Comparison of diluted vs concentrated regional citrate anticoagulation in continuous renal replacement therapy: A quasi-experimental study.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of coagulation of continuous renal replacement therapy circuits remains high. To the best of our knowledge, no scholar has published a protocol to avoid management errors when different types of citrates coexist in the same Intensive Care Unit. AIM: To assess the safety and efficacy of the unification of two protocols with different concentrations of citrate solution. STUDY DESING: A prospective, quasi-experimental study was carried out in the intensive care unit of a tertiary referral hospital (in Barcelona, Spain), over 3 years. Consecutive adult patients requiring continuous renal replacement therapy with citrate were included. The sample was divided into two groups, a control group (concentrated citrate) and an intervention group (diluted citrate). The decision to initiate anticoagulation with diluted (18 mmol/L) or concentrated (136 mmol/L) citrate was made based on the machine available and the decision of the doctor responsible for the patient. It was not possible to randomize the sample. Both protocols were matched with a starting citrate dose of 3.5 mmol/L, and a dialysis solution was used. Post-filter replacement was not used, and the citrate solution was the only fluid administered pre-filter. RESULTS: The analysis included 59 circuits in the concentrated citrate group and 40 circuits in the diluted citrate group. An increased need for electrolyte replacement was observed in the diluted group (p < .001). The concentrated citrate group had a longer filter life (p < .05), and there was a slight trend toward alkalosis. CONCLUSION: The diluted citrate group had a higher incidence of electrolyte replacement. The concentrated citrate group had longer circuit lifespan and a trend toward metabolic alkalosis, although this was not statistically significant. If these conclusions are considered, the protocol can be unified. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The present work aims to provide information on the differences in the use of regional anticoagulation with diluted or concentrated citrate. The objective is to pay special attention to aspects that can lead to complications. The unified protocol proposed in this paper could be extrapolated to any machine on the market that uses either of these two types of citrate concentration.

Change in prefilter pressure as a key determinant in the decision to return blood in continuous renal replacement therapy: An observational study.

BACKGROUND: During continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), circuit coagulation is an important event that can result in suboptimal outcomes. Nurses must remain alert throughout the treatment and observe machine pressures. Transmembrane pressure (TMP) is commonly used for monitoring but it is sometimes too late to return blood to the patient. AIM: To compare the capacity of prefilter pressure (FP) versus TMP to predict the risk of circuit coagulation in adult patients with acute renal failure on CRRT. STUDY DESIGN: An observational, longitudinal, prospective study. This study was carried out in a tertiary referral hospital over 2 years. Data collected included the following variables: TMP, filter or FP, effluent pressure, venous and arterial pressure, filtration fraction, and ultrafiltration constant of each circuit. Means and their trends over time were collected, for both diffusive and convective therapy and for two membrane types. RESULTS: A total of 151 circuits (24 polysulfone and 127 acrylonitrile) were analysed, from 71 patients (n = 22 [34%] women; mean age, 66.5 [36-84] years). Of the total treatments, 80 were diffusive, and the rest were convective or mixed. In the diffusive circuits, a progressive rise in FP was observed without an increase in TMP and with an increasing trend in effluent pressure. Circuit lifespan was between 2 and 90 h. In 11% (n = 17) of the cases, the blood could not be returned to the patient. CONCLUSION: These findings allowed the creation of graphs that indicate the appropriate point to return blood to the patient. FP was a major determinant in this decision; in most cases, TMP was not a reliable parameter. Our findings are applicable to convective, diffusive, and mixed treatments as well as both types of membranes used in this acute setting. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This study provides two clear reference graphs showing risk scales for the assessment of circuit pressures in CRRT. The graphs proposed here can be used to evaluate any machine on the market and the two types of membranes used in this acute setting. Both convective and diffusive circuits can be assessed, allowing safer evaluation in patients who change treatment.

Diagnóstico en urgencias del embolismo pulmonar en ancianos: adherencia a las guías y valor del dímero-D corregido por edad / Diagnosis of pulmonary embolism in the elderly: adherence to guidelines and age-adjusted D-dimer concentration values

Objetivo. El objetivo principal fue estudiar la adherencia a las guías de práctica clínica (GPC) para el diagnóstico de embolismo pulmonar (EP) según la edad del paciente. Los objetivos secundarios fueron investigar las características del dímero-D corregido por edad (DDc) en combinación con la Escala de Wells para el diagnóstico de EP y el número de angio-TC pulmonares potencialmente evitables con dicha estrategia. Método. Estudio observacional retrospectivo de una serie de casos de pacientes con sospecha de EP con estabilidad hemodinámica en un servicio de urgencias de un hospital universitario de tercer nivel durante el año 2012. Los casos se obtuvieron a partir de las solicitudes de dímero-D, las angio-TC pulmonares realizadas por sospecha de EP y el registro de altas hospitalarias. Se realizó un análisis del grado de adherencia a las GPC según grupos de edad y se calculó las características del DDc en combinación con la Escala de Wells y el número de angio-TC potencialmente evitables con dicha estrategia. Resultados. Se incluyeron 785 pacientes con sospecha de EP con una edad mediana de 69 años (rango 18-97), de los cuales 403 (51,3%) fueron mujeres. Se observaron diferencias significativas del grado de adherencia a las GPC en función del grupo de edad de los pacientes para las diferentes escalas de probabilidad clínica (EPC) ( 50 años: 69,7%-76,5%; 65-74 años: 32,3%-53,2%; 75-84 años: 29,1%-46,8%; 85-89 años: 32,7%-41,8%; 90 años: 24,4%-46,7%). La combinación del DDc y la Escala de Wells simplificada aumentó la adherencia (incrementos del 10,4%, 8,0%, 13,6%, 11,1%, en cada grupo de edad, respectivamente). El punto de corte del DDc aumentó la especificidad (34,2% vs 45,8%) y el valor predictivo positivo (9,6% vs 11,4%), y hubiera evitado 70 (12,5%) angio-TC pulmonares. Conclusiones. Se hallaron diferencias de adherencia a las GPC en las sospechas de EP en función de la edad. La Escala de Wells simplificada combinada con el punto de corte del DDc obtuvo una mayor especificidad y valor predictivo positivo que con el DD estándar, lo que podría disminuir el número de angio-TC pulmonares

Objectives. The main purpose was to assess our emergency department's level of adherence to clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism in different age groups. The secondary aims were to study the utility and estimated the number of avoidable CT angiography with this approach of age-adjusted D-dimer concentrations in combination with the Wells score in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. Methods. Retrospective observational study of a series of hemodynamically stable patients suspected of having pulmonary embolism in the emergency department of a tertiary care university hospital in 2012. Cases were identified in hospital discharge records on the basis of orders for D-dimer assays and computed tomography (CT) angiography of pulmonary arteries justified by suspicion of pulmonary embolism. We analyzed the degree of adherence to CPGs according to age groups, calculated the specificity and sensitivity of combining age-adjusted D-dimer test results and the Wells score, and estimated the number of potentially avoidable CT angiography procedures. Results. We found a total of 785 patients (mean age, 69 years; range, 18-97 years) suspected of having pulmonary embolism; 403 (51.3%) were women. Significant differences were detected in adherence to CPGs, depending on which clinical prediction models were used and patient age (50 years or younger, 69.7%-76.5% adherence; 65-74 years, 32.3%-53.2%; 75-84 years, 29.1%-46.8%; 85-89 years, 32.7%-41.8%; and 90 years or older, 24.4%-46.7%). Adherence was increased when D-dimer test result and the simplified Wells score were combined (increments of 10.4%, 8.0%, 13.6%, 11.1%, respectively in the following age groups: 65-74 years, 75-84 years, 85-89 years, and 90 years or older). Using an ageadjusted D-dimer cut-point increased diagnostic specificity (34.2% without such a cut-point vs 45.8% with one). The positive predictive value of the test also increased when an age-adjusted D-dimer cut-point was used (to 11.4%, from 9.6% without age adjustement). Seventy CT angiograph procedures (12.5%) could have been avoided by using age-adjusted cut-points. Conclusions. We observed different degrees of age-related adherence to CPGs in cases in which pulmonary embolism was suspected. Using the simplified Wells score combined with an age-adjusted cut-point for D-dimer assay positivity improved the specificity and positive predictive value of the D-dimer assessment in comparison with standard practice. Using age-adjusted D-dimer cut-points could decrease the number of pulmonary artery CT angiograms required

Diagnosis of pulmonary embolism in the elderly: adherence to guidelines and age-adjusted D-dimer concentration values. / Diagnóstico en urgencias del embolismo pulmonar en ancianos: adherencia a las guías y valor del dímero-D corregido por edad.

OBJECTIVES: . The main purpose was to assess our emergency department's level of adherence to clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism in different age groups. The secondary aims were to study the utility and estimated the number of avoidable CT angiography with this approach of age-adjusted D-dimer concentrations in combination with the Wells score in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective observational study of a series of hemodynamically stable patients suspected of having pulmonary embolism in the emergency department of a tertiary care university hospital in 2012. Cases were identified in hospital discharge records on the basis of orders for D-dimer assays and computed tomography (CT) angiography of pulmonary arteries justified by suspicion of pulmonary embolism. We analyzed the degree of adherence to CPGs according to age groups, calculated the specificity and sensitivity of combining age-adjusted D-dimer test results and the Wells score, and estimated the number of potentially avoidable CT angiography procedures. RESULTS: We found a total of 785 patients (mean age, 69 years; range, 18-97 years) suspected of having pulmonary embolism; 403 (51.3%) were women. Significant differences were detected in adherence to CPGs, depending on which clinical prediction models were used and patient age (50 years or younger, 69.7%-76.5% adherence; 65-74 years, 32.3%-53.2%; 75-84 years, 29.1%-46.8%; 85-89 years, 32.7%-41.8%; and 90 years or older, 24.4%-46.7%). Adherence was increased when D-dimer test result and the simplified Wells score were combined (increments of 10.4%, 8.0%, 13.6%, 11.1%, respectively in the following age groups: 65-74 years, 75-84 years, 85-89 years, and 90 years or older). Using an ageadjusted D-dimer cut-point increased diagnostic specificity (34.2% without such a cut-point vs 45.8% with one). The positive predictive value of the test also increased when an age-adjusted D-dimer cut-point was used (to 11.4%, from 9.6% without age adjustement). Seventy CT angiograph procedures (12.5%) could have been avoided by using age-adjusted cut-points. CONCLUSION: We observed different degrees of age-related adherence to CPGs in cases in which pulmonary embolism was suspected. Using the simplified Wells score combined with an age-adjusted cut-point for D-dimer assay positivity improved the specificity and positive predictive value of the D-dimer assessment in comparison with standard practice. Using age-adjusted D-dimer cut-points could decrease the number of pulmonary artery CT angiograms required.

OBJETIVO: El objetivo principal fue estudiar la adherencia a las guías de práctica clínica (GPC) para el diagnóstico de embolismo pulmonar (EP) según la edad del paciente. Los objetivos secundarios fueron investigar las características del dímero-D corregido por edad (DDc) en combinación con la Escala de Wells para el diagnóstico de EP y el número de angio-TC pulmonares potencialmente evitables con dicha estrategia. METODO: Estudio observacional retrospectivo de una serie de casos de pacientes con sospecha de EP con estabilidad hemodinámica en un servicio de urgencias de un hospital universitario de tercer nivel durante el año 2012. Los casos se obtuvieron a partir de las solicitudes de dímero-D, las angio-TC pulmonares realizadas por sospecha de EP y el registro de altas hospitalarias. Se realizó un análisis del grado de adherencia a las GPC según grupos de edad y se calculó las características del DDc en combinación con la Escala de Wells y el número de angio-TC potencialmente evitables con dicha estrategia. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron 785 pacientes con sospecha de EP con una edad mediana de 69 años (rango 18-97), de los cuales 403 (51,3%) fueron mujeres. Se observaron diferencias significativas del grado de adherencia a las GPC en función del grupo de edad de los pacientes para las diferentes escalas de probabilidad clínica (EPC) ( 50 años: 69,7%-76,5%; 65-74 años: 32,3%-53,2%; 75-84 años: 29,1%-46,8%; 85-89 años: 32,7%-41,8%; 90 años: 24,4%-46,7%). La combinación del DDc y la Escala de Wells simplificada aumentó la adherencia (incrementos del 10,4%, 8,0%, 13,6%, 11,1%, en cada grupo de edad, respectivamente). El punto de corte del DDc aumentó la especificidad (34,2% vs 45,8%) y el valor predictivo positivo (9,6% vs 11,4%), y hubiera evitado 70 (12,5%) angio-TC pulmonares. CONCLUSIONES: Se hallaron diferencias de adherencia a las GPC en las sospechas de EP en función de la edad. La Escala de Wells simplificada combinada con el punto de corte del DDc obtuvo una mayor especificidad y valor predictivo positivo que con el DD estándar, lo que podría disminuir el número de angio-TC pulmonares.