Sergio Henrique Loss

Prediction of chronic critical illness in a general intensive care unit

OBJECTIVE To assess the incidence, costs, and mortality associated with chronic critical illness (CCI), and to identify clinical predictors of CCI in a general intensive care unit. METHODS This was a prospective observational cohort study. All patients receiving supportive treatment for over 20 days were considered chronically critically ill and eligible for the study. After applying the exclusion criteria, 453 patients were analyzed. RESULTS There was an 11% incidence of CCI. Total length of hospital stay, costs, and mortality were significantly higher among patients with CCI. Mechanical ventilation, sepsis, Glasgow score <15, inadequate calorie intake, and higher body mass index were independent predictors for CCI in the multivariate logistic regression model. CONCLUSIONS CCI affects a distinctive population in intensive care units with higher mortality, costs, and prolonged hospitalization. Factors identifiable at the time of admission or during the first week in the intensive care unit can be used to predict CCI.

The reality of patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation: a multicenter study

Objetivo: Na ultima decada ocorreu um aumento no numero de pacientes que necessitam manutencao de venti- lacao mecânica prolongada, resultando no surgimento de uma grande popula- cao de pacientes cronicos criticamen- te enfermos. Este estudo estabeleceu a incidencia de ventilacao mecânica pro- longada em quatro unidades de terapia intensiva e relatou as diferentes caracte- risticas, desfechos hospitalares e impacto nos custos e servicos de pacientes com ventilacao mecânica prolongada (depen- dencia de ventilacao mecânica por 21 dias ou mais) em comparacao a pacien- tes sem ventilacao mecânica prolongada (dependencia de ventilacao mecânica in- ferior a 21 dias).Objective The number of patients who require prolonged mechanical ventilation increased during the last decade, which generated a large population of chronically ill patients. This study established the incidence of prolonged mechanical ventilation in four intensive care units and reported different characteristics, hospital outcomes, and the impact of costs and services of prolonged mechanical ventilation patients (mechanical ventilation dependency ≥ 21 days) compared with non-prolonged mechanical ventilation patients (mechanical ventilation dependency < 21 days). Methods This study was a multicenter cohort study of all patients who were admitted to four intensive care units. The main outcome measures were length of stay in the intensive care unit, hospital, complications during intensive care unit stay, and intensive care unit and hospital mortality. Results There were 5,287 admissions to the intensive care units during study period. Some of these patients (41.5%) needed ventilatory support (n = 2,197), and 218 of the patients met criteria for prolonged mechanical ventilation (9.9%). Some complications developed during intensive care unit stay, such as muscle weakness, pressure ulcers, bacterial nosocomial sepsis, candidemia, pulmonary embolism, and hyperactive delirium, were associated with a significantly higher risk of prolonged mechanical ventilation. Prolonged mechanical ventilation patients had a significant increase in intensive care unit mortality (absolute difference = 14.2%, p < 0.001) and hospital mortality (absolute difference = 19.1%, p < 0.001). The prolonged mechanical ventilation group spent more days in the hospital after intensive care unit discharge (26.9 ± 29.3 versus 10.3 ± 20.4 days, p < 0.001) with higher costs. Conclusion The classification of chronically critically ill patients according to the definition of prolonged mechanical ventilation adopted by our study (mechanical ventilation dependency ≥ 21 days) identified patients with a high risk for complications during intensive care unit stay, longer intensive care unit and hospital stays, high death rates, and higher costs.

Avaliação do risco nutricional em pacientes oncológicos graves : revisão sistemática

Objective To systematically review the main methods for nutritional risk assessment used in critically ill cancer patients and present the methods that better assess risks and predict relevant clinical outcomes in this group of patients, as well as to discuss the pros and cons of these methods according to the current literature. Methods The study consisted of a systematic review based on analysis of manuscripts retrieved from the PubMed, LILACS and SciELO databases by searching for the key words “nutritional risk assessment”, “critically ill” and “cancer”. Results Only 6 (17.7%) of 34 initially retrieved papers met the inclusion criteria and were selected for the review. The main outcomes of these studies were that resting energy expenditure was associated with undernourishment and overfeeding. The high Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment score was significantly associated with low food intake, weight loss and malnutrition. In terms of biochemical markers, higher levels of creatinine, albumin and urea were significantly associated with lower mortality. The worst survival was found for patients with worse Eastern Cooperative Oncologic Group - performance status, high Glasgow Prognostic Score, low albumin, high Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment score and high alkaline phosphatase levels. Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index values < 87 were significantly associated with mortality. A high Prognostic Inflammatory and Nutritional Index score was associated with abnormal nutritional status in critically ill cancer patients. Among the reviewed studies that examined weight and body mass index alone, no significant clinical outcome was found. Conclusion None of the methods reviewed helped to define risk among these patients. Therefore, assessment by a combination of weight loss and serum measurements, preferably in combination with other methods using scores such as Eastern Cooperative Oncologic Group - performance status, Glasgow Prognostic Score and Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment, is suggested given that their use is simple, feasible and useful in such cases.

Meningite e endocardite infecciosa causada por Rhodotorula mucilaginosa em paciente imunocompetente

The authors report the case of an immunocompetent man who presented with acute impairment of the neurological system, hypertensive crisis and renal failure. The patient was eventually diagnosed with Rhodotorula mucilaginosa meningitis and infective endocarditis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first description of simultaneous infection of the meninges and endothelium caused by Rhodotorula in a non-immunocompromised patient.

Underfeeding versus full enteral feeding in critically ill patients with acute respiratory failure: a systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

INTRODUCTION Although guidelines emphasize that the provision of enteral nutrition (EN) should be as close as the patients needs, prospective studies question this strategy. OBJECTIVE To compare the effect of two EN strategies (underfeeding versus full-feeding) on ICU and overall mortality (hospital mortality or 60-day mortality) and length of stay (LOS), duration of mechanical ventilation (MV), infectious complications, and gastrointestional tolerability in ICU patients. METHODS Random effects meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCT). Our search covered MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS and CENTRAL databases until May 2015. Underfeeding was assigned into to two different groups according to the level of energy intake achieved (moderate feeding 46-72% and trophic feeding 16-25%) for subgroup analysis. RESULTS Five RCTs were included among the 904 studies retrieved (n=2432 patients). No difference was found in overall mortality when all five studies were combined. In the subgroup analysis, moderate feeding (three studies) showed lower mortality compared with full-feeding (RR 0.82;95%CI,0.68-0.98;I2 0% p=0.59 for heterogeneity). No differences were found for ICU mortality, ICU and hospital LOS, duration of MV, and infectious complications. Underfeeding showed lower occurrence of GI signs and symptoms except for aspiration and abdominal distention. CONCLUSIONS This meta-analysis found no differences in ICU and overall mortality, ICU and hospital LOS, duration of MV, and infectious complications between underfeeding and full-feeding. The subgroup analysis showed lower overall mortality among patients receiving moderate underfeeding. This result should be cautiously interpreted due to the limitations of the small number of studies analyzed and their methodology.

Could a protocol based on early goal-directed therapy improve outcomes in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock in the Intensive Care Unit setting?

Context: Sepsis is a disease with high incidence and mortality. Among the interventions of the resuscitation bundle, the early goal-directed therapy (EGDT) is recommended. Aims: The aim was to evaluate outcomes in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock using EGDT in real life compared with patients who did not undergo it in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) setting. Settings and Design: retrospective and observational cohort study at tertiary hospital. Subjects and Methods: All the patients admitted to ICU were screened for severe sepsis or septic shock and included in a registry and followed. The patients were allocated in two groups according to submission or not to EGDT. Results: A total of 268 adult patients with severe sepsis or septic shock were included. EGDT was employed in 97/268 patients. The general mortality was higher in no early goal-directed therapy (no-EGDT) then in EGDT groups (49.7% vs. 37.1% [P = 0.04] in hospital and 40.4% vs. 29.9% [P = 0.08] in the ICU, respectively. The general length of stay [LOS] in the no-EGDT and EGDT groups was 45.0 ± 59.8 vs. 29.1 ± 30.1 days [P = 0.002] in hospital and 17.4 ± 19.4 vs. 9.1 ± 9.8 days [P < 0.001] in the ICU, respectively). Conclusions: Our study shows reduced mortality and LOS in patients submitted to EGDT in the ICU setting. A simplified EGDT without central venous oxygen saturation is an important tool for sepsis management.

Aporte nutricional e desfechos em pacientes críticos no final da primeira semana na unidade de terapia intensiva

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the relationship between nutritional intake and protein and caloric requirements and observed clinical outcomes on the 7th day of intensive care unit stay. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of 126 patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit for >7 days. The patients were categorized according to the adequacy of energy and protein intake in relation to requirements (a >60% Adequate Intake Group and a <60% Inadequate Intake Group). The length of stay, ventilator free time and mortality in the intensive care unit and hospital were evaluated. RESULTS: Enteral nutrition was used in 95.6% of the 126 included patients, and nutrition was initiated 41 hours after admission to the intensive care unit. The adequacy of intake was 84% for energy and 72.5% for protein. No differences in the length of stay [16 (11-23) versus 15 (11-21) days, p=0.862], ventilator free time [2 (0-7) versus 3 (0-6) days, p=0.985] or mortality in the intensive care unit [12 (41.4%) versus 38 (39.1%), p=0.831] and hospital [15 (51.7%) versus 44 (45.4%), p=0.348] were observed between the adequate and inadequate energy intake groups, respectively. Similar results in protein intake and the length of hospital stay [15 (12-21) versus 15 (11-21) days, p=0.996], ventilator free time [2 (0-7) versus 3 (0-6) days, p=0.846], and mortality in the intensive care unit [15 (28.3%) versus 35 (47.9%), p=0.536)] and hospital [18 (52.9%) versus 41 (44.6%), p=0.262] were observed between groups. CONCLUSION: The results did not establish that energy and protein intakes of greater or less than 60% of nutritional requirements were reliable dividers of clinical outcomes.

Biomarkers as predictors of mortality in critically ill patients with solid tumors

Biochemical markers produced by the affected organ or body in response to disease have gained high clinical value due to assess disease development and being excellent predictors of morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to analyze different biochemical markers in critically cancer patients and to determine which of them can be used as predictors of mortality. This is a prospective, cross-sectional study conducted at a University Hospital in Porto Alegre - RS. Screening was done to include patients in the study. Serum biochemical markers obtained in the first 24 hours of Intensive Care Unit hospitalization were analyzed. A second review of medical records occurred after three months objected to identify death or Unit discharged. A sample of 130 individuals was obtained (control group n = 65, study group n = 65). In the multivariate model, serum magnesium values ​​OR = 3.97 (1.17; 13.5), presence of neoplasia OR = 2.68 (95% CI 1.13; 6.37) and absence of sepsis OR = 0.31 (95% CI 0.12; 0.79) were robust predictors of mortality. The association of solid tumors, sepsis presence and alteration in serum magnesium levels resulted in an increased chance of mortality in critically ill patients.

The Reality of Patients Requiring Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation: A Retrospective Multicenter Cohort Study

Context: The number of patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) has increased over the last decade, generating a large population of chronically ill patients. Objective: To establish the incidence of PMV in four Intensive Care Units (ICUs), and to report different characteristics, hospital outcomes, and the impact of costs and services of PMV patients (mechanical ventilation dependency = 21 days) compared with non-PMV patients (mechanical ventilation dependency < 21 days). Design, Setting, and Patients: A retrospective multicenter cohort study, including all patients admitted to four ICUs. Main Outcome Measures: Length of stay in the ICU, hospital, complications during ICU stay, and ICU and hospital mortality. Results: During study period, there were 5,287 admission episodes to the ICUs. Forty-one point five percent of these patients needed ventilatory support (n=2,197), and 218 met criteria for PMV (9.9%). Some complications developed during ICU stay, such as muscle weakness, pressure ulcers, bacterial nosocomial sepsis, candidemia, pulmonary embolism, and hyperactive delirium, were associated with a significantly higher risk of PMV. PMV patients had a significant increase in ICU mortality (absolute difference=14.2%, p<0.001), and in hospital mortality (absolute difference=19.1%, p<0.001); PMV group spent more days in the hospital after ICU discharge (26.9 ± 29.3 vs. 10.3 ± 20.4, p<0.001) and with higher costs. Conclusions: the classification of chronically critically ill patients according to the definition of PMV adopted by our study (mechanical ventilation dependency =21 days) identified patients with high risk for complications during ICU stay, high ICU and hospital stay, high death rates, as well as higher costs.

Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 Cut-Off to Identify High-Risk Is a Good Predictor of ICU Mortality in Critically Ill Patients

BACKGROUND The Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002) is a widely recommended nutrition risk indicator. Two cut-offs have been proposed for intensive care unit (ICU) patients to classify nutrition risk: ≥3-<5, at risk and ≥5, high risk. To date, no study has directly compared these cut-offs. The aim of this study is to compare the NRS-2002 ICU nutrition risk cut-offs as predictors of clinical outcomes including infections, ICU and hospital mortality, length of stay (LOS), duration of mechanical ventilation (MVd), weaning failure, tracheotomy for prolonged MVd, and chronic critical illness (CCI). METHODS Adult patients were screened and stratified according to NRS-2002 ICU criteria. Clinical, epidemiologic, and nutrition data were extracted from medical records. Statistical analysis for independent samples and Poisson regression were performed. RESULTS A total of 185 patients were screened: 1 (0.54%) no risk; 96 (51.89%) at risk, and 88 (47.56%) high risk. High-risk patients were older, had higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3 (62.0 ± 14.1 vs 53.0 ± 12.9, respectively; P < .001) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (6.9 ± 3.7 vs 5.1 ± 3.1, respectively; P < .001), and developed more infections (42 [47.8%] vs 27 [28.1%]; P = .010). No differences were found for ICU and hospital LOS, MVd days, weaning failure, tracheotomy, and CCI. ICU and hospital mortality were higher in high-risk patients. The high-risk cut-off was predictor of ICU mortality (relative risk 2.10, 95% confidence interval 1.07-4.14; P = .032). CONCLUSION Our data suggest that the NRS-2002 high-risk cut-off is associated with worse clinical outcomes and is a predictor for ICU mortality.