Impact of Low-Dose Hydrocortisone on the Incidence of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Septic Shock: A Propensity Score-Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in the intensive care unit (ICU), notably in patients with septic shock for whom inflammation is an already identified risk factor. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of low-dose hydrocortisone on AF occurrence in patients with septic shock. METHODS: We performed a prospective nonrandomized observational study in 5 academic ICUs in France. From November 2012 to June 2014, all patients ≥16 years having septic shock were included, except those who had a history of AF, had a pacemaker, and/or experienced AF during hospitalization before the onset of shock or in whom the onset of shock occurred prior to admission to the ICU. Hydrocortisone was administered at the discretion of the attending physician. The incidence of AF was compared among patients who received hydrocortisone, and the effect of low-dose hydrocortisone on AF was estimated using the inverse probability treatment weighting method based on propensity scores. RESULTS: A total of 261 patients were included (no-hydrocortisone group, n = 138; hydrocortisone group, n = 123). Atrial fibrillation occurred in 57 (22%) patients. Atrial fibrillation rates were 33 (24%) and 24 (19%) in no-hydrocortisone patients and hydrocortisone patients, respectively. In the weighted sample, the proportion of patients who developed AF was 28.8% in the no-hydrocortisone group and 16.8% in the hydrocortisone group (difference: -11.9%; 95% confidence interval: -23.4% to -0.5%; P = .040). CONCLUSION: In patients with septic shock, low-dose hydrocortisone was associated with a lower risk of developing AF during the acute phase.

Flail chest in polytraumatized patients: surgical fixation using Stracos reduces ventilator time and hospital stay.

OBJECTIVES: Conservative management of patients with flail chest is the treatment of choice. Rib fracture repair is technically challenging; however, with the advent of specially designed molding titanium clips, surgical management has been simplified. Surgical stabilization has been used with good outcomes. We are reporting on our institutional matched-case-control study. METHODS: Between April 2010 and April 2011, ten polytraumatized patients undergoing rib stabilization for flail chest were matched 1 : 1 to 10 control patients by age ±10 years, sex, neurological or vertebral trauma, abdominal injury, and arm and leg fractures. Surgery was realized in the first 48 hours. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between groups for matched data and prognostic scores: injury severity score, revised trauma score, and trauma injury severity score. Ventilator time (142 ± 224 versus 74 ± 125 hours, P = 0.026) and overall hospital stay (142 ± 224 versus 74 ± 125 hours, P = 0.026) were significantly lower for the surgical group after adjustment on prognostic scores. There was a trend towards shorter ICU stay for operative patients (12.3 ± 8.5 versus 9.0 ± 4.3 days, P = 0.076). CONCLUSIONS: Rib fixation with Stracos is feasible and decreases the length of ventilation and hospital stay. A multicenter randomized study is warranted so as to confirm these results and to evaluate impact on pulmonary function status, pain, and quality of life.

Pleth variability index predicts fluid responsiveness in critically ill patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the pleth variability index, a noninvasive and continuous tool, can predict fluid responsiveness in mechanically ventilated patients with circulatory insufficiency. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Surgical intensive care unit of a university hospital. PATIENTS: Forty mechanically ventilated patients with circulatory insufficiency in whom volume expansion was planned by attending physician. Exclusion criteria included spontaneous respiratory activity, cardiac arrhythmia, known intracardiac shunt, severe hypoxemia (Pao2/Fio2 <100 mm Hg), contraindication for passive leg raising, left ventricular ejection fraction of <50%, and hemodynamic instability during the procedure. INTERVENTIONS: Fluid challenge with 500 mL of 130/0.4 hydroxyethyl-starch if respiratory variations in arterial pulse pressure were ≥ 13% or with passive leg raising if variations in arterial pulse pressure were <13%. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Pleth variability index, variations in arterial pulse pressure, and cardiac output estimated by echocardiography were recorded before and after fluid challenge. Fluid responsiveness was defined as an increase in cardiac output of ≥ 15%. Twenty-one patients were responders and 19 were nonresponders. Mean ± sd pleth variability index (28% ± 13% vs. 11% ± 4%) and arterial pulse pressure variation (22% ± 11% vs. 5% ± 2%) values at baseline were significantly higher in responders than in nonresponders. The pleth variability index threshold value of 17% allowed discrimination between responders and nonresponders with a sensitivity of 95% (95% confidence interval, 74% to 100%) and a specificity of 91% (95% confidence interval, 70% to 99%). The pleth variability index at baseline correlated (r = .72, p < .0001) with the percentage change in cardiac output induced by fluid challenge, suggesting that a higher pleth variability index at baseline will correlate with a higher percentage change in cardiac output after volume expansion. CONCLUSIONS: The pleth variability index can predict fluid responsiveness noninvasively in intensive care unit patients under mechanical ventilation.

Kinetics of imipenem distribution into the peritoneal fluid of patients with severe peritonitis studied by microdialysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A microdialysis study of meropenem distribution in the peritoneal fluid of patients with peritonitis has suggested that there is significant peripheral drug degradation. The aims of the present study were to investigate the plasma and peritoneal fluid pharmacokinetics of imipenem, a relatively unstable antibacterial, in patients with severe peritonitis, and to relate measured unbound concentrations to the minimum inhibitory concentrations required for susceptible and intermediately susceptible bacteria. METHODS: Microdialysis catheters were placed into the peritoneal cavity through peritoneal drains in nine critically patients. Imipenem concentrations in plasma and in peritoneal fluid were analysed using compartmental modelling. RESULTS: A model that considered elimination from a peripheral compartment described the data and was used to simulate steady-state concentration profiles in plasma and peritoneal fluid during various dosing regimens. Using recommended dosing regimens (500 mg every 6 hours, 1000 mg every 8 hours and 1000 mg every 6 hours), simulated unbound peritoneal fluid concentrations of imipenem in patients with severe peritonitis reached values sufficient for antibacterial effects against susceptible bacteria. However, the adequacy of regimens in patients with severe peritonitis whose infections involve intermediately susceptible bacteria is questionable. CONCLUSION: The results of this study are consistent with those previously observed with meropenem and confirm the usefulness of microdialysis for assessment of peritoneal fluid distribution of antibacterials.

Indwelling time and risk of colonization of peripheral arterial catheters in critically ill patients.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the lack of evidence to support routine scheduled replacement of peripheral arterial catheters this practice continues to be widely used in many intensive care units (ICU). This study evaluated whether additional risks of catheter colonization are incurred with a conservative attitude in severely ill patients. DESIGN AND SETTING: Observational study over a 18-month period in a 15-bed surgical ICU of a 1,000-bed French university-affiliated hospital. CATHETERS: A total of 295 peripheral arterial catheters were inserted in 295 patients. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Hazard rates of catheters colonization (defined as quantitative culture of a catheter tip showing at least one microorganism at a concentration of 1,000 or more colony-forming units per milliliter) according to indwelling time were determined over 5-day periods by survival analysis. The mean indwelling time was 8 +/- 6 days (median 6 days). Overall, 47 (16%) colonization episodes were diagnosed, leading to catheter colonization incidence density of 19.9 per 1,000 catheter-days. Risk factors for catheters colonization increase in proportion to the duration of catheter use. Hazard rates of catheter colonization were 1.0, 1.9, 3.5, 7.0, 6.0 and 5.7%, for the 111 arterial catheters left in place for 4 days or less, 5-9 days (87 catheters), 10-14 days (55 catheters), 15-19 days (27 catheters), 20-24 days (10 catheters) and more than 24 days (5 catheters). CONCLUSIONS: Systematic replacement of peripheral arterial catheters might be useful in preventing catheter-related colonization, especially after 2 weeks of use.

Chlorhexidine-based antiseptic solution vs alcohol-based povidone-iodine for central venous catheter care.

BACKGROUND: Although chlorhexidine-based solutions and alcohol-based povidone-iodine have been shown to be more efficient than aqueous povidone-iodine for skin disinfection at catheter insertion sites, their abilities to reduce catheter-related infection have never been compared. METHODS: Consecutively scheduled central venous catheters inserted into jugular or subclavian veins were randomly assigned to be disinfected with 5% povidone-iodine in 70% ethanol or with a combination of 0.25% chlorhexidine gluconate, 0.025% benzalkonium chloride, and 4% benzylic alcohol. Solutions were used for skin disinfection before catheter insertion (2 consecutive 30-second applications separated by a period sufficiently long to allow for dryness) and then as single applications during subsequent dressing changes (every 72 hours, or earlier if soiled or wet). RESULTS: Of 538 catheters randomized, 481 (89.4%) produced evaluable culture results. Compared with povidone-iodine, the chlorhexidine-based solution was associated with a 50% decrease in the incidence of catheter colonization (11.6% vs 22.2% [P = .002]; incidence density, 9.7 vs 18.3 per 1000 catheter-days) and with a trend toward lower rates of catheter-related bloodstream infection (1.7% vs 4.2% [P = .09]; incidence density, 1.4 vs 3.4 per 1000 catheter-days). Independent risk factors for catheter colonization were catheter insertion into the jugular vein (adjusted relative risk, 2.01; 95% confidence interval, 1.24-3.24) and use of povidone-iodine (adjusted relative risk, 1.87; 95% confidence interval, 1.18-2.96). CONCLUSION: Chlorhexidine-based solutions should be considered as a replacement for povidone-iodine (including alcohol-based) formulations in efforts to prevent catheter-related infection.

Helicobacter pylori infection is not associated with an increased hemorrhagic risk in patients in the intensive care unit.

INTRODUCTION: The potential role of Helicobacter pylori in acute stress ulcer in patients in an intensive care unit (ICU) is controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of H. pylori infection in ICU patients by antigen detection on rectal swabs, and to analyze the potential relationship between the presence of H. pylori and the risk of digestive gastrointestinal bleeding. METHODS: In this prospective, multicenter, epidemiological study, the inclusion criteria were as follows: patients admitted to the 12 participating ICU for at least two days, who were free of hemorrhagic shock and did not receive more than four units of red blood cells during the day before or the first 48 hours after admission to the ICU. Rectal swabs were obtained within the first 24 hours of admission to the ICU and were tested for H. pylori antigens with the ImmunoCard STAT! HpSA kit. The following events were analyzed according to H. pylori status: gastrointestinal bleeding, unexplained decline in hematocrit, and the number of red cell transfusions. RESULTS: The study involved 1,776 patients. Forty-nine patients (2.8%) had clinical evidence of upper digestive bleeding. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed in 7.6% of patients. Five hundred patients (28.2%) required blood transfusion. H. pylori antigen was detected in 6.3% of patients (95% confidence interval 5.2 to 7.5). H. pylori antigen positivity was associated with female sex (p < 0.05) and with a higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II; p < 0.05). H. pylori antigen status was not associated with the use of fiber-optic gastroscopy, the need for red cell transfusions, or the number of red cell units infused. CONCLUSION: This large study reported a small percentage of H. pylori infection detected with rectal swab sampling in ICU patients and showed that the patients infected with H. pylori had no additional risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. Thus H. pylori does not seem to have a major role in the pathogenesis of acute stress ulcer in ICU patients.