[Hemato-oncology and intensive care medicine : From taboo to indispensable]. / Hämatoonkologie und Intensivmedizin : Vom Tabu zur Conditio sine qua non.

Intensivists are confronted with a broad spectrum of specific clinical problems while caring for critically ill cancer patients. These include defining proper goals of intensive care treatment, managing acute respiratory failure with diverse differential considerations, treating immunologic side-effects of ever new and innovative cancer therapies, as well as numerous clinical scenarios which may exclusively arise in cancer patients. To help clinicians handle such challenges, the initiative Intensive Care in Hematologic and Oncologic Patients (iCHOP) has been dealing with these topics for several years. Supported by several Austrian and German medical societies of intensive care medicine, hematology and oncology, the first "Consensus statement for cancer patients requiring intensive care support" has only recently been released. Acute respiratory failure and its management continues to be a major focus in critically ill cancer patients due to its frequency and its prognostic impact. While noninvasive oxygenation strategies were considered the gold standard of therapy, more recent high-quality data do not show clinical benefits of such techniques including high flow nasal oxygen. On the contrary, several studies revealed an unidentified etiology of an acute respiratory failure as the only potentially modifiable risk factor for adverse outcome. Consequently, evidence-based and rigorously applied diagnostic algorithms are of utmost importance in these patients. Furthermore, intensivists are increasingly confronted with the rising incidence of various and new immunotherapy-associated toxicities and their management.

[Prevalence of cancer patients in German intensive care units]. / Prävalenz von Krebspatienten auf deutschen Intensivstationen.

INTRODUCTION: Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Due to increasing comorbidities, age and aggressive chemotherapy, care of cancer patients in intensive care units (ICUs) is more and more necessary. So far, little is known about the care structure of cancer patients in German ICUs. The aim of this work is to collect and evaluate the prevalence and care data of cancer patients on two reference dates. METHODS: German ICUs were invited to participate in a 2-day, prospective, multicenter point prevalence study in ICU cancer patients. Participation in the study was voluntary and the study was not funded. An ethics vote was obtained to conduct the study. The data were anonymously entered into an eCRF (electronic case report form) by the participating centers. Identification of the patients is therefore not possible. RESULTS: About one in four patients on the ICU/IMC ward had hematological-oncological (HO) disease (n = 316/1319, 24%). The proportion depended significantly on the number of beds in each hospital. The most frequent reasons for admission to the ICU/IMC station were postoperative monitoring (n = 83/221, 37.6%), respiratory instability (n = 79/221, 35.7%), circulatory instability (n = 52/221; 23.5%) and the severe infection with sepsis (n = 47/221; 21.3%). In all, 66.5% (n = 147/221) of the patients had a solid tumor and 21.7% (n = 48/221) had hematological cancer, 78.3% (n = 173/221) of the documented cancer patients received "full-code" intensive management, while 42.5% (n = 94/221) of the HO patients were ventilated and 40.7% (n = 90/221) required catecholamines. The median (mean; IQR) SAPS II score was 35 (37.79, IQR = 24-48) and the median (mean, IQR) TISS score was 10 (13.26, IQR = 10-15). Through the analysis and evaluation of the data available in the context of the prevalence study, it was possible for the first time to determine the Germany-wide cross-center prevalence and care situation of hematological cancer patients in intensive care and intermediate care stations. About one in four patients on German ICUs and IMC wards have a major or minor cancer diagnosis (n = 316/1319 = 24%). Care management is complex in this patient population and requires close interdisciplinary collaboration.

Detection of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in critically ill patients by combined use of conventional culture, galactomannan, 1-3-beta-D-glucan and Aspergillus specific nested polymerase chain reaction in a prospective pilot study.

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is an emerging and life-threatening infectious disease in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Most diagnostic studies are conducted in hematological patients and results cannot readily be transferred to ICU patients lacking classical host factors. In a multicenter, prospective clinical trial including 44 ICU patients, hematological (n = 14) and non-hematological patients (n = 30), concurrent serum and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples were analyzed by conventional culture, galactomannan (GM), 1-3-beta-D-glucan (BDG) as well as an Aspergillus specific nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Nine patients (20%) had putative IPA according to AspICU classification. GM and PCR showed superior performance in BAL with sensitivity/specificity of 56%/94% and 44%/94% compared to 33%/97% and 11%/94% in serum. Despite better sensitivity of 89%, BDG showed poor specificity of only 31% (BAL) and 26% (serum). Combination of GM and PCR (BAL) with BDG (serum) resulted in 100% sensitivity, but also reduced specificity to 23%. Whereas mean GM levels were significantly higher in hematological patients BDG and PCR did not differ between hematological and non-hematological patients. Under present clinical conditions test combinations integrating both BAL and blood samples are advantageous. BDG might best serve as possible indicator for ruling out IPA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01695499. First posted: September 28, 2012, last update posted: May 8, 2017.

Consensus statement for cancer patients requiring intensive care support.

This consensus statement is directed to intensivists, hematologists, and oncologists caring for critically ill cancer patients and focuses on the management of these patients.

[Long-term use of an endovascular temperature catheter]. / Langzeitanwendung eines intravasalen Temperaturkatheters.

A patient suffering from severe cutaneous graft versus host disease (GvHD) developed generalized epidermolysis and refractory hypothermia. Due to the insufficient effect of traditional rewarming methods, an endovascular temperature catheter was placed via the femoral vein to achieve and maintain normothermia over a period of 31 days. This case shows that an endovascular temperature modulation device primarily made for short-term use may be safe and effective even over weeks and may offer an alternative to other rewarming methods in patients with severe epidermolysis and burns.

[Leukostasis and tumor lysis: important complications of hyperleukocytosis]. / Leukostase und Tumorlyse: Wichtige Komplikationen der Hyperleukozytose.

The occurrence of hyperleukocytosis (leukocytes > 100.000/µl) is associated with complications such as leukostasis, tumor lysis and consumption coagulopathy in patients with acute leukemia much more often than in patients with chronic malignant hematological diseases. To manage these situations may be complex as organ failure is often imminent or manifest, infectious complications arise and indications for induction chemotherapy are usually urgent. Prophylaxis and therapy of the tumor lysis syndrome consists of hydration, lowering of uric acid and the management of electrolyte disturbances. Leukostasis requires immediate reduction of the leukocyte count by leukapheresis, administration of hydroxycarbamide and, ultimately, by causative and specific treatment of the underlying disease itself. In patients with curable diseases or favorable long-term prognosis, transfer to the intensive care unit must be evaluated early in the course of impending organ dysfunction, especially in cases of acute respiratory failure.

[Cancer patients in the intensive care unit. Goals of therapy, ethics, and palliation]. / Der hämatologisch-onkologische Patient auf der Intensivstation. Therapieziele-Ethik-Palliation.

Providing critical care to cancer patients requires a high degree of practical multidisciplinary teamwork between intensivists and cancer specialists. Intensivists should have a solid basic knowledge of malignant diseases as well as of the typical complications of the underlying illness and its therapies. Hemato-oncologists should evaluate the transfer of these patients to the intensive care unit early in the course of emerging organ dysfunctions. Both parties should have a realistic impression of the short-term intensive care and long-term oncologic options and perspectives of the respective patient. Good cooperation between intensivists and cancer specialists is the basis for meaningful decisions on admission, planning of individual therapeutic aims, successful patient management, and tailored therapy, with a smooth transition into a palliative care setting whenever appropriate.

[Chronic critically ill patients from the perspective of hematologists/oncologists]. / Der chronisch kritisch kranke Patient aus der Perspektive des Hämatoonkologen.

Many factors contribute to making critically ill patients with underlying hematological or oncological diseases into a special collective on intensive care units, such as an often incurable or at least doubtfully curable underlying disease, therapy associated complications and a commonly present immunosuppression. The prognosis of these patients has clearly improved in recent years so that a general reluctance in deciding to treat these patients in intensive care units can no longer be justified. Comprehensive infection diagnostics and a guideline oriented causal and supportive treatment can improve the prognosis of sepsis even in hematology/oncology patients. In the therapy of respiratory failure non-invasive ventilation is of great importance for a reduction in mortality if used early and contraindications, such as termination criteria are considered. Considerations on long-term prognosis, quality of life and palliative care are increasingly becoming topics in intensive care medicine.

[Intensive medical care problems of hemato-oncological patients]. / Intensivmedizinische Probleme des hämatoonkologischen Patienten.

The life expectancy and prevalence of malignant diseases is continuously on the rise, which inevitably leads to an increase of critically ill cancer patients. This article explains why the prognosis of cancer patients in the intensive care unit has markedly improved over the last decades, what the reasons for admission are and which risk factors affect mortality. Furthermore, the importance of correct patient selection and other specific topics will be discussed. Accordingly, acute respiratory failure for example is the most common organ dysfunction in these patients and has specific prognostic, diagnostic and therapeutic characteristics. The successful management of cancer patients in the intensive care unit requires specific knowledge of the intensive care physician and an excellent cooperation with the treating hematologist and oncologist.

[The importance of the esophageal-tracheal-double lumen tube for clinical use and emergencies]. / Die Bedeutung des ösophago-trachealen Kombinationstubus in der klinischen Routine und bei Notfällen.

Difficult intubation can unexpectedly occur in clinical practice and emergencies. Oxygenation must be maintained with resumed artificial ventilation. Besides tracheal intubation with an ETT as the "gold standard" of airway management, the esophageal-tracheal Combitube(R) (ETC; Tyco-Healthcare, Neustadt/Donau, Germany; www.combitube.org) is another interesting device that has been used satisfactorily in a variety of circumstances, specially for management of the difficult airway. The ETC has been used during prehospital and hospital emergencies. Now, anesthesiologists have managed the ETC successfully in clinical practice also. The anesthesiological management does not differ from the management in other difficult airway situations. The use of the Combitube needs an appropriate teaching and continuous clinical practice.