Quality improvement of Dutch ICUs from 2009 to 2021: A registry based observational study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the development in quality of ICU care over time using the Dutch National Intensive Care Evaluation (NICE) registry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included data from all ICU admissions in the Netherlands from those ICUs that submitted complete data between 2009 and 2021 to the NICE registry. We determined median and interquartile range for eight quality indicators. To evaluate changes over time on the indicators, we performed multilevel regression analyses, once without and once with the COVID-19 years 2020 and 2021 included. Additionally we explored between-ICU heterogeneity by calculating intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). RESULTS: 705,822 ICU admissions from 55 (65%) ICUs were included in the analyses. ICU length of stay (LOS), duration of mechanical ventilation (MV), readmissions, in-hospital mortality, hypoglycemia, and pressure ulcers decreased significantly between 2009 and 2019 (OR <1). After including the COVID-19 pandemic years, the significant change in MV duration, ICU LOS, and pressure ulcers disappeared. We found an ICC ≤0.07 on the quality indicators for all years, except for pressure ulcers with an ICC of 0.27 for 2009 to 2021. CONCLUSIONS: Quality of Dutch ICU care based on seven indicators significantly improved from 2009 to 2019 and between-ICU heterogeneity is medium to small, except for pressure ulcers. The COVID-19 pandemic disturbed the trend in quality improvement, but unaltered the between-ICU heterogeneity.

Searching for predictors of surgical complications in critically ill surgery patients in the intensive care unit: a review.

We reviewed the use of the levels of C-reactive protein, lactate and procalcitonin and/or the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score to determine their diagnostic accuracy for predicting surgical complications in critically ill general post-surgery patients. Included were all studies published in PubMed from inception to July 2013 that met the following inclusion criteria: evaluation of the above parameters, describing their diagnostic accuracy and the risk stratification for surgical complications in surgical patients admitted to an intensive care unit. No difference in the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores was seen between patients with or without complications. The D-lactate levels were significantly higher in those who developed colonic ischemic complications after a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. After gastro-intestinal surgery, contradictory data were reported, with both positive and negative use of C-reactive protein and procalcitonin in the diagnosis of septic complications. However, in trauma patients, the C-reactive protein levels may help to discriminate between those with and without infectious causes. We conclude that the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, lactate concentration and C-reactive protein level have no significant predictive value for early postoperative complications in critically ill post-surgery patients. However, procalcitonin seems to be a useful parameter for diagnosing complications in specific patient populations after surgery and/or after trauma.

Procalcitonin in the recognition of complications in critically ill surgical patients.

BACKGROUND: Procalcitonin (PCT) is a relatively new, promising indirect parameter for infection. In the intensive care unit (ICU) it can be used as a marker for sepsis. However, in the ICU there is a need for reliable markers for clinical deterioration in the critically ill patients. This study determines the clinical value of PCT concentrations in recognizing surgical complications in a heterogeneous group of general surgical patients in the ICU. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We prospectively collected PCT concentration data from April 2010 to June 2012 for all general surgical patients admitted to the ICU. Both the relationships between PCT levels and events (diagnostic and therapeutic interventions) as well as between PCT levels and surgical complications (abscesses, bleeding, perforation, ischemia, and ileus) were studied. RESULTS: PCT concentrations were lower in patients who developed complications than those who did not develop complications on the same day, although not significant (P = 0.27). A 10% increase in PCT levels resulted in a 2% higher complication odds, but again this was not significant (odds ratio [OR], 1.020; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.961-1.083; P = 0.51). Even a 20% or 30% increase in PCT concentrations did not result in higher complication probability (OR, 1.039; 95% CI, 0.927-1.165 and OR, 1.057; 95% CI, 0.897-1.246). Furthermore, an increase in PCT levels did not show an increase or a reduction in the number of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. CONCLUSIONS: An increase in PCT levels does not help to predict surgical complications in critically ill surgical patients.

Determining the clinical value of lactate in surgical patients on the intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is first to assess the clinical value of lactate concentrations by comparison with clinical scoring systems, and second to determine the value of lactate levels in clinical decisions as ordering diagnostic and therapeutic (re)interventions in the population of critically ill surgical patients on the intensive care unit (ICU). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From April 2010 to June 2011, the L-lactate concentrations, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score and Acute Physiological and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score were prospectively collected in surgical patients (n = 174) admitted into the ICU. The L-Lactate and scoring systems were related to events defined as performing computed tomography-scans, laparotomy, ultrasonography, and flexible endoscopy. Furthermore, all surgical complications were also registered. RESULTS: For SOFA scores above four points, mean lactate concentrations increased 4.5% for each point increase in SOFA score (P < 0.0005). In APACHE II scores above 16 points, mean lactate concentrations increased 2.9% for each point increase in APACHE II score (P < 0.0005). Each 10% increase in lactate concentration showed a 3.3% higher odds for a first event (OR 1.033; P = 0.26). Lactate levels did not correspond with more complications (OR 0.968; P = 0.52). CONCLUSIONS: There is a significant positive relationship between lactate concentrations, high SOFA scores, and APACHE II scores. However, the important outcome is that lactate seems to be a poor predictor for surgical complications in the critically ill surgical patient in the ICU.

The role of C-reactive protein and the SOFA score as parameter for clinical decision making in surgical patients during the intensive care unit course.

INTRODUCTION: C-reactive Protein (CRP) is used next to clinical scoring systems to recognize critically ill patients prone to develop complications on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The purpose of this study is to assess the predictive value of CRP as parameter for clinical deterioration and/or clinical decision making as ordering diagnostic procedures or performing (re)interventions. Also, we wanted to determine the value of CRP in early detection of surgical complications in the critically ill general surgical patient in the ICU and its interpretation in adjunct to a clinical scoring system, the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In our prospective observational study, 174 general surgical patients admitted into the Intensive Care Unit were included. We evaluated the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score (SOFA) and daily measured the C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations. All events (diagnostic or therapeutic interventions) and surgical complications were registered. Then the relationship between SOFA score, CRP concentrations, events and complications were studied. RESULTS: Each 10% increase in CRP resulted in a 3.5% increase in the odds of an event (odds ratio 1.035, 95% CI: 1.004-1.068; p = 0.028). However, an increase in CRP levels did not lead to a higher odds of complication (OR 0.983, 95% CI: 0.932-1.036; p = 0.52). When adjusting for the SOFA score the effect of CRP on the probability of a first event remained significant (OR 1.033, 95% CI: 1.001-1.065; p = 0.046), and again did not significantly affect the complication probability (OR 0.980, 95% CI: 0.929-1.035; p = 0.46). CONCLUSIONS: An increase in C-reactive protein is a poor parameter for early detection of complications in the critically ill surgical patient in the ICU by means of diagnostic procedures or therapeutic (re)-interventions.

Association between administered oxygen, arterial partial oxygen pressure and mortality in mechanically ventilated intensive care unit patients.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to investigate whether in-hospital mortality was associated with the administered fraction of oxygen in inspired air (FiO2) and achieved arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2). METHODS: This was a retrospective, observational study on data from the first 24 h after admission from 36,307 consecutive patients admitted to 50 Dutch intensive care units (ICUs) and treated with mechanical ventilation. Oxygenation data from all admission days were analysed in a subset of 3,322 patients in 5 ICUs. RESULTS: Mean PaO2 and FiO2 in the first 24 h after ICU admission were 13.2 kPa (standard deviation (SD) 6.5) and 50% (SD 20%) respectively. Mean PaO2 and FiO2 from all admission days were 12.4 kPa (SD 5.5) and 53% (SD 18). Focusing on oxygenation in the first 24 h of admission, in-hospital mortality was shown to be linearly related to FiO2 value and had a U-shaped relationship with PaO2 (both lower and higher PaO2 values were associated with a higher mortality), independent of each other and of Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II, age, admission type, reduced Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, and individual ICU. Focusing on the entire ICU stay, in-hospital mortality was independently associated with mean FiO2 during ICU stay and with the lower two quintiles of mean PaO2 value during ICU stay. CONCLUSIONS: Actually achieved PaO2 values in ICU patients in The Netherlands are higher than generally recommended in the literature. High FiO2, and both low PaO2 and high PaO2 in the first 24 h after admission are independently associated with in-hospital mortality in ICU patients. Future research should study whether this association is causal or merely a reflection of differences in severity of illness insufficiently corrected for in the multivariate analysis.