Ecografía en el postoperatorio de cirugía cardíaca / Ultrasound use after cardiac surgery

La complejidad de los procedimientos quirúrgicos, así como la comorbilidad de los pacientes sometidos a cirugía cardiaca, van en aumento. La detección y el tratamiento precoz de las complicaciones posquirúrgicas son parte del éxito en la reducción de la morbimortalidad. La introducción de la técnica ecográfica ha sido fundamental en la valoración cardiopulmonar, hemodinámica y etiológica del paciente crítico, aportando información inmediata, fiable y a veces concluyente, permitiendo aclarar muchas situaciones clínicas sin respuesta terapéutica aceptable, por lo que se trata de una herramienta diagnóstica esencial. En este capítulo nos centraremos, fundamentalmente, en la valoración funcional y hemodinámica, y en la detección de las complicaciones cardiológicas más frecuentes en el postoperatorio de cirugía cardiaca. (AU)

Surgical complexity as well as comorbidities in patients undergoing cardiac surgery is increasing. Early detection and management of post-surgical complications are key points to reduce morbidity and mortality. Ultrasound technique plays a main rol in cardiopulmonary, hemodynamic and etiological assessment of the critically ill, providing immediate, reliable and, sometimes, conclusive information, clarifying many clinical situations with an inappropriate therapeutic response. For all these reasons ultrasound is an essential diagnostic tool. In this chapter we will focus, mainly, on functional and hemodynamic assessment and on the detection of most common cardiological complications in the postoperative period after cardiac surgery. (AU)

Sintomas de disfunções psicológicas após adoecimento crítico / Symptoms of psychological dysfunction after critical illness

Objetivo:estimar a prevalência e identificar fatores associados aos sintomas de ansiedades e/ou depressão. Método: Estudo transversal realizado em um hospital de grande porte. Os dados foram coletados através de ficha sociodemográfica e clínica e escalas para triagem de sintomas de ansiedade e depressão. Nas análises, empregou-se estatística descritiva e modelo de regressão. Resultados: Foram incluídos 83 pacientes, majoritariamente homens, com idade média de 47 anos, cor parda, baixo nível educacional, casados, católicos e com renda mensal inferior a um salário mínimo. 36,3% apresentaram sintomas de ansiedade, 29,5% de depressão e 21% de ambos. Sexo masculino e idade mais jovem associaram-se como proteção para o desenvolvimento de sintomas psicológicos. Conclusão: Pessoas submetidas a cuidados intensivos enfrentam disfunções psicológicas após a alta, portanto, torna-se pertinente a implementação de medidas assistenciais e políticas públicas para o enfrentamento desses prejuízos.(AU)

Objective: To estimate the prevalence and identify factors associated with symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. Method: Cross-sectional study carried out in a large hospital. Data was collected using a sociodemographic and clinical form and scales to screen for symptoms of anxiety and depression. Descriptive statistics and a regression model were used in the analysis. Results: 83 patients were included, mostly men, with an average age of 47, brown, with a low level of education, married, Catholic and with a monthly income of less than one minimum wage. 36.3% had symptoms of anxiety, 29.5% of depression and 21% of both. Male gender and younger age were associated as protective factors for the development of psychological symptoms. Conclusion: People undergoing intensive care face psychological dysfunction after discharge, so it is pertinent to implement care measures and public policies to deal with this damage.(AU)

Objetivo: Estimar la prevalencia e identificar factores asociados a síntomas de ansiedad y/o depresión. Método: Estudio transversal realizado en un gran hospital. Los datos se recogieron mediante un formulario sociodemográfico y clínico y escalas de detección de síntomas de ansiedad y depresión. En los análisis se utilizó estadística descriptiva y un modelo de regresión. Resultados: Fueron incluidos 83 pacientes, en su mayoría hombres, con edad media de 47 años, morenos, con bajo nivel de escolaridad, casados, católicos y con renta mensual inferior a un salario mínimo. 36,3% presentaban síntomas de ansiedad, 29,5% de depresión y 21% de ambos. El sexo masculino y la menor edad se asociaron como factores protectores para el desarrollo de síntomas psicológicos. Conclusión: Las personas sometidas a cuidados intensivos enfrentan disfunción psicológica después del alta, por lo que es pertinente implementar medidas de atención y políticas públicas para enfrentar este daño.(AU)

Melhoria do outcome da pessoa em situação crítica com lesão cerebral secundária: intervenção especializada de enfermagem / Improving the outcome of people in critical situations with secondary brain injury: specialized nursing intervention

A Lesão Cerebral Secundária é um processo fisiopatológico complexo, o qual desencadeia inúmeras respostas inflamatórias que conduzem à morte de neurónios, por vezes de forma irreversível. Este fenómeno pode surgir horas ou dias após uma lesão cerebral primária, independentemente da sua etiologia, e a equipa de enfermagem desempenha um papel preponderante na minimização do impacto causado por este processo. A intervenção de enfermagem deve ser pautada pela vigilância e deteção célere de focos de instabilidade, garantindo a segurança do utente, e direcionada no sentido da otimização da oxigenação e perfusão cerebral adequadas, através de intervenções interdependentes e, particularmente de intervenções autónomas, com o objetivo major de minimizar o impacto neurológico e melhorar o outcome final, numa perspetiva de melhoria contínua da qualidade dos cuidados prestados. Com o intuito de desenvolver competências no cuidado ao doente neurocrítico, de uma forma especializada, foi realizado um estágio em contexto de cuidados intensivos e serviço de urgência. A realização da revisão integrativa da literatura, acerca da influência do posicionamento corporal na gestão da pressão intracraniana e pressão de perfusão cerebral, enquanto intervenção autónoma de enfermagem, subsidiou a componente teórica e científica. Este relatório foi desenvolvido no âmbito do curso de Mestrado em Enfermagem na área de especialização da pessoa em situação crítica e pretende descrever, de forma crítica e reflexiva, o percurso formativo desenvolvido, perspetivando-se o olhar sobre este tema nas teorias de enfermagem Nursing as Caring e Technological Competency as Caring in Nursing.

The secondary brain injury is a complex physio-pathological process that triggers a range of inflammatory responses that lead to the death of neurons, sometimes, irreversibly. This phenomenon may surface hours, or even, days after the primary brain injury regardless of its aetiology, and the nursing team playing a critical role minimizing the impacts caused by this process. The nursing assistance should be steered towards both vigilance and quick detection of instability hot spots, ensuring, patient safety steered towards the optimization of proper brain oxygenation and perfusion, through independent interventions, and specifically autonomous interventions with the ulterior goal of minimizing the neurological impact while improving the outcome, all from the viewpoint of continual improvement of the provided care. With the purpose of further consolidating the skill set, an internship in intensive care and emergency service was also undertaken. The integrative literature review on the body positioning and its influence on the management of intracranial and perfusion pressures of the brain, as an autonomous procedure, subsidized the theoretical and scientific components. This report was written for the study plan of the Master of Nursing in Critical Care and aims to describe and discuss the learning path while rooting the topic in modern nursing theories Nursing as Caring and Technological Competency as Caring in Nursing.

Evaluation of clinical outcomes of vaccinated and unvaccinated patients with hospitalization for COVID-19.

We aimed to compare vaccinated and unvaccinated patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in terms of disease severity, need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and death. In addition, we determined the factors affecting the COVID-19 severity in vaccinated patients. Patients aged 18-65 years who were hospitalized for COVID-19 between September and December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed in three groups: unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, and fully vaccinated.A total of 854 patients were included. Mean age was 47.9 ± 10.6 years, 474 patients (55.5%) were male. Of these, 230 patients (26.9%) were fully vaccinated, 97 (11.3%) were partially vaccinated, and 527 (61.7%) were unvaccinated. Of the fully vaccinated patients, 67% (n = 153) were vaccinated with CoronaVac and 33% (n = 77) were vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech. All patients (n = 97) with a single dose were vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech. One hundred thirteen (13.2%) patients were transferred to ICU. A hundred (11.7%) patients were intubated and 77 (9.0%) patients died. Advanced age (P = 0.028, 95% CI = 1.00-1.07, OR = 1.038) and higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) (P < 0.001, 95% CI = 1.20-1.69, OR = 1.425) were associated with increased mortality, while being fully vaccinated (P = 0.008, 95% CI = 0.23-0.80, OR = 0.435) was associated with survival in multivariate analysis. Full dose vaccination reduced the need for ICU admission by 49.7% (95% CI = 17-70) and mortality by 56.5% (95% CI = 20-77). When the fully vaccinated group was evaluated, we found that death was observed more frequent in patients with CCI>3 (19.1 vs 5.8%, P < 0.01, OR = 3.7). Therefore, the booster vaccine especially in individuals with comorbidities should not be delayed, since the survival expectation is low in patients with a high comorbidity index.

Are lipid ratios and triglyceride-glucose index associated with critical care outcomes in COVID-19 patients?

Lipid ratios and the triglyceride and glucose index (TyG) could be a simple biochemical marker of insulin resistance (IR). The current study was carried out to examine the correlation between triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (TG/HDL-C), total cholesterol to HDL-C (TC/HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol to HDL-C ratio (LDL-C/HDL-C), as well as TyG index with the severity and mortality of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A total of 1228 confirmed COVID-19 patients were included in the current research. Regression models were performed to evaluate the correlation between the lipid index and severity and mortality of COVID-19. The TyG index and TG/HDL-C levels were significantly higher in the severe patients (P<0.05). TG/HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C, TC/HDL-C ratios, and TyG index were significantly lower in survivor cases (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that predictors of the severity adjusted for age, sex and BMI were TyG index, TG/HDL-C ratio (OR = 1.42 CI:1.10-1.82, OR = 1.06 CI: 1.02-1.11, respectively). This analysis showed that TG/HDL-C, TC/HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C ratios, and TyG index statistically are correlated with COVID-19 mortality (OR = 1.12 CI:1.06-1.18, OR = 1.24 CI:1.05-1.48, OR = 1.47 CI:1.19-1.80, OR = 1.52 CI:1.01-2.31, respectively). In summary, the TyG index and lipid ratios such as TC/HDL-C, TG/HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C could be used as an early indicator of COVID-19 mortality. Furthermore, the study revealed that TyG index and TG/HDL-C indices are biochemical markers of COVID-19 severe prognosis.

Prevalencia y factores asociados a neumonía nosocomial en la unidad de cuidado intensivo / Prevalence and Associated Factors of Nosocomial Pneumonia in the Intensive Care Unit / Prevalência e fatores associados à pneumonia nosocomial na unidade de terapia intensiva

Introducción. La neumonía nosocomial o neumonía adquirida en el hospital, es una causa importante de infección intrahospitalaria que conlleva una alta morbimortalidad. Ocurre a una tasa de 5 a 10 por cada 1,000 ingresos hospitalarios y se considera la causa más común de infección intrahospitalaria en Europa y Estados Unidos. Más del 90% de los episodios de neumonía que se desarrollan en las unidades de cuidados intensivos (UCI) ocurren en pacientes ventilados. El objetivo del presente estudio es describir la prevalencia y los factores asociados como estancia hospitalaria en UCI, enfermedades concomitantes y situaciones en pacientes mayores de 18 años con neumonía nosocomial con estancia en unidad de cuidados intensivos en una clínica de tercer nivel de la ciudad de Cali, en el periodo enero 2015 y enero 2016. Metodología. Estudio observacional de corte transversal con componente analítico. Se revisaron 353 historias clínicas enfocadas en los factores asociados de neumonía nosocomial en la UCI, con una estancia mayor o igual a 48 horas. El análisis estadístico se realizó con Epi Info versión 7. Resultados. La edad promedio de los casos estudiados fue de 55.17 años. La prevalencia estimada para neumonía nosocomial fue de 26%, con un promedio de estancia en UCI de 9.94 días, una desviación estándar de 8.30 días y días de ventilación mecánica invasiva de 4.27, con una desviación estándar de 7.38 días, en la cual el 26.35% (IC 95%: 22.0-31.1) adquirió neumonía nosocomial en UCI, el 43.06%: (IC 95%: 38.0-48.2) fueron mujeres, requiriendo de ventilación mecánica invasiva el 37.68% (IC 95%: 32.7-42.8). Como antecedentes patológicos de importancia se observó una asociación entre las variables con respecto a la neumonía nosocomial evidenciándose una relación significativa con diabetes mellitus (OR: 25.6; IC: 95% 13.4-48.7), enfermedad renal crónica (OR: 8.4; IC 95%: 4.49-16.0), enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (OR: 22.2; IC 95% 11.7-42.1), antecedente patológico de sinusitis (OR: 30.9; IC 95%: 7-46.2), utilización de sonda nasogástrica (OR: 13; IC 95%: 5-32) y, finalmente, al correlacionar la mortalidad con este tipo de infección pulmonar (OR: 26.1; IC 95%: 13 -49.1), evidenciando una relación entre las variables. Discusión. Los hallazgos muestran alta frecuencia de esta patología, lo que conlleva múltiples implicaciones en los pacientes como estancia prolongada y mortalidad, las cuales son condiciones que han sido identificadas por diferentes autores. Conclusiones. La neumonía nosocomial es un proceso infeccioso frecuente en la UCI, que tiene una alta morbimortalidad, relacionándose con los días de estancia y ventilación mecánica invasiva.

Introduction. Nosocomial pneumonia, or hospital-acquired pneumonia, is a significant cause of in-hospital infection that leads to high morbimortality. It occurs at a rate of 5 to 10 for every 1,000 hospital admissions and is considered the most common cause of in-hospital infection in Europe and the United States. Over 90% of episodes of pneumonia developed in intensive care units (ICUs) occur in ventilated patients. The objective of this study is to describe the prevalence and associated factors, such as hospitalization in the ICU, concomitant illnesses, and situations in patients older than 18 years of age with nosocomial pneumonia and hospital stay in an intensive care unit in a third-level clinic in the city of Cali, during the period between January 2015 and January 2016. Methodology. A cross-sectional, observational study with an analytical component. 353 medical records were reviewed, focusing on the factors associated with nosocomial pneumonia in the ICU, with hospital stay greater than or equal to 48 hours. The statistical analysis was performed with Epi Info version 7. Results. The average age of the studied cases was 55.17 years. The estimated prevalence for nosocomial pneumonia was 26%, with an average ICU hospital stay of 9.94 days and standard deviation of 8.30 days, and 4.27 days of invasive mechanical ventilation, with a standard deviation of 7.38 days, in which 26.35% (CI 95%: 22.0-31.1) acquired nosocomial pneumonia in the ICU. 43.06%: (CI 95%: 38.0-48.2) were women, of which 37.68% required invasive mechanical ventilation (CI 95%: 32.7-42.8). As an important pathological background, an association was observed between the variables with respect to nosocomial pneumonia, showing a significant relationship with diabetes mellitus (OR: 25.6; CI: 95% 13.4-48.7), chronic kidney disease (OR: 8.4; CI 95%: 4.49-16.0), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR: 22.2; CI 95% 11.7-42.1), pathological backgrounds of sinusitis (OR: 30.9; CI 95%: 7-46.2), the use of nasogastric tube (OR: 13; CI 95%: 5-32) and, finally, correlating mortality with this type of pulmonary infection (OR: 26.1; CI 95%: 13-49.1), showing a relationship between the variables. Discussion. The findings show a high frequency of this pathology, which leads to multiple implications in patients, such as prolonged hospital stay and mortality, which are conditions that have been identified by different authors. Conclusions. Nosocomial pneumonia is a frequent infectious process in the ICU, which has a high morbimortality and is related to hospital stay and invasive mechanical ventilation.

Introdução. A pneumonia nosocomial, ou pneumonia adquirida no hospital, é uma importante causa de infecção hospitalar com alta morbidade e mortalidade. Ocorre a uma taxa de 5 a 10 por 1,000 internações hospitalares e é considerada a causa mais comum de infecção hospitalar na Europa e nos Estados Unidos. Mais de 90% dos episódios de pneumonia que se desenvolvem em unidades de terapia intensiva (UTIs) ocorrem em pacientes ventilados. O objetivo deste estudo é descrever a prevalência e fatores associados, como permanência hospitalar na UTI, doenças concomitantes e situações em pacientes maiores de 18 anos com pneumonia nosocomial internados em unidade de terapia intensiva de uma clínica de nível terciário da cidade de Cali, no período de janeiro de 2015 e janeiro de 2016. Metodologia. Estudo observacional transversal com componente analítico. Foram revisados 353 prontuários com foco em fatores associados de pneumonia nosocomial na UTI, com permanência maior ou igual a 48 horas. A análise estatística foi realizada com o Epi Info versão 7. Resultados. A média de idade dos casos estudados foi de 55.17 anos. A prevalência estimada para pneumonia nosocomial foi de 26%, com média de permanência na UTI de 9.94 dias, desvio padrão de 8.30 dias, e dias de ventilação mecânica invasiva de 4.27, com desvio padrão de 7.38 dias, em que 26.35% (IC 95%: 22.0-31.1) adquiriram pneumonia nosocomial na UTI; 43.06%: (IC 95%: 38.0-48.2) eram mulheres, necesitando de ventilação mecânica invasiva 37.68% (IC 95%: 32.7-42.8). Como antecedentes patológicos importantes, observou-se associação entre as variáveis referentes à pneumonia nosocomial, mostrando relação significativa com diabetes mellitus (OR: 25.6; IC: 95% 13.4-48.7), doença renal crônica (OR: 8.4; IC 95%: 4.49-16.0), doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica (OR: 22.2; IC 95% 11.7-42.1), história patológica de sinusite (OR: 30.9; IC 95%: 7-46.2), uso de sonda nasogástrica (OR: 13; IC 95%: 5-32) e, por fim, correlação da mortalidade com este tipo de infecção pulmonar (OR: 26.1; IC 95%: 13-49.1), mostrando relação entre as variáveis. Discussão. Os resultados mostram uma alta frequência dessa patologia, que tem múltiplas implicações para os pacientes, como permanência prolongada e mortalidade, que são condições identificadas por diferentes autores. Conclusões. A pneumonia nosocomial é um processo infeccioso frequente na UTI, que apresenta alta morbimortalidade, relacionada aos dias de internação e ventilação mecânica invasiva.

Proton pump inhibitor therapy usage and associated hospitalization rates and critical care outcomes of COVID-19 patients.

Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI) are one of the most prescribed medications in the United States. However, PPIs have been shown to increase the risk of enteric infections. Our study aims to evaluate the correlation between PPI and COVID-19 severity. We performed a retrospective cohort study on patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 from March to August 2020. Patients were categorized based on PPI user status. Primary outcomes included need for hospital or ICU admission and 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes looked to determine the severity of COVID-19 infection and effect of comorbid conditions. 2,594 patients were reviewed. The primary outcomes of our study found that neither active nor past PPI use was associated with increased hospital admission or 30-day mortality following completion of multivariate analysis. Additionally, there was no association between COVID-19 infection and the strength of PPI dosing (low, standard, high). However, the following covariates were independently and significantly associated with increased admission: age, male gender, diabetes, COPD, composite cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and obesity. The following covariates were associated with increased mortality: age, male gender, COPD, and kidney disease. In conclusion, the high risk features and comorbidities of PPI users were found to have a stronger correlation to severe COVID-19 infection and poor outcomes as opposed to the use of PPI therapy.

Proportional-assist ventilation with load-adjustable gain factors for mechanical ventilation: a cost-utility analysis.

BACKGROUND: Mechanical ventilation is an important component of patient critical care, but it adds expense to an already high-cost setting. This study evaluates the cost-utility of 2 modes of ventilation: proportional-assist ventilation with load-adjustable gain factors (PAV+ mode) versus pressure-support ventilation (PSV). METHODS: We adapted a published Markov model to the Canadian hospital-payer perspective with a 1-year time horizon. The patient population modelled includes all patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation who have completed the acute phase of ventilatory support and have entered the recovery phase. Clinical and cost inputs were informed by a structured literature review, with the comparative effectiveness of PAV+ mode estimated via pragmatic meta-analysis. Primary outcomes of interest were costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and the (incremental) cost per QALY for patients receiving mechanical ventilation. Results were reported in 2017 Canadian dollars. We conducted probabilistic and scenario analyses to assess model uncertainty. RESULTS: Over 1 year, PSV had costs of $50 951 and accrued 0.25 QALYs. Use of PAV+ mode was associated with care costs of $43 309 and 0.29 QALYs. Compared to PSV, PAV+ mode was considered likely to be cost-effective, having lower costs (-$7642) and increased QALYs (+0.04) after 1 year. In cost-effectiveness acceptability analysis, 100% of simulations would be cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay threshold of $50 000 per QALY gained. INTERPRETATION: Use of PAV+ mode is expected to benefit patient care in the intensive care unit (ICU) and be a cost-effective alternative to PSV in the Canadian setting. Canadian hospital payers may therefore consider how best to optimally deliver mechanical ventilation in the ICU as they expand ICU capacity.

Incidence and Outcomes of Nontraumatic Shock in Adults Using Emergency Medical Services in Victoria, Australia.

Importance: Nontraumatic shock is a challenging clinical condition, presenting urgent and unique demands in the prehospital setting. There is a paucity of data assessing its incidence, etiology, and clinical outcomes. Objective: To assess the incidence, etiology, and clinical outcomes of patients treated by emergency medical services (EMS) with nontraumatic shock using a large population-based sample. Design, Setting, and Participants: This population-based cohort study included consecutive adult patients with shock not related to trauma who received care by EMS between January 1, 2015, and June 30, 2019, in Victoria, Australia. Data were obtained from individually linked ambulance, hospital, and state death index data sets. During the study period there were 2 485 311 cases attended by EMS, of which 16 827 met the study's inclusion criteria for shock. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes included length of hospital stay, emergency department discharge disposition, rates of coronary angiography and revascularization procedures, and the use of mechanical circulatory support. Results: A total of 12 695 patients were successfully linked, with a mean (SD) age of 65.7 (19.1) years; 6411 (50.5%) were men. The overall population-wide incidence of EMS-treated prehospital shock was 76 (95% CI, 75-77) per 100 000 person-years. An increased incidence was observed in men (79 [77-81] per 100 000 person-years), older patients (eg, aged 70-79 years: 177 [171-183] per 100 000 person-years), regional locations (outer regional or remote: 100 [94-107] per 100 000 person-years), and in areas with increased socioeconomic disadvantage (lowest socioeconomic status quintile: 92 [89-95] per 100 000 person-years). Patients with hospital outcome data were stratified into shock etiologies; 3615 (28.5%) had cardiogenic shock: 3998 (31.5%), septic shock; 1457 (11.5%), hypovolemic shock; and 3625 (28.6%), other causes of shock. Nearly one-third of patients (4158 [32.8%]) were deceased at 30 days. In multivariable analyses, increased age (all etiologies: hazard ratio [HR], 1.04; 95% CI, 1.03-1.04), female sex (cardiogenic shock: HR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.12-1.42), increased initial heart rate (all etiologies: 1.01; 95% CI, 1.00-1.01), prehospital intubation (all etiologies: HR, 3.93; 95% CI, 3.48-4.44), and preexisting comorbidities (eg, chronic kidney disease, all etiologies: HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.10-1.42) were independently associated with 30-day mortality, while higher socioeconomic status (all etiologies: HR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.94-0.98) and increased initial systolic blood pressure (all etiologies: HR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.99-0.99) were associated with lower risk. Conclusions and Relevance: This population-level cohort study found that EMS-treated nontraumatic shock was a common condition, with a high risk of morbidity and mortality regardless of etiology. It disproportionately affected men, older patients, patients in regional areas, and those with social disadvantage. Further studies are required to assess how current systems of care can be optimized to improve outcomes.

The Impact of Selenium Supplementation on Trauma Patients-Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This study aimed to assess current evidence regarding the effect of selenium (Se) supplementation on the prognosis in patients sustaining trauma. MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched with the following terms: "trace element", "selenium", "copper", "zinc", "injury", and "trauma". Seven studies were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled results showed that Se supplementation was associated with a lower mortality rate (OR 0.733, 95% CI: 0.586, 0.918, p = 0.007; heterogeneity, I2 = 0%). Regarding the incidence of infectious complications, there was no statistically significant benefit after analyzing the four studies (OR 0.942, 95% CI: 0.695, 1.277, p = 0.702; heterogeneity, I2 = 14.343%). The patients with Se supplementation had a reduced ICU length of stay (standard difference in means (SMD): -0.324, 95% CI: -0.382, -0.265, p < 0.001; heterogeneity, I2 = 0%) and lesser hospital length of stay (SMD: -0.243, 95% CI: -0.474, -0.012, p < 0.001; heterogeneity, I2 = 45.496%). Se supplementation after trauma confers positive effects in decreasing the mortality and length of ICU and hospital stay.

Alveolar, Endothelial, and Organ Injury Marker Dynamics in Severe COVID-19.

Rationale: Alveolar and endothelial injury may be differentially associated with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) severity over time. Objectives: To describe alveolar and endothelial injury dynamics and associations with COVID-19 severity, cardiorenovascular injury, and outcomes. Methods: This single-center observational study enrolled patients with COVID-19 requiring respiratory support at emergency department presentation. More than 40 markers of alveolar (including receptor for advanced glycation endproducts [RAGE]), endothelial (including angiopoietin-2), and cardiorenovascular injury (including renin, kidney injury molecule-1, and troponin-I) were serially compared between invasively and spontaneously ventilated patients using mixed-effects repeated-measures models. Ventilatory ratios were calculated for intubated patients. Associations of biomarkers with modified World Health Organization scale at Day 28 were determined with multivariable proportional-odds regression. Measurements and Main Results: Of 225 patients, 74 (33%) received invasive ventilation at Day 0. RAGE was 1.80-fold higher in invasive ventilation patients at Day 0 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.50-2.17) versus spontaneous ventilation, but decreased over time in all patients. Changes in alveolar markers did not correlate with changes in endothelial, cardiac, or renal injury markers. In contrast, endothelial markers were similar to lower at Day 0 for invasive ventilation versus spontaneous ventilation, but then increased over time only among intubated patients. In intubated patients, angiopoietin-2 was similar (fold difference, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.89-1.17) to nonintubated patients at Day 0 but 1.80-fold higher (95% CI, 1.56-2.06) at Day 3; cardiorenovascular injury markers showed similar patterns. Endothelial markers were not consistently associated with ventilatory ratios. Endothelial markers were more often significantly associated with 28-day outcomes than alveolar markers. Conclusions: Alveolar injury markers increase early. Endothelial injury markers increase later and are associated with cardiorenovascular injury and 28-day outcome. Alveolar and endothelial injury likely contribute at different times to disease progression in severe COVID-19.

Perfil de internações e óbitos hospitalares por síndrome respiratória aguda grave causada por COVID-19 no Piauí: estudo descritivo, 2020-2021 / Perfil de ingresos y fallecimientos hospitalarios por síndrome respiratorio agudo grave por COVID-19 en Piauí, Brasil: estudio descriptivo, 2020-2021 / Profile of hospital admissions and deaths due to severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by COVID-19 in Piauí, Brazil: a descriptive study, 2020-2021

Objetivo: Descrever o perfil e a variação temporal de internações e óbitos hospitalares por síndrome respiratória aguda grave (SRAG) por COVID-19 no Piauí, Brasil, segundo local de internação. Métodos: Estudo descritivo sobre dados do Sistema de Informação da Vigilância Epidemiológica da Gripe de 2020 a 2021. Calculou-se a letalidade entre registros hospitalares com desfecho e respectivos intervalos de confiança de 95% (IC95%). Resultados: Foram incluídos 12.649 indivíduos majoritariamente do sexo masculino (57,1%), negros (61,2%), com uma ou duas comorbidades (30,5%). No interior, entre registros hospitalares com desfecho, a letalidade para internados (44,1%; IC95% 42,0;46,3), admitidos em unidades de terapia intensiva (82,3%; IC95% 79,7;84,8) e indivíduos submetidos a ventilação mecânica invasiva (96,6%; IC95% 94,9;97,8) foi maior do que na capital do estado. Conclusão: O estudo permitiu a caracterização do perfil das internações devidas a SRAG por COVID-19 no Piauí e demonstrou elevada letalidade entre registros hospitalares com desfechos, mantendo-se alta no período estudado, sobretudo no interior.

Objetivo: Describir el perfil y variación temporal de los ingresos y fallecimientos hospitalarios por síndrome respiratorio agudo grave (SRAG) causado por COVID-19 en Piauí, Brasil, según el lugar de ingreso. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo con datos del Sistema de Información de Vigilancia Epidemiológica de la Gripe de 2020 a 2021. Se calculó la letalidad entre los registros hospitalarios con desenlace con intervalo de confianza del 95% (IC95%). Resultados: Se incluyeran 12.649 individuos que eran en su mayoría del sexo masculino (57,1%), negros (61,2%) y tenían una o dos comorbilidades (30,5%). La letalidad entre los registros hospitalarios con desenlace fue mayor en el interior, con proporciones de 44,1% (IC95% 42,0;46,3) en individuos hospitalizados, 82,3% (IC95% 79,7;84,8) en unidades de cuidados intensivos y 96,6% (IC95% 94,9;97,8) de los sometidos a ventilación mecánica invasiva. Conclusión: El estudio permitió caracterizar el perfil de hospitalizaciones por SRAG por COVID-19 en Piauí y mostró una alta letalidad entre los registros hospitalarios con desenlace, que se mantuvo alta durante el período de estudio, especialmente en el interior.

Objective: To describe the profile and temporal variation of hospital admissions and deaths due to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) caused by COVID-19 in Piauí, Brazil, according to place of hospitalization. Methods: We performed a descriptive study using data from the Influenza Surveillance Information System between 2020 and 2021. Case fatality ratio among hospital records with outcome and respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated. Results: We included 12,649 individuals who were mostly male (57.1%), Black (61.2%) and had one or two comorbidities (30.5%). Case fatality ratio among hospital records with outcome was higher in the state's interior region than in its capital, with proportion of 44.1% (95%CI 42.0;46.3) for those who were hospitalized, 82.3% (95%CI 79.7;84.8) for those admitted to intensive care units and 96.6% (95%CI 94.9;97.8) for those undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation. Conclusion: The study enabled characterization of the profile of SARS hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in Piauí and demonstrated high case fatality ratio, among hospital records with outcome, which remained high during the study period, especially in the interior of the state.

Respostas comportamentais apresentadas por longevos após internação na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva e retorno domiciliar / Respuestas comportamentales presentadas por longevos después de la hospitalización en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos y regreso al hogar / Behavioral responses presented by elderly people after hospitalization in the intensive care unit and return home

Resumo Objetivo identificar respostas comportamentais apresentadas por longevos no domicílio, após internação na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva e alta hospitalar. Método estudo qualitativo, realizado com pessoas de 80 anos ou mais. O cenário da coleta de dados foi a Unidade de Terapia Intensiva e o domicílio de longevos que estiveram internados na unidade, por meio de entrevista aberta. Para análise dos dados, utilizou-se o método de análise de conteúdo de Bardin, pautada na teoria de Adaptação de Callista Roy. Todos os cuidados éticos foram respeitados. Resultados emergiram-se duas categorias: Alterações do padrão de resposta às necessidades fisiológicas e perda de autonomia e Alterações psicossociais e comprometimento na realização de atividades cotidianas de lazer e laborais. Conclusão e implicações para a prática as respostas comportamentais foram relacionadas aos modos fisiológicos e psicossociais, que culminaram em dependência e perda de autonomia para realização das atividades básicas de vida. Perceberam-se dificuldades vivenciadas no retorno ao domicílio, que provocaram alterações significativas na realização de atividades cotidianas, evidenciando a necessidade de se iniciar o preparo para o retorno domiciliar, pela equipe multiprofissional, ainda durante a hospitalização. Espera-se que estratégias visando melhorias dos resultados de cuidados críticos sejam implementadas nessa população.

RESUMEN Objetivo identificar respuestas comportamentales presentadas por longevos en el domicilio después de internación en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos y alta hospitalaria. Método estudio cualitativo, realizado con personas de 80 años o más. El escenario de la recolección de datos fue la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos y el domicilio de longevos que estuvieron internados en la unidad, por medio de entrevista abierta. Para el análisis de los datos se utilizó el método de análisis de contenido de Bardin, pautado en la teoría de Adaptación de Callista Roy. Todos los cuidados éticos fueron respetados. Resultados surgieron dos categorías: Alteraciones del patrón de respuesta a las necesidades fisiológicas y pérdida de autonomía y Alteraciones psicosociales y compromiso en la realización de actividades cotidianas de ocio y laborales. Conclusión e implicaciones para la práctica las respuestas comportamentales fueron relacionadas a los modos fisiológicos y psicosociales, que culminaron en dependencia y pérdida de autonomía en la realización de las actividades básicas de la vida. Se percibieron dificultades vividas en el retorno al domicilio, que provocaron alteraciones significativas en la realización de actividades cotidianas, revelando la necesidad de iniciar la preparación para el retorno domiciliar por el equipo multiprofesional aún durante la hospitalización. Se espera que estrategias que busquen mejoras de los resultados de cuidados críticos sean implementadas en esa población.

Abstract Objective to identify the behavioral responses presented by elderly people at home after hospitalization at the intensive care unit and hospital discharge. Method a qualitative study was conducted with people aged 80 years or older. The data collection setting was the intensive care unit and the homes of the elderly people hospitalized in the unit using open interviews. Data analysis consisted of Bardin's method of content analysis based on the Callista Roy adaptation model. All ethical aspects were respected. Results two categories emerged: changes in the pattern of response to physiological needs and loss of autonomy and psychosocial changes and impairment in performing daily leisure and work activities. Conclusion and implications for practice behavioral responses were related to physiological and psychosocial factors, culminating in dependence and loss of autonomy to perform basic life activities. Difficulties experienced in returning home were also noticed, which caused significant changes in daily activities, thereby evidencing the need for multidisciplinary teams to begin preparing for the return home during hospitalization. Strategies seeking to improve critical care outcomes are highly suggested to be implemented in this population.

Effect of early enteral nutrition on critical care outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

OBJECTIVE: Stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) is a comorbidity of ischemic stroke related to clinical outcomes. Early enteral nutrition (EEN; within 48 hours) reduces the incidence of infection and length of intensive care unit (ICU)/hospital stay. The relationship between EEN and critical care outcomes, including SAP, in patients with ischemic stroke has been insufficiently studied. METHODS: We recruited 499 patients in this retrospective observational study. We evaluated SAP incidence within 14 days from admission. Patients were divided into an EEN group and a late EN group (LEN; start later than EEN). We compared groups regarding background and length of ICU/hospital stay. RESULTS: EN was started within 48 hours in 236 patients. SAP was diagnosed in 94 patients (18.8%), with most in the LEN group (28.1% vs. 8.5%). Median [interquartile range] lengths of hospitalization (22 [12-30] days vs. 35 [20-45] days) and ICU stay (4 [2-5] days vs. 6 [3-8] days) were longer in the LEN group. EEN reduced the incidence of SAP. By contrast, consciousness disturbance and worsening consciousness level increased the SAP incidence. Increased age and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score were associated with start of prolonged EN. CONCLUSIONS: We found that EEN may reduce SAP risk.

Early supplemental parenteral nutrition is associated with reduced mortality in critically ill surgical patients with high nutritional risk.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Adequate nutritional provision is important for critically ill patients to improve clinical outcomes. Starting enteral nutrition (EN) as early as possible is recommended and preferred to parenteral nutrition (PN). However, patients who undergo emergency abdominal operations may have alterations in their intra-abdominal environment and gastrointestinal motility leading to limitation in starting an enteral diet. Therefore, our study was designed to evaluate the benefit of early supplemental PN to achieve adequate calorie and protein supply in critically ill patients undergoing surgery who are not eligible for early EN. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 317 patients who underwent emergency abdominal surgery for complicated intra-abdominal infection (cIAI) between January 2013 and December 2018. The nutritional data of the patients were collected for 7 days in maximum, starting on the day of intensive care unit (ICU) admission. The patients were divided by low or high malnutrition risk using the modified Nutrition Risk in Critically ill (mNUTRIC) score and body mass index. The low- and high-risk groups were subdivided into the following two categories: those who received PN within 48 h ("early") and those who did not ("usual"). Data regarding the baseline characteristics, initial severity of illness, morbidity, and mortality rates were also obtained. The average calorie and protein supply per day were calculated in these groups. RESULTS: Patients in all groups showed no significant differences in baseline characteristics, initial status, and infectious complications. In terms of outcomes, patients with low malnutrition risk had no significant difference in mortality. However, among patients with high malnutrition risk, the "Early" group had lower rates of 30-day mortality (7.6% vs. 26.7%, p = 0.006) and in-hospital mortality (13.6% vs. 28.9%, p = 0.048) than those of the "Usual" group. Kaplan-Meier survival curves for 30-day mortality in these groups also showed a statistically significant difference (p = 0.001). The caloric adequacy of the "Early" group and the "Usual" group were 0.88 ± 0.34 and 0.6 ± 0.29, respectively. Amounts of protein received were 0.94 ± 0.39 g/kg in the "Early" group and 0.47 ± 0.34 g/kg in the "Usual" group, respectively. There was no significant difference in infectious complications between both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality in patients with high malnutrition risk who received early PN supply within 48 h after emergency surgery for cIAI was lower than those who did not receive PN earlier. PN may be necessary to fulfill the caloric and protein requirements for critically ill patients who cannot achieve their nutritional requirements to the fullest with EN alone.

A machine learning model to predict critical care outcomes in patient with chest pain visiting the emergency department.

BACKGROUND: Currently, the risk stratification of critically ill patient with chest pain is a challenge. We aimed to use machine learning approach to predict the critical care outcomes in patients with chest pain, and simultaneously compare its performance with HEART, GRACE, and TIMI scores. METHODS: This was a retrospective, case-control study in patients with acute non-traumatic chest pain who presented to the emergency department (ED) between January 2017 and December 2019. The outcomes included cardiac arrest, transfer to ICU, and death during treatment in ED. In the randomly sampled training set (70%), a LASSO regression model was developed, and presented with nomogram. The performance was measured in both training set (70% participants) and testing set (30% participants), and findings were compared with the three widely used scores. RESULTS: We proposed a LASSO regression model incorporating mode of arrival, reperfusion therapy, Killip class, systolic BP, serum creatinine, creatine kinase-MB, and brain natriuretic peptide as independent predictors of critical care outcomes in patients with chest pain. Our model significantly outperformed the HEART, GRACE, TIMI score with AUC of 0.953 (95%CI: 0.922-0.984), 0.754 (95%CI: 0.675-0.832), 0.747 (95%CI: 0.664-0.829), 0.735 (95%CI: 0.655-0.815), respectively. Consistently, our model demonstrated better outcomes regarding the metrics of accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and F1 score. Similarly, the decision curve analysis elucidated a greater net benefit of our model over the full ranges of clinical thresholds. CONCLUSION: We present an accurate model for predicting the critical care outcomes in patients with chest pain, and provide substantial support to its application as a decision-making tool in ED.

Comparison of the impact of chronic corticosteroid therapy on critical care outcomes of COVID-19 patients with and without history of chronic liver disease.

There is a paucity of studies investigating the impact of chronic corticosteroid use for coexisting conditions in patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Additionally, the information regarding the impact of chronic liver disease (CLD) on COVID-19 outcomes is evolving. Our study aims to investigate hospitalization outcomes of patients with COVID-19 on long term corticosteroids for coexisting conditions while also seeking to compare outcomes between such patients with a history of CLD to analyze the impact on mortality. We conducted a retrospective chart review across our 10-hospital network identifying patients on chronic corticosteroids (Prednisone ≥ 5 mg daily dose or equivalent dose of another steroid, for a duration of 30 days or more) who were hospitalized with COVID-19 from March 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020. Of these patients who met inclusion criteria, patients were then divided into groups based upon their history of CLD. Primary outcomes of the study looked to investigate the hospitalization outcomes of patients with a history of CLD and comorbid conditions requiring chronic corticosteroid use. Secondary outcomes sought to further investigate risk factors for mortality in our study sample. 837 charts were reviewed. 139 patients met inclusion criteria of which 34 patients had a history of CLD. Statistical analysis demonstrated no difference in length of hospital stay but increased ICU admission rate in the CLD group (41.2% vs 23.8%). No statistically significant difference was seen in between the CLD and non-CLD groups in term of complication rates and 28-day mortality. However, chronic corticosteroids patients were found to have higher rates of ICU admission and overall 28-day and ICU mortality in comparison to patients who were not on chronic corticosteroids prior to COVID-19 hospitalization. The larger contributor to COVID-19 severity was likely chronic corticosteroid use rather than CLD and thus chronic corticosteroid use should be limited throughout the COVID-19 pandemic especially in patients with additional speculated risk factors for COVID-19 such as CLD.

Stress Hyperglycemia and Osteocalcin in COVID-19 Critically Ill Patients on Artificial Nutrition.

We aimed to study the possible association of stress hyperglycemia in COVID-19 critically ill patients with prognosis, artificial nutrition, circulating osteocalcin, and other serum markers of inflammation and compare them with non-COVID-19 patients. Fifty-two critical patients at the intensive care unit (ICU), 26 with COVID-19 and 26 non-COVID-19, were included. Glycemic control, delivery of artificial nutrition, serum osteocalcin, total and ICU stays, and mortality were recorded. Patients with COVID-19 had higher ICU stays, were on artificial nutrition for longer (p = 0.004), and needed more frequently insulin infusion therapy (p = 0.022) to control stress hyperglycemia. The need for insulin infusion therapy was associated with higher energy (p = 0.001) and glucose delivered through artificial nutrition (p = 0.040). Those patients with stress hyperglycemia showed higher ICU stays (23 ± 17 vs. 11 ± 13 days, p = 0.007). Serum osteocalcin was a good marker for hyperglycemia, as it inversely correlated with glycemia at admission in the ICU (r = -0.476, p = 0.001) and at days 2 (r = -0.409, p = 0.007) and 3 (r = -0.351, p = 0.049). In conclusion, hyperglycemia in critically ill COVID-19 patients was associated with longer ICU stays. Low circulating osteocalcin was a good marker for stress hyperglycemia.

Intermittent fasting in paediatric critical illness: The properties and potential beneficial effects of an overnight fast in the PICU.

Although evidence for the superiority of continuous feeding over intermittent feeding is lacking, in most paediatric intensive care units (PICU) artificial feeding is administered continuously for 24 h per day. Until now, studies in PICU on intermittent feeding have primarily focused on surrogate endpoints such as nutritional intake and gastro-intestinal complaints and none have studied the effects of an extended fasting period. Intermittent fasting has been proven to have many health benefits in both animal and human studies. The observed beneficial effects are based on multiple metabolic and endocrine changes that are presumed crucial in critical illness as well. One key element is the transition to ketone body metabolism, which, among others, contributes to the stimulation of several cellular pathways involved in stress resistance (neuro)plasticity and mitochondrial biogenesis, and might help preserve brain function. Secondly, the fasting state stimulates the activation of autophagy, a process that is crucial for cellular function and integrity. Of the different intermittent fasting strategies investigated, time-restricted feeding with a daily extended fasting period appears most feasible in the PICU. Moreover, planning the fasting period overnight could help maintain the circadian rhythm. Although not investigated, such an overnight intermittent fasting strategy might improve the metabolic profile, feeding tolerance and perhaps even have beneficial effects on tissue repair, reperfusion injury, muscle weakness, and the immune response. Future studies should investigate practical implications in critically ill children and the optimal duration of the fasting periods, which might be affected by the severity of illness and by age.