A Coordinated and Multidisciplinary Strategy can Reduce the Time for Antibiotics in Septic Patients at a University Hospital.

Objectives: We carried out this work with the aim of assessing the effectiveness of a set of interventions over time for the administration of antibiotics. Design: Prospective observational study. Setting: Patients admitted to the emergency room and ICU of the hospital where the study was conducted are evaluated daily for some sociodemographic and clinical variables. Among them are some quality indicators, such as the time between the diagnosis of sepsis or septic shock until the start of the infusion of antibiotics. This indicator reflects several aspects related to a set of assistance measures (adequacy of antibiotic dispensation, rapid response team (RRT), sepsis care quality improvement program, antimicrobial management program, improvements in emergency department assistance). Patients or participants: Patients with sepsis or septic shock were admitted to the ICU of a university and public hospital in southern Brazil. Main variables of interest: The time between the diagnosis of sepsis or septic shock and the beginning of the infusion of antibiotics. Results: Between 2013 and 2018, 1676 patients were evaluated. The mean time for antibiotic infusion decreased from 6.1 ± 8.6 hours to 1.7 ± 2.9 hours (p < 0.001). The percentage of patients who received antibiotics in the first hour increased from 20.7 to 59.0% (p < 0.001). Conclusion: In this study, we demonstrated that a set of actions adopted in a large tertiary hospital was associated with decreased time to start antibiotic therapy in septic patients. How to cite this article: Moraes RB, Haas JS, Vidart J, Nicolaidis R, Deutschendorf C, Moretti MMS, et al. A Coordinated and Multidisciplinary Strategy can Reduce the Time for Antibiotics in Septic Patients at a University Hospital. Indian J Crit Care Med 2023;27(7):465-469.

Hypothermia related to continuous renal replacement therapy: incidence and associated factors. / Hipotermia relacionada à terapia renal substitutiva contínua: incidência e fatores associados.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incidence of hypothermia in patients undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy in the intensive care unit. As secondary objectives, we determined associated factors and compared the occurrence of hypothermia between two modalities of continuous renal replacement therapy. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted with adult patients who were admitted to a clinical-surgical intensive care unit and underwent continuous renal replacement therapy in a high-complexity public university hospital in southern Brazil from April 2017 to July 2018. Hypothermia was defined as a body temperature ≤ 35ºC. The patients included in the study were followed for the first 48 hours of continuous renal replacement therapy. The researchers collected data from medical records and continuous renal replacement therapy records. RESULTS: A total of 186 patients were equally distributed between two types of continuous renal replacement therapy: hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration. The incidence of hypothermia was 52.7% and was higher in patients admitted for shock (relative risk of 2.11; 95%CI 1.21 - 3.69; p = 0.009) and in those who underwent hemodiafiltration with heating in the return line (relative risk of 1.50; 95%CI 1.13 - 1.99; p = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Hypothermia in critically ill patients with continuous renal replacement therapy is frequent, and the intensive care team should be attentive, especially when there are associated risk factors.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a incidência de hipotermia em pacientes em terapia renal substitutiva contínua na unidade de terapia intensiva. Como objetivos secundários, determinar fatores associados e comparar a ocorrência de hipotermia entre duas modalidades de terapia renal substitutiva contínua. MÉTODOS: Estudo de coorte, prospectivo, realizado com pacientes adultos internados em uma unidade de terapia intensiva clínico-cirúrgica, que realizaram terapia renal substitutiva contínua em um hospital universitário público de alta complexidade do Sul do Brasil, de abril de 2017 a julho de 2018. A hipotermia foi definida como queda da temperatura corporal ≤ 35ºC. Os pacientes incluídos no estudo foram acompanhados nas 48 horas iniciais de terapia renal substitutiva contínua. Os dados foram coletados pelos pesquisadores por meio da consulta aos prontuários e às fichas de registro das terapias renais substitutivas contínuas. RESULTADOS: Foram avaliados 186 pacientes distribuídos igualmente entre dois tipos de terapia renal substitutiva contínua: hemodiálise e hemodiafiltração. A incidência de hipotermia foi de 52,7%, sendo maior nos pacientes que internaram por choque (risco relativo de 2,11; IC95% 1,21 - 3,69; p = 0,009) e nos que fizeram hemodiafiltração com aquecimento por mangueira na linha de retorno (risco relativo de 1,50; IC95% 1,13 - 1,99; p = 0,005). CONCLUSÃO: A hipotermia em pacientes críticos com terapia renal substitutiva contínua é frequente, e a equipe intensivista deve estar atenta, em especial quando há fatores de risco associados.

Time to clearance of abdominal septic focus and mortality in patients with sepsis. / Tempo para evacuação de foco séptico abdominal e mortalidade em portadores de sepse.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between time to focus clearance and hospital mortality in patients with sepsis and septic shock. METHODS: This was an observational, single-center study with a retrospective analysis of the time to clearance of abdominal septic focus. Patients were classified according to the time to focus clearance into an early (≤ 12 hours) or delayed (> 12 hours) group. RESULTS: A total of 135 patients were evaluated. There was no association between time to focus clearance and hospital mortality (≤ 12 hours versus > 12 hours): 52.3% versus 52.9%, with p = 0.137. CONCLUSION: There was no difference in hospital mortality among patients with sepsis or septic shock who had an infectious focus evacuated before or after 12 hours after the diagnosis of sepsis.

Effects of Sepsis on Morbidity and Mortality in Critically Ill Patients 2 Years After Intensive Care Unit Discharge.

BACKGROUND: Morbidity and mortality after discharge from an intensive care unit appear to be higher in patients with sepsis than in patients without sepsis. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate morbidity and mortality in patients with and without sepsis within 2 years after intensive care unit discharge. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted in 2 intensive care units. Patients who stayed in the intensive care unit longer than 24 hours were followed up for 2 years after discharge. Morbidity was assessed by using the Karnofsky scale, the Lawton instrumental activities of daily living scale, presence of pain, and readmissions. RESULTS: During the study, 74.7% of patients (859 of 1150; 242 with sepsis, 617 without sepsis) were discharged from the intensive care unit. Compared with patients without sepsis, patients with sepsis had higher mortality during follow-up (57.4% vs 34.2%; P < .001) and were 1.34 times as likely to die (per Cox regression). More patients with sepsis had pain (48.5% vs 35.2%, P = .003) and read-missions (65.5% vs 55.0%, P = .02). Patients with sepsis had a greater degree of functional loss, adjusted for confounding factors (mean [SD] change in Lawton scale score from intensive care unit admission to 2 years after intensive care unit discharge, 4.0 [8.0] vs 3.4 [8.2]; P = .31). CONCLUSION: Compared with patients without sepsis, those with sepsis have higher mortality in the intensive care unit and have more pain, hospital readmissions, and functional decline within 2 years after discharge.

Corrigendum to "Public versus Private Healthcare Systems following Discharge from the ICU: A Propensity Score-Matched Comparison of Outcomes".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2016/6568531.].

Public versus Private Healthcare Systems following Discharge from the ICU: A Propensity Score-Matched Comparison of Outcomes.

Purpose. The long-term outcomes of patients after discharge from tertiary ICUs as they relate to the public versus private healthcare systems in Brazil have not yet been evaluated. Materials and Methods. A multicenter prospective cohort study was conducted to compare the all-cause mortality and the physical functional status (PFS) 24 months after discharge from the ICU between adult patients treated in the public and private healthcare systems. A propensity score- (PS-) matched comparison of all causes of mortality and PFS 24 months after discharge from the ICU was performed. Results. In total, 928 patients were discharged from the ICU including 172 (18.6%) patients in the public and 756 (81.4%) patients in the private healthcare system. The results of the PS-matched comparison of all-cause mortality revealed higher mortality rates among the patients of the public healthcare system compared to those of the private healthcare system (47.3% versus 27.6%, P = 0.003). The comparison of the PS-matched Karnofsky performance and Lawton activities of daily living scores between the ICU survivors of the public and private healthcare systems revealed no significant differences. Conclusions. The patients of private healthcare system exhibited significantly greater survival rates than the patients of the public healthcare system with similar PFS following ICU discharge.

Tempo para evacuação de foco séptico abdominal e mortalidade em portadores de sepse / Time to clearance of abdominal septic focus and mortality in patients with sepsis

RESUMO Objetivo: Aferir a relação entre tempo para evacuação de foco e mortalidade hospitalar em portadores de sepse e choque séptico. Métodos: Estudo observacional, unicêntrico, com análise retrospectiva do tempo para evacuação de foco séptico abdominal. Os pacientes foram classificados conforme o tempo para evacuação do foco em grupo precoce (≤ 12 horas) ou tardio (> 12 horas). Resultados: Foram avaliados 135 pacientes. Não houve associação entre tempo para evacuação do foco e mortalidade hospitalar (≤ 12 horas versus > 12 horas): 52,3% versus 52,9%, com p = 0,137. Conclusão: Não houve diferença na mortalidade hospitalar entre pacientes com sepse ou choque séptico que tiveram foco infeccioso evacuado antes ou após 12 horas do diagnóstico de sepse.

ABSTRACT Objective: To assess the relationship between time to focus clearance and hospital mortality in patients with sepsis and septic shock. Methods: This was an observational, single-center study with a retrospective analysis of the time to clearance of abdominal septic focus. Patients were classified according to the time to focus clearance into an early (≤ 12 hours) or delayed (> 12 hours) group. Results: A total of 135 patients were evaluated. There was no association between time to focus clearance and hospital mortality (≤ 12 hours versus > 12 hours): 52.3% versus 52.9%, with p = 0.137. Conclusion: There was no difference in hospital mortality among patients with sepsis or septic shock who had an infectious focus evacuated before or after 12 hours after the diagnosis of sepsis.

Análise dos custos da internação hospitalar de pacientes em ventilação mecânica invasiva e fatores associados / Analysis of hospitalization costs of patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation and associated factors

Introdução: A Unidade de Terapia Intensiva (UTI) é uma unidade com elevado custo hospitalar, devido à necessidade de espaço específico, profissionais especializados e tecnologias para o cuidado. Diversos pacientes necessitam de ventilação mecânica (VM) invasiva e por tempo prolongado, consequentemente gerando um custo ainda mais elevado à instituição. O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar os fatores associados a maiores custos da internação hospitalar dos pacientes submetidos à VM invasiva na UTI. Métodos: Estudo transversal com 316 pacientes, submetidos à VM invasiva e internados na UTI, no período de fevereiro de 2015 a julho de 2016. A coleta de dados foi realizada em prontuário eletrônico. As variáveis estudadas foram: idade, sexo, causa da internação, diagnóstico na admissão, comorbidades, Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS-3), permanência na UTI, dias de VM, reintubações, reinternações, óbito na UTI ou intrahospitalar. Resultados: Os fatores que associaram-se significativamente com o aumento do custo da internação hospitalar foram: maior tempo de permanência hospitalar pós alta da UTI 4 (0-12) dias; maior tempo de VM 7 (3-14) dias; tabagismo; maior tempo de permanência na UTI 10 (5-18) dias e presença de infecção nosocomial. Conclusão: A identificação dos fatores como VM prolongada, maior tempo de permanência na UTI, maior tempo de permanência pós UTI, tabagismo e presença de infecção nosocomial, estes aumentam o custo da internação. Conhecendo esses fatores os profissionais de saúde podem melhorar o direcionamento de recursos e planejamento da alta pós-cuidados intensivos. Estratégias de gestão devem ser compartilhadas com a equipe multiprofissional na busca de melhorias nos processos de cuidado, gerenciamento dos custos associados à assistência à saúde e desfechos dos pacientes. (AU)

Introduction: The intensive care unit (ICU) is a high-cost unit in a hospital, because it requires specific space, specialized personnel, and a specific range of technologies for care. Many patients need long-term invasive mechanical ventilation (MV), which consequently generates an even higher cost to the hospital. The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with the increased hospitalization costs of patients receiving invasive MV in the ICU. Method: This was a cross-sectional study of 316 ICU patients receiving invasive MV. Data were collected from the patients' medical records. The following variables were investigated: age, sex, cause of hospitalization, admission diagnosis, comorbidities, Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS-3), ICU stay, MV days, reintubations, readmissions, and ICU and intrahospital mortality Results: The factors associated with increased hospitalization costs were longer hospitalization after ICU discharge (4 days, range 0-12), longer MV duration (7 days, range 3-14), smoking, longer ICU stay (10 days, range 5-18), and presence of nosocomial infection. Conclusion: Factors that increase hospitalization costs were identified, including prolonged MV, prolonged ICU stay, prolonged hospitalization after ICU discharge, smoking, and presence of nosocomial infection. Knowledge of these factors can help healthcare professionals improve resource allocation and post-ICU care planning. Management strategies should be shared with the multidisciplinary team to improve care processes, management of healthcare-related costs, and patient outcomes.(AU)