Sex and gender-based analysis and diversity metric reporting in acute care trials published in high-impact journals: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To characterise sex and gender-based analysis (SGBA) and diversity metric reporting, representation of female/women participants in acute care trials and temporal changes in reporting before and after publication of the 2016 Sex and Gender Equity in Research guideline. DESIGN: Systematic review. DATA SOURCES: We searched MEDLINE for trials published in five leading medical journals in 2014, 2018 and 2020. STUDY SELECTION: Trials that enrolled acutely ill adults, compared two or more interventions and reported at least one clinical outcome. DATA ABSTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: 4 reviewers screened citations and 22 reviewers abstracted data, in duplicate. We compared reporting differences between intensive care unit (ICU) and cardiology trials. RESULTS: We included 88 trials (75 (85.2%) ICU and 13 (14.8%) cardiology) (n=111 428; 38 140 (34.2%) females/women). Of 23 (26.1%) trials that reported an SGBA, most used a forest plot (22 (95.7%)), were prespecified (21 (91.3%)) and reported a sex-by-intervention interaction with a significance test (19 (82.6%)). Discordant sex and gender terminology were found between headings and subheadings within baseline characteristics tables (17/32 (53.1%)) and between baseline characteristics tables and SGBA (4/23 (17.4%)). Only 25 acute care trials (28.4%) reported race or ethnicity. Participants were predominantly white (78.8%) and male/men (65.8%). No trial reported gendered-social factors. SGBA reporting and female/women representation did not improve temporally. Compared with ICU trials, cardiology trials reported significantly more SGBA (15/75 (20%) vs 8/13 (61.5%) p=0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Acute care trials in leading medical journals infrequently included SGBA, female/women and non-white trial participants, reported race or ethnicity and never reported gender-related factors. Substantial opportunity exists to improve SGBA and diversity metric reporting and recruitment of female/women participants in acute care trials. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022282565.

Society of Critical Care Medicine Guidelines on Glycemic Control for Critically Ill Children and Adults 2024.

RATIONALE: Maintaining glycemic control of critically ill patients may impact outcomes such as survival, infection, and neuromuscular recovery, but there is equipoise on the target blood levels, monitoring frequency, and methods. OBJECTIVES: The purpose was to update the 2012 Society of Critical Care Medicine and American College of Critical Care Medicine (ACCM) guidelines with a new systematic review of the literature and provide actionable guidance for clinicians. PANEL DESIGN: The total multiprofessional task force of 22, consisting of clinicians and patient/family advocates, and a methodologist applied the processes described in the ACCM guidelines standard operating procedure manual to develop evidence-based recommendations in alignment with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation Approach (GRADE) methodology. Conflict of interest policies were strictly followed in all phases of the guidelines, including panel selection and voting. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review for each Population, Intervention, Comparator, and Outcomes question related to glycemic management in critically ill children (≥ 42 wk old adjusted gestational age to 18 yr old) and adults, including triggers for initiation of insulin therapy, route of administration, monitoring frequency, role of an explicit decision support tool for protocol maintenance, and methodology for glucose testing. We identified the best available evidence, statistically summarized the evidence, and then assessed the quality of evidence using the GRADE approach. We used the evidence-to-decision framework to formulate recommendations as strong or weak or as a good practice statement. In addition, "In our practice" statements were included when the available evidence was insufficient to support a recommendation, but the panel felt that describing their practice patterns may be appropriate. Additional topics were identified for future research. RESULTS: This guideline is an update of the guidelines for the use of an insulin infusion for the management of hyperglycemia in critically ill patients. It is intended for adult and pediatric practitioners to reassess current practices and direct research into areas with inadequate literature. The panel issued seven statements related to glycemic control in unselected adults (two good practice statements, four conditional recommendations, one research statement) and seven statements for pediatric patients (two good practice statements, one strong recommendation, one conditional recommendation, two "In our practice" statements, and one research statement), with additional detail on specific subset populations where available. CONCLUSIONS: The guidelines panel achieved consensus for adults and children regarding a preference for an insulin infusion for the acute management of hyperglycemia with titration guided by an explicit clinical decision support tool and frequent (≤ 1 hr) monitoring intervals during glycemic instability to minimize hypoglycemia and against targeting intensive glucose levels. These recommendations are intended for consideration within the framework of the patient's existing clinical status. Further research is required to evaluate the role of individualized glycemic targets, continuous glucose monitoring systems, explicit decision support tools, and standardized glycemic control metrics.

In ICU patients not receiving early PN, tight and liberal glucose control did not differ for length of ICU stay or death.

SOURCE CITATION: Gunst J, Debaveye Y, Güiza F, et al; TGC-Fast Collaborators. Tight blood-glucose control without early parenteral nutrition in the ICU. N Engl J Med. 2023;389:1180-1190. 37754283.

Society of Critical Care Medicine Guidelines on Recognizing and Responding to Clinical Deterioration Outside the ICU: 2023.

RATIONALE: Clinical deterioration of patients hospitalized outside the ICU is a source of potentially reversible morbidity and mortality. To address this, some acute care hospitals have implemented systems aimed at detecting and responding to such patients. OBJECTIVES: To provide evidence-based recommendations for hospital clinicians and administrators to optimize recognition and response to clinical deterioration in non-ICU patients. PANEL DESIGN: The 25-member panel included representatives from medicine, nursing, respiratory therapy, pharmacy, patient/family partners, and clinician-methodologists with expertise in developing evidence-based Clinical Practice Guidelines. METHODS: We generated actionable questions using the Population, Intervention, Control, and Outcomes (PICO) format and performed a systematic review of the literature to identify and synthesize the best available evidence. We used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation Approach to determine certainty in the evidence and to formulate recommendations and good practice statements (GPSs). RESULTS: The panel issued 10 statements on recognizing and responding to non-ICU patients with critical illness. Healthcare personnel and institutions should ensure that all vital sign acquisition is timely and accurate (GPS). We make no recommendation on the use of continuous vital sign monitoring among unselected patients. We suggest focused education for bedside clinicians in signs of clinical deterioration, and we also suggest that patient/family/care partners' concerns be included in decisions to obtain additional opinions and help (both conditional recommendations). We recommend hospital-wide deployment of a rapid response team or medical emergency team (RRT/MET) with explicit activation criteria (strong recommendation). We make no recommendation about RRT/MET professional composition or inclusion of palliative care members on the responding team but suggest that the skill set of responders should include eliciting patients' goals of care (conditional recommendation). Finally, quality improvement processes should be part of a rapid response system. CONCLUSIONS: The panel provided guidance to inform clinicians and administrators on effective processes to improve the care of patients at-risk for developing critical illness outside the ICU.

Executive Summary: Society of Critical Care Medicine Guidelines on Recognizing and Responding to Clinical Deterioration Outside the ICU.

RATIONALE: Clinical deterioration of patients hospitalized outside the ICU is a source of potentially reversible morbidity and mortality. To address this, some acute care facilities have implemented systems aimed at detecting and responding to such patients. OBJECTIVES: To provide evidence-based recommendations for hospital clinicians and administrators to optimize recognition and response to clinical deterioration in non-ICU patients. PANEL DESIGN: The 25-member panel included representatives from medicine, nursing, respiratory therapy, pharmacy, patient/family partners, and clinician-methodologists with expertise in developing evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. METHODS: We generated actionable questions using the Population, Intervention, Control, and Outcomes format and performed a systematic review of the literature to identify and synthesize the best available evidence. We used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach to determine certainty in the evidence and to formulate recommendations and good practice statements (GPSs). RESULTS: The panel issued 10 statements on recognizing and responding to non-ICU patients with critical illness. Healthcare personnel and institutions should ensure that all vital sign acquisition is timely and accurate (GPS). We make no recommendation on the use of continuous vital sign monitoring among "unselected" patients due to the absence of data regarding the benefit and the potential harms of false positive alarms, the risk of alarm fatigue, and cost. We suggest focused education for bedside clinicians in signs of clinical deterioration, and we also suggest that patient/family/care partners' concerns be included in decisions to obtain additional opinions and help (both conditional recommendations). We recommend hospital-wide deployment of a rapid response team or medical emergency team (RRT/MET) with explicit activation criteria (strong recommendation). We make no recommendation about RRT/MET professional composition or inclusion of palliative care members on the responding team but suggest that the skill set of responders should include eliciting patients' goals of care (conditional recommendation). Finally, quality improvement processes should be part of a rapid response system (GPS). CONCLUSIONS: The panel provided guidance to inform clinicians and administrators on effective processes to improve the care of patients at-risk for developing critical illness outside the ICU.

Small-Volume Blood Collection Tubes to Reduce Transfusions in Intensive Care: The STRATUS Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Blood collection for laboratory testing in intensive care unit (ICU) patients is a modifiable contributor to anemia and red blood cell (RBC) transfusion. Most blood withdrawn is not required for analysis and is discarded. Objective: To determine whether transitioning from standard-volume to small-volume vacuum tubes for blood collection in ICUs reduces RBC transfusion without compromising laboratory testing procedures. Design, Setting, and Participants: Stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial in 25 adult medical-surgical ICUs in Canada (February 5, 2019 to January 21, 2021). Interventions: ICUs were randomized to transition from standard-volume (n = 10 940) to small-volume tubes (n = 10 261) for laboratory testing. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was RBC transfusion (units per patient per ICU stay). Secondary outcomes were patients receiving at least 1 RBC transfusion, hemoglobin decrease during ICU stay (adjusted for RBC transfusion), specimens with insufficient volume for testing, length of stay in the ICU and hospital, and mortality in the ICU and hospital. The primary analysis included patients admitted for 48 hours or more, excluding those admitted during a 5.5-month COVID-19-related trial hiatus. Results: In the primary analysis of 21 201 patients (mean age, 63.5 years; 39.9% female), which excluded 6210 patients admitted during the early COVID-19 pandemic, there was no significant difference in RBC units per patient per ICU stay (relative risk [RR], 0.91 [95% CI, 0.79 to 1.05]; P = .19; absolute reduction of 7.24 RBC units/100 patients per ICU stay [95% CI, -3.28 to 19.44]). In a prespecified secondary analysis (n = 27 411 patients), RBC units per patient per ICU stay decreased after transition from standard-volume to small-volume tubes (RR, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.77 to 1.00]; P = .04; absolute reduction of 9.84 RBC units/100 patients per ICU stay [95% CI, 0.24 to 20.76]). Median decrease in transfusion-adjusted hemoglobin was not statistically different in the primary population (mean difference, 0.10 g/dL [95% CI, -0.04 to 0.23]) and lower in the secondary population (mean difference, 0.17 g/dL [95% CI, 0.05 to 0.29]). Specimens with insufficient quantity for analysis were rare (≤0.03%) before and after transition. Conclusions and Relevance: Use of small-volume blood collection tubes in the ICU may decrease RBC transfusions without affecting laboratory analysis. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03578419.

A brain-based definition of death and criteria for its determination after arrest of circulation or neurologic function in Canada: a 2023 clinical practice guideline.

This 2023 Clinical Practice Guideline provides the biomedical definition of death based on permanent cessation of brain function that applies to all persons, as well as recommendations for death determination by circulatory criteria for potential organ donors and death determination by neurologic criteria for all mechanically ventilated patients regardless of organ donation potential. This Guideline is endorsed by the Canadian Critical Care Society, the Canadian Medical Association, the Canadian Association of Critical Care Nurses, Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society, the Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation (representing the Canadian Neurological Society, Canadian Neurosurgical Society, Canadian Society of Clinical Neurophysiologists, Canadian Association of Child Neurology, Canadian Society of Neuroradiology, and Canadian Stroke Consortium), Canadian Blood Services, the Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program, the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, the Nurse Practitioners Association of Canada, and the Canadian Cardiovascular Critical Care Society.

RéSUMé: Ces Lignes directrices de pratique clinique 2023 Lignes directrices de pratique clinique dicale du décès basée sur l'arrêt permanent de la fonction cérébrale qui s'applique à toute personne, ainsi que des recommandations pour la détermination du décès par des critères circulatoires pour des donneurs d'organes potentiels et des recommandations pour la détermination du décès par des critères neurologiques pour tous les patients sous ventilation mécanique, indépendamment de leur potentiel de donneur d'organes. Les présentes Lignes directrices sont approuvées par la Société canadienne de soins intensifs, l'Association médicale canadienne, l'Association canadienne des infirmiers/infirmières en soins intensifs, la Société canadienne des anesthésiologistes, la Fédération des sciences neurologiques du Canada (représentant la Société canadienne de neurologie, la Société canadienne de neurochirurgie, la Société canadienne de neurophysiologie clinique, l'Association canadienne de neurologie pédiatrique, la Société canadienne de neuroradiologie et le Consortium neurovasculaire canadien), la Société canadienne du sang, le Programme de recherche en don et transplantation du Canada, l'Association canadienne des médecins d'urgence, l'Association des infirmières et infirmiers praticiens du Canada, et la Société canadienne de soins intensifs cardiovasculaires (CANCARE) et la Société canadienne de pédiatrie.

When is a person dead? The Canadian public's understanding of death and death determination: a nationwide survey.

PURPOSE: We aimed to describe the Canadian public's understanding and perception of how death is determined in Canada, their level of interest in learning about death and death determination, and their preferred strategies for informing the public. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of the Canadian public. The survey presented two scenarios of a man who met current criteria for neurologic death determination (scenario 1) and a man who met current criteria for circulatory death determination (scenario 2). Survey questions evaluated understanding of how death is determined, acceptance of death determination by neurologic and circulatory criteria, and interest and preferred strategies in learning more about the topic. RESULTS: Among 2,000 respondents (50.8% women; n = 1,015), nearly 67.2% believed that the man in scenario 1 was dead (n = 1,344) and 81.2% (n = 1,623) believed that the man in scenario 2 was dead. Respondents who believed that the man was not dead or were unsure endorsed several factors that may increase their agreement with the determination of death, including requiring more information about how death was determined, seeing the results of brain imaging/tests, and a third doctor's opinion. Predictors of disbelief that the man in scenario 1 is dead were younger age, being uncomfortable with the topic of death, and subscribing to a religion. Predictors of disbelief that the man in scenario 2 is dead were younger age, residing in Quebec (compared with Ontario), having a high school education, and subscribing to a religion. Most respondents (63.3%) indicated interest in learning more about death and death determination. Most respondents preferred to receive information about death and death determination from their health care professional (50.9%) and written information provided by their health care professional (42.7%). CONCLUSION: Among the Canadian public, the understanding of neurologic and circulatory death determination is variable. More uncertainty exists with death determination by neurologic criteria than with circulatory criteria. Nevertheless, there is a high level of general interest in learning more about how death is determined in Canada. These findings provide important opportunities for further public engagement.

RéSUME: OBJECTIF: Notre objectif était de décrire la compréhension et la perception du public canadien quant à la façon dont le décès est déterminé au Canada, son niveau d'intérêt à en apprendre davantage sur le décès et la détermination du décès, et ses stratégies préférées pour informer le public. MéTHODE: Nous avons réalisé un sondage transversal national auprès d'un échantillon représentatif de la population canadienne. L'enquête a présenté deux scénarios : un homme qui répondait aux critères actuels de détermination d'un décès neurologique (scénario 1) et un homme qui répondait aux critères actuels de détermination d'un décès cardiocirculatoire (scénario 2). Les questions de l'enquête évaluaient la compréhension de la façon dont le décès est déterminé, l'acceptation de la détermination du décès selon des critères neurologiques et circulatoires, et l'intérêt et les stratégies préférées pour en apprendre davantage sur le sujet. RéSULTATS: Parmi les 2000 répondants (50,8 % de femmes; n = 1015), près de 67,2 % ont estimé que l'homme du scénario 1 était décédé (n = 1344) et 81,2 % (n = 1623) ont estimé que l'homme du scénario 2 était décédé. Les répondants qui croyaient que l'homme n'était pas décédé ou qui n'étaient pas sûrs ont acquiescé à plusieurs facteurs qui pourraient accroître leur accord avec la détermination du décès, y compris le besoin de plus de renseignements sur la façon dont le décès a été déterminé, la consultation des résultats d'imagerie et des tests cérébraux et l'opinion d'un troisième médecin. Les prédicteurs de non-conviction que l'homme dans le scénario 1 était décédé étaient le fait d'être plus jeune, le fait d'être mal à l'aise avec le sujet de la mort et la croyance en une religion. Les prédicteurs de non-conviction à l'égard du décès de l'homme dans le scénario 2 étaient le fait d'être plus jeune, d'être résident du Québec (comparativement à l'Ontario), d'avoir complété des études secondaires et la croyance en une religion. La plupart des répondants (63,3 %) ont indiqué qu'ils souhaiteraient en apprendre davantage sur le décès et la détermination du décès. La plupart des répondants préféraient recevoir de l'information sur le décès et la détermination du décès de leur professionnel de la santé (50,9 %) et de l'information écrite fournie par leur professionnel de la santé (42,7 %). CONCLUSION: Parmi le public canadien, la compréhension de la détermination du décès neurologique et cardiocirculatoire est variable. Il existe plus d'incertitude en matière de détermination du décès selon des critères neurologiques que selon des critères cardiocirculatoires. Néanmoins, il existe un grand intérêt général à en apprendre davantage sur la façon dont le décès est déterminé au Canada. Ces résultats offrent d'importantes possibilités de participation accrue du public à l'avenir.

A qualitative descriptive study of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on staff in a Canadian intensive care unit.

PURPOSE: We sought to explore the lived experiences of a professionally diverse sample of healthcare workers (HCWs) in a single intensive care unit (ICU) serving a large and generalizable Canadian population. We aimed to understand how working during the COVID-19 pandemic affected their professional and personal lives, including their perceptions of institutional support, to inform interventions to ameliorate impacts of the COVID-19 and future pandemics. METHODS: In this qualitative descriptive study, 23 ICU HCWs, identified using convenience purposive sampling, took part in individual semistructured interviews between July and November 2020, shortly after the first wave of the pandemic in Ontario. We used inductive thematic analysis to identify major themes. RESULTS: We identified five major themes related to the COVID-19 pandemic: 1) communication and informational needs (e.g., challenges communicating policy changes); 2) adjusting to restricted visitation (e.g., spending less time interacting with patients); 3) staffing and workplace supports (e.g., importance of positive team dynamics); 4) permeability of professional and personal lives (e.g., balancing shift work and childcare); and 5) a dynamic COVID-19 landscape (e.g., coping with constant change). The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to HCWs in the ICU experiencing varied negative repercussions on their work environment, including staffing and institutional support, which carried into their personal lives. CONCLUSION: Healthcare workers in the ICU perceived that the COVID-19 pandemic had negative repercussions on their work environment, including staffing and institutional support, as well as their professional and personal lives. Understanding both the negative and positive experiences of all ICU HCWs working during the COVID-19 pandemic is critical to future pandemic preparedness. Their perspectives will help to inform the development of mental health and wellbeing interventions to support staff during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: Nous avons cherché à explorer les expériences vécues par un échantillon varié de travailleurs de la santé (TS) dans une seule unité de soins intensifs (USI) desservant une population canadienne vaste et généralisable. Notre objectif était de comprendre comment le travail pendant la pandémie de COVID-19 a affecté leur vie professionnelle et personnelle, y compris leurs perceptions du soutien institutionnel, afin d'éclairer les interventions visant à atténuer les impacts de la COVID-19 et des pandémies futures. MéTHODE: Dans cette étude qualitative descriptive, 23 travailleurs de la santé en soins intensifs, identifiés à l'aide d'un échantillonnage raisonné de commodité, ont participé à des entrevues individuelles semi-structurées entre juillet et novembre 2020, peu après la première vague de la pandémie en Ontario. Nous avons utilisé l'analyse thématique inductive pour identifier les principaux thèmes. RéSULTATS: Nous avons cerné cinq grands thèmes liés à la pandémie de COVID-19 : 1) les besoins en matière de communication et d'information (p. ex., les difficultés à communiquer les changements de politiques); 2) l'adaptation aux visites restreintes (p. ex., le fait de passer moins de temps à interagir avec les patients); 3) le soutien à la dotation en personnel et au milieu de travail (p. ex., l'importance d'une dynamique d'équipe positive); 4) la perméabilité de la vie professionnelle et personnelle (p. ex., l'équilibre entre le travail en quarts et la garde des enfants); et 5) le paysage dynamique de la COVID-19 (p. ex., l'adaptation à des changements constants). La pandémie de COVID-19 a contribué à ce que les travailleurs de la santé de l'USI subissent divers impacts négatifs sur leur environnement de travail, y compris sur la dotation en personnel et le soutien institutionnel, qui se sont répercutés sur leur vie personnelle. CONCLUSION: Les travailleurs de la santé de l'USI ont perçu que la pandémie de COVID-19 avait eu des répercussions négatives sur leur environnement de travail, y compris sur la dotation en personnel et le soutien institutionnel, ainsi que sur leur vie professionnelle et personnelle. Il est essentiel de comprendre les expériences négatives et positives de tous les travailleurs de la santé des soins intensifs travaillant pendant la pandémie de COVID-19 pour bien se préparer aux pandémies futures. Leurs points de vue aideront à l'élaboration d'interventions en santé mentale et en bien-être pour soutenir le personnel pendant la pandémie de COVID-19 et au-delà.

Medical Assistance in Dying in Oncology Patients: A Canadian Academic Hospital's Experience.

BACKGROUND: Medical assistance in dying (MAID) was legislatively enacted in Canada in June 2016. Most studies of patients who received MAID grouped patients with cancer and non-cancer diagnoses. Our goal was to analyze the characteristics of oncology patients who received MAID in a Canadian tertiary care hospital. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of all patients with cancer who received MAID between June 2016 and July 2020 at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC). We describe patients' demographics, oncologic characteristics, symptoms, treatments, and palliative care involvement. RESULTS: Ninety-two oncology patients received MAID. The median age was 72. The leading cancer diagnoses among these patients were lung, colorectal, and pancreatic. At the time of MAID request, 68% of patients had metastatic disease. Most patients (90%) had ECOG performance status of 3 or 4 before receiving MAID. Ninety-nine percent of patients had distressing symptoms at time of MAID request, most commonly pain. One-third of patients with metastatic or recurrent cancer received early palliative care. The median time interval between the first MAID assessment and receipt of MAID was 7 days. INTERPRETATION: Most oncology patients who received MAID at LHSC had poor performance status and almost all had distressing symptoms. The median time interval between first MAID assessment and receipt of MAID was shorter than expected. Only one-third of patients with metastatic or recurrent cancer received early palliative care. Improving access to early palliative care is a priority in patients with advanced cancer. STUDY REGISTRATION: We received research approval from Western University's Research Ethics Board (REB) with project ID number 115367, and from Lawson's Research Database Application (ReDA) with study ID number 9579.

Clinical characteristics, multiorgan dysfunction and outcomes of patients with COVID-19: a prospective case series.

BACKGROUND: Characterizing the multiorgan manifestations and outcomes of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 will inform resource requirements to address the long-term burden of this disease. We conducted a descriptive analysis using prospectively collected data to describe the clinical characteristics and spectrum of organ dysfunction, and in-hospital and longer-term clinical outcomes of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic at a Canadian centre. METHODS: We conducted a prospective case series involving adult patients (aged ≥ 18 yr) with COVID-19 admitted to 1 of 2 hospitals in London, Ontario, from Mar. 17 to June 18, 2020, during the first wave of the pandemic. We recorded patients' baseline characteristics, physiologic parameters, measures of organ function and therapies administered during hospitalization among patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) and in non-ICU settings, and compared the characteristics of hospital survivors and nonsurvivors. Finally, we recorded follow-up thoracic computed tomography (CT) and echocardiographic findings after hospital discharge. RESULTS: We enrolled 100 consecutive patients (47 women) hospitalized with COVID-19, including 32 patients who received ICU care and 68 who received treatment in non-ICU settings. Respiratory sequelae were common: 23.0% received high-flow oxygen by nasal cannula, 9.0% received noninvasive ventilation, 24.0% received invasive mechanical ventilation and 2.0% received venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Overall, 9.0% of patients had cerebrovascular events (3.0% ischemic stroke, 6.0% intracranial hemorrhage), and 6.0% had pulmonary embolism. After discharge, 11 of 19 patients had persistent abnormalities on CT thorax, and 6 of 15 had persistent cardiac dysfunction on echocardiography. INTERPRETATION: This study provides further evidence that COVID-19 is a multisystem disease involving neurologic, cardiac and thrombotic dysfunction, without evidence of hepatic dysfunction. Patients have persistent organ dysfunction after hospital discharge, underscoring the need for research on long-term outcomes of COVID-19 survivors.

Dexmedetomidine vs other sedatives in critically ill mechanically ventilated adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.

Conventional gabaminergic sedatives such as benzodiazepines and propofol are commonly used in mechanically ventilated patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Dexmedetomidine is an alternative sedative that may achieve lighter sedation, reduce delirium, and provide analgesia. Our objective was to perform a comprehensive systematic review summarizing the large body of evidence, determining if dexmedetomidine reduces delirium compared to conventional sedatives. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, ClinicalTrials.gov and the WHO ICTRP from inception to October 2021. Independent pairs of reviewers identified randomized clinical trials comparing dexmedetomidine to other sedatives for mechanically ventilated adults in the ICU. We conducted meta-analyses using random-effects models. The results were reported as relative risks (RRs) for binary outcomes and mean differences (MDs) for continuous outcomes, with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). In total, 77 randomized trials (n = 11,997) were included. Compared to other sedatives, dexmedetomidine reduced the risk of delirium (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.55 to 0.81; moderate certainty), the duration of mechanical ventilation (MD - 1.8 h, 95% CI - 2.89 to - 0.71; low certainty), and ICU length of stay (MD - 0.32 days, 95% CI - 0.42 to - 0.22; low certainty). Dexmedetomidine use increased the risk of bradycardia (RR 2.39, 95% CI 1.82 to 3.13; moderate certainty) and hypotension (RR 1.32, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.63; low certainty). In mechanically ventilated adults, the use of dexmedetomidine compared to other sedatives, resulted in a lower risk of delirium, and a modest reduction in duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay, but increased the risks of bradycardia and hypotension.

Public perceptions during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada: a demographic analysis of self-reported beliefs, behaviors, and information acquisition.

INTRODUCTION: We explored associations between sociodemographic factors and public beliefs, behaviors, and information acquisition related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to identify how the experiences of subpopulations in Canada may vary. METHODS: We administered a national online survey through Ipsos Incorporated to adults residing in Canada. Sampling was stratified by population age, sex, and regional distributions. We used descriptive statistics to summarize responses and test for differences based on gender, age, educational attainment, and household income using chi-squared tests, followed by weighted logistic regression. RESULTS: We collected 1996 eligible questionnaires between April 26th and May 1st, 2020. Respondents mean age was 50 years, 51% were women, 56% had a post-secondary degree, and 72% had a household income <$100,000. Our analysis found differences within the four demographic groups, with age effects most acutely evidenced. Respondents 65 years and older were more likely to perceive the pandemic as very serious, less likely to report declines in overall health, and more likely to intend to get vaccinated, compared to 18-29 year olds. Women overall were more likely to report negative outcomes than men, including stress due to the pandemic, and worsening social, mental/emotional, and spiritual health. Respondents 45 and older were more likely to seek and trust information from traditional Canadian news sources, while 18-29 year olds were more likely to seek and trust information on social media; overall, women and respondents with a post-secondary degree were more likely to access and trust online information from public health sites. CONCLUSION: This study found important demographic differences in how adults living in Canada perceived the COVID-19 pandemic, the impacts on their health, and their preferences for information acquisition. Our results highlight the need to consider demographic characteristics in tailoring the format and information medium to improve large scale acceptance and uptake of mitigation and containment measures.

Personal, professional, and psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospital workers: A cross-sectional survey.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the personal, professional, and psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospital workers and their perceptions about mitigating strategies. DESIGN: Cross-sectional web-based survey consisting of (1) a survey of the personal and professional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and potential mitigation strategies, and (2) two validated psychological instruments (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale [K10] and Impact of Events Scale Revised [IES-R]). Regression analyses were conducted to identify the predictors of workplace stress, psychological distress, and post-traumatic stress. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Hospital workers employed at 4 teaching and 8 non-teaching hospitals in Ontario, Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: Among 1875 respondents (84% female, 49% frontline workers), 72% feared falling ill, 64% felt their job placed them at great risk of COVID-19 exposure, and 48% felt little control over the risk of infection. Respondents perceived that others avoided them (61%), reported increased workplace stress (80%), workload (66%) and responsibilities (59%), and 44% considered leaving their job. The psychological questionnaires revealed that 25% had at least some psychological distress on the K10, 50% had IES-R scores suggesting clinical concern for post-traumatic stress, and 38% fulfilled criteria for at least one psychological diagnosis. Female gender and feeling at increased risk due to PPE predicted all adverse psychological outcomes. Respondents favoured clear hospital communication (59%), knowing their voice is heard (55%), expressions of appreciation from leadership (55%), having COVID-19 protocols (52%), and food and beverages provided by the hospital (50%). CONCLUSIONS: Hospital work during the COVID-19 pandemic has had important personal, professional, and psychological impacts. Respondents identified opportunities to better address information, training, and support needs.

Socioeconomic Status and Medical Assistance in Dying: A Regional Descriptive Study.

Objective: Concerns that medical assistance in dying (MAiD) may harm vulnerable groups unable to access medical treatments and social supports have arisen since the legalization of MAiD on June 17, 2016; however, there is little research on the topic. The purpose of this study is to investigate the socioeconomic status (SES) of patients who request MAiD at the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC). Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients from the LHSC MAiD database between June 6, 2016 and December 20, 2019 was conducted. Patients were linked to income data from the 2016 Canadian Census, and their corresponding income quintile was a proxy for SES. Geographic information system (GIS) mapping software was used to visualize the distribution of income and MAiD requests. Results: 39.4% of the LHSC catchment area was classified as low SES. Two hundred thirty-seven (58.1%) MAiD requests came from low SES patients and 171 (41.9%) requests came from high SES patients. Two hundred fifty-nine (63.5%) patients who requested a MAiD assessment did not receive MAiD following their request. Of the 237 lower SES patients, 150 (63.3% [95% CI 57.2-69.3]) did not receive MAiD. Of the 171 higher SES patients, 109 (63.7% [95% CI 56.5-70.9]) did not receive MAiD. Conclusion: A disproportionate number of requests for a MAiD assessment at LHSC came from lower SES patients; however, similar proportions of patients who requested MAiD from each SES group received aid in dying. Future research should explore why a disproportionately high number of low SES patients request MAiD at LHSC.

Administration of Parenteral Vitamin C in Patients With Severe Infection: Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Severe infections are characterized by inflammation and oxidative damage. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) administration may attenuate oxidative damage and, in turn, reduce vascular endothelial injury in pulmonary and systemic vasculature. OBJECTIVE: We aim to describe a protocol for a living systematic review that will evaluate the effectiveness and safety of parenteral vitamin C administration in adults with severe infections, including those with COVID-19. METHODS: We searched Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 database, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to March 30, 2021, for randomized controlled trials evaluating parenteral vitamin C versus no parenteral vitamin C in hospitalized adults with severe infection. Eligible studies will include at least 1 arm involving any dose of parenteral vitamin C alone or in combination with other cointerventions and at least 1 arm not involving parenteral vitamin C. The primary outcomes of interest will include in-hospital, 30-day, and 90-day mortality. Title and abstract screening, full-text screening, data extraction, and risk of bias evaluation via a modified Risk of Bias 2.0 tool will be conducted independently and in pairs. We will perform random effects modeling for meta-analyses, in which study weights will be generated by using the inverse variance method. We will assess certainty in effect estimates by using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology. Meta-analyses will be updated iteratively as new trial evidence becomes available. RESULTS: Among the 1386 citations identified as of March 30, 2021, a total of 17 eligible randomized controlled trials have been identified as of September 2021. We are in the process of updating the search strategy and associated data analyses. CONCLUSIONS: The results will be of importance to critical care physicians and hospitalists who manage severe infection and COVID-19 in daily practice, and they may directly inform international clinical guidance. Although our systematic review will incorporate the most recent trial evidence, ongoing trials may change our confidence in the estimates of effects, thereby necessitating iterative updates in the form of a living review. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42020209187; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=209187. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR1-10.2196/33989.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on intensive care unit workers: a nationwide survey.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Canadian intensive care unit (ICU) workers. METHODS: Between June and August 2020, we distributed a cross-sectional online survey of ICU workers evaluating the impact of the pandemic, coping strategies, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Impact of Events Scale-Revised), and psychological distress, anxiety, and depression (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale). We performed regression analyses to determine the predictors of psychological symptoms. RESULTS: We analyzed responses from 455 ICU workers (80% women; 67% from Ontario; 279 nurses, 69 physicians, and 107 other healthcare professionals). Respondents felt that their job put them at great risk of exposure (60%), were concerned about transmitting COVID-19 to family members (76%), felt more stressed at work (67%), and considered leaving their job (37%). Overall, 25% had probable PTSD and 18% had minimal or greater psychological distress. Nurses were more likely to report PTSD symptoms (33%) and psychological distress (23%) than physicians (5% for both) and other health disciplines professionals (19% and 14%). Variables associated with PTSD and psychological distress included female sex (beta-coefficient [B], 1.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20 to 2.10 and B, 3.79; 95% CI, 1.79 to 5.78, respectively; P < 0.001 for differences in scores across groups) and perceived increased risk due to PPE shortage or inadequate PPE training (B, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.51 to 2.31 and B, 4.88; 95% CI, 3.34 to 6.43, respectively). Coping strategies included talking to friends/family/colleagues (80%), learning about COVID-19 (78%), and physical exercise (68%). Over half endorsed the following workplace strategies as valuable: hospital-provided scrubs, clear communication and protocols by hospitals, knowing their voice is heard, subsidized parking, and gestures of appreciation from leadership. CONCLUSIONS: This survey study shows that ICU workers have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic with high levels of stress and psychological burden. Respondents endorsed communication, protocols, and appreciation from leadership as helpful mitigating strategies.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: Évaluer l'impact de la pandémie de COVID-19 sur les travailleurs canadiens des unités de soins intensifs (USI). MéTHODE: Entre juin et août 2020, nous avons fait parvenir un sondage transversal en ligne aux travailleurs des soins intensifs pour évaluer l'impact de la pandémie, les stratégies d'adaptation et les symptômes de stress post-traumatique (SPT; Échelle révisée de l'impact de l'événement - IES-R), ainsi que la détresse psychologique, l'anxiété et la dépression (Échelle de détresse psychologique de Kessler). Nous avons réalisé des analyses de régression pour déterminer les prédicteurs de symptômes psychologiques. RéSULTATS: Nous avons analysé les réponses de 455 travailleurs des soins intensifs (80 % de femmes; 67 % de l'Ontario; 279 infirmières/infirmiers, 69 médecins et 107 autres professionnels de la santé). Les répondants ont estimé que leur emploi les plaçait face à un risque élevé d'exposition (60 %), craignaient de transmettre la COVID-19 aux membres de leur famille (76 %), se sentaient plus stressés au travail (67 %) et avaient envisagé de quitter leur emploi (37 %). Dans l'ensemble, 25 % souffraient probablement d'un SPT et 18 % présentaient une détresse psychologique minimale ou supérieure. Les infirmières et infirmiers étaient plus susceptibles de rapporter des symptômes de SPT (33 %) et de détresse psychologique (23 %) que les médecins (5 % pour les deux) et les professionnels de la santé des autres disciplines (19 % et 14 %). Les variables associées à un SPT et à la détresse psychologique comprenaient le sexe féminin (coefficient bêta [B], 1,59; intervalle de confiance [IC] à 95 %, 1,20 à 2,10 et B, 3,79; IC 95 %, 1,79 à 5,78, respectivement; P < 0,001 pour les différences de scores entre les groupes) et la perception d'un risque accru en raison des pénuries d'EPI ou d'une formation inadéquate en EPI (B, 1,87; IC 95 %, 1,51 à 2,31 et B, 4,88; IC 95 %, 3,34 à 6,43, respectivement). Les stratégies d'adaptation comprenaient le fait de parler aux amis, à la famille ou aux collègues (80 %), l'acquisition de connaissances concernant la COVID-19 (78 %) et l'exercice physique (68 %). Plus de la moitié ont estimé que les stratégies de travail suivantes étaient utiles : des uniformes fournis par les hôpitaux, une communication et des protocoles clairs de la part des hôpitaux, le fait de savoir que leur voix est entendue, un stationnement subventionné et des gestes d'appréciation de la part des dirigeants. CONCLUSION: Cette étude montre que les travailleurs des soins intensifs ont été touchés par la pandémie de COVID-19 avec des niveaux élevés de stress et de fardeau psychologique. Les répondants ont déclaré que la communication, les protocoles et les gestes d'appréciation de la direction constituaient des stratégies d'atténuation utiles.

Parenteral Vitamin C in Patients with Severe Infection: A Systematic Review.

Parenteral Vitamin C in Patients with Severe InfectionIn this systematic review and meta-analysis of mortality outcomes in trials of vitamin C for severe infection, including the recently reported LOVIT trial, Agarwal et al. find no clear evidence of survival benefit among published blinded trials at low risk-of-bias.