The association between prolonged capillary refill time and microcirculation changes in children with sepsis.

BACKGROUNDS: In children with sepsis, circulatory shock and multi-organ failure remain major contributors to mortality. Prolonged capillary refill time (PCRT) is a clinical tool associated with disease severity and tissue hypoperfusion. Microcirculation assessment with videomicroscopy represents a promising candidate for assessing and improving hemodynamic management strategies in children with sepsis. Particularly when there is loss of coherence between the macro and microcirculation (hemodynamic incoherence). We sought to evaluate the association between PCRT and microcirculation changes in sepsis. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study in children hospitalized with sepsis. Microcirculation was measured using sublingual video microscopy (capillary density and flow and perfused boundary region [PBR]-a parameter inversely proportional to vascular endothelial glycocalyx thickness), phalangeal tissue perfusion, and endothelial activation and glycocalyx injury biomarkers. The primary outcome was the association between PCRT and microcirculation changes. RESULTS: A total of 132 children with sepsis were included, with a median age of two years (IQR 0.6-12.2). PCRT was associated with increased glycocalyx degradation (PBR 2.21 vs. 2.08 microns; aOR 2.65, 95% CI 1.09-6.34; p = 0.02) and fewer 4-6 micron capillaries recruited (p = 0.03), with no changes in the percentage of capillary blood volume (p = 0.13). Patients with hemodynamic incoherence had more PBR abnormalities (78.4% vs. 60.8%; aOR 2.58, 95% CI 1.06-6.29; p = 0.03) and the persistence of these abnormalities after six hours was associated with higher mortality (16.5% vs. 6.1%; p < 0.01). Children with an elevated arterio-venous CO2 difference (DCO2) had an abnormal PBR (aOR 1.13, 95% CI 1.01-1.26; p = 0.03) and a lower density of small capillaries (p < 0.05). Prolonged capillary refill time predicted an abnormal PBR (AUROC 0.81, 95% CI 0.64-0.98; p = 0.03) and relative percentage of blood in the capillaries (AUROC 0.82, 95% CI 0.58-1.00; p = 0.03) on admission. A normal CRT at 24 h predicted a shorter hospital stay (aOR 0.96, 95% CI 0.94-0.99; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We found an association between PCRT and microcirculation changes in children with sepsis. These patients had fewer small capillaries recruited and more endothelial glycocalyx degradation. This leads to nonperfused capillaries, affecting oxygen delivery to the tissues. These disorders were associated with hemodynamic incoherence and worse clinical outcomes when the CRT continued to be abnormal 24 h after admission.

Stakeholder Engagement in Trial Design: Survey of Visitors to Critically Ill Patients Regarding Preferences for Outcomes and Treatment Options during Weaning from Mechanical Ventilation.

RATIONALE: Stakeholder engagement in research is expected to provide unique insights, make research investments more accountable and transparent, and ensure that future research is applicable to patients and family members. OBJECTIVES: To inform the design of a trial of strategies for weaning from mechanical ventilation, we sought to identify preferences of patient visitors regarding outcome and treatment measures. METHODS: We conducted an interviewer-administered questionnaire of visitors of critically ill patients in two family waiting rooms serving three intensive care units (ICUs) in Toronto, Canada. Respondents rated the importance of general and ventilation-related outcomes in two hypothetical scenarios (before a first spontaneous breathing trial, and after a failed spontaneous breathing trial) and selected a preferred technique for the breathing trials. With regard to the patient they were visiting, respondents identified the most important outcome to them at ICU admission, during the ICU stay, and at ICU discharge. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We analyzed 322 questionnaires (95.5% response rate). All outcomes were highly rated (average range: 7.82-9.74). Across scenarios, outcomes rated as most important were ICU and hospital survival (9.72, 9.70), avoiding complications (9.45), quality of life (9.394), patient comfort (9.393), and returning to previous living arrangements (9.31). Overall, the most important ventilation-related outcomes were being ventilator-free (8.95), avoiding reintubation (8.905), and passing a spontaneous breathing trial (8.903). Passing a spontaneous breathing trial assumed greater importance after an initial failed attempt. "Time to event" outcomes were less important to visitors. We did not identify a preferred spontaneous breathing trial technique. Although ICU survival was the most important outcome at ICU admission and during the ICU stay, visitors rated quality of life higher than hospital survival at ICU discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Visitors to critically ill patients prioritized two general outcomes (ICU and hospital survival) and three ventilation-related outcomes (being ventilator free, avoiding reintubation, passing a spontaneous breathing trial), and valued avoiding complications, maintaining quality of life, comfort, and returning to previous living arrangements. The outcomes preferences of the survey respondents evolved temporally during the ICU stay.