Patients with systemic rheumatic diseases admitted to the intensive care unit: what the rheumatologist needs to know

Characteristics and outcome of critically ill patients with systemic rheumatic diseases referred to the intensive care unit

OBJECTIVES

Patients with systemic rheumatic diseases (SRDs) are at risk of admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). Data concerning these critically ill patients are limited to few retrospective studies.

METHODS

This is a single-centre retrospective study of patients with SRDs admitted to an ICU at the Vienna General Hospital between 2012 and 2020. Single-predictor and multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify potential outcome determinants.

RESULTS

A total of 144 patients accounting for 192 ICU admissions were included. Connective tissue diseases (CTDs), vasculitides and rheumatoid arthritis were the most common SRDs requiring ICU admission. Leading causes for ICU admission were respiratory failure and shock, as reflected by a high number of patients requiring mechanical ventilation (60.4%) and vasopressor therapy (72.9%). Overall, 29.2% of admissions were due to SRD-related critical illness. In 70.8% patients, co-existent SRD not responsible for the acute critical illness was documented. When comparing these subgroups, CTDs and vasculitides had a higher frequency in the patients with SRD-related critical illness. In a significantly higher proportion of patients in the SRD-related subgroup, diagnosis of SRD was made at the ICU. ICU and 6-month mortality in the overall population was 20.3% and 38.5%, respectively. Age, glucocorticoid therapy prior to hospital admission and disease severity were associated with poor outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, respiratory failure was the leading cause of ICU admission as reflected by high rates of required mechanical ventilation. Despite considerable severity of critical illness, survival rates were comparable to a general ICU population.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with inflammatory and autoimmune rheumatological diseases admitted for intensive care in Colombia

OBJECTIVE

Contemporary studies reporting outcomes of critical care in patients with inflammatory and autoimmune rheumatological diseases are scarce. This study describes 15 years of experience from 2005-2019 in a Colombian referral hospital.

METHODS

This observational, descriptive, consecutive case series study was performed on adult patients with inflammatory and autoimmune rheumatic diseases who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of the San Ignacio University Hospital in Bogotá (Colombia), from January 1, 2005, to December 21, 2019. We describe the sociodemographic characteristics, admission causes and criteria, lengths of stay, immunosuppressive treatment, systemic support, and mortality.

RESULTS

The study included 300 patients with a median age of 48 years [interquartile range (IQR) 31-62 years], predominantly female (76%). Disease exacerbations (30%), infections (17.6%), and cardiovascular diseases (15%) were the main causes of admission. Respiratory failure (23%) most commonly caused by septic shock (24%) was the principal indication for intensive care admission. The most frequent infections were community-acquired pneumonia (11.6%) and soft-tissue infections (9%). In 40.3% of patients, inotropic and vasopressor support was required. The median length of stay was 4 days (IQR 2-8), and global mortality was 21.6%.

CONCLUSIONS

Rheumatic diseases in the ICU are still associated with high morbidity and mortality. Patients with inflammatory and autoimmune rheumatic diseases require a meticulous clinical approach, strict clinical monitoring, frequent assessment of complications, evaluation of systemic support needs, and specific management.

The Diagnostic profile and clinical course of patients with rheumatic diseases in the medical intensive care unit

Background/aim

Immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory treatments developed in recent years as a result of a better understanding of the pathophysiology of systemic rheumatic diseases (SRDs) improve the prognosis. Despite medical advances, individuals with SRDs at any stage may require intensive care and have a high mortality rate. The aim of this study was to investigate the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with rheumatic diseases admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), and the factors associated with the risk of mortality.

Materials and methods

This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study that included patients with rheumatic diseases in the medical ICU. Factors of ICU 28-day mortality were identified by multiple-variable logistic analysis.

Results

A total of 127 patients with SRDs admitted to the medical ICU were enrolled. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (32.3%) was the most common diagnosis of SRDs in patients admitted to the ICU. The reasons for admission to the ICU were combined infection and primary SRD flare-up (35.4%), primary SRD flare-up (22%), SRD-unrelated reasons (22%), infection (17.3%), drug side effects (3.9%), and SRD-related complications (0.8%). The most common organ dysfunctions before (49.6%) and during (77.2%) admission to ICU were in the respiratory system. The 28-day mortality was 78 (61.4%). While the maximum procalcitonin, serum lactate, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels were higher in the nonsurvivor group, the platelet and serum albumin levels were statistically significantly lower than those in the survivor group (p < 0.05). Acute respiratory failure (ARF), the presence of septic shock, the need for invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), BUN level, and low platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were significant in the final multiple-variable model.

Conclusion

Significant predictors of mortality in patients with rheumatic diseases may include ARF, septic shock, the need for IMV, and high BUN and low PLR levels.

Determination of the main causes, outcome, and prognostic factors of patients with rheumatologic diseases admitted to the medical intensive care unit in Southern Iran

BACKGROUND

Systemic rheumatic diseases (SRD) are a heterogeneous group of diseases that can involve several organ systems and occasionally requires intensive care unit (ICU) admission because of severe systemic disease, life-threatening organ involvement, or complication of treatment. The objective of this study is to determine the causes, outcome, and prognostic factors of patients with rheumatologic diseases admitted in teaching medical ICUs in southern Iran.

METHODS

A retrospective case review of all patients with rheumatologic diseases admitted in the academic medical ICUs in two referral hospitals in southern Iran, from March 2015 to January 2020. Patients' data were documented from their hospital records and the cause of admission, in-hospital outcome, and prognostic factors was evaluated.

RESULTS

Ninety-one patients were included, of which 71.4% were female. Systemic lupus erythematosus (54.9%) was the most common disease. Nineteen (20.9%) patients were new cases of rheumatological disease. The most frequent symptom for admittance was dyspnea (54.9%) and hemoptysis (20.9%). The in-hospital mortality rate was 48%, and the leading cause of death was infection (29 patients; 65.5%) followed by disease activity (18 patients; 40.9%). Also, the death of 29.5% of patients was presumed due to both disease activity and infection. Factors associated with mortality included renal insufficiency (p < 0.028), infection (p < 0.001), pneumonia (p < 0.042), dyspnea (p < 0.042), loss of consciousness (p < 0.046), azathioprine consumption (p < 0.004) during 1 month before ICU admission, mechanical ventilation (p < 0.001), renal replacement therapy (p < 0.001), CNS involvement (p < 0.009), and ICU medications such as cyclosporine and azathioprine (0.03 and 0.03, respectively) or treatments such as plasmapheresis (p < 0.018).

CONCLUSION

The ICU mortality rate of patients with SRD was high. Infection and disease exacerbation are the leading reasons for ICU admission in systemic rheumatic diseases. Intensivists must keep in mind that SRD exacerbation may require immunosuppressive agents along with lifesaving interventions, more particularly in newly diagnosed SRDs. Key Points • The ICU mortality rate of patients with SRD was high. • Infection and disease exacerbation are the leading reasons for ICU admission in systemic rheumatic diseases. • 63.8% of our patients fall into this category of new cases of rheumatologic disease and disease flare-up.

ANCA in systemic sclerosis, when vasculitis overlaps with vasculopathy: a devastating combination of pathologies

In patients with SSc, the coexistence of ANCA-associated vasculitis (SSc-AAV) has been reported to be associated with a severe disease course, including significant pulmonary and renal involvement. The presence of ANCA is not uncommon in patients with SSc, and therefore clinicians must maintain a high index of clinical suspicion about SSc-AAV. p-ANCA and anti-myeloperoxidase antibodies are the most common antibodies observed. Patients typically present with clinical features of microscopic polyangiitis or renal-limited vasculitis. There are multiple areas of potential interaction in the pathogenesis of SSc and AAV, which can exacerbate/compound vascular disease. In addition, similar patterns of major internal organ involvement (e.g. lung and kidneys) are seen in both conditions. We highlight a diagnostic approach to SSc-AAV and the paucity of data to inform management. As such, SSc-AAV is typically treated as per isolated AAV, which can potentially be hazardous in patients with SSc (e.g. due to the association between high-dose steroid and scleroderma renal crisis). We propose that this rare clinical entity warrants rigorous investigation, including definition of a therapeutic strategy to ameliorate the potentially devastating combination of pathologies in SSc-AAV.

Autoimmune Neurologic Emergencies

Over the past decade, understanding of autoimmune neurologic disorders has exponentially increased. Many patients present as a neurologic emergency and require timely evaluation with rapid management and intensive care. However, the diagnosis is often either missed or delayed, which may lead to a significant burden of disabling morbidity and even mortality. A high level of suspicion in the at-risk population should be maintained to facilitate more rapid diagnosis and prompt treatment. At present, there is no all-encompassing algorithm specifically applicable to the management of fulminant autoimmune neurologic disorders. This article discusses manifestations and management of various autoimmune neurologic emergencies.

Serious infections in people with systemic sclerosis: a national US study

Objective

To study incidence, time trends, and outcomes of serious infections in systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods

We used the 1998–2016 US National Inpatient Sample data. We examined the epidemiology, time trends, and outcomes of five serious infections (opportunistic infections (OI), skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI), urinary tract infection (UTI), pneumonia, and sepsis/bacteremia) in hospitalized people with SSc. We performed multivariable-adjusted logistic regression analyses to analyze independent association of factors with healthcare utilization (hospital charges, length of hospital stay, discharge to non-home setting) and in-hospital mortality.

Results

There were 49,904,955 hospitalizations with serious infections in people without SSc and 61,615 in those with SSc. During 1998–2016, the most common serious infections in SSc were pneumonia (45%), sepsis (32%), SSTI (19%), UTI (3%), and OI (3%). In 2013–2014, sepsis surpassed pneumonia as the most common serious infection; by 2015–2016, sepsis was 1.8 times more common than pneumonia. Over the study period, hospital charges increased, while length of hospital stay and in-hospital mortality decreased, overall and for each serious infection. Multivariable-adjusted analyses showed that sepsis, age ≥ 80 years, and Deyo-Charlson score ≥ 2 were associated with significantly higher odds of healthcare utilization and in-hospital mortality, and Medicare or Medicaid insurance payer, Northeast location, urban teaching or non-teaching hospital, and medium or large hospital bed size with significantly higher odds of healthcare utilization.

Conclusions

Outcomes in people with SSc hospitalized with serious infections have improved over time, except higher hospital charges. Identification of factors associated with higher healthcare utilization and in-hospital mortality allows for developing interventions to improve outcomes.

Systemic sclerosis

Systemic sclerosis is a complex autoimmune connective tissue disease which carries a significant burden of disease-related morbidity including potentially life-threatening complications. Systemic sclerosis can affect all the major organs and therefore, although the disease is uncommon, many hospital-based specialists are involved in patient care. Vascular disease (e.g. Raynaud's phenomenon) is an almost universal symptom in patients with systemic sclerosis and is often the earliest manifestation of the disease. Systemic sclerosis not uncommonly can overlap with other rheumatological conditions (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis and myositis). During the past few decades there have been major advances in understanding the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis and these are driving advances in treatment. There are now a number of effective treatments to manage many of the different organ-based complications. Autologous haemopoietic stem cell transplantation is a potential treatment option in highly selected patients. This review updates the clinician about epidemiology, pathogenesis, differential diagnosis, the wide clinical spectrum of disease, and current and emerging treatments for systemic sclerosis.

Outcome of children with systemic rheumatic diseases admitted to pediatric intensive care unit: An experience of a tertiary hospital

Objective

To report the outcome of children with rheumatic diseases admitted to pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) in a tertiary hospital.

Methods

Database from PICU and pediatric rheumatology section used to retrieve all candidate patients admitted to PICU from June 2000 to December 2017. Medical records of all enrolled patients reviewed for diagnosis, organ involvement, reason of PICU admission, the length of stay, and outcome.

Results

Twenty-five patients (17 female, 8 male) with total of 41 admissions identified. The median PICU stay was 13.5 days (range, 3–24). The most frequent diagnoses were systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (48%), followed by systemic vasculitis (16%). Most admissions were from the medical ward (68.3%), while 24.4% from the emergency room. The main reason of PICU admission was a disease flare or related complications (48.8%), followed by infection (34.2%). Fifty one percent of the admissions were due to respiratory dysfunction, 46% required non-invasive respiratory support while 38% was in need for mechanical ventilation. During PICU stay, anti-microbial agents used 90.3%, immunosuppressive treatment adjustment 75.6%, anti-hypertensive 24.4% and vasopressors 12.2%. Twelve patients (48%) fully recovered and 40% partially recovered while three patients died during their PICU stay. The causes of death were macrophage activation syndrome complicated by sepsis in two patients and advanced pulmonary hypertension in one patient.

Conclusion

Our data showed that children with rheumatic diseases, particularly SLE, are mostly admitted to PICU with serious disease exacerbation or severe infection. To improve the outcome, early diagnosis of critical condition and proper intervention are fundamental in reducing mortality.