of an FFVM versus a restrictive family visitation model (RFVM) on delirium prevention among ICU patients, as well as to analyse its potential effects on family members and ICU professionals. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A cluster-randomised crossover trial involving adult ICU patients, family members and ICU professionals will be conducted. Forty medical-surgical Brazilian ICUs with RFVMs (<4.5 hours/day) will be randomly assigned to either an RFVM (visits according to local policies) or an FFVM (visitation during 12 consecutive hours per day) group at a 1:1 ratio. After enrolment and follow-up of 25 patients, each ICU will be switched over to the other visitation model, until 25 more patients per site are enrolled and followed. The primary outcome will be the cumulative incidence of delirium among ICU patients, measured twice a day using the Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU. Secondary outcome measures will include daily hazard of delirium, ventilator-free days, any ICU-acquired infections, ICU length of stay and hospital mortality among the patients; symptoms of anxiety and depression and satisfaction among the family members; and prevalence of burnout symptoms among the ICU professionals. Tertiary outcomes will include need for antipsychotic agents and/or mechanical restraints, coma-free days, unplanned loss of invasive devices and ICU-acquired pneumonia, urinary tract infection or bloodstream infection among the patients; self-perception of involvement in patient care among the family members; and satisfaction among the ICU professionals. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study protocol has been approved by the research ethics committee of all participant institutions. We aim to disseminate the findings through conferences and peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02932358.

[Strongyloides Stercoralis hyperinfection syndrome: case report]. / Hiper-infecção por Strongyloides Stercoralis: relato de caso.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Strongyloides Stercoralis is a common cause of gastrointestinal infection. This nematode can produce an overwhelming hyperinfection syndrome, especially in the immunocompromised patient. Typically, patients present with pulmonary symptoms, but subsequently they can acquire Gram-negative sepsis. The objective of this report is to describe a lethal case and call attention to the importance of early diagnosis and treatment. CASE REPORT: Male patient, 60 year-old with diagnosis of timoma, treated with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy in the past. He presented to the emergency room complaining of diarrhea and dyspnea, and then transferred to the ICU after development of hypoxemic acute respiratory failure and refractory septic shock, and despite treatment the patient died. A bronchial sample of sputum showed Strongyloides stercoralis worms. CONCLUSIONS: Strongyloides stercoralis infection symptoms are usually mild, but in the setting of impaired host immunity, a disseminated and severe illness may occur. Clinicians must be aware for patients from endemic areas. Diagnosis may be established through sputum and stool examination for Strongyloides stercoralis worms.

Hiper-infecção por Strongyloides Stercoralis: relato de caso / Strongyloides Stercoralis hyperinfection syndrome: case report

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: O Strongyloides stercoralis é um agente comum de infecção do trato gastrintestinal. Em pacientes imunodeprimidos este nematódeo pode causar hiper-infecção, com manifestações pulmonares e sepse por germes gram-negativos. O objetivo deste relato foi apresentar um caso com evolução letal e ressaltar a importância do diagnóstico e do tratamento precoce. RELATO DO CASO: Paciente do sexo masculino, 60 anos, com diagnóstico de tumor de timo, submetido a tratamento cirúrgico, radioterapia e quimioterapia. Foi consultado na emergência relatando queixa de diarréia e dispnéia, sendo admitido na UTI após apresentar quadro de insuficiência respiratória aguda hipoxêmica e choque refratário, evoluindo para óbito. No aspirado traqueal, foi identificado larvas de Strongyloides stercoralis. CONCLUSÕES: A estrongiloidíase, apesar de tratar-se de infecção parasitária freqüentemente leve, em pacientes imunodeprimidos pode apresentar-se de forma grave e disseminada. Deve-se suspeitar deste agente em pacientes que vivem em áreas endêmicas, sendo o diagnóstico estabelecido através da pesquisa da larva do Strongyloides stercoralis na secreção traqueal e nas fezes.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Strongyloides Stercoralis is a common cause of gastrointestinal infection. This nematode can produce an overwhelming hyperinfection syndrome, especially in the immunocompromised patient. Typically, patients present with pulmonary symptoms, but subsequently they can acquire Gram-negative sepsis. The objective of this report is to describe a lethal case and call attention to the importance of early diagnosis and treatment. CASE REPORT: Male patient, 60 year-old with diagnosis of timoma, treated with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy in the past. He presented to the emergency room complaining of diarrhea and dyspnea, and then transferred to the ICU after development of hypoxemic acute respiratory failure and refractory septic shock, and despite treatment the patient died. A bronchial sample of sputum showed Strongyloides stercoralis worms. CONCLUSIONS: Strongyloides stercoralis infection symptoms are usually mild, but in the setting of impaired host immunity, a disseminated and severe illness may occur. Clinicians must be aware for patients from endemic areas. Diagnosis may be established through sputum and stool examination for Strongyloides stercoralis worms.