Cognitive-motor dissociation and time to functional recovery in patients with acute brain injury in the USA: a prospective observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Recovery trajectories of clinically unresponsive patients with acute brain injury are largely uncertain. Brain activation in the absence of a behavioural response to spoken motor commands can be detected by EEG, also known as cognitive-motor dissociation. We aimed to explore the role of cognitive-motor dissociation in predicting time to recovery in patients with acute brain injury. METHODS: In this observational cohort study, we prospectively studied two independent cohorts of clinically unresponsive patients (aged ≥18 years) with acute brain injury. Machine learning was applied to EEG recordings to diagnose cognitive-motor dissociation by detecting brain activation in response to verbal commands. Survival statistics and shift analyses were applied to the data to identify an association between cognitive-motor dissociation and time to and magnitude of recovery. The prediction accuracy of the model that was built using the derivation cohort was assessed using the validation cohort. Functional outcomes of all patients were assessed with the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOS-E) at hospital discharge and at 3, 6, and 12 months after injury. Patients who underwent withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies were censored, and death was treated as a competing risk. FINDINGS: Between July 1, 2014, and Sept 30, 2021, we screened 598 patients with acute brain injury and included 193 (32%) patients, of whom 100 were in the derivation cohort and 93 were in the validation cohort. At 12 months, 28 (15%) of 193 unresponsive patients had a GOS-E score of 4 or above. Cognitive-motor dissociation was seen in 27 (14%) patients and was an independent predictor of shorter time to good recovery (hazard ratio 5·6 [95% CI 2·5-12·5]), as was underlying traumatic brain injury or subdural haematoma (4·4 [1·4-14·0]), a Glasgow Coma Scale score on admission of greater than or equal to 8 (2·2 [1·0-4·7]), and younger age (1·0 [1·0-1·1]). Among patients discharged home or to a rehabilitation setting, those diagnosed with cognitive-motor dissociation consistently had higher scores on GOS-E indicating better functional recovery compared with those without cognitive-motor dissociation, which was seen as early as 3 months after the injury (odds ratio 4·5 [95% CI 2·0-33·6]). INTERPRETATION: Recovery trajectories of clinically unresponsive patients diagnosed with cognitive-motor dissociation early after brain injury are distinctly different from those without cognitive-motor dissociation. A diagnosis of cognitive-motor dissociation could inform the counselling of families of clinically unresponsive patients, and it could help clinicians to identify patients who will benefit from rehabilitation. FUNDING: US National Institutes of Health.

Markers in Status Epilepticus Prognosis.

Status epilepticus (SE) is a neurologic emergency with high morbidity and mortality. The assessment of a patient's prognosis is crucial in making treatment decisions. In this review, we discuss various markers that have been used to prognosticate SE in terms of recurrence, mortality, and functional outcome. These markers include demographic, clinical, electrophysiological, biochemical, and structural data. The heterogeneity of SE etiology and semiology renders development of prognostic markers challenging. Currently, prognostication in SE is limited to a few clinical scores. Future research should integrate clinical, genetic and epigenetic, metabolic, inflammatory, and structural biomarkers into prognostication models to approach "personalized medicine" in prognostication of outcomes after SE.

Ketamine to treat super-refractory status epilepticus.

OBJECTIVE: To test ketamine infusion efficacy in the treatment of super-refractory status epilepticus (SRSE), we studied patients with SRSE who were treated with ketamine retrospectively. We also studied the effect of high doses of ketamine on brain physiology as reflected by invasive multimodality monitoring (MMM). METHODS: We studied a consecutive series of 68 patients with SRSE who were admitted between 2009 and 2018, treated with ketamine, and monitored with scalp EEG. Eleven of these patients underwent MMM at the time of ketamine administration. We compared patients who had seizure cessation after ketamine initiation to those who did not. RESULTS: Mean age was 53 ± 18 years and 46% of patients were female. Seizure burden decreased by at least 50% within 24 hours of starting ketamine in 55 (81%) patients, with complete cessation in 43 (63%). Average dose of ketamine infusion was 2.2 ± 1.8 mg/kg/h, with median duration of 2 (1-4) days. Average dose of midazolam was 1.0 ± 0.8 mg/kg/h at the time of ketamine initiation and was started at a median of 0.4 (0.1-1.0) days before ketamine. Using a generalized linear mixed effect model, ketamine was associated with stable mean arterial pressure (odds ratio 1.39, 95% confidence interval 1.38-1.40) and with decreased vasopressor requirements over time. We found no effect on intracranial pressure, cerebral blood flow, or cerebral perfusion pressure. CONCLUSION: Ketamine treatment was associated with a decrease in seizure burden in patients with SRSE. Our data support the notion that high-dose ketamine infusions are associated with decreased vasopressor requirements without increased intracranial pressure. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class IV evidence that ketamine decreases seizures in patients with SRSE.

Prescription Errors with Chemotherapy: Quality Improvement through Standardized Order Templates.

BACKGROUND: Despite the existence of established guidelines advocating the use and value of chemotherapy order templates, chemotherapy orders are still handwritten in many hospitals in Lebanon. This manuscript describes the implementation of standardized chemotherapy order templates (COT) in a Lebanese tertiary teaching hospital through multiple steps. INITIAL ASSESSMENT: An initial assessment was conducted through a retrospective appraisal of completeness of handwritten chemotherapy orders for 100 adult patients to serve as a baseline for the project and identify parameters that might afford improvement. CHOICE OF SOLUTION: Development of over 300 standardized pre-printed COTs based on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network templates and adapted to the practice culture and patient population. IMPLEMENTATION: The COTs were implemented, using Kotter's 8-step model for leading change, by engaging health care providers, and identifying and removing barriers. EVALUATION: Assessment of physicians' compliance with the new practice (122 orders assessed) was completed through two phases and allowed for the identification of areas of improvement. LESSONS LEARNED: Overall, COT implementation showed an average improvement in order completion from 49.5% (handwritten orders) to 77.6% (phase 1-COT) to 87.6% (phase 2-COT) reflecting an increase of 38.1% between baseline and phase 2 and demonstrating that chemotherapy orders completeness was improved by pre-printed COT. As many of the hospitals in Lebanon are moving towards standardized COTs and computerized physician order entry (CPOE) in the next few years, this study provides a prototype for the successful implementation of COT and demonstrates their role in promoting quality improvement of cancer care.