Incidence of Symptomatic Venous Thromboembolisms in Stroke Patients.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common but preventable complication observed in critically ill patients. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is the most common type of VTE, with clinical significance based on location and symptoms. There is an increased incidence of DVT and pulmonary embolism (PE) in ischemic stroke patients using unfractionated heparin (UFH) for VTE prophylaxis compared with those using enoxaparin. However, UFH is still used in some patients due to its perceived safety, despite conflicting literature suggesting that enoxaparin may have a protective effect. The current study aimed to determine the incidence of VTEs in patients with acute ischemic strokes on UFH versus enoxaparin for VTE prophylaxis, subclassifying the VTEs depending on their location and symptoms. It also aimed to examine the safety profile of both drugs. A total of 909 patients admitted to the Neuro-ICU with the diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke were identified, and 634 patients were enrolled in the study-170 in the enoxaparin group and 464 in the UFH group-after applying the exclusion criteria. Nineteen patients in the UFH group (4.1%) and 3 patients in the enoxaparin group (1.8%) had a VTE. The incidence of DVT in the UFH group was 12 (2.6%), all of which were symptomatic, compared with 3 (1.8%) in the enoxaparin group, wherein one case was symptomatic. Nine patients (1.9%) in the UFH group developed a PE during the study period, and all of them were symptomatic. No patients in the enoxaparin group developed PE. No statistically significant difference was found between both groups. However, 18 patients in the UFH group (3.9%) experienced intracranial hemorrhage compared with none in the enoxaparin group, and this difference was statistically significant. Enoxaparin was found to be as effective as and potentially safer than UFH when used for VTE prophylaxis in stroke patients.

ICP wave morphology as a screening test to exclude intracranial hypertension in brain-injured patients: a non-invasive perspective.

Intracranial hypertension (IH) is a life-threating condition especially for the brain injured patient. In such cases, an external ventricular drain (EVD) or an intraparenchymal bolt are the conventional gold standard for intracranial pressure (ICPi) monitoring. However, these techniques have several limitations. Therefore, identifying an ideal screening method for IH is important to avoid the unnecessary placement of ICPi and expedite its introduction in patients who require it. A potential screening tool is the ICP wave morphology (ICPW) which changes according to the intracranial volume-pressure curve. Specifically, the P2/P1 ratio of the ICPW has shown promise as a triage test to indicate normal ICP. In this study, we propose evaluating the noninvasive ICPW (nICPW-B4C sensor) as a screening method for ICPi monitoring in patients with moderate to high probability of IH. This is a retrospective analysis of a prospective, multicenter study that recruited adult patients requiring ICPi monitoring from both Federal University of São Paulo and University of São Paulo Medical School Hospitals. ICPi values and the nICPW parameters were obtained from both the invasive and the noninvasive methods simultaneously 5 min after the closure of the EVD drainage. ICP assessment was performed using a catheter inserted into the ventricle and connected to a pressure transducer and a drainage system. The B4C sensor was positioned on the patient's scalp without the need for trichotomy, surgical incision or trepanation, and the morphology of the ICP waves acquired through a strain sensor that can detect and monitor skull bone deformations caused by changes in ICP. All patients were monitored using this noninvasive system for at least 10 min per session. The area under the curve (AUC) was used to describe discriminatory power of the P2/P1 ratio for IH, with emphasis in the Negative Predictive value (NPV), based on the Youden index, and the negative likelihood ratio [LR-]. Recruitment occurred from August 2017 to March 2020. A total of 69 patients fulfilled inclusion and exclusion criteria in the two centers and a total of 111 monitorizations were performed. The mean P2/P1 ratio value in the sample was 1.12. The mean P2/P1 value in the no IH population was 1.01 meanwhile in the IH population was 1.32 (p < 0.01). The best Youden index for the mean P2/P1 ratio was with a cut-off value of 1.13 showing a sensitivity of 93%, specificity of 60%, and a NPV of 97%, as well as an AUC of 0.83 to predict IH. With the 1.13 cut-off value for P2/P1 ratio, the LR- for IH was 0.11, corresponding to a strong performance in ruling out the condition (IH), with an approximate 45% reduction in condition probability after a negative test (ICPW). To conclude, the P2/P1 ratio of the noninvasive ICP waveform showed in this study a high Negative Predictive Value and Likelihood Ratio in different acute neurological conditions to rule out IH. As a result, this parameter may be beneficial in situations where invasive methods are not feasible or unavailable and to screen high-risk patients for potential invasive ICP monitoring.Trial registration: At clinicaltrials.gov under numbers NCT05121155 (Registered 16 November 2021-retrospectively registered) and NCT03144219 (Registered 30 September 2022-retrospectively registered).

Does gender moderate resiliency variables and posttraumatic stress symptoms in informal caregivers of neurocritical care patients? An exploratory study.

We examined gender differences between resiliency factors (i.e. mindfulness, self-efficacy, coping, intimate care, and caregiver preparedness) and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in informal caregivers of patients in the neuroscience intensive care unit (Neuro-ICU). Ninety-two informal caregivers were enrolled during patients' hospitalization and completed resiliency measures at baseline, and a PTSS measure at baseline, 3 and 6 months. We conducted five ANCOVAs to explore gender and resiliency on PTSS. No significant main effects of gender on PTSS were observed across time points. However, main effects were seen for resiliency on PTSS at baseline for informal caregivers with high (vs. low) mindfulness, coping, and self-efficacy. Gender moderated the association between mindfulness and PTSS (i.e. high mindfulness at baseline was associated with lower PTSS in males compared to females at 3 months) and intimate care and PTSS (high intimate care at baseline was associated with lower PTSS in males than females at 6 months; high intimate care at baseline for females was associated with lower PTSS at 6 months than females with low intimate care). Overall, we observed associations among informal caregivers' gender, resiliency, and PTSS, with males particularly benefitting from mindfulness and intimate care. These findings hold value for future inquiry into gender differences in this population with possible clinical implications.

Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues in Patients with Brain Cancer Admitted to ICU.

Background and Objectives: Palliative care is an interdisciplinary medical specialty focused on improving the quality of life of critically ill patients, including those with frailty, during their illness. Materials and Methods: We conducted an extensive literature review on Pubmed focusing on palliative care in neuro-oncology patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs). Results: We identified 967 articles and, after excluding 952 articles in accordance with the PRISMA flow chart, we included a total of 15 articles in the final selection. The potential role of palliative care in neuro-oncology appears necessary to ensure comprehensive end-of-life patient care. However, this seems underestimated and poorly applied, especially in the context of intensive care units. Medical personnel also face ethical dilemmas, considering not only the pathology but also the socio-spiritual context of the patient. In addition, caregivers' understanding of prognosis and realistic goals is critical for optimal end-of-life management. Conclusions: The provision of palliative care to neuro-oncological patients admitted to ICU is a complex challenge supported by fragmented evidence. Additional research on palliative care and communication about end-of-life care in the neuro-oncology and neuro-ICU setting is needed.

Unstable saddle pulmonary embolism with concomitant subarachnoid hemorrhage.

This case demonstrates a complex patient presenting with diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. He received heparin therapy, then subsequently found to have an intracranial hemorrhage, which rapidly progressed, leading to patient demise. Through this case, the reader should better understand the therapeutic conundrums in critical PE patients and complications of anticoagulation.

Can a Dyadic Resiliency Program Improve Quality of Life in Cognitively Intact Dyads of Neuro-ICU Survivors and Informal Caregivers? Results from a Pilot RCT.

BACKGROUND: Neuro-ICU hospitalization for an acute neurological illness is often traumatic and associated with heightened emotional distress and reduced quality of life (QoL) for both survivors and their informal caregivers (i.e., family and friends providing unpaid care). In a pilot study, we previously showed that a dyadic (survivor and caregiver together) resiliency intervention (Recovering Together [RT]) was feasible and associated with sustained improvement in emotional distress when compared with an attention placebo educational control. Here we report on changes in secondary outcomes assessing QoL. METHODS: Survivors (n = 58) and informal caregivers (n = 58) completed assessments at bedside and were randomly assigned to participate together as a dyad in the RT or control intervention (both 6 weeks, two in-person sessions at bedside and four sessions via live video post discharge). We measured QoL domain scores (physical health, psychological, social relations, and environmental), general QoL, and QoL satisfaction using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Abbreviated Instrument at baseline, post treatment, and 3 months' follow-up. We conducted mixed model analyses of variance with linear contrasts to estimate (1) within-group changes in QoL from baseline to post treatment and from post treatment to 3 months' follow-up and (2) between-group differences in changes in QoL from baseline to post treatment and from post treatment to 3 months' follow-up. RESULTS: We found significant within-group improvements from baseline to post treatment among RT survivors for physical health QoL (mean difference 1.73; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.39-3.06; p = 0.012), environmental QoL (mean difference 1.29; 95% CI 0.21-2.36; p = 0.020), general QoL (mean difference 0.55; 95% CI 0.13-0.973; p = 0.011), and QoL satisfaction (mean difference 0.87; 95% CI 0.36-1.37; p = 0.001), and those improvements sustained through the 3-month follow-up. We found no significant between-group improvements for survivors or caregivers from baseline to post treatment or from post treatment to 3 months' follow-up for any QoL variables (i.e., domains, general QoL, and QoL satisfaction together). CONCLUSIONS: In this pilot study, we found improved QoL among survivors, but not in caregivers, who received RT and improvements sustained over time. These RT-related improvements were not significantly greater than those observed in the control. Results support a fully powered randomized controlled trial to allow for a definitive evaluation of RT-related effects among dyads of survivors of acute brain injury and their caregivers.

Multimodal non-invasive assessment of intracranial hypertension: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: Although placement of an intra-cerebral catheter remains the gold standard method for measuring intracranial pressure (ICP), several non-invasive techniques can provide useful estimates. The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of four non-invasive methods to assess intracranial hypertension. METHODS: We reviewed prospectively collected data on adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), or intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in whom invasive ICP monitoring had been initiated and estimates had been simultaneously collected from the following non-invasive indices: optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD), pulsatility index (PI), estimated ICP (eICP) using transcranial Doppler, and the neurological pupil index (NPI) measured using automated pupillometry. Intracranial hypertension was defined as an invasively measured ICP > 20 mmHg. RESULTS: We studied 100 patients (TBI = 30; SAH = 47; ICH = 23) with a median age of 52 years. The median invasively measured ICP was 17 [12-25] mmHg and intracranial hypertension was present in 37 patients. Median values from the non-invasive techniques were ONSD 5.2 [4.8-5.8] mm, PI 1.1 [0.9-1.4], eICP 21 [14-29] mmHg, and NPI 4.2 [3.8-4.6]. There was a significant correlation between all the non-invasive techniques and invasive ICP (ONSD, r = 0.54; PI, r = 0.50; eICP, r = 0.61; NPI, r = - 0.41-p < 0.001 for all). The area under the curve (AUC) to estimate intracranial hypertension was 0.78 [CIs = 0.68-0.88] for ONSD, 0.85 [95% CIs 0.77-0.93] for PI, 0.86 [95% CIs 0.77-0.93] for eICP, and 0.71 [95% CIs 0.60-0.82] for NPI. When the various techniques were combined, the highest AUC (0.91 [0.84-0.97]) was obtained with the combination of ONSD with eICP. CONCLUSIONS: Non-invasive techniques are correlated with ICP and have an acceptable accuracy to estimate intracranial hypertension. The multimodal combination of ONSD and eICP may increase the accuracy to estimate the occurrence of intracranial hypertension.

A Randomized Trial of Complications of Peripherally and Centrally Inserted Central Lines in the Neuro-Intensive Care Unit: Results of the NSPVC Trial.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare the relative number of complications from peripherally inserted central venous catheters (PICC) and centrally inserted central venous catheters (CVC) in the neuroscience intensive care unit (NSICU). METHODS: This study was carried out in a 32-bed NSICU in a large academic hospital in the USA from July 2015 until January 2017. Patients admitted requiring central venous access were randomly assigned to have a PICC or CVC inserted. Complications were recorded and compared. The primary outcome was all complications as well as combined numbers of large vein thrombosis, central-line-associated blood stream infections, and insertional trauma. Outcomes were compared using the Fisher's exact test, logistic regression, or unpaired T tests, as appropriate. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-two patients were enrolled; 72 were randomized to the PICC arm and 80 to the CVC arm. There were no crossovers, withdrawals, nor losses to follow-up. The study was stopped at the second pre-planned interim analysis for futility. The combined number of large vein thrombosis, central-line-associated blood stream infection, and insertional trauma was 4/72 in the PICC arm and 1/80 in the CVC group (OR 4.6 (95% CI 0.5-42.6) p = 0.14). The number of all complications in the PICC arm was 14/72 compared to 10/80 in the CVC arm (OR 1.7 (95% CI 0.7-4.1) p = 0.24). CONCLUSIONS: PICCs and CVCs have similar numbers of complications when placed in patients admitted to the NSICU.

Neuroscience Intermediate-Level Care Units Staffed by Intensivists: Clinical Outcomes and Cost Analysis.

INTRODUCTION:: With an aging population and increasing numbers of intensive care unit admissions, novel ways of providing quality care at reduced cost are required. Closed neurointensive care units improve outcomes for patients with critical neurological conditions, including decreased mortality and length of stay (LOS). Small studies have demonstrated the safety of intermediate-level units for selected patient populations. However, few studies analyze both cost and safety outcomes of these units. This retrospective study assessed clinical and cost-related outcomes in an intermediate-level neurosciences acute care unit (NACU) before and after the addition of an intensivist to the unit's care team. METHODS:: Starting in October 2011, an intensivist-led model was adopted in a 16-bed NACU unit, including daytime coverage by a dedicated intensivist. Data were obtained from all patients admitted 1 year prior to and 2 years after this intervention. Primary outcomes were LOS and hospital costs. Safety outcomes included mortality and readmissions. Descriptive and analytic statistics were calculated. Individual and total patient costs were calculated based on per-day NACU and ward cost estimates and significance measured using bootstrapping. RESULTS:: A total of 2931 patients were included over the study period. Patients were on average 59.5 years and 53% male. The most common reasons for admission were central nervous system (CNS) tumor (27.6%), ischemic stroke (27%), and subarachnoid hemorrhage (11%). Following the introduction of an intensivist, there was a significant reduction in NACU and hospital LOS, by 1 day and 3 days, respectively. There were no differences in readmissions or mortality. Adding an intensivist produced an individual cost savings of US$963 in NACU and US$2687 per patient total hospital stay. CONCLUSION:: An intensivist-led model of intermediate-level neurointensive care staffed by intensivists is safe, decreases LOS, and produces cost savings in a system increasingly strained to provide quality neurocritical care.

Predictors for Tracheostomy with External Validation of the Stroke-Related Early Tracheostomy Score (SETscore).

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Ischemic stroke (IS), intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) patients often require endotracheal intubation (EI) and mechanical ventilation (MV). Predicting the need for prolonged EI and timing of tracheostomy (TR) is challenging. While TR is performed for about 10-15% of patients in the general intensive care unit (ICU), the rate in the neurological ICU and for stroke patients ranges between 15 and 35%. Thus, we performed an external validation of the recently published SETscore. METHODS: This is a retrospective review for all patients with IS, non-traumatic ICH, and SAH who required intubation within 48 h of admission to the neurological ICU. We compared the SETscore between tracheostomized versus successfully extubated patients, and early TR (within 7 days) versus late TR (after 7 days). RESULTS: Out of 511 intubated patients, 140 tracheostomized and 105 extubated were included. The sensitivity for a SETscore > 10 to predict the need for TR was 81% (95% CI 74-87%) with a specificity of 57% (95% CI 48-67%). The score had moderate accuracy in correctly identifying those requiring TR and those successfully extubated: 71% (95% CI 65-76%). The AUC of the score was 0.74 (95% CI 0.68-0.81). Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify other independent predictors of TR. After including body mass index (BMI), African American (AA) race, ICH and a positive sputum culture in the SETscore, sensitivity, specificity, overall accuracy, and AUC improved to 90%, 78%, 85%, and 0.89 (95% CI 0.85-0.93), respectively. In our cohort, performing early TR was associated with improvement in the ICU median length of stay (LOS) (15 vs 20.5 days; p = 0.002) and mean ventilator duration (VD) (13.4 vs 18.2 days; p = 0.005) in comparison to late TR. CONCLUSIONS: SETscore is a simple score with a moderate accuracy and with a fair AUC used to predict the need for TR after MV for IS, ICH, and SAH patients. Our study also demonstrates that early TR was associated with a lower ICU LOS and VD in our cohort. The utility of this score may be improved when including additional variables such as BMI, AA race, ICH, and positive sputum cultures.

Safety of Phenylephrine Infusion Through Peripheral Intravenous Catheter in the Neurological Intensive Care Unit.

OBJECTIVE: The traditional approach for infusing vasopressors is to insert central venous catheters, which is associated with several complications. Phenylephrine is a commonly used vasopressor in the neurologic intensive care unit (neuro ICU), and due to its modest potency, the risk of local tissue injury from extravasation may be overestimated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety of phenylephrine infusion through peripheral intravenous catheter (PIV) in the neuro ICU. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective review of all consecutive adults admitted to the neuro ICU receiving phenylephrine infusion via PIV at a tertiary academic medical center from September 2012 to November 2015. RESULTS: Two hundred seventy-seven patients with a mean age of 65 years (standard deviation [SD]: ±15) were included in the final analysis. The most common indications for phenylephrine use were hemodynamic augmentation (40%) and postoperative hypotension (32%). The most common location of PIV-infusing phenylephrine was proximal upper extremity (50%). The most common PIV gauge was 20 (41%). The mean maximum dose of phenylephrine was 79 µg/min (SD: ±53, range: 5-200) or 1.04 µg/kg/min (SD: ±0.74, range: 0.07-3.49) and was continued for a mean duration of 19 hours (SD: ±18, range: 1-129). Nine (3%) total episodes of PIV infiltration were noted, none requiring intervention for significant tissue injury or limb ischemia. CONCLUSION: Infusion of phenylephrine through PIV is safe when used in moderate doses for a short time and can be considered in lieu of placing a central line solely for this purpose.

Communication, Leadership, and Decision-Making in the Neuro-ICU.

The Neuro-ICU is a multidisciplinary location that presents peculiar challenges and opportunities for patients with life-threatening neurological disease. Communication skills are essential in supporting caregivers and other embedded providers (e.g., neurosurgeons, advanced practice providers, nurses, pharmacists), through leadership. Limitations to prognostication complicate how decisions are made on behalf of non-communicative patients. Cognitive dysfunction and durable reductions in health-related quality of life are difficult to predict, and the diagnosis of brain death may be challenging and confounded by medications and comorbidities. The Neuro-ICU team, as well as utilization of additional consultants, can be structured to optimize care. Future research should explore how to further improve the composition, communication and interactions of the Neuro-ICU team to maximize outcomes, minimize caregiver burden, and promote collegiality.

A Model for Identifying Patients Who May Not Need Neurologic Intensive Care Unit Admission: Resource Utilization Study.

PURPOSE: Limited resources, neurointensivists, and neurologic intensive care unit (neuro-ICU) beds warrant investigating models for predicting who will benefit from admission to neuro-ICU. This study presents a possible model for identifying patients who might be too well to benefit from admission to a neuro-ICU. METHODS: We retrospectively identified all patients admitted to our 16-bed neuro-ICU between November 2009 and February 2013. We used the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) outcomes database to identify patients who on day 1 of neuro-ICU admission received 1 or more of 30 subsequent active life-supporting treatments. We compared 2 groups of patients: low-risk monitor (LRM; patients who did not receive active treatment [AT] on the first day and whose risk of ever receiving AT was ≤ 10%) and AT (patients who received at least 1 of the 30 ICU treatments on any day of their ICU admission). RESULTS: There were 873 (46%) admissions in the LRM group and 1006 (54%) admissions in the AT group. The ICU length of stay in days was 1.7 (± 1.9) for the LRM group versus 4.5 (± 5.5) for the AT group. The ICU mortality was 0.8% for the LRM group compared to 14% for the AT group (odds ratio [OR] = 17.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 8.2-37.8, P < .0001). Hospital mortality was 1.9% for the LRM group compared to 19% for the AT group (OR = 9.7; 95% CI, 5.8-16.1, P < .0001). CONCLUSION: The outcome for LRM patients in our neuro-ICU suggests they may not require admission to neurologic intensive care. This may provide a measure of neuro-ICU resource use. Improved resource use and reduced costs might be achieved by strategies to provide care for these patients on floors or intermediate care units. This model will need to be validated in other neuro-ICUs and prospectively studied before it can be adopted for triaging admissions to neuro-ICUs.

Reducing Cost and Intravenous Duration of Nicardipine in Intracerebral Hemorrhage Patients via an Interdisciplinary Approach.

BACKGROUND: The mainstay of acute management of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is blood pressure reduction. Intravenous (IV) nicardipine is an effective but costly intervention for blood pressure reduction in the intensive care unit (ICU). Earlier transition to oral (PO) antihypertensive agents may reduce ICU length of stay (LOS) and associated costs. We sought to study the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary intervention to start earlier transition to PO antihypertensives. METHODS: From July 2011 to July 2012, patients with ICH who received IV nicardipine were reviewed and screened for eligibility by an interdisciplinary team including physicians and pharmacists. These patients were compared to a control group 1 year prior to this intervention. The duration of nicardipine treatment (median hours), estimated costs, and ICU LOS were measured. RESULTS: A total of 35 patients and 44 controls were studied. The median hours of IV nicardipine use were significantly decreased from a baseline mean of 118 to 30 hours (P < .001); total cost savings per year was $433,566 ($18,475 per patient). The average LOS remained similar (8.4 versus 8.9 days, P < .990). In a follow-up study 1 year later, after the intervention was no longer used, a sample of 21 consecutive patients was reviewed and the duration of IV nicardipine treatment had increased to a mean of 96 hours. CONCLUSION: A physician and pharmacist-led project to initiate oral antihyperintensive medications earlier was successful in reducing the duration of IV nicardipine treatment in patients with ICH while leading to substantial cost savings.

Prevalence, early predictors, and outcomes of sepsis in neurocritical illnesses: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with neurocritically illness are an under-recognized population at high risk of sepsis. We aimed to investigate the prevalence, early predictors, and outcomes of sepsis in neuro-ICU. METHODS: Daily and accumulative incidences of sepsis in neuro-ICU were explored. Demographics, medical history, baseline disease severity scores, and baseline biomarkers regarding inflammation, immunology, organ function, and nutritional status were collected and analyzed as potential predictors of sepsis. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine the independent predictors, and a nomogram was used to estimate the individual probability of sepsis in neuro-ICU. RESULTS: 153 patients were included in this study. Fifty-nine (38.6%) patients developed sepsis, and 21 (14%) patients developed septic shock. More than 86% of the septic cases occurred within the first week. Sequential organ failure assessment score ((relative risk) RR 1.334, P = .026), history of diabetes (RR 2.346, P = .049), and transferrin (RR 0.128, P = .042) on admission are independent predictors of sepsis. Septic patients had significantly higher mortality (P = .011), higher medical cost (P = .028), and a lower rate of functional independence (P = .010), compared to patients without sepsis. CONCLUSIONS: Sepsis afflicted more than one-third of neurocritically-ill patients and occurred mostly in the first week of admission. History of diabetes, serum transferrin, and sequential organ failure assessment score on admission were early predictors. Sepsis led to significantly worse outcomes and higher medical costs.

Development and application of a nomogram model for the prediction of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae infection in neuro-ICU patients.

IMPORTANCE: Patients in neuro-ICU are at a high risk of developing nosocomial CRKP infection owing to complex conditions, critical illness, and frequent invasive procedures. However, studies focused on constructing prediction models for assessing the risk of CRKP infection in neurocritically ill patients are lacking at present. Therefore, this study aims to establish a simple-to-use nomogram for predicting the risk of CRKP infection in patients admitted to the neuro-ICU. Three easily accessed variables were included in the model, including the number of antibiotics used, surgery, and the length of neuro-ICU stay. This nomogram might serve as a useful tool to facilitate early detection and reduction of the CRKP infection risk of neurocritically ill patients.

Development and application of a risk nomogram for the prediction of risk of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections in neuro-intensive care unit: a mixed method study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop and apply a nomogram with good accuracy to predict the risk of CRAB infections in neuro-critically ill patients. In addition, the difficulties and expectations of application such a tool in clinical practice was investigated. METHODS: A mixed methods sequential explanatory study design was utilized. We first conducted a retrospective study to identify the risk factors for the development of CRAB infections in neuro-critically ill patients; and further develop and validate a nomogram predictive model. Then, based on the developed predictive tool, medical staff in the neuro-ICU were received an in-depth interview to investigate their opinions and barriers in using the prediction tool during clinical practice. The model development and validation is carried out by R. The transcripts of the interviews were analyzed by Maxqda. RESULTS: In our cohort, the occurrence of CRAB infections was 8.63% (47/544). Multivariate regression analysis showed that the length of neuro-ICU stay, male, diabetes, low red blood cell (RBC) count, high levels of procalcitonin (PCT), and number of antibiotics ≥ 2 were independent risk factors for CRAB infections in neuro-ICU patients. Our nomogram model demonstrated a good calibration and discrimination in both training and validation sets, with AUC values of 0.816 and 0.875. Additionally, the model demonstrated good clinical utility. The significant barriers identified in the interview include "skepticism about the accuracy of the model", "delay in early prediction by the indicator of length of neuro-ICU stay", and "lack of a proper protocol for clinical application". CONCLUSIONS: We established and validated a nomogram incorporating six easily accessed indicators during clinical practice (the length of neuro-ICU stay, male, diabetes, RBC, PCT level, and the number of antibiotics used) to predict the risk of CRAB infections in neuro-ICU patients. Medical staff are generally interested in using the tool to predict the risk of CRAB, however delivering clinical prediction tools in routine clinical practice remains challenging.

Development and validation of a user-friendly risk nomogram for the prediction of catheter-associated urinary tract infection in neuro-intensive care patients.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop a user-friendly nomogram model to evaluate the risk of catheter-associated urinary tract infections in neuro-critically ill patients. METHODS: A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted on 537 patients with indwelling catheters admitted to the neuro-intensive care unit. Patients' general information, laboratory examination findings, and clinical characteristics were collected. Multivariate regression analysis was applied to develop the nomogram for the prediction of catheter-associated urinary tract infections in this group of patients. The discriminative capacity, calibration ability, and clinical effectiveness of the nomogram were evaluated. RESULTS: The occurrence of catheter-associated urinary tract infections was 3.91 % and Escherichia coli was the major causative pathogen. Multivariate regression analysis showed that age ≥ 60 years (odds ratio: 35.2, 95 % confidence interval: 2.3-550.8), epilepsy (39.3, 5.1-301.4), a length of neuro-intensive care stay > 30 days (272.2, 8.3-8963.5), and low albumin levels (<35 g/L) (12.1, 2.1-69.9) were independent risk factors associated with catheter-associated urinary tract infection in neuro-intensive care patients. The nomogram demonstrated good calibration and discrimination in both the training and the validation sets. The model exhibited good clinical use since the decision curve analysis covered a large threshold probability. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a user-friendly nomogram to predict catheter-associated urinary tract ibfection in neuro-intensive care patients. The nomogram incorporated clinical variables collected on admission (age, admission diagnosis, and albumin levels) and the length of stay and enabled the effective prediction of the likelihood of catheter-associated urinary tract infections.

Hemolytic uremic syndrome with central nervous system manifestations, a case report and literature review.

Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a multisystem disorder generally seen in children and young adults, manifesting with the symptomatic triad of thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, and acute kidney injury. These symptoms are often preceded by a prodrome of bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and weakness. HUS is an exceedingly rare entity, with less than 1.5 per 100,000 people affected annually. HUS with central nervous system (CNS) manifestations constitutes approximately 20%-50% of cases and often presents with seizures, altered level of consciousness, and brainstem symptoms. CNS involvement in HUS is a major cause of acute morbidity and mortality; therefore, timely diagnosis and treatment are crucial in the management of these cases. Neuroimaging plays a critical role in the diagnosis; however, it might be very challenging in a large number of cases because studies that report the typical neuroradiologic features of brain injury in cases with HUS are not commonly available. Herein, we demonstrate in a case-based approach, the importance of combining clinical suspicion with different radiologic modalities to better characterize HUS cases with CNS involvement, as well as demonstrate how the early start of meticulous supportive therapy can lead to a favorable outcome even when severe brain involvement is evident on acute imaging studies. Furthermore, we provide an illustrated overview of the current theories that explain the neurologic involvement in HUS, as well as the commonly affected brain areas and how this entity can be radiologically differentiated from other potential diagnoses.

Pneumonia in Nervous System Injuries: An Analytic Review of Literature and Recommendations.

Pneumonia is one of the most common complications in intensive care units and is the most common nosocomial infection in this setting. Patients with neurocritical conditions who are admitted to ICUs are no exception, and in fact, are more prone to infections such as pneumonia because of factors such as swallow dysfunction, need for mechanical ventilation, longer length of stay in hospitals, etc. Common central nervous system pathologies such as ischemic stroke, traumatic brain injury, subarachnoid hemorrhage, intracerebral hemorrhage, neuromuscular disorders, status epilepticus, and demyelinating diseases can cause long in-hospital admissions and increase the risk of pneumonia each with a mechanism of its own. Brain injury-induced immunosuppression syndrome is usually considered the common mechanism through which patients with critical central nervous system conditions become susceptible to different kinds of infection including pneumonia. Evaluating the patients and assessment of the risk factors can lead our attention toward better infection control in this population and therefore decrease the risk of infections in central nervous system injuries.