Attributable mortality of acute kidney injury among critically ill patients with sepsis: a multicenter, retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis and acute kidney injury (AKI) are common severe diseases in the intensive care unit (ICU). This study aimed to estimate the attributable mortality of AKI among critically ill patients with sepsis and to assess whether AKI was an independent risk factor for 30-day mortality. METHODS: The information we used was derived from a multicenter prospective cohort study conducted in 18 Chinese ICUs, focusing on septic patients post ICU admission. The patients were categorized into two groups: those who developed AKI (AKI group) within seven days following a sepsis diagnosis and those who did not develop AKI (non-AKI group). Using propensity score matching (PSM), patients were matched 1:1 as AKI and non-AKI groups. We then calculated the mortality rate attributable to AKI in septic patients. Furthermore, a survival analysis was conducted comparing the matched AKI and non-AKI septic patients. The primary outcome of interest was the 30-day mortality rate following the diagnosis of sepsis. RESULTS: Out of the 2175 eligible septic patients, 61.7% developed AKI. After the application of PSM, a total of 784 septic patients who developed AKI were matched in a 1:1 ratio with 784 septic patients who did not develop AKI. The overall 30-day attributable mortality of AKI was 6.6% (95% CI 2.3 ∼ 10.9%, p = 0.002). A subgroup analysis revealed that the 30-day attributable mortality rates for stage 1, stage 2, and stage 3 AKI were 0.6% (95% CI -5.9 ∼ 7.2%, p = 0.846), 4.7% (95% CI -3.1 ∼ 12.4%, p = 0.221) and 16.8% (95% CI 8.1 ∼ 25.2%, p < 0.001), respectively. Particularly noteworthy was that stage 3 AKI emerged as an independent risk factor for 30-day mortality, possessing an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.80 (95% CI 1.31 ∼ 2.47, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The overall 30-day attributable mortality of AKI among critically ill patients with sepsis was 6.6%. Stage 3 AKI had the most significant contribution to 30-day mortality, while stage 1 and stage 2 AKI did not increase excess mortality.

Attributable mortality of ARDS among critically ill patients with sepsis: a multicenter, retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Both sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are common severe diseases in the intensive care unit (ICU). There is no large-scale multicenter study to clarify the attributable mortality of ARDS among septic patients. This study aimed to evaluate the excess mortality of ARDS in critically ill patients with sepsis. METHODS: The data were obtained from a multicenter, prospective cohort study in 18 Chinese ICUs between January 2014 and August 2015. The study population was septic patients after ICU admission. The patients were categorized into two groups: those who developed ARDS (ARDS group) within seven days following a sepsis diagnosis and those who did not develop ARDS (non-ARDS group). Applying propensity score matching (PSM), patients were matched 1:1 as ARDS and non-ARDS groups. Mortality attributed to ARDS was calculated. Subsequently, we conducted a survival analysis to estimate the impact of ARDS on mortality. The primary endpoint was 30-day mortality after sepsis diagnosis. RESULTS: 2323 septic patients were eligible, 67.8% developed ARDS. After PSM, 737 patients with ARDS were matched 1:1 with 737 non-ARDS patients. ARDS's overall 30-day attributable mortality was 11.9% (95% CI 7.5-16.3%, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that the 30-day attributable mortality of mild, moderate, and severe ARDS was 10.5% (95% CI 4.0-16.8%, p < 0.001), 11.6% (95% CI 4.7-18.4%, p < 0.001) and 18.1% (95% CI 4.5-30.9%, p = 0.006), respectively. ARDS was an independent risk factor for 30-day mortality, with adjusted hazard ratios of 1.30 (95% CI 1.03-1.64, p = 0.027), 1.49 (95% CI 1.20-1.85, p < 0.001), and 1.95 (95% CI 1.51-2.52, p < 0.001) for mild, moderate, and severe ARDS, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The overall 30-day attributable mortality of ARDS among critically ill patients with sepsis was 11.9%. Compared with mild and moderate ARDS, severe ARDS contributed more to death. ARDS was significantly associated with an increase in the 30-day mortality.

The attributable mortality of sepsis for acute kidney injury: a propensity-matched analysis based on multicenter prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Both sepsis and AKI are diseases of major concern in intensive care unit (ICU). This study aimed to evaluate the excess mortality attributable to sepsis for acute kidney injury (AKI). METHODS: A propensity score-matched analysis on a multicenter prospective cohort study in 18 Chinese ICUs was performed. Propensity score was sequentially conducted to match AKI patients with and without sepsis on day 1, day 2, and day 3-5. The primary outcome was hospital death of AKI patients. RESULTS: A total of 2008 AKI patients (40.9%) were eligible for the study. Of the 1010 AKI patients with sepsis, 619 (61.3%) were matched to 619 AKI patients in whom sepsis did not develop during the screening period of the study. The hospital mortality rate of matched AKI patients with sepsis was 205 of 619 (33.1%) compared with 150 of 619 (24.0%) for their matched AKI controls without sepsis (p = 0.001). The attributable mortality of total sepsis for AKI patients was 9.1% (95% CI: 4.8-13.3%). Of the matched patients with sepsis, 328 (53.0%) diagnosed septic shock. The attributable mortality of septic shock for AKI was 16.2% (95% CI: 11.3-20.8%, p < 0.001). Further, the attributable mortality of sepsis for AKI was 1.4% (95% CI: 4.1-5.9%, p = 0.825). CONCLUSIONS: The attributable hospital mortality of total sepsis for AKI were 9.1%. Septic shock contributes to major excess mortality rate for AKI than sepsis. REGISTRATION FOR THE MULTICENTER PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY: registration number ChiCTR-ECH-13003934.

The effects of timing onset and progression of AKI on the clinical outcomes in AKI patients with sepsis: a prospective multicenter cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Limited studies are available concerning on the earlier identification of AKI with sepsis. The aim of the study was to identify the risk factors of AKI early which depended on the timing onset and progression of AKI and investigate the effects of timing onset and progression of AKI on clinical outcomes. METHODS: Patients who developed sepsis during their first 48-h admission to ICU were included. The primary outcome was major adverse kidney events (MAKE) consisted of all-cause mortality, RRT-dependence, or an inability to recover to 1.5 times of the baseline creatinine value up to 30 days. We determined MAKE and in-hospital mortality by multivariable logistic regression and explored the risk factors of early persistent-AKI. C statistics were used to evaluate model fit. RESULTS: 58.7% sepsis patients developed AKI. According to the timing onset and progression of AKI, Early transient-AKI, early persistent-AKI, late transient-AKI, late persistent-AKI were identified. Clinical outcomes were quite different among subgroups. Early persistent-AKI had 3.0-fold (OR 3.04, 95% CI 1.61 - 4.62) risk of MAKE and 2.6-fold (OR 2.60, 95%CI 1.72 - 3.76) risk of in-hospital mortality increased compared with the late transients-AKI. Older age, underweight, obese, faster heart rate, lower MAP, platelet, hematocrit, pH and energy intake during the first 24 h on ICU admission could well predict the early persistent-AKI in patients with sepsis. CONCLUSION: Four AKI subphenotypes were identified based on the timing onset and progression of AKI. Early persistent-AKI showed higher risk of major adverse kidney events and in-hospital mortality. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry (www.chictr.org/cn) under registration number ChiCTR-ECH-13003934.

Prognostic significance of malnutrition risk in elderly patients with acute kidney injury in the intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is common in critically ill patients, but nutrition status in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) has been poorly studied. Our study aimed to investigate the relationship between malnutrition risk and the occurrence and prognosis of AKI in elderly patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: Data were extracted from the Beijing Acute Kidney Injury Trial (BAKIT). A total of 1873 elderly patients were included and compared according to the clinical characteristics of AKI and non-AKI groups, and those of survivors and non-survivors of AKI in this study. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to analyse the predictive value of the modified Nutrition Risk in Critically Ill (mNUTRIC) score for the occurrence and 28-day prognosis of AKI. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the effect of the mNUTRIC score on the 28-day mortality in AKI patients. RESULTS: Compared with the non-AKI group, AKI patients had higher mNUTRIC scores, and non-survivors had higher mNUTRIC scores than survivors in AKI population. Moreover, multivariate Cox regression showed that 28-day mortality in AKI patients increased by 9.8% (95% CI, 1.018-1.184) for every point increase in the mNUTRIC score, and the mNUTRIC score had good predictive ability for the occurrence of AKI and 28-day mortality in AKI patients. The mortality of AKI patients with mNUTRIC > 4 was significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS: The elderly patients are at high risk of malnutrition, which affects the occurrence and prognosis of AKI. Adequate attention should be given to the nutritional status of elderly patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered at www.chictr.org.cn (registration number Chi CTR-ONC-11001875) on 14 December 2011.

Gender- and age-based differences in outcomes of mechanically ventilated ICU patients: a Chinese multicentre retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that the gender and/or age of a patient may influence the clinical outcomes of critically ill patients. Our aim was to determine whether there are gender- and age-based differences in clinical outcomes for mechanically ventilated patients in intensive care units (ICUs). METHODS: We performed a multicentre retrospective study involving adult patients who were admitted to the ICU and received at least 24 h of mechanical ventilation (MV). The patients were divided into two groups based on gender and, subsequently, further grouped based on gender and age < or ≥ 65 years. The primary outcome measure was hospital mortality. RESULTS: A total of 853 mechanically ventilated patients were evaluated. Of these patients, 63.2% were men and 61.5% were ≥ 65 years of age. The hospital mortality rate for men was significantly higher than that for women in the overall study population (P = 0.042), and this difference was most pronounced among elderly patients (age ≥ 65 years; P = 0.006). The durations of MV, ICU lengths of stay (LOS), and hospital LOS were significantly longer for men than for women among younger patients (P ≤ 0.013) but not among elderly patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that male gender was independently associated with hospital mortality among elderly patients but not among younger patients. CONCLUSIONS: There were important gender- and age-based differences in the outcomes among mechanically ventilated ICU patients. The combination of male gender and advanced age is strongly associated with hospital mortality.

The predictive value of the Oxford Acute Severity of Illness Score for clinical outcomes in patients with acute kidney injury.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the performance of the Oxford Acute Severity of Illness Score (OASIS), the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score, the Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II), and the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score in predicting 28-day mortality in acute kidney injury (AKI) patients. METHODS: Data were extracted from the Beijing Acute Kidney Injury Trial (BAKIT). A total of 2954 patients with complete clinical data were included in this study. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to analyze and evaluate the predictive effects of the four scoring systems on the 28-day mortality risk of AKI patients and each subgroup. The best cutoff value was identified by the highest combined sensitivity and specificity using Youden's index. RESULTS: Among the four scoring systems, the area under the curve (AUC) of OASIS was the highest. The comparison of AUC values of different scoring systems showed that there were no significant differences among OASIS, APACHE II, and SAPS II, which were better than SOFA. Moreover, logistic analysis revealed that OASIS was an independent risk factor for 28-day mortality in AKI patients. OASIS also had good predictive ability for the 28-day mortality of each subgroup of AKI patients. CONCLUSION: OASIS, APACHE II, and SAPS II all presented good discrimination and calibration in predicting the 28-day mortality risk of AKI patients. OASIS, APACHE II, and SAPS II had better predictive accuracy than SOFA, but due to the complexity of APACHE II and SAPS II calculations, OASIS is a good substitute. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered at www.chictr.org.cn (registration number Chi CTR-ONC-11001875). Registered on 14 December 2011.

Hyperlactacidemia as a risk factor for intensive care unit-acquired weakness in critically ill adult patients.

INTRODUCTION/AIMS: Intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICUAW) is a severe neuromuscular complication of critical illness. Serum lactate is a useful biomarker in critically ill patients. The relationship between serum lactate level and ICUAW remains controversial. This study evaluated whether hyperlactacidemia (lactate level >2 mmol/L) was an independent risk factor for ICUAW in critically ill adult patients. METHODS: An observational cohort study was performed in a general multidisciplinary intensive care unit (ICU). Sixty-eight consecutive adult critically ill patients without preexisting neuromuscular disease or a poor pre-ICU functional status whose length of ICU stay was 7 or more days were evaluated. Patients were screened daily for signs of awakening. Muscle strength assessment using the Medical Research Council score was performed on the first day a patient was considered awake. Patients with clinical muscle weakness were considered to have ICUAW. RESULTS: Among the 68 patients who achieved a satisfactory state of consciousness, the diagnosis of ICUAW was made in 30 patients (44.1%). After multivariate analysis, hyperlactacidemia (P = .02), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score (P = .04), duration of mechanical ventilation (P = .02), and the use of norepinephrine (P = .04) were found to be significantly associated with the development of ICUAW in critically ill patients. DISCUSSION: This study shows a number of risk factors to be significantly associated with the development of ICUAW in critically ill adults. These factors should be considered when building early prediction models or designing prevention strategies for ICUAW in future studies.

Risk factors, clinical features and outcome of new-onset acute kidney injury among critically ill patients: a database analysis based on prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) newly-emerged in intensive care unit (ICU), has not been thoroughly studied in previous researches, is likely to differ from AKI developed before ICU admission. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence, risk factors, clinical features and outcome of new-onset AKI in critically ill patients. METHODS: The data of present study derived from a multicenter, prospective cohort study in17 Chinese ICUs (January 2014 - August 2015). The incidence, risk factors, clinical features and survival analysis of new-onset AKI were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 3374 adult critically ill patients were eligible. The incidence of new-onset AKI was 30.0 % (n = 1012). Factors associated with a higher risk of new-onset AKI included coronary heart disease, hypertension, chronic liver disease, use of nephrotoxic drugs, sepsis, SOFA score, APACHEII score and use of vasopressors. The new-onset AKI was an independent risk factor for 28-day mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.643; 95 % CI, 1.370-1.948; P < 0.001). 220 (21.7 %) patients received renal replacement therapy (RRT), 71 (32.3 %) of them were successfully weaning from RRT. More than half of the new-onset AKI were transient AKI (renal recovery within 48 h). There was no statistical relationship between transient AKI and 28-day mortality (hazard ratio, 1.406; 95 % CI, 0.840-1.304; P = 0.686), while persistent AKI (non-renal recovery within 48 h) was strongly associated with 28-day mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.486; 95 % CI, 1.137-1.943; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: New-onset AKI is common in ICU patients and is associated with significantly higher 28-day mortality. Only persistent AKI, but not transient AKI is associated with significantly higher 28-day mortality.

Association between the modified Nutrition Risk in Critically Ill (mNUTRIC) score and clinical outcomes in the intensive care unit: a secondary analysis of a large prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition in intensive care unit (ICU) patients is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. The modified nutrition risk in the critically ill score (mNUTRIC) was proposed as an appropriate nutritional assessment tool in critically ill patients, but it has not been fully demonstrated and widely used. Our study was conducted to identify the nutritional risk in ICU patients using the mNUTRIC score and explore the relationship between 28-day mortality and high mNUTRIC scores. METHODS: This study is a secondary analysis, the data were extracted from The Beijing Acute Kidney Injury Trial (BAKIT). In total, 9049 patients were admitted consecutively, and 3107 patients with complete clinical data were included in this study. We divided the study population into high nutritional risk (mNUTRIC score ≥ 5 points) and low nutritional risk (mNUTRIC score < 5 points) groups. The predictive capacity of the mNUTRIC score was studied by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, appropriate cut-off was identified by highest combined sensitivity and specificity using Youden's index. The significance level was set at 5%. RESULTS: Among the 3107 patients, the 28-day mortality rate was 17.4% (540 patients died). Nearly 28.2% of patients admitted to the ICU were at risk of malnutrition, high nutritional risk patients were older (P < 0.001), with higher illness severity scores than low nutritional risk patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that the mNUTRIC score was an independent risk factor for 28-day mortality and mortality increased with increasing scores (p = 0.000). The calculated area under curve (AUC) for the mNUTRIC score was 0.763 (CI 0.740-0.786). According to Youden's index, we found a suitable cut-off > 4 for the mNUTRIC score to predict the 28-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Patients admitted to the ICU were at high risk of malnutrition, and a high mNUTRIC score was associated with increased ICU length of stay and higher mortality. More large prospective studies are needed to demonstrate the validity of this score. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered at www.chictr.org.cn (registration number Chi CTR-ONC-11001875 ). Registered on 14 December 2011.

Utilizing reclassification to explore characteristics and prognosis of KDIGOSCr AKI subgroups: a retrospective analysis of a multicenter prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is widespread in the intensive care unit (ICU) and affects patient prognosis. According to Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines, the absolute and relative increases of serum creatinine (Scr) are classified into the same stage. Whether the prognosis of the two types of patients is similar in the ICU remains unclear. METHODS: According to the absolute and relative increase of Scr, AKI stage 1 and stage 3 patients were divided into stage 1a and 1b, stage 3a and 3b groups, respectively. Their demographics, laboratory results, clinical characteristics, and outcomes were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Of the 345 eligible cases, we analyzed stage 1 because stage 3a group had only one patient. Using 53 or 61.88 µmol/L as the reference Scr (Scrref), no significant differences were observed in ICU mortality (P53=0.076, P61.88=0.070) or renal replacement therapy (RRT) ratio, (P53=0.356, P61.88=0.471) between stage 1a and 1b, but stage 1b had longer ICU length of stay (LOS) than stage 1a (P53<0.001, P61.88=0.032). In the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, no differences were observed in ICU mortality between stage 1a and 1b (P53=0.378, P61.88=0.255). In a multivariate analysis, respiratory failure [HR = 4.462 (95% CI 1.144-17.401), p = 0.031] and vasoactive drug therapy [HR = 4.023 (95% CI 1.584-10.216), p = 0.003] were found to be independently associated with increased risk of death. CONCLUSION: ICU LOS benefit was more prominent in KDIGOSCr AKI stage 1a patients than in stage 1 b. Further prospective studies with a larger sample size are necessary to confirm the effectiveness of reclassification.

Epidemiology of acute kidney injury in intensive care units in Beijing: the multi-center BAKIT study.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) commonly occurs in intensive care units (ICUs), leading to adverse clinical outcomes and increasing costs. However, there are limited epidemiological data of AKI in the critically ill in Beijing, China. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study in 30 ICUs, we screened the patients up to 10 days after ICU admission. Characteristics and outcomes were compared between AKI and non-AKI, renal replacement therapy (RRT) and non-RRT patients. Nomograms of logistic regression and Cox regression were performed to examine potential risk factors for AKI and mortality. RESULTS: A total of 3107 patients were included in the final analysis. The incidence of AKI was 51.0%; stages 1 to 3 accounted for 23.1, 11.8, and 15.7%, respectively. The majority (87.6%) of patients with AKI developed AKI on the first 4 days after admission to the ICU. A total of 281 patients were treated with RRT. Continuous RRT with predilution, citrate for anticoagulation and femoral vein for vascular access was the most common RRT pattern (29.9%, 84 of 281). Patients with AKI were associated with longer ICU-LOS and higher mortality and costs (P<0.001). In patients treated with RRT, 78.6 and 28.5% of RRTs were dependent on the 7th and 28th days, respectively. The 28 day mortalities of non-AKI, AKI stages 1-3, and septic shock patients were 6.83, 15.04, 27.99, 45.18 and 36.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately half of our ICU patients experienced AKI. The majority of patients with AKI developed AKI during the first 4 days after admission to the ICU. Continuous RRT with predilution, citrate for anticoagulation and femoral vein for vascular access was the most common RRT pattern in our ICUs. AKI was associated with a higher mortality and costs, incomplete kidney recovery and s series of adverse outcomes.

Risk factors for intensive care unit-acquired weakness: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICUAW) occurs frequently in the context of critical illness without alternative plausible cause and specific treatment options, and it is important to identify and summarize the independent risk factors for ICUAW. PubMed, Embase, Central, China Biological Medicine, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP and Wanfang databases were searched from database inception until 10 July 2017. Prospective cohort studies on adult ICU patients who were diagnosed with ICUAW using either clinical or electrophysiological criteria were selected. Meta-analysis was performed using Stata version 12.0. The results were analysed using odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Data were pooled using a random-effects model, and heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic. Qualitative analysis and systematic review were used for risk factors that were deemed inappropriate to combine. Fourteen prospective cohort studies were included in this review. The meta-analysis showed that Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score (OR, 1.05; 95%CI, 1.01-1.10), neuromuscular blocking agents (OR, 2.03; 95%CI, 1.22-3.40) and aminoglycosides (OR, 2.27; 95%CI, 1.07-4.81) were found to be significantly associated with ICUAW. Other risk factors, including female, multiple organ failure, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, sepsis, electrolyte disturbances, hyperglycaemia, hyperosmolarity, high lactate level, duration of mechanical ventilation, parenteral nutrition and use of norepinephrine, were statistically significant on multivariable analysis in each single studies. This review provides a number of independent risk factors for ICUAW, which should be guided for early prediction and prevention of the disorder.

Corticosteroid use and intensive care unit-acquired weakness: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The association between corticosteroid use and intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired weakness remains unclear. We evaluated the relationship between corticosteroid use and ICU-acquired weakness in critically ill adult patients. METHODS: The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature databases were searched from database inception until October 10, 2017. Two authors independently screened the titles/abstracts and reviewed full-text articles. Randomized controlled trials and prospective cohort studies evaluating the association between corticosteroids and ICU-acquired weakness in adult ICU patients were selected. Data extraction from the included studies was accomplished by two independent reviewers. Meta-analysis was performed using Stata version 12.0. The results were analyzed using odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Data were pooled using a random effects model, and heterogeneity was evaluated using the χ2 and I2 statistics. Publication bias was qualitatively analyzed with funnel plots, and quantitatively analyzed with Begg's test and Egger's test. RESULTS: One randomized controlled trial and 17 prospective cohort studies were included in this review. After a meta-analysis, the effect sizes of the included studies indicated a statistically significant association between corticosteroid use and ICU-acquired weakness (OR 1.84; 95% CI 1.26-2.67; I2 = 67.2%). Subgroup analyses suggested a significant association between corticosteroid use and studies limited to patients with clinical weakness (OR 2.06; 95% CI 1.27-3.33; I2 = 60.6%), patients with mechanical ventilation (OR 2.00; 95% CI 1.23-3.27; I2 = 66.0%), and a large sample size (OR 1.61; 95% CI 1.02-2.53; I2 = 74.9%), and not studies limited to patients with abnormal electrophysiology (OR 1.65; 95% CI 0.92-2.95; I2 = 70.6%) or patients with sepsis (OR 1.96; 95% CI 0.61-6.30; I2 = 80.8%); however, statistical heterogeneity was obvious. No significant publication biases were found in the review. The overall quality of the evidence was high for the randomized controlled trial and very low for the included prospective cohort studies. CONCLUSIONS: The review suggested a significant association between corticosteroid use and ICU-acquired weakness. Thus, exposure to corticosteroids should be limited, or the administration time should be shortened in clinical practice to reduce the risk of ICU-acquired weakness.

Effect of timing of renal replacement therapy on outcomes of critically ill patients in the intensive care unit.

AIM: Currently, indications for renal replacement therapy (RRT) remain controversial. Whether early RRT can improve the prognosis of critically ill patients in the ICU is unclear. This study aimed to assess the relationship between timing of RRT initiation and short-term prognosis of patients in the ICU. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of data obtained from 28 hospitals in Beijing. The subjects received RRT treatment in the ICU from March 2012 to August 2012. RESULTS: A total of 9049 cases were reviewed, and 281 patients who underwent RRT were enrolled and divided into the non-survival (n = 144) and survival (n = 137) groups, according to their outcome at 28 days from ICU admission. Median RRT initiation times were 1 (0-25) and 1 (0-21) days in the non-survival and survival groups, respectively (P = 0.001) and oliguria/anuria frequency at RRT initiation were 76.6% and 65.3% (P = 0.036), respectively. The mortality of patients administered RRT within 24 h of ICU admission was lower than that of those treated after 24 h (P = 0.014). In patients with oliguria/anuria at RRT initiation, the 28-day mortality rate was 52.8%, which was higher than 39.0% obtained for those with no oliguria/anuria at RRT initiation (P = 0.036). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that late initiation of RRT was an independent risk factor for 28-day mortality (HR = 1.139, 95%CI 1.046-1.242, P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Timing of RRT is associated with 28-day mortality of ICU treated patients. Early RRT might improve patient survival.

Early negative fluid balance is associated with lower mortality after cardiovascular surgery.

BACKGROUND: Early fluid expansion could prevent postoperative organ hypoperfusion. However, excessive fluid resuscitation adversely influences multiple organ systems. This retrospective, observational study aimed to investigate the relationship between early negative fluid balance and postoperative mortality in critically ill adult patients following cardiovascular surgery. METHODS: In total, 567 critically ill patients who had undergone cardiovascular surgery and whose intensive care unit length of stay (LOS) was more than 24 hours were enrolled. The baseline characteristics, daily fluid balance and cumulative fluid balance were obtained. Patients were followed until discharge or day 28. Multivariate logistic regressions adjusted by propensity score were used to analyze the relationship between early negative fluid balance and postoperative mortality. RESULTS: Overall, postoperative mortality was 6.2% (35/567). Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II on admission (odd ratios [OR] 1.110), acute kidney injury stage (OR 1.639) and renal replacement therapy received (OR 3.922) were the independent risk factors of postoperative mortality, whereas negative daily fluid balance at day 2 (OR 0.411) was the protective factor. Patients with a negative daily fluid balance at day 2 had lower postoperative mortality (3.4% vs. 12.2% in the positive fluid balance group), lower acute kidney injury (AKI) stage, were less likely to receive renal replacement therapy (RRT) and experienced shorter hospital LOS compared with those with a daily positive fluid balance. CONCLUSION: This retrospective, observational study indicates that early negative fluid balance is associated with lower postoperative mortality in critically ill patients following cardiovascular surgery. Further prospective, randomized trials are needed to prove the benefits from the restrictive fluid management strategy.

A Contemporary Assessment of Acute Mechanical Ventilation in Beijing: Description, Costs, and Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the contemporary practice, outcomes, and costs related to mechanical ventilation among ICUs in China. DESIGN: A prospective observational cohort study. SETTING: Fourteen ICUs among 13 hospitals in Beijing, China. PATIENTS: Seven hundred ninety-three patients who received at least 24 hours of mechanical ventilation within the first 48 hours of ICU stay. INTERVENTION: None. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: The mean age was 64 years. Sixty-three percent were male. New acute respiratory failure accounted for 85.5% of mechanical ventilation cases. Only 4.7% of the patients received mechanical ventilation for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The most widely used ventilation mode was the combination of synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation and pressure support (43.6%). Use of lung-protective ventilation is widespread with tidal volumes of 7.1 mL/kg (2.1 mL/kg). The ICU/hospital mortality was 27.6%/29.3%, respectively (8.5%/9.7% for surgical patients and 41.3%/43.2% for medical patients, respectively). The mean level of ICU/hospital cost per patient was $15,271 (18,940)/$22,946 (25,575), respectively. The mean daily ICU cost per patient was $1,212. CONCLUSION: For the first time, we obtained a preliminary epidemiology data of mechanical ventilation in Beijing, China, through the study. Compared with the other nations, our patients are older, predominantly male, and treated according to prevailing international guidelines yet at a relatively high cost and high mortality. The expanding elderly population predicts increase demand for mechanical ventilation that must be met by continuous improvement in quality and efficiency of critical care services.

Population-Based Epidemiology of Sepsis in a Subdistrict of Beijing.

OBJECTIVE: Information about the epidemiology of sepsis in community residents in China remains scarce and incomplete. The purpose of this study was to describe the occurrence rate and outcome of sepsis in Yuetan Subdistrict of Beijing and to estimate the occurrence rate of sepsis in China. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: All public hospitals serving residents in Yuetan Subdistrict, Beijing. PATIENTS: All patients (n = 1,716) meeting criteria for sepsis based on American College of Chest Physicians/Society of Critical Care Medicine consensus definition. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENT AND MAIN RESULTS: We screened all adult residents in Yuetan Subdistrict who were hospitalized from July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2014, and reviewed medical records. Patients with sepsis were included in the analysis. We enrolled 1,716 patients with sepsis out of 21,191 hospitalized adults screened, among whom severe sepsis developed in 256 patients, and septic shock developed in 233 patients. The crude annual occurrence rates of sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock in Yuetan Subdistrict were 667, 103, and 91 cases per 100,000 population, corresponding to standardized occurrence rates of 461, 68, and 52 cases per 100,000 population per year, respectively. Both occurrence rate and mortality increased significantly with age, although males had higher age-adjusted occurrence rate and mortality. The occurrence rate of sepsis also exhibited seasonal variation, peaking in winter season. The overall hospital mortality rate of sepsis was 20.6%, yielding a standardized mortality rate of 79 cases per 100,000 population per year. CONCLUSIONS: Sepsis is a common and frequently fatal syndrome in Yuetan Subdistrict, Beijing. The occurrence rate and mortality of sepsis are significantly higher in males and elderly people.

Could remifentanil reduce duration of mechanical ventilation in comparison with other opioids for mechanically ventilated patients? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Sedation and analgesia are commonly required to relieve anxiety and pain in mechanically ventilated patients. Fentanyl and morphine are the most frequently used opioids. Remifentanil is a selective µ-opioid receptor that is metabolized by unspecific esterases and eliminated independently of liver or renal function. Remifentanil has a rapid onset and offset and a short context-sensitive half-life regardless of the duration of infusion, which may lead to reductions in weaning and extubation. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of remifentanil to that of other opioids in mechanically ventilated patients. METHODS: We conducted a search to identify relevant randomized controlled studies (RCTs) in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and SinoMed databases that had been published up to 31 December 2016. The results were analysed using weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Twenty-three RCTs with 1905 patients were included. Remifentanil was associated with reductions in the duration of mechanical ventilation (mean difference -1.46; 95% CI -2.44 to -0.49), time to extubation after sedation cessation (mean difference -1.02; 95% CI -1.59 to -0.46), and ICU-LOS (mean difference -0.10; 95% CI -0.16 to -0.03). No significant differences were identified in hospital-LOS (mean difference -0.05; 95% CI -0.25 to 0.15), costs (mean difference -709.71; 95% CI -1590.98 to 171.55; I2 88%), mortality (mean difference -0.64; 95% CI -1.33 to 0.06; I2 87%) or agitation (mean difference -0.71; 95% CI -1.80 to 0.37; I2 93%). CONCLUSIONS: Remifentanil seems to be associated with reductions in the duration of mechanical ventilation, time to extubation after cessation of sedation, and ICU-LOS. No significant differences were identified between remifentanil and other opioids in terms of hospital-LOS, costs, mortality or agitation.

Exploring the best predictors of fluid responsiveness in patients with septic shock.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate respiratory variations in carotid and brachial peak velocity and other hemodynamic parameters to predict responsiveness to fluid challenge. METHODS: A prospective observational study was performed on mechanically ventilated patients with septic shock. Outcomes included the measurements of central venous pressure, intrathoracic blood volume index, stroke volume variation (SVV), pleth variability index(PVI), and ultrasound assessments of respiratory variations in inferior vena cava diameter (ΔIVC), carotid Doppler peak velocity (ΔCDPV), and brachial artery peak velocity (ΔVpeak brach). RESULTS: All patients received 200 mL normal saline challenge. There were 27 responders and 22 non-responders. Responders had higher SVV, PVI, ΔIVC, ΔCDPV, and ΔVpeak brach measurements. In addition, all these measurements had statistically significant linear correlations with changes in cardiac index (CI).When responders were defined by ΔCI≥10%, receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis showed that fluid responsiveness could be predicted:11.5% optimal cut-off 1evels of SVV with sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 85%, 15.5% optimal cut-off 1evels of PVI with sensitivity of 65% and specificity of 80%, 20.5% optimal cut-off 1evels of ΔIVC with sensitivity of 67% and specificity of 77%, 13% optimal cut-off 1evels of ΔCDPV with sensitivity of 78%% and specificity of 90%, 11.7% optimal cut-off 1evels of ΔVpeak brach with sensitivity of 70% and specificity of 80%. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound assessment of ΔIVC and ΔVpeak brach, especially ΔCDPV, could predict fluid responsiveness and might be recommended as a continuous and noninvasive method to monitor functional hemodynamic parameter in mechanically ventilated patients with septic shock.