Comparison of lactate/albumin ratio and established scoring systems for predicting mortality in critically ill cirrhotic patients.

BACKGROUND: Critically ill cirrhotic patients may present a serious clinical condition defined as acute-on-chronic liver failure with high mortality. While established scoring systems like Child-Pugh and Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) offer prognostic insights, their limitations warrant exploration of alternative markers. The lactate/albumin ratio (LAR) serves as a potential prognostic indicator in critical care settings, yet its utility in cirrhotic patients remains underexplored. METHODS: We assessed 175 critically ill cirrhotic patients in this retrospective cohort study. Clinical severity scores, including Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II), Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), and chronic liver failure-organ failure score (CLIF-OF), were compared with LAR along with traditional liver failure scoring systems. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were used to evaluate prognostic performance. RESULTS: Intensive care unit (ICU) nonsurvivors had significantly higher scores in all liver failure and clinical severity scores compared to survivors (p<0.001). Median LAR was significantly higher in nonsurvivors (p<0.001). ROC analysis revealed comparable prognostic accuracy between LAR, APACHE II, SOFA, and CLIF-OF scores in predicting ICU mortality. Logistic regression identified SOFA score at 48th hours, LAR, and requirement of mechanical ventilation as independent predictors of ICU mortality. CONCLUSION: LAR demonstrates promising prognostic utility in predicting ICU mortality among critically ill cirrhotic patients, complementing established scoring systems. Early reassessment using SOFA score at 48th hours may guide therapeutic interventions and improve patient outcomes. Further prospective studies are warranted to validate these findings and optimize clinical management strategies.

Association between nutritional risk status and both diaphragmatic dysfunction and diaphragm atrophy in medical intensive care unit patients.

Introduction: Aim: critical illness often leads to malnutrition and diaphragmatic dysfunction (DD), common in intensive care units (ICU). Ultrasonography (US) is a potent tool for detecting DD. This study examines the connection between malnutrition risk and DD in ICU patients using ultrasonographic diaphragm measurements in medical ICU patients. Methods: we assessed nutritional risk using risk screening tools and mid-upper arm circumference measurements (MUAC). Diaphragm atrophy (DA) and DD were evaluated by measuring diaphragmatic excursion (DE), thickness, and thickening fraction (TF) by US. We then compared these diaphragmatic measurements in patients based on their nutritional risk scores. Results: of the fifty patients studied, 54 % to 78 % were at risk of malnutrition, 28 % exhibited diaphragm atrophy (DA), and 24 % showed DD upon ICU admission. Malnutrition risk diagnosed by all nutritional risk screening tools was significantly more frequent in patients with DD, while diagnosed by MUAC was considerably higher in patients with DA. A total of 16 patients (32 %) died during their ICU stay, with DD, DA, and malnutrition risks (as identified by the mNUTRIC Score) being more prevalent among non-survivors (p < 0.05). Malnutrition risk (as determined by the mNUTRIC Score) was an independent risk factor for DD [OR (95 % CI): 6.6 (1.3-34), p = 0.03]. Conclusion: malnutrition risk may be significantly associated with DD and DA in medical ICU patients upon ICU admission.

Introducción: Objetivo: las enfermedades graves a menudo conducen a desnutrición y disfunción diafragmática (DD), comunes en las unidades de cuidados intensivos (UCI). La ultrasonografía (US) es una herramienta poderosa para detectar la DD. Este estudio examina la conexión entre riesgo de desnutrición y DD en pacientes de UCI utilizando mediciones ultrasonográficas del diafragma. Métodos: evaluamos el riesgo nutricional utilizando herramientas de evaluación de riesgos y mediciones de la circunferencia del brazo en su punto medio superior (MUAC). La atrofia del diafragma (DA) y la DD se evaluaron midiendo la excursión diafragmática (DE), el grosor y la fracción de engrosamiento (TF) por ecografía. Luego, comparamos estas mediciones diafragmáticas en pacientes según sus puntuaciones de riesgo nutricional. Resultados: de los cincuenta pacientes estudiados, entre el 54 % y el 78 % estaban en riesgo de desnutrición, el 28 % presentaban atrofia del diafragma (DA) y el 24 % mostraban DD al ingreso en la UCI. El riesgo de desnutrición diagnosticado por todas las herramientas de evaluación del riesgo nutricional fue significativamente más frecuente en los pacientes con DD, mientras que el diagnosticado por el MUAC fue considerablemente mayor en los pacientes con DA. Un total de 16 pacientes (32 %) fallecieron durante su estancia en la UCI, siendo la DD, la DA y los riesgos de desnutrición (según lo identificado por la puntuación mNUTRIC) más prevalentes entre los no sobrevivientes (p < 0,05). El riesgo de desnutrición (según lo determinado por la puntuación mNUTRIC) fue un factor de riesgo independiente de la DD [OR (95 % CI): 6,6 (1,3-34), p = 0,03]. Conclusión: en este estudio se encontró una asociación significativa entre el riesgo de desnutrición y la disfunción diafragmática, así como con la atrofia diafragmática al ingreso en la UCI.

Enteral nutrition consensus report from KEPAN: Indications, choice, practical application, and follow-up.

OBJECTIVES: Clinicians are in need of guidance that will ease the application of medical nutrition therapy. In order to facilitate the application and success of medical nutrition therapy, the Turkish Clinical Enteral & Parenteral Nutrition Society (KEPAN) planned a report that is short, is clear, and has clear-cut recommendations that will guide health care professionals in the indications, choice, practical application, follow-up, and stopping of enteral nutrition. METHODS: The enteral nutrition consensus report on enteral nutrition use in medical nutrition therapy was developed by a study group (12 working group academicians and 17 expert group academicians) under the organization of KEPAN. The enteral nutrition consensus report was generated in 5 online and face-to-face phases from December 2019 through October 2022. At the end (Delphi rounds), a total of 24 questions and subjects, recommendations, and comments were sent to the enteral nutrition working group and the expert group via e-mail. They were asked to score the criteria by using the Likert scale. RESULTS: The first round of the study resulted in acceptance of all 24 recommendations. None of the criteria was rejected. Only some minor editing for wording was recommended by the panelists during the first and second rounds of the Delphi study. The final report was sent to all 29 panelists and was approved without any revision suggestions. CONCLUSION: This report provides 24 clear-cut recommendations in a question-answer format. We believe that this report could have a significant effect on the optimum use of enteral nutrition in the context of medical nutrition therapy when clinicians manage everyday patients.

Assessing neutrophil-derived ROS production at the bedside: a potential prognostic tool in severe COVID-19 cases.

PURPOSE: A prompt and effective immune response is required for clearance of pathogens but exaggerated states of inflammation can cause extensive collateral damage to the host. We have previously used a rapid near-patient assay that measures the functional capacity of neutrophils to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) to show that values are elevated in patients with severe COVID-19 or sepsis. Here, we assess the utility of longitudinal ROS measurements to monitor and predict mortality outcome for patients with COVID-19 infection being treated in an ICU setting. METHODS: We used the Leukocyte ImmunoTest™ (LIT™) to quantify neutrophil ROS release using a small volume (10 µL) of capillary blood in a portable, rapid (10-min) format. RESULTS: ROS values (LIT score) and ROS levels assessed in relation to neutrophil count (LIT/N) were both markedly elevated in the patient group. Furthermore, these correlated strongly with peripheral neutrophil count and CRP value. Serial measurement of neutrophil or CRP values were not able to reliably predict mortality within the study. In contrast, LIT and LIT/N values started to decline at 7 and 5 days, respectively, in patients who survived ICU admission and this increment increased further thereafter. CONCLUSIONS: This study raises the possibility of LIT and LIT/N to be used as a predictive clinical tool for patients with severe COVID-19 and argues for its assessment to inform on prognosis, and potentially guide treatment pathways, in other disorders associated with neutrophil activation. TAKE-HOME MESSAGE: A longitudinal study of 44 severe COVID-19 patients in the ICU of a leading teaching hospital has demonstrated the prognostic potential of a rapid bedside assay of neutrophil-derived reactive oxygen species (ROS). Assessment of changes in ROS production, as measured using the Leukocyte ImmunoTest™, shows that ROS production generally declined back to normal levels for patients who survived, but remained elevated for those patients who did not survive.

Risk factors for ICU mortality in patients with hematological malignancies: a singlecenter, retrospective cohort study from Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Patients with hematological malignancies (HM) often require admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) due to organ failure, disease progression or treatment-related complications, and they generally have a poor prognosis. Therefore, understanding the factors affecting ICU mortality in HM patients is important. In this study, we aimed to identify the risk factors for ICU mortality in our critically ill HM patients. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of HM patients who were hospitalized in our medical ICU between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2018. We recorded some parameters of these patients and compared these parameters by statistically between survivors and nonsurvivors to determine the risk factors for ICU mortality. RESULTS: The study included 368 critically ill HM patients who were admitted to our medical ICU during a 9-year period. The median age was 58 (49-67) years and 63.3% of the patients were male. Most of the patients (43.2%) had acute leukemia. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) was performed in 153 (41.6%) patients. The ICU mortality rate was 51.4%. According to univariable analyses, a lot of parameters (e.g., admission APACHE II and SOFA scores, length of ICU stay, some laboratory parameters at the ICU admission, the reason for ICU admission, comorbidities, type of HM, type of HSCT, infections on ICU admission and during ICU stay, etc.) were significantly different between survivors and nonsurvivors. However, only high SOFA scores at ICU admission (OR:1.281, p = 0.004), presence of septic shock (OR:17.123, p = 0.0001), acute kidney injury (OR:48.284, p = 0.0001), and requirement of invasive mechanical ventilation support during ICU stay (OR:23.118, p = 0.0001) were independent risk factors for ICU mortality. DISCUSSION: In our cohort, critically ill HM patients had high ICU mortality. We found four independent predictors for ICU mortality. Yet, there is still a need for further research to better understand poor outcome predictors in critically ill HM patients.

Correction: Serial measurement of cytokines strongly predict COVID-19 outcome.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260623.].

Visiting and Communication Policy in Intensive Care Units during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-sectional Survey from South Asia and the Middle East.

Purpose: The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had affected the visiting or communicating policies for family members. We surveyed the intensive care units (ICUs) in South Asia and the Middle East to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on visiting and communication policies. Materials and method: A web-based cross-sectional survey was used to collect data between March 22, 2021, and April 7, 2021, from healthcare professionals (HCP) working in COVID and non-COVID ICUs (one response per ICU). The topics of the questionnaire included current and pre-pandemic policies on visiting, communication, informed consent, and end-of-life care in ICUs. Results: A total of 292 ICUs (73% of COVID ICUs) from 18 countries were included in the final analysis. Most (92%) of ICUs restricted their visiting hours, and nearly one-third (32.3%) followed a "no-visitor" policy. There was a significant change in the daily visiting duration in COVID ICUs compared to the pre-pandemic times (p = 0.011). There was also a significant change (p <0.001) in the process of informed consent and end-of-life discussions during the ongoing pandemic compared to pre-pandemic times. Conclusion: Visiting and communication policies of the ICUs had significantly changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future studies are needed to understand the sociopsychological and medicolegal implications of revised policies. How to cite this article: Chanchalani G, Arora N, Nasa P, Sodhi K, Al Bahrani MJ, Al Tayar A, et al. Visiting and Communication Policy in Intensive Care Units during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-sectional Survey from South Asia and the Middle East. Indian J Crit Care Med 2022;26(3):268-275.

Ultrasonography-guided post-pyloric feeding tube insertion in medical intensive care unit patients.

In this study, we investigated placement rate, complication rate and time spent of successful post-pyloric enteral feeding (PPEF) tube insertion procedure guided by ultrasonography (USG). The patients who required enteral nutrition and who admitted to medical intensive care unit (MICU) of Gazi University Hospital were included to this single-center, prospective, cohort study. It was aimed to insert the enteral feeding tube into the proximal duodenum as the post-pyloric area by ultrasonography guidance. During the PPEF tube insertion procedure, the linear probe was used to display the proximal esophagus and the convex probe was used to display the post-pyloric area, antrum and pyloric channel. 33 patients were included in this study. The median age was 68 [IQR 52-79] years. There were 17 (51.5%) woman and 22 (66.7%) intubated patients. The enteral feeding tube was successfully passed into the post-pyloric area in 29 (87.9%) patients with this technique. The median time of successful feeding tube insertion was 14 [IQR 10-25] min. The median level of the enteral feeding tube was 74 [IQR 70-76] cm. in successful placement. There was no significant difference in insertion time according to gender (female vs male; 10 [IQR 8-20] min. vs 17 [IQR 12-25] min., p = 0.052) and endotracheal intubation status (intubated vs non-intubated; 14 [IQR 10-25] min. vs 12 [IQR 10-25] min., p = 0.985). Only one complication was seen during study (self-limiting epistaxis in one patient). PPEF tube insertion under USG guidance could ensure the initiation of enteral feeding safely and rapidly without exposure to radiation in ICU patients.

Serial measurement of cytokines strongly predict COVID-19 outcome.

PURPOSE: Cytokines are major mediators of COVID-19 pathogenesis and several of them are already being regarded as predictive markers for the clinical course and outcome of COVID-19 cases. A major pitfall of many COVID-19 cytokine studies is the lack of a benchmark sampling timing. Since cytokines and their relative change during an infectious disease course is quite dynamic, we evaluated the predictive value of serially measured cytokines for COVID-19 cases. METHODS: In this single-center, prospective study, a broad spectrum of cytokines were determined by multiplex ELISA assay in samples collected at admission and at the third day of hospitalization. Appropriateness of cytokine levels in predicting mortality were assessed by receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analyses for both sampling times in paralel to conventional biomarkers. RESULTS: At both sampling points, higher levels of IL-6, IL-7, IL-10, IL-15, IL-27 IP-10, MCP-1, and GCSF were found to be more predictive for mortality (p<0.05). Some of these cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-10, IL-7 and GCSF, had higher sensitivity and specificity in predicting mortality. AUC values of IL-6, IL-10, IL-7 and GCSF were 0.85 (0.65 to 0.92), 0.88 (0.73 to 0.96), 0.80 (0.63 to 0.91) and 0.86 (0.70 to 0.95), respectively at hospital admission. Compared to hospital admission, on the 3rd day of hospitalization serum levels of IL-6 and, IL-10 decreased significantly in the survivor group, unlike the non-survivor group (IL-6, p = 0.015, and IL-10, p = 0.016). CONCLUSION: Our study results suggest that single-sample-based cytokine analyzes can be misleading and that cytokine levels measured serially at different sampling times provide a more precise and accurate estimate for the outcome of COVID-19 patients.

Clinical Outcomes and Independent Risk Factors for 90-Day Mortality in Critically Ill Patients with Respiratory Failure Infected with SARS-CoV-2: A Multicenter Study in Turkish Intensive Care Units.

BACKGROUND: There are limited data on the long-term outcomes of COVID-19 from different parts of the world. AIMS: To determine risk factors of 90-day mortality in critically ill patients in Turkish intensive care units (ICUs), with respiratory failure. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective, observational cohort. METHODS: Patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 and who had been followed up in the ICUs with respiratory failure for more than 24 hours were included in the study. Their demographics, clinical characteristics, laboratory variables, treatment protocols, and survival data were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 421 patients were included. The median age was 67 (IQR: 57-76) years, and 251 patients (59.6%) were men. The 90-day mortality rate was 55.1%. The factors independently associated with 90-day mortality were invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) (HR 4.09 [95% CI: [2.20-7.63], P < .001), lactate level >2 mmol/L (2.78 [1.93-4.01], P < .001), age ≥60 years (2.45 [1.48-4.06)], P < .001), cardiac arrhythmia during ICU stay (2.01 [1.27-3.20], P = .003), vasopressor treatment (1.94 [1.32-2.84], P = .001), positive fluid balance of ≥600 mL/day (1.68 [1.21-2.34], P = .002), PaO2/FiO2 ratio of ≤150 mmHg (1.66 [1.18-2.32], P = .003), and ECOG score ≥1 (1.42 [1.00-2.02], P = .050). CONCLUSION: Long-term mortality was high in critically ill patients with COVID-19 hospitalized in intensive care units in Turkey. Invasive mechanical ventilation, lactate level, age, cardiac arrhythmia, vasopressor therapy, positive fluid balance, severe hypoxemia and ECOG score were the independent risk factors for 90-day mortality.

Can treating critically-ill haematological malignancy patients in a separate intensive care unit decrease intensive care unit mortality?

Background/aim: The aim of the study was to investigate whether treating haematological malignancy (HM) patients in a separate intensive care unit (ICU) would reduce ICU mortality. Materials and methods: HM patients treated by the same ICU team in a general medical ICU (GM-ICU) and a separate haematology ICU (H-ICU) were included in this study. Patients' demographic characteristics and ICU data were recorded retrospectively. Differences in the ICU course and prognosis between these two groups were determined. Results: A total of 251 patients (102 from GM-ICU, 149 from H-ICU) were included in this study. The disease severity and organ failure scores at ICU admission and underlying HMs were not different between the two groups. Patients waited longer for admission to GM- ICU. Therapeutic procedures were performed significantly more frequently in GM-ICU. ICU complications were not different between the groups. ICU mortality rates were higher in GM-ICU (59.8% vs 37.6%, p = 0.006). Conclusion: A separate ICU allocated for haematology patients will allow timely and rapid admission of HM patients to ICU. Thus, mortality rates of HM patients needing ICU care will decline.

Infections in hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients admitted to Hematology intensive care unit: a single-center study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the data of HSCT patients who were admitted to our Hematology ICU due to infections or infectious complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HSCT patients who were admitted to our Hematology ICU between 01 January 2014 and 01 September 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: 62 HSCT patients were included in this study. The median age was 55.5 years and 58% of the patients were allogeneic HSCT patients. Major underlying hematologic disorders were multiple myeloma (29%) and lymphoma (27.4%). The most common reasons for ICU admission were sepsis/septic shock (61.3%) and acute respiratory failure (54.8%). Overall ICU mortality rate was 45.2%. However, a lot of factors were related with ICU mortality of HSCT patients in univariate analysis, only APACHE II score was found to be an independent risk factor for ICU mortality. While there was infection in 58 patients at ICU admission, new infections developed in 38 patients during ICU stay. The most common new infection was pneumonia/VAP, while the most frequently isolated bacteria were Acinetobacter baumannii. Length of ICU stay, sepsis/septic shock as a reason for ICU admission and the presence of urinary catheter at ICU admission were determined factors for ICU-acquired infections. There was no difference between autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplant patients in terms of ICU morbidities and mortality. However, pneumonia/VAP developed in the ICU was higher in autologous HSCT patients, while bloodstream/catheter-related bloodstream infection was higher in allogeneic HSCT patients. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that early or late post-HSCT infections and related complications (sepsis, organ failure, etc.) constituted a major part of the reasons for ICU admission, ICU mortality and ICU morbidities.

Survival in Immunocompromised Patients Ultimately Requiring Invasive Mechanical Ventilation: A Pooled Individual Patient Data Analysis.

Rationale: Acute respiratory failure (ARF) is associated with high mortality in immunocompromised patients, particularly when invasive mechanical ventilation is needed. Therefore, noninvasive oxygenation/ventilation strategies have been developed to avoid intubation, with uncertain impact on mortality, especially when intubation is delayed. Objectives: We sought to report trends of survival over time in immunocompromised patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation. The impact of delayed intubation after failure of noninvasive strategies was also assessed. Methods: Systematic review and meta-analysis using individual patient data of studies that focused on immunocompromised adult patients with ARF requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. Studies published in English were identified through PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central (2008-2018). Individual patient data were requested from corresponding authors for all identified studies. We used mixed-effect models to estimate the effect of delayed intubation on hospital mortality and described mortality rates over time. Measurements and Main Results: A total of 11,087 patients were included (24 studies, three controlled trials, and 21 cohorts), of whom 7,736 (74%) were intubated within 24 hours of ICU admission (early intubation). The crude mortality rate was 53.2%. Adjusted survivals improved over time (from 1995 to 2017, odds ratio [OR] for hospital mortality per year, 0.96 [0.95-0.97]). For each elapsed day between ICU admission and intubation, mortality was higher (OR, 1.38 [1.26-1.52]; P < 0.001). Early intubation was significantly associated with lower mortality (OR, 0.83 [0.72-0.96]), regardless of initial oxygenation strategy. These results persisted after propensity score analysis (matched OR associated with delayed intubation, 1.56 [1.44-1.70]). Conclusions: In immunocompromised intubated patients, survival has improved over time. Time between ICU admission and intubation is a strong predictor of mortality, suggesting a detrimental effect of late initial oxygenation failure.

The factors predicting pneumonia in COVID-19 patients: preliminary results from a university hospital in Turkey

Background/aim: Pneumonia is the most serious clinical presentation of COVID-19. This study aimed to determine the demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings that can properly predict COVID-19 pneumonia. Materials and methods: This study was conducted in the Gazi University hospital. All hospitalized patients with confirmed and suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection between 16 March 2020 and 30 April 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. COVID-19 patients were separated into two groups, pneumonia and nonpneumonia, and then compared to determine predicting factors for COVID-19 pneumonia. Variables that had a P-value of less than 0.20 and were not correlated with each other were included in the logistic regression model. Results: Of the 247 patients included in the study 58% were female, and the median age was 40. COVID-19 was confirmed in 70.9% of these patients. Among the confirmed COVID-19 cases, 21.4% had pneumonia. In the multivariate analysis male sex (P = 0.028), hypertension (P = 0.022), and shortness of breath on hospital admission (P = 0.025) were significant factors predicting COVID-19 pneumonia. Conclusion: Shortness of breath, male sex, and hypertension were significant for predicting COVID-19 pneumonia on admission. Patients with these factors should be evaluated more carefully for diagnostic procedures, such as thorax CT.

Value of prognostic scores in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitis patients in intensive care unit: a multicenter retrospective cohort study from Turkey

Background/aim: There is a need for a scoring system for predicting ICU prognosis of patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), but there are limited data on it in the literature. Therefore, we aimed to determine the scores that can estimate the prognosis of patients with AAV during intensive care follow up. Materials and methods: All adult patients admitted to the medical ICUs of 4 reference university hospitals in Turkey due to AAV activation and/or disease/treatment complications in the last 10 years were included in this study. Demographic data, treatments before ICU, the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS) score at the time of vasculitis diagnosis, and BVAS, APACHE II, SOFA, and SAPS II scores at the ICU admission, treatments, procedures, and complications during ICU stay were recorded for all AAV patients. Results: Thirty-four patients were included in the study. The median age of the patients was 60 (42­70) years, and 64.7% were male. Twenty-five patients were diagnosed with Granulomatosis with polyangiitis, and 9 were diagnosed with Microscopic polyangiitis. The most common ICU admission causes were hemorrhage (85.3%) and sepsis/septic shock (67.6%). Twenty patients (58.8%) died in the ICU follow up. There were significant differences in APACHE II (P = 0.004) and SAPS II (P = 0.044) scores between survivors and nonsurvivors, while there were no significant differences in BVAS (during diagnosis P = 0.089 and ICU admission P = 0.539) and SOFA (P = 0.097) scores. APACHE II score was found to be an independent risk factor for ICU mortality (OR = 1.231, CI 95% = 1.011­1.498, P = 0.038) according to logistic regression analysis. An APACHE II score of greater than 20.5 predicted ICU mortality with 80% sensitivity and 70% specificity (AUC = 0.8, P = 0.004, Likelihood ratio = 2.6) according to the ROC curve analysis. Conclusion: APACHE II score can be used for the prediction of ICU mortality in AAV patients.

The role of maximum compressed thickness of the quadriceps femoris muscle measured by ultrasonography in assessing nutritional risk in critically-ill patients with different volume statuses.

PURPOSE: In this prospective observational study, we aimed to investigate the role of the maximum compressed (MC) and uncompressed (UC) thickness of the quadriceps femoris muscle (QFMT) measured by ultrasonography (USG) in the detection of nutritional risk in intensive care patients (ICPs) with different volume status. METHODS: 55 patients were included. Right, left, and total ucQFMT and mcQFMT measurements were obtained by a standard USG device within the first 48 hours after ICU admission. Clinical examination and the USG device were used to determine the volume status of the patients. SOFA, APACHE II, modified NUTRIC scores, and demographic data were collected. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between the nutritional risk of patients in terms of left, right, and total mcQFMT measurements (p=0.025, p=0.039; p=0.028, respectively), mechanical ventilation requirement (p=0.014), presence of infection (p=0.019), and sepsis (p=0.006). There was no significant difference between different volume statuses in terms of mcQFMT measurements. In the multi-variance analysis, mcQFMT measurements were found to be independently associated with high nutritional risk (p=0.019, Exp(B)=0.256, 95%CI=0.082-0.800 for modified NUTRIC score ≥ 5), and higher nutritional risk (p=0.009, Exp(B)=0.144, 95%CI=0.033-0.620 for modified NUTRIC score ≥ 6). a Total mcQFMT value below 1.36 cm was a predictor for higher nutritional risk with 79% sensitivity and 70% specificity (AUC=0.749, p=0.002, likelihood ratio=2.04). CONCLUSION: Ultrasonographic measurement of total mcQFMT can be used as a novel nutritional risk assessment parameter in medical ICPs with different volume statuses. Thus, patients who could benefit from aggressive nutritional therapy can be easily identified in these patient groups.

Colistin nephrotoxicity in the ICU: Is it different in the geriatric patients?

OBJECTIVE: Most significant side effect of colistin therapy which is used for the treatment of multi-drug resistant Gram-negative infections is nephrotoxicity. Our aim was to investigate the differences of colistin nephrotoxicity between the geriatric age group (≥65 years) and the younger age group (<65 years) in critically ill medical intensive care unit (ICU) patients. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The medical records of the 76 patients who were taken colistin therapy due to multi-resistant Gram-negative infections between January 2010 and June 2014 in the our medical ICU were retrospectively investigated. Demographic characteristics, reasons for colistin use, daily colistin dose, duration of colistin use were recorded. Colistin-dependent renal dysfunction was evaluated according to the risk, injury, failure, loss and end-stage renal failure (RIFLE) criterias. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 65 (65.8% male). Nephrotoxicity was developed in 36 (47.4%) patients. Thirty-nine (51.3%) patients were in geriatric age group, 37 (48.7%) were in younger age group. In geriatric age group, the rates of male gender (53.8 vs 78.4%, p = 0.031), pulmonary (48.7 vs 16.2%, p = 0.003) and cardiac diseases (71.8 vs 29.7%, p < 0.001), post-nephrotoxicity BUN levels (p = 0.023) and urine output during nephrotoxicity (p = 0.016) were higher than younger age group. Nephrotoxicity was developed in 22 (56.4%) patients of geriatric age group, and in 14 (37.8%) patients in younger age group (p = 0.115). The presence of cardiac disease, renal pathology and high creatinin value on admission, daily amount of colistin per body mass, total amount of colistin, use of colistin for pulmonary infection, use of amphotericin and vasopressor on admission were found as risk factors for colistin nephrotoxicity development in all study group; the daily amount of colistin per body mass (risk ratio:0.41; 95% CI 0.19-0.89) and vasopressor use during hospitalization were found independent risk factors (risk ratio:13.54; 95% CI 2.21-83.09). CONCLUSION: In our study, in geriatric patient group colistin nephrotoxicity was not different from the younger age group. In the ICU, the age for nephrotoxicity does not appear to be a point to be considered for the initiation of colistin.

Importance of RIFLE (Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, and End-Stage Renal Failure) and AKIN (Acute Kidney Injury Network) in Hemodialysis Initiation and Intensive Care Unit Mortality.

Our study evaluated the differences between early and late hemodialysis (HD) initiation in the intensive care unit (ICU) according to the RIFLE (Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, and End-stage renal failure) and AKIN (Acute Kidney Injury Network) classifications. On the assumption that early initiation of HD in critical patients according to the RIFLE and AKIN criteria decreases mortality, we retrospectively evaluated the medical records of 68 patients in our medical ICU and divided the patients into 2 groups: Those undergoing HD in no risk, risk, or injury stage according to RIFLE and in stage 0, I, or II according to AKIN were defined as early HD and those in failure stage according to RIFLE and in stage III according to AKIN were defined as late HD. The median age of the patients was 66.5 years, and 56.5% were male. HD was started in 25% and 39.7% of the patients in the early stage in the RIFLE and AKIN classification, respectively. According to RIFLE, HD was started in 61.5% of the surviving patients in the early stage; this rate was 16.4% in the deceased patients (P=0.001). HD was commenced in 69.2% of the surviving patients in AKIN stages 0, I, and II and in 32.7% of the deceased patients (P=0.026). Sepsis (61.5% vs. 94.5%; P=0.001) and mechanical ventilation (30.8% vs. 87.3%; P<0.001) during HD increased ICU mortality, whereas HD initiation in the early stages according to RIFLE decreased ICU mortality (61.5% vs. 16.4%; P=0.001). In conclusion, in critically ill patients, HD initiation in the early stages according to the RIFLE classification decreased our ICU mortality.

The communication between patient relatives and physicians in intensive care units.

BACKGROUND: Patients in intensive care units (ICUs) are often physically unable to communicate with their physicians. Thus, the sharing of information about the on-going treatment of the patients in ICUs is directly related to the communication attitudes governing a patient's relatives and the physician. This study aims to analyze the attitudes displayed by the relatives of patients and the physician with the purpose of determining the communication between the two parties. METHODS: For data collection, two similar survey forms were created in context of the study; one for the relatives of the patients and one for the ICU physicians. The questionnaire included three sub-dimensions: informing, empathy and trust. The study included 181 patient relatives and 103 ICU physicians from three different cities and six hospitals. RESULTS: Based on the results of the questionnaire, identification of the mutual expectations and substance of the messages involved in the communication process between the ICU patients' relatives and physicians was made. The gender and various disciplines of the physicians and the time of the conversation with the patients' relatives were found to affect the communication attitude towards the patient. Moreover, the age of the patient's relatives, the level of education, the physician's perception, and the contact frequency with the patient when he/she was healthy were also proven to have an impact on the communication attitude of the physician. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the mutual expectations and substance of messages in the informing, empathy and trust sub-dimensions of the communication process between patient relatives and physicians in the ICU. The communication between patient relatives and physicians can be strengthened through a variety of training programs to improve communication skills.