Admission of Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Patients to the Intensive Care Unit at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Hospital

Risk factors for ICU mortality in patients with hematological malignancies: a singlecenter, retrospective cohort study from Turkey

BACKGROUND

Patients with hematological malignancies (HM) often require admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) due to organ failure, disease progression or treatment-related complications, and they generally have a poor prognosis. Therefore, understanding the factors affecting ICU mortality in HM patients is important. In this study, we aimed to identify the risk factors for ICU mortality in our critically ill HM patients.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of HM patients who were hospitalized in our medical ICU between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2018. We recorded some parameters of these patients and compared these parameters by statistically between survivors and nonsurvivors to determine the risk factors for ICU mortality.

RESULTS

The study included 368 critically ill HM patients who were admitted to our medical ICU during a 9-year period. The median age was 58 (49-67) years and 63.3% of the patients were male. Most of the patients (43.2%) had acute leukemia. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) was performed in 153 (41.6%) patients. The ICU mortality rate was 51.4%. According to univariable analyses, a lot of parameters (e.g., admission APACHE II and SOFA scores, length of ICU stay, some laboratory parameters at the ICU admission, the reason for ICU admission, comorbidities, type of HM, type of HSCT, infections on ICU admission and during ICU stay, etc.) were significantly different between survivors and nonsurvivors. However, only high SOFA scores at ICU admission (OR:1.281, p = 0.004), presence of septic shock (OR:17.123, p = 0.0001), acute kidney injury (OR:48.284, p = 0.0001), and requirement of invasive mechanical ventilation support during ICU stay (OR:23.118, p = 0.0001) were independent risk factors for ICU mortality.

DISCUSSION

In our cohort, critically ill HM patients had high ICU mortality. We found four independent predictors for ICU mortality. Yet, there is still a need for further research to better understand poor outcome predictors in critically ill HM patients.

New approaches to management of fever and neutropenia in high-risk patients

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Patients receiving treatment for acute leukaemia and haematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) have prolonged neutropenia and are at high risk of neutropenic fever, with bacterial and particularly invasive fungal infections as feared complications, possessing potentially serious consequences including intensive care admission and mortality. Concerns for these serious complications often lead to long durations of broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy and escalation to even broader therapy if fever persists. Further, the default approach is to continue neutropenic fever therapy until count recovery, leaving many patients who have long defervesced on prolonged antibiotics.

RECENT FINDINGS

This article details recent progress in this field with particular emphasis on early discontinuation studies in resolved neutropenic fever and improved imaging techniques for the investigation of those with persistent neutropenic fever. Recent randomized controlled trials have shown that early cessation of empiric neutropenic fever therapy is well tolerated in acute leukaemia and autologous HCT patients who are clinically stable and afebrile for 72 h. Delineation of the best approach to cessation (timing and/or use of fluoroquinolone prophylaxis) and whether this approach is well tolerated in the higher risk allogeneic HCT setting is still required. Recent RCT data demonstrate utility of FDG-PET/CT to guide management and rationalize antimicrobial therapy in high-risk patient groups with persistent neutropenic fever.

SUMMARY

Acute leukaemic and autologous HCT patients with resolved neutropenic fever prior to count recovery can have empiric therapy safely discontinued or de-escalated. There is an emerging role of FDG-PET/CT to support decision-making about antibiotic and antifungal use in high-risk persistent/recurrent neutropenic fever patients.

Outcomes of hematopoietic cell transplant recipients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation: a two-centre retrospective cohort study

PURPOSE

Outcomes of critically ill, hematopoietic cell transplant patients who require prolonged mechanical ventilation are not well studied. We describe the baseline characteristics, critical care management, and outcomes of this population and explore potential predictors of mortality.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study in two critical care units in Ontario. We included adult intensive care unit patients who required invasive mechanical ventilation within 90 days of receiving a hematopoietic cell transplant. The primary outcome was mortality at 90 days. Using logistic regression, we explored predictors of mortality including type of transplant (allogeneic vs autologous), severity of illness (assessed using the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment [SOFA] score), and baseline characteristics (such as age and sex).

RESULTS

We included 70 patients from two study sites. Ninety-day mortality was 73% (n = 51) in the entire cohort, 58% (15/26) in patients post-autologous transplant, and 82% (36/44) in those post-allogeneic transplant. Ninety-one percent (10/11) of patients who required invasive mechanical ventilation for more than 21 days died. Independent predictors of all-cause mortality included allogeneic transplant, higher SOFA score, the presence of acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, and a longer interval between receiving the transplant and initiation of mechanical ventilation.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows high rates of mortality among hematopoietic cell transplant recipients that require invasive mechanical ventilation, particularly in those post-allogeneic transplant and in those who require prolonged ventilation for more than 21 days.

Outcomes for haematological cancer patients admitted to an intensive care unit in a university hospital

BACKGROUND

Haematological cancer (HC) patients are increasingly requiring intensive care (ICUs). The aim of this study was to investigate the outcome of HC patients in our ICU and evaluate 5 days-full support as a breakpoint for patients' re-assessment for support.

METHODS

Retrospective study enrolling 112 consecutive HC adults, requiring ICU in January-December 2015. Patients' data were collected from medical records and Infection Control Committee surveillance reports. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors for ICU mortality.

RESULTS

Sixty-one were neutropenic, and 99 (88%) had infection at ICU admission. Acute myeloid leukaemia was diagnosed in 43%. Thirty-five (31%) were hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients. Only 17 (15%) were in remission. Eighty-nine underwent mechanical ventilation on admission. Fifty-three patients acquired ICU-infection (35 bacteremia) being gram negative bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae and non-fermenters) the top pathogens. However, ICU-acquired infection had no impact on mortality. The overall ICU and 1-year survival rate was 27% (30 patients) and 7% (8 patients), respectively. Moreover, only 2/62 patients survived with APACHE II score ≥25. The median time for death was 4 days. APACHE II score ≥25 [OR:35.20], septic shock [OR:8.71] and respiratory failure on admission [OR:10.55] were independent risk factors for mortality in multivariate analysis. APACHE II score ≥25 was a strong indicator for poor outcome (ROC under curve 0.889).

CONCLUSIONS

APACHE II score ≥25 and septic shock were criteria of ICU futility. Our findings support the full support of patients for 5 days and the need to implement a therapeutic limitations protocol.

Long-term outcomes in patients treated in the intensive care unit after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

The number of patients who are successfully discharged from the intensive care unit (ICU) after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) remains limited. Most previous studies have evaluated short-term outcomes using ICU mortality; there have been comparatively fewer reports of long-term outcomes. We retrospectively analyzed 39 HSCT patients admitted to the ICU for the first time between April 2008 and July 2014. Performance status was evaluated in four long-term survivors in July 2016. Median age at ICU admission was 54 years (range 30-68). In total, 33 patients (70.2%) required mechanical ventilation and 31 patients (66%) required dialysis. The median OS from first ICU admission was 41 days (95% confidence interval [CI]: 22-64) and the 1-year survival rate was 12.8% (95% CI 4.7-25.2). No statistically significant factors were associated with short-term outcomes. Among long-term outcomes, a second or subsequent HSCT and neutropenia at ICU admission were significant risk factors. Four of 10 ICU survivors have survived with good performance status for a median of 1994 (1203-2633) days. Our results suggest that the number of prior transplants and neutropenia at ICU admission may influence OS.

Critical care of patients with cancer

Answer questions and earn CME/CNE The increasing prevalence of patients living with cancer in conjunction with the rapid progress in cancer therapy will lead to a growing number of patients with cancer who will require intensive care treatment. Fortunately, the development of more effective oncologic therapies, advances in critical care, and improvements in patient selection have led to an increased survival of critically ill patients with cancer. As a consequence, critical care has become an important cornerstone in the continuum of modern cancer care. Although, in many aspects, critical care for patients with cancer does not differ from intensive care for other seriously ill patients, there are several challenging issues that are unique to this patient population and require special knowledge and skills. The optimal management of critically ill patients with cancer necessitates expertise in oncology, critical care, and palliative medicine. Cancer specialists therefore have to be familiar with key principles of intensive care for critically ill patients with cancer. This review provides an overview of the state-of-the-art in the individualized management of critically ill patients with cancer. CA Cancer J Clin 2016;66:496-517. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

Critically ill allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients in the intensive care unit: reappraisal of actual prognosis

The outcome of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) patients has significantly improved over the past decade. Still, a significant number of patients require intensive care unit (ICU) management because of life-threatening complications. Literature from the 1990s reported extremely poor prognosis for critically ill allo-HSCT patients requiring ICU management. Recent data justify the use of ICU resources in hematologic patients. Yet, allo-HSCT remains an independent variable associated with mortality. However, outcomes in allo-HSCT patients have improved over time and many classic determinants of mortality have become irrelevant. The main actual prognostic factors are the need for mechanical ventilation, the presence of GvHD and the number of organ failures at ICU admission. Recently, the development of reduced-intensity conditioning regimens, early ICU admission and the increased use of noninvasive ventilation, combined with time effect and general advances in hematology, in allo-HSCT procedures and in ICU management have contributed to improve general outcome. A rational policy of ICU admission triage in these patients is very hard to define, as each decision for ICU admission is a case-by-case decision at patient bedside. The collaboration between hematologists and intensivists is crucial in this context.