Limitation of life support treatments in Spanish Intensive Care Units: Analysis of the ETHICUS II study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to describe the results of Spanish ICUs in ETHICUS II study. DESIGN: Planned substudy of patients from ETHICUS II study. SETTING: 12 Spanish ICU. PATIENTS OR PARTICIPANTS: Patients admitted to Spanish ICU who died or in whom a limitation of life-sustaining treatment (LLST) was decided during a recruitment period of 6 months. INTERVENTIONS: Follow-up of patients was performed until discharge from the ICU and 2 months after the decision of LLST or death. MAIN VARIABLES OF INTEREST: Demographic characteristics, clinical profile, type of decision of LLST, time and form in which it was adopted. Patients were classified into 4 categories according to the ETHICUS II study protocol: withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining therapy, active shortening of the dying process, failed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and patients with brain death. RESULTS: A total of 795 patients were analyzed; 129 patients died after CPR, 129 developed brain death. LLST was decided in 537 patients, 485 died in the ICU, 90.3%. The mean age was 66.19 years ± 14.36, 63.8% of male patients. In 221 (41%) it was decided to withdraw life-sustaining treatments and in 316 (59%) withholding life-sustaining treatments. Nineteen patients (2.38%) had advance living directives. CONCLUSIONS: The predominant clinical profile when LTSV was established was male patients over 65 years with mostly cardiovascular comorbidity. We observed that survival was higher in LLST decisions involving withholding of treatments compared to those in which withdrawal was decided. Spain has played a leading role in both patient and ICU recruitment participating in this worldwide multicenter study.

Dairy By-Products: A Review on the Valorization of Whey and Second Cheese Whey.

The search for new food products that promote consumers health has always been of great interest. The dairy industry is perhaps the best example regarding the emergence of new products with claimed health benefits. Cheese whey (CW), the by-product resulting from cheese production, and second cheese whey (SCW), which is the by-product of whey cheese manufacture, have proven to contain potential ingredients for the development of food products with improved nutritional characteristics and other functionalities. Nowadays, due to their nutritional quality, whey products have gained a prominent position among healthy food products. However, for a long time, CW and SCW were usually treated as waste or as animal feed. Due to their high organic content, these by-products can cause serious environmental problems if discarded without appropriate treatment. Small and medium size dairy companies do not have the equipment and structure to process whey and second cheese whey. In these cases, generally, they are used for animal feed or discarded without an appropriate treatment, being the cause of several constraints. There are several studies regarding CW valorization and there is a wide range of whey products in the market. However, in the case of SCW, there remains a lack of studies regarding its nutritional and functional properties, as well as ways to reuse this by-product in order to create economic value and reduce environmental impacts associated to its disposal.

Recomendaciones éticas para la toma de decisiones difíciles en las unidades de cuidados intensivos ante la situación excepcional de crisis por la pandemia por covid-19: revisión rápida y consenso de expertos / Ethical recommendations for a difficult decision-making in intensive care units due to the exceptional situation of crisis by the covid-19 pandemia: a rapid review & consensus of experts

Ante la situación excepcional de salud pública provocada por la pandemia por COVID-19, desde el grupo de ética de la Sociedad Española de la Sociedad Española de Medicina Intensiva, Crítica y Unidades Coronarias (SEMICYUC) se ha promovido un trabajo de consenso, con el objetivo de encontrar algunas respuestas desde la ética a la encrucijada entre el incremento de personas con necesidades de atención intensiva y la disponibilidad efectiva de medios. En un periodo muy corto de tiempo, se ha cambiado el marco de ejercicio de la medicina hacia un escenario de "medicina de catástrofe", con el consecuente cambio en los parámetros de toma de decisiones. En este contexto la asignación de recursos o la priorización de tratamiento pasan a ser elementos cruciales, y es importante contar con un marco de referencia ético para poder tomar las decisiones clínicas necesarias. Para ello, se ha realizado un proceso de revisión narrativa de la evidencia, seguida de u. consenso de expertos no sistematizado, que ha tenido como resultado tanto la publicación de un documento de posicionamiento y recomendaciones de la propia SEMICYUC, como el consenso entre 18 sociedades científicas y 5 institutos/cátedras de bioética y cuidados paliativos de un documento marco de referencia de recomendaciones éticas generales en este contexto de crisis

In view of the exceptional public health situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a consensus work has been promoted from the ethics group of the Spanish Society of the Spanish Society of Intensive, Critical Medicine and Coronary Units (SEMICYUC), with the objective of finding some answers from ethics to the crossroads between the increase of people with intensive care needs and the effective availability of means. In a very short period, the medical practice framework has been changed to a "catastrophe medicine" scenario, with the consequent change in the decision-making parameters. In this context, the allocation ofresources or the prioritization of treatment become crucial elements, and it is important to have an ethical reference framework to be able to make the necessary clinical decisions.For this, a process of narrative review of the evidence has been carried out, followed by u. Unsystematic consensus of experts, which has resulted in both the publication of a position paper and recommendations from SEMICYUC itself, and the consensus between 18 scientific societies and 5 institutes / chairs of bioethics and palliative care of a framework document of reference for general ethical recommendations in this context of crisis

Severity scores should incorporate limitations on life support for predicting mortality / Las puntuaciones de intensidad deberían incorporar las limitaciones del soporte vital para predecir la mortalidad

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Effect of Pressure Support vs T-Piece Ventilation Strategies During Spontaneous Breathing Trials on Successful Extubation Among Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilation: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Daily spontaneous breathing trials (SBTs) are the best approach to determine whether patients are ready for disconnection from mechanical ventilation, but mode and duration of SBT remain controversial. Objective: To evaluate the effect of an SBT consisting of 30 minutes of pressure support ventilation (an approach that is less demanding for patients) vs an SBT consisting of 2 hours of T-piece ventilation (an approach that is more demanding for patients) on rates of successful extubation. Design, Setting, and Participants: Randomized clinical trial conducted from January 2016 to April 2017 among 1153 adults deemed ready for weaning after at least 24 hours of mechanical ventilation at 18 intensive care units in Spain. Follow-up ended in July 2017. Interventions: Patients were randomized to undergo a 2-hour T-piece SBT (n = 578) or a 30-minute SBT with 8-cm H2O pressure support ventilation (n = 557). Main Outcome and Measures: The primary outcome was successful extubation (remaining free of mechanical ventilation 72 hours after first SBT). Secondary outcomes were reintubation among patients extubated after SBT; intensive care unit and hospital lengths of stay; and hospital and 90-day mortality. Results: Among 1153 patients who were randomized (mean age, 62.2 [SD, 15.7] years; 428 [37.1%] women), 1018 (88.3%) completed the trial. Successful extubation occurred in 473 patients (82.3%) in the pressure support ventilation group and 428 patients (74.0%) in the T-piece group (difference, 8.2%; 95% CI, 3.4%-13.0%; P = .001). Among secondary outcomes, for the pressure support ventilation group vs the T-piece group, respectively, reintubation was 11.1% vs 11.9% (difference, -0.8%; 95% CI, -4.8% to 3.1%; P = .63), median intensive care unit length of stay was 9 days vs 10 days (mean difference, -0.3 days; 95% CI, -1.7 to 1.1 days; P = .69), median hospital length of stay was 24 days vs 24 days (mean difference, 1.3 days; 95% CI, -2.2 to 4.9 days; P = .45), hospital mortality was 10.4% vs 14.9% (difference, -4.4%; 95% CI, -8.3% to -0.6%; P = .02), and 90-day mortality was 13.2% vs 17.3% (difference, -4.1% [95% CI, -8.2% to 0.01%; P = .04]; hazard ratio, 0.74 [95% CI, 0.55-0.99]). Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients receiving mechanical ventilation, a spontaneous breathing trial consisting of 30 minutes of pressure support ventilation, compared with 2 hours of T-piece ventilation, led to significantly higher rates of successful extubation. These findings support the use of a shorter, less demanding ventilation strategy for spontaneous breathing trials. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02620358.

High red blood cell distribution width as a marker of hospital mortality after ICU discharge: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: High red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is associated with worse outcome in diverse scenarios, including in critical illness. The Sabadell score (SS) predicts in-hospital survival after ICU discharge. We aimed to determine RDW's association with survival after ICU discharge and whether RDW can improve the accuracy of the SS. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: general ICU at a university hospital. PATIENTS: We included all patients discharged to wards from January 2010 to October 2016. METHODS: We analyzed associations between RDW and variables recorded on admission (age, comorbidities, severity score), during the ICU stay (treatments, complications, length of stay (LOS)), and at ICU discharge (SS). The primary outcome was hospital mortality. Statistical analysis included multivariable logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analyses. RESULTS: We discharged 3366 patients to wards; median ward LOS was 7 [4-13] days; ward mortality was 5.2%. Mean RDW at ICU discharge was 15.4 ± 2.5%. Ward mortality was higher at each quartile of RDW (0.7%, 2.9%, 7.5%, 10.3%; area under ROC 0.81). A logistic regression model with Sabadell score obtained an excellent accuracy for ward mortality (area under ROC 0.863), and the addition of RDW slightly improved accuracy (AUROC 0.890, p < 0.05). Recursive partitioning demonstrated higher mortality in patients with high RDW at each SS level (1.6% vs. 0.3% in SS0, 9.7% vs. 1.1% in SS1, 21.9% vs. 9.7% in SS2), but not in SS3. CONCLUSION: High RDW is a marker of severity at ICU discharge and improves the accuracy of Sabadell score in predicting ward mortality except in the more extreme SS3.

Purulent pericarditis as a complication of pneumonia in an infant. clinical case report

ABSTRACT Introduction: Purulent pericarditis is an inflammatory process in the pericardium caused by bacterial infection. If experienced during childhood and with untimely diagnosis, it has a high mortality rate. Case presentation: A 10-month-old infant was admitted to a high complexity pediatric hospital in the city of Bogotá D.C, Colombia, due to clinical symptoms including cough, respiratory distress and fever. A chest x-ray was taken showing cardiomegaly and multilobar pulmonary involvement. The echocardiogram showed global pericardial effusion managed with pericardiotomy, in which 50 mL of turbid fluid with whitish membranes was obtained. Cytochemical test revealed 2 600 mm3 leukocytes with 90% PMN and protein elevation. Purulent pericarditis was diagnosed based on imaging and laboratory findings. Treatment was initiated with ceftriaxone and clindamycin for four weeks, obtaining effective clinical and echocardiographic resolution. Discussion: The clinical presentation and imaging, paraclinical and electrocardiographic findings suggested purulent pericarditis as the first possibility. This diagnosis was confirmed considering the characteristics of the pericardial fluid, which was compatible with an exudate. Clinical resolution supported by antibiotic management corroborated the diagnosis, even though microbiological isolation was not obtained in cultures. Conclusion: Purulent pericarditis is a rare disease in pediatrics and has a high mortality rate. Making a timely diagnosis and administering early treatment are related to a better prognosis of this pathology.

RESUMEN Introducción. La pericarditis purulenta es un proceso inflamatorio del pericardio producto de una infección bacteriana. De no lograrse un diagnóstico oportuno, se convierte en una patología con alta mortalidad en la infancia. Presentación del caso. Lactante de 10 meses de edad que ingresó a un hospital pediátrico de alta complejidad en Bogotá D.C., Colombia, por un cuadro clínico dado por tos, dificultad respiratoria y fiebre. Se tomó una radiografía de tórax donde se observó cardiomegalia y compromiso neumónico multilobar. El ecocardiograma mostró un derrame pericárdico global que requirió pericardiotomía, en la cual se obtuvo 50 mL de líquido turbio con membranas blanquecinas. En la prueba citoquímica se encontraron 2 600mm3 leucocitos, polimorfonucleares del 90% y elevación de proteínas. Con los hallazgos de imagenología y laboratorio se hizo el diagnóstico de pericarditis purulenta, por lo que se inició tratamiento con ceftriaxona y clindamicina por 4 semanas, obteniendo una resolución clínica y ecocardiográfica efectiva. Discusión. La presentación clínica y los hallazgos imagenológicos, paraclínicos y electrocardiográficos sugirieron como primera posibilidad pericarditis purulenta, lo cual se confirmó por las características de líquido pericárdico, que era compatible con un exudado. La resolución clínica, apoyada por el manejo antibiótico y a pesar de no obtener aislamiento microbiológico en los cultivos, corroboró el diagnóstico. Conclusiones. La pericarditis purulenta es una enfermedad poco frecuente en pediatría pero con alta mortalidad. Realizar un diagnóstico oportuno sumado a un tratamiento tempano se relaciona con un mejor pronóstico de esta patología.

Limitation of life support techniques at admission to the intensive care unit: a multicenter prospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: To determine the frequency of limitations on life support techniques (LLSTs) on admission to intensive care units (ICU), factors associated, and 30-day survival in patients with LLST on ICU admission. METHODS: This prospective observational study included all patients admitted to 39 ICUs in a 45-day period in 2011. We recorded hospitals' characteristics (availability of intermediate care units, usual availability of ICU beds, and financial model) and patients' characteristics (demographics, reason for admission, functional status, risk of death, and LLST on ICU admission (withholding/withdrawing; specific techniques affected)). The primary outcome was 30-day survival for patients with LLST on ICU admission. Statistical analysis included multilevel logistic regression models. RESULTS: We recruited 3042 patients (age 62.5 ± 16.1 years). Most ICUs (94.8%) admitted patients with LLST, but only 238 (7.8% [95% CI 7.0-8.8]) patients had LLST on ICU admission; this group had higher ICU mortality (44.5 vs. 9.4% in patients without LLST; p < 0.001). Multilevel logistic regression showed a contextual effect of the hospital in LLST on ICU admission (median OR = 2.30 [95% CI 1.59-2.96]) and identified the following patient-related variables as independent factors associated with LLST on ICU admission: age, reason for admission, risk of death, and functional status. In patients with LLST on ICU admission, 30-day survival was 38% (95% CI 31.7-44.5). Factors associated with survival were age, reason for admission, risk of death, and number of reasons for LLST on ICU admission. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of ICU admission with LLST is low but probably increasing; nearly one third of these patients survive for ≥ 30 days.

[Sexual behavior, unsafe practices and contraception in students attending Alicante University (Spain)]. / Comportamiento sexual, prácticas de riesgo y anticoncepción en jóvenes universitarios de Alicante.

OBJECTIVE: To identify sexual behavior, contraception, and unsafe practices in students attending Alicante University, as well as to explore gender differences. METHOD: We performed a cross-sectional descriptive study in Alicante University. Participants consisted of 184 students studying for a Diploma in Human Nutrition and Dietetics or for a Degree in Economics in the 2004-2005 academic year. Data on information sources, knowledge and use of family planning centers, and sexual experience were gathered using a self-administered anonymous and confidential questionnaire. RESULTS: The mean age was 21.6 years and 140 participants were women. Information sources on sexuality and contraception were related to the students' social and educational environment. The age of beginning coital sexual relations was 17.8 years. The most frequent sexual practices were vaginal coitus and oral sex. Nearly 30% of the students (n = 51) used the postcoital pill. Men started sexual relations earlier and had a greater number of partners than women. The percentage of women who needed to be in love to maintain sexual relations was higher than that in men. A greater percentage of men had had sexual relations under the effect of drugs. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to improve awareness of responsible sex in the university setting. The gender differences associated with risk behaviors and the use of contraceptive methods, which influence the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies, should be taken into account.

Comportamiento sexual, prácticas de riesgo y anticoncepción en jóvenes universitarios de Alicante / Sexual behavior, unsafe practices and contracepction in students attending Alicante University (Spain)

Objetivo. Identificar la conducta sexual, de anticoncepción y prácticas de riesgo en jóvenes universitarios de Alicante, así como explorar diferencias de sexo. Método. Estudio descriptivo y transversal realizado en la Universidad de Alicante. Los participantes fueron 184 alumnos que cursaban sus estudios de la diplomatura de Nutrición Humana y Dietética, y de la licenciatura de Económicas en el curso 2004-2005. Mediante cuestionario autoadministrado de carácter anónimo y confidencial, se obtuvo información relativa a las fuentes de información, conocimiento y uso de los centros de planificación familiar y experiencia sobre relaciones sexuales. Resultados. La edad media fue de 21,6 años, y 140 eran mujeres. Las fuentes de información acerca de sexualidad y anticoncepción estaban relacionadas con su entorno social y educativo. La edad de inicio de las relaciones sexuales coitales fue de 17,8 años. Las prácticas sexuales más frecuentes fueron el coito vaginal y el sexo oral. Cerca del 30% (51) utilizó la píldora poscoital. Los varones habían iniciado antes la relación sexual y habían tenido mayor número de parejas que las mujeres. El porcentaje de mujeres que habían necesitado estar enamoradas para mantener relaciones sexuales fue mayor que en los varones. Los varones habían mantenido relaciones sexuales bajo el efecto de drogas en mayor porcentaje que las mujeres. Conclusiones. Dentro del contexto universitario se deben continuar las actividades formativas hacia una sexualidad responsable, teniendo en cuenta las diferencias de sexo que pueden asociarse a conductas de riesgo e incidiendo en el uso de los métodos anticonceptivos y su relación con la prevención de las enfermedades de transmisión sexual y embarazos no deseados

Objective. To identify sexual behavior, contraception, and unsafe practices in students attending Alicante University, as well as to explore gender differences. Method. We performed a cross-sectional descriptive study in Alicante University. Participants consisted of 184 students studying for a Diploma in Human Nutrition and Dietetics or for a Degree in Economics in the 2004-2005 academic year. Data on information sources, knowledge and use of family planning centers, and sexual experience were gathered using a self-administered anonymous and confidential questionnaire. Results. The mean age was 21.6 years and 140 participants were women. Information sources on sexuality and contraception were related to the students' social and educational environment. The age of beginning coital sexual relations was 17.8 years. The most frequent sexual practices were vaginal coitus and oral sex. Nearly 30% of the students (n = 51) used the postcoital pill. Men started sexual relations earlier and had a greater number of partners than women. The percentage of women who needed to be in love to maintain sexual relations was higher than that in men. A greater percentage of men had had sexual relations under the effect of drugs. Conclusions. There is a need to improve awareness of responsible sex in the university setting. The gender differences associated with risk behaviors and the use of contraceptive methods, which influence the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies, should be taken into account