Variations in reporting of nurse involvement in end-of-life practices in intensive care units worldwide (ETHICUS-2): A prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: ICU nurses are most frequently at the patient's bedside, providing care for both patients and family members. They perform an essential role and are involved in decision-making. Despite this, research suggests that nurses have a limited role in the end-of-life decision-making process and are occasionally not involved. OBJECTIVE: Explore global ICU nurse involvement in end of life decisions based on the physician's perceptions and sub-analyses from the ETHICUS-2 study. DESIGN: This is a secondary analysis of a prospective multinational, observational study of the ETHICUS-2 study. SETTING: End of life decision-making processes in ICU patients were studied during a 6-month period between Sept 1, 2015, and Sept 30, 2016, in 199 ICUs in 36 countries. INTERVENTION: None. METHODS: The ETHICUS II study instrument contained 20 questions. This sub-analysis addressed the four questions related to nurse involvement in end-of-life decision-making: Who initiated the end-of-life discussion? Was withholding or withdrawing treatment discussed with nurses? Was a nurse involved in making the end-of-life decision? Was there agreement between physicians and nurses? These 4 questions are the basis for our analysis. Global regions were compared. RESULTS: Physicians completed 91.8 % of the data entry. A statistically significant difference was found between regions (p < 0.001) with Northern Europe and Australia/New Zealand having the most discussion with nurses and Latin America, Africa, Asia and North America the least. The percentages of end-of-life decisions in which nurses were involved ranged between 3 and 44 %. These differences were statistically significant. Agreement between physicians and nurses related to decisions resulted in a wide range of responses (27-86 %) (p < 0.001). There was a wide range of those who replied "not applicable" to the question of agreement between physicians and nurses on EOL decisions (0-41 %). CONCLUSION: There is large variability in nurse involvement in end-of-life decision-making in the ICU. The most concerning findings were that in some regions, according to physicians, nurses were not involved in EOL decisions and did not initiate the decision-making process. There is a need to develop the collaboration between nurses and physicians. Nurses have valuable contributions for best possible patient-centered decisions and should be respected as important parts of the interdisciplinary team. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Wide global differences were found in nurse end of life decision involvement, with low involvement in North and South America and Africa and higher involvement in Europe and Australia/New Zealand.

Changes in intensive care unit nurse involvement in end of life decision making between 1999 and 2016: Descriptive comparative study.

OBJECTIVE: Comparison of nurse involvement in end of life decision making in European countries participating in ETHICUS I- 1999 and ETHICUS II- 2015. METHODOLOGY: This was a prospective observational study of 22 European ICUs included in the ETHICUS-II and I. Data were collected as per the ETHICUS-I and ETHICUS-II protocols. Four questions within the ETHICUS protocols related to nurse involvement in end of life decision making were analyzed. This is a comparison of changes in nurse involvement in end of life decisions from 1999 to 2015. SETTING: International e-based questionnaire completed by an intensive care clinician when an end of life decision was performed on any patient. SUBJECTS: Intensive care physicians and nurses, no interventions were performed. MEASUREMENTS: A 20 question survey was used to describe the decision making process, on what basis was the decision made, who was involved in the decision making process, and what precise decisions were made. RESULTS: A total of 4592 cases from 22 centres are included. While there was more agreement between nurses and physicians in ETHICUS-I compared to ETHICUS-I, fewer discussions with nurses occurred in ETHICUS-II. The frequency of end of life decisions that were discussed with nurses decreased in all three regions between ETHICUS-I and ETHICUS-II. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of the current study, nurses should be further encouraged to increase their involvement in end of life decision-making, especially those in southern Europe.

Variations in end-of-life practices in intensive care units worldwide (Ethicus-2): a prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: End-of-life practices vary among intensive care units (ICUs) worldwide. Differences can result in variable use of disproportionate or non-beneficial life-sustaining interventions across diverse world regions. This study investigated global disparities in end-of-life practices. METHODS: In this prospective, multinational, observational study, consecutive adult ICU patients who died or had a limitation of life-sustaining treatment (withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining therapy and active shortening of the dying process) during a 6-month period between Sept 1, 2015, and Sept 30, 2016, were recruited from 199 ICUs in 36 countries. The primary outcome was the end-of-life practice as defined by the end-of-life categories: withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining therapy, active shortening of the dying process, or failed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Patients with brain death were included in a separate predefined end-of-life category. Data collection included patient characteristics, diagnoses, end-of-life decisions and their timing related to admission and discharge, or death, with comparisons across different regions. Patients were studied until death or 2 months from the first limitation decision. FINDINGS: Of 87 951 patients admitted to ICU, 12 850 (14·6%) were included in the study population. The number of patients categorised into each of the different end-of-life categories were significantly different for each region (p<0·001). Limitation of life-sustaining treatment occurred in 10 401 patients (11·8% of 87 951 ICU admissions and 80·9% of 12 850 in the study population). The most common limitation was withholding life-sustaining treatment (5661 [44·1%]), followed by withdrawing life-sustaining treatment (4680 [36·4%]). More treatment withdrawing was observed in Northern Europe (1217 [52·8%] of 2305) and Australia/New Zealand (247 [45·7%] of 541) than in Latin America (33 [5·8%] of 571) and Africa (21 [13·0%] of 162). Shortening of the dying process was uncommon across all regions (60 [0·5%]). One in five patients with treatment limitations survived hospitalisation. Death due to failed CPR occurred in 1799 (14%) of the study population, and brain death occurred in 650 (5·1%). Failure of CPR occurred less frequently in Northern Europe (85 [3·7%] of 2305), Australia/New Zealand (23 [4·3%] of 541), and North America (78 [8·5%] of 918) than in Africa (106 [65·4%] of 162), Latin America (160 [28·0%] of 571), and Southern Europe (590 [22·5%] of 2622). Factors associated with treatment limitations were region, age, and diagnoses (acute and chronic), and country end-of-life legislation. INTERPRETATION: Limitation of life-sustaining therapies is common worldwide with regional variability. Withholding treatment is more common than withdrawing treatment. Variations in type, frequency, and timing of end-of-life decisions were observed. Recognising regional differences and the reasons behind these differences might help improve end-of-life care worldwide. FUNDING: None.

Insuficiencia ventricular izquierda precoz en pacientes con síndrome coronario agudo sin elevación persistente del segmento ST: primera descripción y evaluación de los factores asociados / Influence of the combination of antiplatelet agents on the occurrence of early left ventricular insufficiency in patients with acute coronary syndromes without persistent ST-segment elevation

Fundamento y objetivo: La frecuencia de la insuficiencia ventricular izquierda ( IVI ) en las fases precoces del síndrome coronario agudo sin elevación del segmento ST (SCASEST) no está descrita en la actualidad. El objetivo de este estudio es describir por vez primera la frecuencia de esta complicación en la evolución inicial del SCASEST y evaluar su asociación a otras intervenciones. Pacientes y método: Estudio observacional de cohortes prospectivo y multicéntrico realizado en unidades de cuidados intensivos y coronarios (UCIC). Se incluyeron pacientes con SCASEST ingresados en las primeras 24 h de evolución. El desenlace principal fue la aparición de IVI . Se evaluó la asociación entre esta y variables clínicas y terapéuticas. Resultados: Se produjo IVI en el 15,6% de los pacientes. La realización de angiografía coronaria (AC) durante el ingreso en la UCIC fue una variable protectora frente al desenlace principal, realizada tanto antes de las 72 horas (odds ratio [OR] 0,47; intervalo de confianza del 95% [IC 95%] 0,25-0,89; p = 0,022), como más tarde (OR 0,39; IC 95% 0,15-0,98; p = 0,044). La administración de betabloqueantes se mostró como variable protectora frente a la aparición de IVI (OR 0,54; IC 95% 0,32-0,87; p = 0,013). La toma de ácido acetilsalicílico antes del ingreso en la UCIC supuso un mayor riesgo de IVI (OR 1,74; IC 95% 1,06-2,86; p = 0,028). La edad fue factor de riesgo de presentar IVI (OR 1,02; IC 95% 1,00-1,05; p = 0,032). Conclusiones: La realización de AC precoz y la administración de betabloqueantes aparecen como capaces de disminuir la aparición de IVI . La toma previa de ácido acetilsalicílico y la edad se asociaron a la aparición de IVI , pudiendo reflejar enfermedad cardiovascular de larga evolución (AU)

Fundamento y objetivo: La frecuencia de insuficiencia ventricular izquierda (FVI) en las primeras etapas de la elevación del síndrome coronario agudo sin elevación del segmento ST (SCASEST) no se ha descrito hasta el momento. El objetivo de este estudio es describir por primera vez la frecuencia de LVF en el curso temprano de SCASEST y evaluar su asociación con otras intervenciones. Pacientes y método: Estudio multicéntrico observacional prospectivo de cohortes en las unidades de cuidados intensivos y coronarios (ICCU). Los pacientes con SCASEST ingresados dentro de las 24 horas después de la aparición se incluyeron. Resultado principal fue la aparición de LVF. Se evaluó la asociación entre la LVF y variables clínicas y terapéuticas. Resultados: LVF se produjo en el 15,6% de los pacientes. La angiografía coronaria (CA) durante el ingreso en la UCCI fue una variable protectora contra el resultado principal, realizado antes de las 72 h (odds ratio [OR] 0,47; intervalo de confianza del 95% [IC 95%] 0,25 hasta 0,89; P = 0.022) y más tarde (OR 0,39, IC 95% 0,15-0,98; P = 0,044). La administración de este tratamiento fue una variable protectora frente a la ocurrencia de LVF (OR 0,54, IC 95% 0,32-0,87; P = 0,013). Los pacientes que reciben ácido acetilsalicílico antes de su ingreso en la UCCI tenían un mayor riesgo de desarrollar LVF (OR 1.74, IC del 95%: 1,06 a 2,86; P = 0,028).La edad también fue un factor de riesgo para la LVF (OR 1.02, IC del 95%: 1,00 a 1,05; P = 0,032). Conclusiones: CA y beta-bloqueantes pueden disminuir la aparición de LVF. La asociación entre la anterior administración de ácido acetilsalicílico y la edad a la ocurrencia de LVF puede reflejar la enfermedad cardiovascular de larga data (AU)

[Influence of the combination of antiplatelet agents on the occurrence of early left ventricular insufficiency in patients with acute coronary syndromes without persistent ST-segment elevation]. / Insuficiencia ventricular izquierda precoz en pacientes con síndrome coronario agudo sin elevación persistente del segmento ST: primera descripción y evaluación de los factores asociados.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The frequency of left ventricular failure (LVF) in the early stages of non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE ACS) has not been described so far. The objective of this study is to describe for the first time the frequency of LVF in the early course of NSTE ACS and to assess its association with other interventions. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Observational prospective cohort multicenter study in intensive and coronary care units (ICCU). Patients with NSTE ACS admitted within 24h after onset were included. Main outcome was the occurrence of LVF. We evaluated the association between LVF and clinical and therapeutic variables. RESULTS: LVF occurred in 15.6% of patients. Coronary angiography (CA) during admission to the ICCU was a protective variable against the main outcome, performed before 72h (odds ratio [OR] 0.47; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.25-0.89; P=.022) and later (OR 0,39; 95% CI 0,15-0,98; P=.044). The administration of beta-blockers was a protective variable against the occurrence of LVF (OR 0,54; 95% CI 0,32-0,87; P=.013). Patients receiving acetylsalicylic acid before admission to the ICCU had a higher risk of developing LVF (OR 1.74; 95% CI 1.06-2.86; P=.028). Age was also a factor of risk for LVF (OR 1.02; 95% CI 1.00-1.05; P=.032). CONCLUSIONS: CA and beta-blockers can decrease the occurrence of LVF. The association between previous administration of acetylsalicylic acid and age with the occurrence of LVF may reflect long-standing cardiovascular disease.