Limitation of life-sustaining treatment in severe trauma in the elderly after admission to an intensive care unit. / Limitación del tratamiento de soporte vital en el traumatismo grave en edades avanzadas tras el ingreso en una unidad de cuidados intensivos.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the factors associated to limitation of life-sustaining treatment (LLST) measures in elderly patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) due to trauma. DESIGN: A retrospective, descriptive, observational study was carried out. SETTING: ICU. PATIENTS: A total of 149 patients aged 65 years or older admitted to the ICU due to trauma. Hospital mortality, the decision to limit life-sustaining treatment and the factors associated to these measures were analyzed. INTERVENTIONS: None. RESULTS: The mean patient age was 76.3±6.36 years. The average APACHE II and ISS scores were 15.9±7.4 and 19.6±11.4 points, respectively. LLST were used in 37 patients (24.8%). Factors associated to the use of these measures were patient age (OR 1.16; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.25], APACHE II score (OR 1.11; 95% CI 1.05-1.67), ISS score (OR 1.03; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.06), admission due to neurological impairment (OR 19.17; 95% CI 2.33 to 157.83) and traumatic brain injury (OR 2.89; 95% CI 1.05 to 7.96). CONCLUSIONS: LLST is frequently established in elderly patients admitted to the ICU due to trauma, and is associated to hospital mortality. Factors associated with the use of these measures are patient age, higher APACHE II and ISS scores, admission due to neurological impairment, and the presence of head injuries.

Association between different corticosteroid regimens used in severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and short-term mortality: retrospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, several corticosteroid regimens have been used in the treatment of the disease, with disparate results according to drug and regimen used. For this reason, we wanted to analyze differences in early mortality derived from the use of different regimens of dexamethasone and methylprednisolone in SARS-CoV-2 infection in critically ill patients requiring admission to an ICU. METHOD: Observational, analytical and retrospective study, in an intensive care unit of a third-level university hospital, (March 2020 and June 2021). Adult patients (>18 years old) who were admitted consecutively for proven SARS-CoV-2 infection were included. The association with mortality in ICU at 28 days, different corticosteroid regimens used, was analyzed using a Cox proportional risk regression model. RESULTS: Data from a cohort of 539 patients were studied. Patient age (RR: 1.06; 95% CI: 1.02-1.10; P=<0.01) showed a significant association with 28-day mortality in the ICU. In the comparison of the different corticosteroid regimens analyzed, taking as a reference those patients who did not receive corticosteroid treatment, the dose of dexamethasone of 6mg/day showed a clear trend towards statistical significance as a protector of mortality at 28 days in the ICU (RR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.15-1.02, p=0.05). The dose of dexamethasone of 6mg/day and low doses of methylprednisolone show a similar association with survival at 28 days (OR: 1.19; 95% CI: 0.63-2.26). CONCLUSIONS: The use of corticosteroids has been associated with better mortality outcomes in severe cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the therapeutic benefits of corticosteroids are not limited to dexamethasone alone.

[Utility of the dead space fraction (Vd/Vt) as a predictor of extubation success]. / Valor de la fracción de espacio muerto (Vd/Vt) como predictor de éxito en la extubación.

PURPOSE: To determine the value of Vd/Vt as a predictor of extubation failure in patients with mechanical ventilation admitted to the intensive care units. DESIGN: A prospective, observational cohort study conducted from 1 September 2010 to 1 March 2011. SETTING: General intensive care unit (G-ICU) of a third level university hospital. PATIENTS OR PARTICIPANTS: The study included patients on mechanical ventilation (MV) for over 12 hours, and who in the process of weaning were subjected to low-level pressure support. Exclusion criteria were age under 18 years, ventilation via tracheotomy and patients failing to cooperate for different reasons. During the study, 392 patients were admitted to the G-ICU; of these, 214 required MV. The weaning process was started in 154 cases. Fifty-four patients were excluded from the study, and 24 were not extubated from MV. A total of 76 patients were finally extubated and analyzed. VARIABLES OF INTEREST: Vd/Vt was calculated as the ratio (PaCO(2)-Pє CO(2))/PaCO(2), with the recorded parameters. RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between the Vd/Vt and extubation failure, with OR=1.52 (95%CI 1.11 to 2.09, p=0.008). The area under the ROC curve with respect to the prediction of extubation failure according to the Vd/Vt value was 0.94 (95%CI 0.86 to 0.98, p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Vd/Vt is a powerful predictor of extubation failure in patients on MV.

[Modification of immediate survival after in-hospital cardiac arrest during evenings and weekends]. / Modificación de la supervivencia inmediata tras parada cardiorrespiratoria intrahospitalaria en horario de tarde-noche y fin de semana.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether cardiac arrests occurring at night or during the weekend, carry lower immediate survival. METHOD: An analysis of logistic regression was performed, adjusted for age, sex, time to care of the cardiac arrest and first monitored rhythm, to determine whether there are differences in immediate survival. RESULTS: The immediate survival of the cohort studied (n=121) was 32 patients (26%). A difference of 13% in immediate survival between both periods studied was found. The logistic regression analysis taking immediate survival as an effect, showed that suffering an in-hospital cardiac arrest during evenings or weekends was a variable that is not associated with a successful outcome. The OR: .48 (95% CI: .20-1.12; P=.08). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who suffer a cardiac arrest in our centre during evenings or weekends are more vulnerable.

Meta-analysis of the effects of normal saline on mortality in intensive care. / Metaanálisis de los efectos del suero salino en la mortalidad en cuidados intensivos.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: To evaluate, by means of a meta-analysis, the effect of normal saline on mortality in intensive care patients, when compared with the use of balanced crystalloids. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Published controlled clinical trials, randomised and sequential prospective studies in time, evaluating the mortality when physiological saline was used in patients admitted to intensive care units. Electronic search was performed in Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, ISI Proceedings, and Web of Science, as well as a manual search of selected references. An independent evaluation was performed by 2 investigators. Discrepancies were resolved by consensus in the working group. Contingency tables were performed, and the OR with confidence intervals of each study were obtained. Heterogeneity was assessed by I2. Publication bias was assessed using funnel plot and Egger test. RESULTS: A total of 8 articles were selected for the meta-analysis of mortality, which included a total of 20,684 patients. A significant association was observed between the use of saline and mortality in intensive care patients (OR 1.0972; 95% CI 1.0049-1.1979), when compared to the use of balanced crystalloids. No statistical evidence of publication bias (Egger, P=.5349) was found. In the sensitivity analysis, none of the studies substantially modified the overall outcome if it was eliminated from the meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS: There may be an increase in mortality associated with the use of saline in patients admitted to intensive care when comparing with the use of balanced crystalloids.

Catheter-related bacteraemia caused by Raoultella ornithinolytica. / Bacteriemia relacionada con catéter causada por Raoultella ornithinolytica.

Infections in humans by Raoultella spp. are rare and the effect that Raoultella spp. might have as a human pathogen is currently unknown. A clinical case is presented of catheter-related bacteraemia caused by Raoultella ornithinolytica, treated successfully with applied antibiotic therapy (intravenous cefepime and sealed the catheter with amikacin).

Influence of Proportion of Normal Saline Administered in the Perioperative Period of Renal Transplantation on Kalemia Levels.

BACKGROUND: The hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis triggered by the infusion of normal saline (NS) significantly increases the level of extracellular potassium. In this study we assessed the influence of proportion of NS administered in the perioperative period of renal transplantation on potassium levels in usual clinical practice. METHODS: This study was a retrospective cohort analysis of patients undergoing renal transplantation during a 24-month period (2015-2016). To determine the influence of NS on K+ levels, simple linear regression and multiple linear regression analyses were performed, adjusted for the total volume of fluids administered, establishing the difference in serum K+ levels for each 20% increase in the proportion of NS. RESULTS: As the proportion of NS administered increased, K+ levels at 24 hours were significantly increased (P = .026) (0.69 mEq/L K+ increase per 20% increase in NS ratio). Mean K+ values at 24 hours (adjusted for total volume of fluids administered) ranged from 4.17 mEq/L (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.7-4.56) in patients who did not receive NS to 4.85 mEq/L (95% CI 4.56-5.15) in those administered exclusively NS. CONCLUSION: The risk of developing hyperkalemia in patients who receive a balanced solution with potassium in its formulation compared with NS in the perioperative period of renal transplantation is not increased, but the volume of NS administered is significantly associated with increases in K+ levels at 24 hours.

Whole-body computed tomography as a factor associated with lower mortality in severe geriatric trauma with thoracic-abdominal-pelvic injury. / La tomografía computarizada corporal como factor asociado a menor mortalidad en el traumatismo geriátrico grave con afectación toracoabdominopélvica.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between the use of whole-body computed tomography (WB-CT) and hospital mortality in elderly patients with thoracic-abdominal-pelvic injury requiring admission to an intensive care unit. PATIENTS AND METHOD: An observational, descriptive and retrospective study was conducted on 140 patients aged 65 years and older admitted to the intensive care unit after a thoracic-abdominal-pelvic injury. Two groups were established, depending on whether a WB-CT was performed as a routine part of the study or the diagnosis was established by conventional radiography or ultrasound. A comparative analysis was performed on both groups, as well as an analysis of mortality through logistic regression. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 75.16±8.89 years. The mean score on the APACHE II scale was 16.25±8.4 points, and on the Injury Severity Score scale, 22.38±15.45 points. WB-CT was performed on 102 patients (72.9%). In these patients, there was a lower mortality rate (15.7 vs. 52.6%, P˂.001), a lower need for mechanical ventilation (47.1 vs. 65.8%, P=.049), and a lower score on the APACHE II scale (14.75±7.19 vs. 20.26±10.06 points, P=.003). The multivariate analysis showed a lower mortality in the patients in whom WB-CT was performed, with an OR of 0.21 (95% CI 0.07-0.68; (P=.010), after adjusting for the APACHE II and ISS scores. CONCLUSIONS: Performing a WB-CT scan as part of the trauma study could improve the management of elderly patients with thoracic-abdominal-pelvic involvement admitted to the intensive care unit.

Epidemiology of traumatic brain injury in the elderly over a 25 year period. / Epidemiología del traumatismo craneoencefálico en la población mayor de 65 años a lo largo de 25 años.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the changes in the epidemiology of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a cohort of patients older than 65 years old admitted in the Intensive care unit of a third-level hospital over a 25 year period. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study conducted on patients over 65 years-old admitted with the diagnosis of TBI into an intensive care unit of a Spanish university hospital. The demographic, clinical variables were collected at the time of admission, including comorbidities, injury mechanisms, and injuries presented, and days of stay in ICU. A statistical analysis was carried out by five-year periods. RESULTS: A total of 446 TBI in patients over 65 years were included. In the analysis, an increase was observed in the proportion of patients presenting with epidural haematoma (1.39% in the period 1990-1995 vs. 9.46% in 2010-2015), with a significant linear tendency (P=.018). Falls from own height have increased from 8.33% (1991-1995) to currently more than 70% (2011-2015), P<.001. The percentage of traffic accidents declined from 26.39% to 3.95% in the last period, P<.001. CONCLUSIONS: In the last 25 years there seems to be evidence of a change in the origins of TBI in the elderly in our field.

[Purulent pericarditis and pleural empyema due to Streptococcus pneumoniae]. / Pericarditis purulenta y empiema pleural por Streptococcus pneumoniae.

We present the case of a 59 year old woman with no previous clinical history of disease who was admitted in our ICU due to respiratory failure and hemodynamic instability. She was found to have purulent pericarditis due to Streptococcus pneumoniae, complicated by massive pericardial effusion and pleural empyema. A pericardial tap was performed unsuccessfully and finally pericardial effusion was evacuated by surgical drainage. Pleural empyema was also evacuated. She received antibiotic treatment and recovered with normalisation of heart function.

Base excess, a useful marker in the prognosis of chest trauma in the geriatric population. / Exceso de bases, un marcador útil en el pronóstico del traumatismo torácico en la población geriátrica.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the usefulness of the determination of base excess in a cohort of elderly patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) with a diagnosis of chest trauma. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Two hundred and forty-nine patients were included aged 65 years and over with a diagnosis of thoracic trauma who required admission to the ICU. We made a statistical analysis in order to determine the association of the first base excess levels with mortality during the unit stay. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty-nine patients, with a mean APACHE II score of 16.21±7.87 and 24.45±14.16 ISS. Mean ICU stay was 12.74±16.85 days and the mean hospital stay was 26.55±30.1 days. Statistical analysis showed an association with mortality in patients whose blood pressure was lower than 110mmHg on admission, with an OR=4.11 (95% CI 1.91 to 8.85) compared to patients with blood pressure between 110 and 140mmHg. Those patients who had base excess levels on admission of less than -6mmol/L also showed increased mortality compared to patients with higher levels, with an OR=3.12 (95% CI 1.51 to 6.42). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of a base excess level of less than -6 is associated with increased mortality in elderly patients with initial blood pressure between 110 and 140mmHg, diagnosed with thoracic trauma and who require admission to ICU. Routine measurement of this parameter in this population may show the clinical usefulness of assessing possible hidden hypoperfusion.