Long-term Outcomes of Cancer Patients Admitted to the ICU with Septic Shock.

INTRODUCTION: Several studies evaluated the outcomes of cancer patients treated with septic shock in intensive care units (ICUs), but limited data is available on the long-term outcomes of this patient population. In this report, we aimed to evaluate the one-year mortality in cancer patients who were discharged alive following their intensive care unit (ICU) admission for septic shock. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study that was conducted at an oncologic ICU of a comprehensive cancer center. The study included all adult cancer patients who were admitted to the ICU with septic shock between 2008 and 2019. Septic shock was defined as the need to start vasopressors within the first 24 hours of ICU admission with sepsis. Patient baseline characteristics and longterm outcomes were evaluated. Descriptive analysis was used to report the data. RESULTS: Of the 1408 cancer patients who were admitted to the ICU with septic shock, 494 patients (35%) were discharged alive from the hospital. Their mean age was 56.3±16.5 (SD) years, 321 (65%) were males, and 326 (66%) had solid tumors. At 1-year, 258 patients died as follows: 129 (50%) died during the first 3-months, 69 (27%) patients died between 3 and 6-months, and 60 (23%) patients died between 6 and 12-months, resulting in a mortality rate of 74%, 78.9% and 83.2%, at the 3-months, 6-months and 1-year, respectively. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In this cohort of cancer patients, we described the long-term outcomes of patients treated in the ICU with septic shock. The majority of the included patients died during the first year following their ICU admission. Future studies should identify measures to improve the outcomes of this patient population.

Delayed Anaphylaxis to Intravenous Colistin in a Critically Ill Cancer Patient: A Case Report.

Introduction: Anaphylaxis is an acute, life-threatening, multi-system syndrome that has been reported with a wide range of medications. Though anaphylaxis usually has a rapid onset, we describe a patient who developed anaphylaxis to intravenous colistin after 28 days of daily administration. Case presentation: A 20 years-old Caucasian male patient, with a history of relapsed acute myeloid leukemia, was transferred from the medical floor to our intensive care unit with septic shock. The source of infection was presumed to be a recto-cecal abscess and arm cellulitis. Cultures were positive for extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae (CRE) Escherichia coli. for which he was receiving broad spectrum antibiotics, as well as intravenous colistin, started about 4 weeks earlier. On day 2 of ICU admission, and during the administration of colistin, the patient experienced an anaphylactic reaction. He developed hypotension requiring the initiation of norepinephrine, shortness of breath, hypoxia, tachycardia, and tachypnea. The reaction was resolved after supportive therapy but it was thought to be related to septic shock and therefore the patient continued on colistin the following day. The patient tolerated colistin for the next 3 days before developing another similar, but more severe, reaction. Colistin was discontinued and the symptoms resolved following supportive therapy. Conclusion: This case highlights the importance of being aware of delayed serious reactions that may occur several weeks after initiation of drug therapy. In addition, successful re-initiation may not necessarily rule out the recurrence of such reactions and therefore close monitoring is crucial.

All-cause mortality in cancer patients treated for sepsis in intensive care units: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Sepsis is a common complication in patients with cancer, but studies evaluating the outcomes of critically ill cancer patients with sepsis on a global scale are limited. We aimed to summarize the existing evidence on mortality rates in this patient population. METHODS: Prospective and retrospective observational studies evaluating critically ill adult cancer patients with sepsis, severe sepsis, and/or septic shock were included. Studies published from January 2010 to September 2021 that reported at least one mortality outcome were retrieved from MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), and Cochrane databases. Study selection, bias assessment, and data collection were performed independently by two reviewers, and any discrepancies were resolved by a third reviewer. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. We calculated pooled intensive care unit (ICU), hospital, and 28/30-day mortality rates. The heterogeneity of the data was tested using the chi-square test, with a P value < 0.10 indicating significant heterogeneity. RESULTS: A total of 5464 citations were reviewed, of which 10 studies met the inclusion criteria; these studies included 6605 patients. All studies had a Newcastle-Ottawa scale score of 7 or higher. The mean patient age ranged from 51.4 to 64.9 years. The pooled ICU, hospital, and 28/30 day mortality rates were 48% (95% CI, 43- 53%; I2 = 80.6%), 62% (95% CI, 58-67%; I2 = 0%), and 50% (95% CI, 38- 62%; I2 = 98%), respectively. Substantial between-study heterogeneity was observed. CONCLUSION: Critically ill cancer patients with sepsis had poor survival, with a hospital mortality rate of about two-thirds. The substantial observed heterogeneity among studies could be attributed to variability in the criteria used to define sepsis as well as variability in treatment, the severity of illness, and care across settings. Our results are a call to action to identify strategies that improve outcomes for cancer patients with sepsis.

Impacts of a Mail-Order Service for Refilling Prescriptions on Patient Satisfaction and Operational Load at a Comprehensive Cancer Center in Jordan.

BACKGROUND: Mail-order services for refilling prescriptions for medications have been established in many countries and have increased patient satisfaction. We developed a mail-order service for the outpatient pharmacy of a comprehensive cancer center in Jordan. OBJECTIVE: To describe the implementation of a mail-order service and to report the impact of the service on patient satisfaction and the pharmacy workload. METHODS: A multidisciplinary team was formed to plan a mail-order service for refilling prescriptions for medications, and a survey was designed to evaluate patient satisfaction with the service. Patients were instructed to call the refill call center and order their medications at least 48 hours before their refill is due. The pharmacy workflow for refilling prescriptions was evaluated, and the time required with and without the mail-order service was documented, with a calculation of the time saved. RESULTS: At 1 year after the mail-order service had been established, 14 200 prescriptions had been refilled through the service, with the majority (97.5%) dispensed within 48 hours of the order time. As per the survey conducted with 219 patients, on the overall satisfaction, 69.4% reported being highly satisfied with the service and 27.9% reported being satisfied. The problems reported with the service were delay in arrival (n = 23, 10.5%), medication-related errors (n = 9, 4.1%), cash-related error (n = 1, 0.45%), improper storage condition (n = 1, 0.45%), and delivery to the wrong address (n = 4, 1.8%). The service was also associated with reduced overall time for processing in the outpatient pharmacy service; for patients receiving their medications from the pharmacy, resulting in reduced patients' overall waiting time (from 11.4 to 8.2 minutes). The service resulted in saving of 0.4 full-time employee at 1 year of implementation. CONCLUSIONS: A mail-order service for refilling prescriptions within a hospital setting had positive outcomes on both patient satisfaction and the pharmacy workflow. The major issues were related to transportation and logistics.

A 12-year study evaluating the outcomes and predictors of mortality in critically ill cancer patients admitted with septic shock.

BACKGROUND: Though sepsis is common in patients with cancer, there are limited studies that evaluated sepsis and septic shock in this patient population. The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcomes and to identify predictors of mortality in cancer patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with septic shock. METHODS: This was a retrospective study conducted at a medical-surgical oncologic ICU of a comprehensive cancer center. Adult cancer patients admitted with septic shock between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2019 were enrolled. Septic shock was defined as an ICU admission diagnosis of sepsis that required initiating vasopressors within 24 h of admission. Patient baseline characteristics, ICU length of stay and ICU and hospital mortality were recorded. Univariate analysis and logistic regression were performed to identify predictors associated with ICU and hospital mortality. RESULTS: During the study period, 1408 patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 56.8 ± 16.1 (SD) years and mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II was 23.0 ± 7.91 (SD). Among the enrolled patients, 67.8% had solid tumors while the remaining had hematological malignancies. Neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were reported in 19.3 and 39.5% of the patients, respectively, and mechanical ventilation was required for 42% of the patients. Positive cultures were reported in 836 (59.4%) patients, most commonly blood (33%) and respiratory (26.6%). Upon admission, about half the patients had acute kidney injury, while elevated total bilirubin and lactic acid levels were reported in 13.8 and 65.2% of the patients, respectively. The median ICU length of stay was 4 days (IQR 3-8), and ICU and hospital mortality were reported in 688 (48.9%) and 914 (64.9%) patients, respectively. Mechanical ventilation, APACHE II, thrombocytopenia, positive cultures, elevated bilirubin and lactic acid levels were significantly associated with both ICU and hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: In a relatively large cohort of patients with solid and hematological malignancies admitted to the ICU with septic shock, hospital mortality was reported in about two-third of the patients. Mechanical ventilation, APACHE II, thrombocytopenia, positive cultures, elevated bilirubin and lactic acid levels were significant predictors of mortality.

Iatrogenic Toxicities in the Intensive Care Unit.

Drug-induced iatrogenic toxicities are common in critically ill patients and have been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Early recognition and management of iatrogenic toxicities is essential; however, the diagnosis is usually complicated by the underlying critical illness, comorbidities, and administration of multiple medications. This article reviews several types of iatrogenic toxicities associated with medications that are commonly used in critically ill patients. The mechanism of the iatrogenic toxicities, clinical presentation, and diagnosis, as well as management are discussed.

The impact of pharmaceutical care on the efficacy and safety of transdermal glucosamine sulfate and capsaicin for joint pain.

Background Arthritis is a common chronic joint disease. It progressively causes joint pain, stiffness, and disability. Glucosamine sulfate has been shown to be an effective symptom-relieving biological agent. Pharmaceutical care, including patient counseling, is very important to overcome inconsistencies in compliance and adherence. Objective The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of pharmaceutical care on the efficacy and safety of transdermal glucosamine sulfate and capsaicin (TGC-Plus cream) in the management of chronic joint pain. Settings A rheumatology outpatient clinic, Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan. Methods A cross sectional study with a single treatment group was conducted. One hundred (100) patients diagnosed with either osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or chronic joint pains were recruited. Patients started on TGC-Plus cream applied twice daily for duration of 12 weeks. Patients received pharmaceutical care services during the study duration. Main outcome measure Efficacy and safety of TGC-Plus cream in pain relief and joint function improvement (alleviating joint stiffness) the need of alternative analgesics and number of doctor's visits. Results There was a significant reduction of numerical pain score (7 ± 1.40 vs. 3.53 ± 2.13, p < 0.05), with significant reduction in the limitation of joint movement (6.18 ± 2.14 vs. 3.47 ± 2.23, p < 0.05) after 12 weeks. In addition, the need for analgesics and the number of doctor's visits were significantly reduced (1.99 ± 2.77 vs. 0.71 ± 1.90, p < 0.05), (1.11 ± 1.28 vs. 0.06 ± 0.293, p < 0.05) respectively. Conclusion Pharmacist supervised treatment with the TGC-Plus cream significantly reduces pain and enhances locomotor function in patients with chronic pain who failed to achieve adequate prior pain relief.

Effectiveness and tolerability of intravenous pentamidine for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia prophylaxis in adult hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) prophylaxis is recommended after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). In patients who are unable to take first-line prophylaxis, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, aerosolized pentamidine is recommended. This drug may not, however, be available at all institutions, and its administration requires special techniques. Therefore, intravenous pentamidine (IVP) has been used in adult patients as an alternative, despite limited data. We evaluated the effectiveness and tolerability of IVP for PCP prophylaxis in adult patients who had undergone HSCT. METHODS: A single-center retrospective study was conducted of adult patients who had undergone allogenic or autologous HSCT between January 2014 and September 2018 and had received at least three doses of IVP for PCP prophylaxis. The IVP dose was 4 mg/kg administered monthly. Data on PCP infection and adverse reactions were collected from both patients' electronic medical records and the pharmacy adverse drug reactions documentation system. Patients were followed from the start of IVP up to 6 months after discontinuation of therapy. A confirmed PCP infection was defined as radiographic evidence of PCP and positive staining of a respiratory specimen. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the study outcomes. RESULTS: During the study period, 187 patients were included. The median age was 36.4 years (range, 18-64), 58% were male, and 122 (65%) had received allogeneic HSCT while the remainder autologous HSCT. The median number of IVP doses administered per patient was 5 (range, 3-29). During the study period, none of the patients had evidence of confirmed PCP infection. However; there were two cases with high clinical suspicion of PCP infection (i.e. required anti-pneumocystis therapy) and one reported case of central nervous system toxoplasmosis while receiving IVP for PCP prophylaxis. Only one case of nausea associated with IVP administration was reported. CONCLUSIONS: In a cohort of adult patients with HSCT who received IVP for PCP prophylaxis, there was no evidence of confirmed PCP infection, and the treatment appeared to be well tolerated. Prospective studies should be conducted to confirm the efficacy and tolerability of IVP.

Etoposide dosage adjustment in two patients with neuroendocrine tumors and severe liver impairment.

INTRODUCTION: Limited data are available on dosing etoposide in patients with liver impairment. CASE REPORT: We report the dosing strategies for etoposide utilized in two patients with neuroendocrine tumors and severe liver impairment. MANAGEMENT AND OUTCOMES: Treatment consisted of platinum-based chemotherapy regimens, with the decision of whether to administer etoposide and at what doses being based on the liver function before each chemotherapy cycle. By the end of treatment, total bilirubin was normal, and the performance status of both patients had improved, with stable computed tomography scan findings. DISCUSSION: The reported two cases suggest that the administration of etoposide at reduced doses with close monitoring in patients with neuroendocrine tumors and severe liver impairment may still be considered as an option and may improve outcomes.

Noncompliance with surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis guidelines: A Jordanian experience in cesarean deliveries.

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infections are common, especially in developing countries. Nevertheless, up to 60% of surgical site infections can be prevented with appropriate perioperative care, which includes among other measures using suitable surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis (SAP). METHODS: After a short interview with patients and retrospective review of medical charts, compliance with 6 SAP parameters was assessed for appropriateness; those parameters are indication, choice, dose, time of administration, intraoperative redosing interval, and duration of prophylaxis in 1,173 operations. RESULTS: Overall compliance was poor; nevertheless, certain components showed high compliance rates, such as indication and choice of antibiotics. The most frequent error noted was extended administration of prophylactic antibiotics, which was observed in 88.2% of the study population. Emergency operations were associated with a lower risk of noncompliance in administering the correct dose at the correct time (odds ratio, 0.63; 95% confidence interval, 0.47-0.83 and odds ratio, 0.21; 95% confidence interval, 0.14-0.3, respectively). On the other hand, women who underwent an emergency operation were associated with a 6-fold higher risk of receiving prophylactic therapy following surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated the existence of a surprisingly low level of overall compliance with the hospital-adapted SAP guidelines. Factors implicated in noncompliance were investigated, and the present results create a starting point to improve the current practice.

Surgical site infections following caesarean operations at a Jordanian teaching hospital: Frequency and implicated factors.

Surgical site infections (SSIs) following caesarean surgeries are common. The present study aimed to evaluate the frequency of SSIs following caesareans at Jordan University Hospital during the 30 postoperative days and to identify factors associated with increased SSIs risk. Data regarding the occurrence of SSIs were collected both prospectively via follow-up phone calls and retrospectively via reviewing wound culture results and clinical notes. SSI cases were subsequently determined utilizing predefined criteria. Data relating to possible risk factors of SSIs were collected from patient interviews and hospital records. Risk factors for SSIs were identified via logistic regression. A high rate of SSIs (14.4%) was detected; implicated factors included body mass index ≥36 kg/m2 prior to pregnancy odds ratio (OR) 3.8, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.6-9.4, hospital stay longer than 3.5 days OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.4-3.6, having the operation at a gestational age greater than 40 weeks OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.3-3.9. Receiving a higher weight-adjusted dose of the prophylactic antibiotic cefazolin was associated with lower SSIs risk OR 0.967, 95% CI 0.94-0.99.In conclusion, a high rate of SSIs following caesareans was detected, and modifiable risk factors of SSIs should be incorporated into targeted policies aiming to reduce the rate of SSIs.