[DGEM Guideline "Clinical Nutrition in Critical Care Medicine" - short version]. / DGEM-Leitlinie: Klinische Ernährung in der Intensivmedizin ­ Kurzversion.

PURPOSE: Variations of clinical nutrition may affect outcome of critically ill patients. Here we present the short version of the updated consenus-based guideline (S2k classification) "Clinical nutrition in critical care medicine" of the German Society for Nutritional Medicine (DGEM) in cooperation with 7 other national societies. The target population of the guideline was defined as critically ill adult patients who suffer from at least one acute organ dysfunction requiring specific drug therapy and/or a mechanical support device (e.g. mechanical ventilation) to maintain organ function. METHODS: The former guidelines of the German Society for Nutritional Medicine (DGEM) were updated according to the current instructions of the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF) valid for a S2k-guideline. We considered and commented the evidence from randomized-controlled trials, meta-analyses and observational studies with adequate sample size and high methodological quality (until May 2018) as well as from currently valid guidelines of international societies. The liability of each recommendation was indicated using linguistic terms. Each recommendation was finally validated and consented by a Delphi process. RESULTS: The short version presents a summary of all 69 consented recommendations for essential, practice-relevant elements of clinical nutrition in the target population. A specific focus is the adjustment of nutrition according to the phases of critical illness, and to the individual tolerance to exogenous substrates. Among others, recommendations include the assessment of nutritional status, the indication for clinical nutrition, the timing, route, magnitude and composition of nutrition (macro- and micronutrients) as well as distinctive aspects of nutrition therapy in obese critically ill patients and those with extracorporeal support devices. CONCLUSION: The current short version of the guideline provides a concise summary of the updated recommendations for enteral and parenteral nutrition of adult critically ill patients who suffer from at least one acute organ dysfunction requiring pharmacological and/or mechanical support. The validity of the guideline is approximately fixed at five years (2018 - 2023).

Quality indicators in intensive care medicine for Germany - fourth edition 2022.

The measurement of quality indicators supports quality improvement initiatives. The German Interdisciplinary Society of Intensive Care Medicine (DIVI) has published quality indicators for intensive care medicine for the fourth time now. After a scheduled evaluation after three years, changes in several indicators were made. Other indicators were not changed or only minimally. The focus remained strongly on relevant treatment processes like management of analgesia and sedation, mechanical ventilation and weaning, and infections in the ICU. Another focus was communication inside the ICU. The number of 10 indicators remained the same. The development method was more structured and transparency was increased by adding new features like evidence levels or author contribution and potential conflicts of interest. These quality indicators should be used in the peer review in intensive care, a method endorsed by the DIVI. Other forms of measurement and evaluation are also reasonable, for example in quality management. This fourth edition of the quality indicators will be updated in the future to reflect the recently published recommendations on the structure of intensive care units by the DIVI.

The future development of intensive care quality indicators - a methods paper.

Introduction: Medical quality indicators (QI) are important tools in the evaluation of medical quality. Their development is subject to specific methodological requirements, which include practical applicability. This is especially true for intensive care medicine with its complex processes and their interactions. This methods paper presents the status quo and shows necessary methodological developments for intensive care QI. For this purpose, a cooperation with the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies' Institute for Medical Knowledge Management (AWMF-IMWi) was established. Methodology: Review of published German manuals for QI development from guidelines and narrative review of quality indicators with a focus on evidence and consensus-based guideline recommendations. Future methodological adaptations of indicator development for improved operationalization, measurability and pilot testing are presented, and a development process is proposed. Results: The development of intensive care quality indicators in Germany is based on an established process. In the future, additional evaluation criteria (QUALIFY criteria) will be applied to assess the evidence base. In addition, a continuous exchange between the national steering committee of the DIVI responsible for QI development and guideline development groups involved in intensive care medicine is planned. Conclusion: Intensive care quality indicators will have to meet improved methodological requirements in the future by means of an improved development process. Future QI development is intended to improve the structure of the development process, with a focus on scientific evidence and a link to guideline projects. This is intended to achieve the goal of a broad application of QI and to further evaluate its relevance for patient outcome and performance of institutions.

Clinical Nutrition in Critical Care Medicine - Guideline of the German Society for Nutritional Medicine (DGEM).

PURPOSE: Enteral and parenteral nutrition of adult critically ill patients varies in terms of the route of nutrient delivery, the amount and composition of macro- and micronutrients, and the choice of specific, immune-modulating substrates. Variations of clinical nutrition may affect clinical outcomes. The present guideline provides clinicians with updated consensus-based recommendations for clinical nutrition in adult critically ill patients who suffer from at least one acute organ dysfunction requiring specific drug therapy and/or a mechanical support device (e.g., mechanical ventilation) to maintain organ function. METHODS: The former guidelines of the German Society for Nutritional Medicine (DGEM) were updated according to the current instructions of the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF) valid for a S2k-guideline. According to the S2k-guideline classification, no systematic review of the available evidence was required to make recommendations, which, therefore, do not state evidence- or recommendation grades. Nevertheless, we considered and commented the evidence from randomized-controlled trials, meta-analyses and observational studies with adequate sample size and high methodological quality (until May 2018) as well as from currently valid guidelines of other societies. The liability of each recommendation was described linguistically. Each recommendation was finally validated and consented through a Delphi process. RESULTS: In the introduction the guideline describes a) the pathophysiological consequences of critical illness possibly affecting metabolism and nutrition of critically ill patients, b) potential definitions for different disease phases during the course of illness, and c) methodological shortcomings of clinical trials on nutrition. Then, we make 69 consented recommendations for essential, practice-relevant elements of clinical nutrition in critically ill patients. Among others, recommendations include the assessment of nutrition status, the indication for clinical nutrition, the timing and route of nutrient delivery, and the amount and composition of substrates (macro- and micronutrients); furthermore, we discuss distinctive aspects of nutrition therapy in obese critically ill patients and those treated with extracorporeal support devices. CONCLUSION: The current guideline provides clinicians with up-to-date recommendations for enteral and parenteral nutrition of adult critically ill patients who suffer from at least one acute organ dysfunction requiring specific drug therapy and/or a mechanical support device (e.g., mechanical ventilation) to maintain organ function. The period of validity of the guideline is approximately fixed at five years (2018-2023).

[Peer Review for Quality Management in Intensive Care Medicine]. / Qualitätsmanagement: Kollegiales Peer-Review-Verfahren in der Intensivmedizin.

We report on the German Peer Review procedure for the quality management of Intensive Care Wards. The third up-date of the quality-indicators was published in 2017. The Peer Review Procedure, its organization, the development of quality indicators in Germany and their benefit for the patients is introduced.

Quality indicators in intensive care medicine for Germany - third edition 2017.

Quality improvement in medicine is depending on measurement of relevant quality indicators. The quality indicators for intensive care medicine of the German Interdisciplinary Society of Intensive Care Medicine (DIVI) from the year 2013 underwent a scheduled evaluation after three years. There were major changes in several indicators but also some indicators were changed only minimally. The focus on treatment processes like ward rounds, management of analgesia and sedation, mechanical ventilation and weaning, as well as the number of 10 indicators were not changed. Most topics remained except for early mobilization which was introduced instead of hypothermia following resuscitation. Infection prevention was added as an outcome indicator. These quality indicators are used in the peer review in intensive care, a method endorsed by the DIVI. A validity period of three years is planned for the quality indicators.

Pharmacokinetics of levofloxacin during continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration and continuous venovenous hemofiltration in critically ill patients.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess the pharmacokinetics of levofloxacin during continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) and continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH). DESIGN: Nonrandomized pharmacokinetic evaluation. SETTING: University surgical intensive care unit. PATIENTS: Six critically ill patients. INTERVENTION: Five patients received levofloxacin 500 mg/day and one patient received levofloxacin 125 mg/day All patients received continuous renal replacement therapy: CVVHDF on day 1 and CVVH on day 2, using an acrylonitrile hollow-fiber 0.9-m2 filter, constant blood flow rate of 90 ml/minute, substitution flow rate of 1 L/hour predilution, and dialysate flow rate of 1 L/hour (CVVHDF). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Serum, ultrafiltrate, and dialysate concentrations of levofloxacin were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Extracorporeal clearance was 26.05 +/- 4.66 ml/hour during CVVHDF and 15.71 +/- 2.73 ml/hour during CVVH (p<0.05). Elimination half-life was 28.08 +/- 4.5 hours and 45.9 +/- 17.7 hours, and distribution volume was 1.51 +/- 0.52 L/kg and 1.42 +/- 0.42 L/kg for CVVHDF and CVVH, respectively. Saturation was 0.76 +/- 0.13 for CVVHDF versus a sieving coefficient of 0.77 +/- 0.16 for CVVH. CONCLUSION: Marked extracorporeal elimination of levofloxacin occurs, requiring a dosage adjustment that can be calculated from the characteristics of CVVH and CVVHDF.

Voluntary peer review as innovative tool for quality improvement in the intensive care unit--a retrospective descriptive cohort study in German intensive care units.

INTRODUCTION: Quality improvement and safety in intensive care are rapidly evolving topics. However, there is no gold standard for assessing quality improvement in intensive care medicine yet. In 2007 a pilot project in German intensive care units (ICUs) started using voluntary peer reviews as an innovative tool for quality assessment and improvement. We describe the method of voluntary peer review and assessed its feasibility by evaluating anonymized peer review reports and analysed the thematic clusters highlighted in these reports. METHODS: Retrospective data analysis from 22 anonymous reports of peer reviews. All ICUs - representing over 300 patient beds - had undergone voluntary peer review. Data were retrieved from reports of peers of the review teams and representatives of visited ICUs. Data were analysed with regard to number of topics addressed and results of assessment questionnaires. Reports of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT reports) of these ICUs are presented. RESULTS: External assessment of structure, process and outcome indicators revealed high percentages of adherence to predefined quality goals. In the SWOT reports 11 main thematic clusters were identified representative for common ICUs. 58.1% of mentioned topics covered personnel issues, team and communication issues as well as organisation and treatment standards. The most mentioned weaknesses were observed in the issues documentation/reporting, hygiene and ethics. We identified several unique patterns regarding quality in the ICU of which long-term personnel problems und lack of good reporting methods were most interesting Conclusion: Voluntary peer review could be established as a feasible and valuable tool for quality improvement. Peer reports addressed common areas of interest in intensive care medicine in more detail compared to other methods like measurement of quality indicators.

The German quality indicators in intensive care medicine 2013--second edition.

Quality indicators are key elements of quality management. The quality indicators for intensive care medicine of the German Interdisciplinary Society of Intensive Care Medicine (DIVI) from the year 2010 were recently evaluated when their validity time expired after two years. Overall one indicator was replaced and further three were in part changed. The former indicator I "elevation of head of bed" was replaced by the indicator "Daily multi-professional ward rounds with the documentation of daily therapy goals" and added to the indicator IV "Weaning and other measures to prevent ventilator associated pneumonias (short: Weaning/VAP Bundle)" (VAP = ventilator-associated pneumonia) which aims at the reduction of VAP incidence. The indicator VIII "Documentation of structured relative-/next-of-kin communication" was refined. The indicator X "Direction of the ICU by a specially trained certified intensivist with no other clinical duties in a department" was also updated according to recent study results. These updated quality indicators are part of the Peer Review in intensive care medicine. The next update of the quality indicators is due in 2016.