Mechanical ventilation of patients hospitalized in medical wards vs the intensive care unit--an observational, comparative study

Comparing Outcomes of Critically Ill Patients in Intensive Care Units and General Wards: A Comprehensive Analysis

Background

The admission of critically ill patients to intensive care unit (ICU) plays a crucial role in reducing mortality. However, the scarcity of available ICU beds presents a significant challenge. In resource-limited settings, the outcomes of critically ill patients, particularly those who are not accepted for ICU admission, have been a topic of ongoing debate and contention.

Objective

This study aimed to explore the outcomes and factors associated with ICU admission and mortality among critically ill patients in Thailand.

Methods

This prospective cohort study enrolled critically ill adults indicated for medical ICU admission. Patients were followed for 28 days regardless of whether they were admitted to an ICU. Data on mortality, hospital length of stay, duration of organ support, and factors associated with mortality and ICU admission were collected.

Results

Of the 180 patients enrolled, 72 were admitted to ICUs, and 108 were cared for in general wards. The ICU group had a higher 28-day mortality rate (44.4% vs 20.4%; P=0.001), but other outcomes of interest were comparable. Multivariate analysis identified alteration of consciousness, norepinephrine use, and epinephrine use as independent predictors of 28-day mortality. Higher body mass index (BMI), higher APACHE II score, and acute kidney injury were predictive factors associated with ICU acceptance.

Conclusion

Among patients indicated for ICU admission, those who were admitted had a higher 28-day mortality rate. Higher mortality was associated with alteration of consciousness and vasopressor use. Patients who were sicker and had higher BMI were more likely to be admitted to an ICU.

Where internal medical patients receive intensive interventions: results from a tertiary-care hospital in Israel

BACKGROUND

Patients admitted to internal medicine may be moved to more advanced-care settings when their condition deteriorates. In these advanced care settings, there may be higher levels of monitoring and greater ability to deliver Intensive Medical Treatments (IMTs). To the best of our knowledge, no previous study has examined the proportion of patients at different levels of care who receive different types of IMTs.

METHODS

In this retrospective observational cohort study, we examined data from 56,002 internal medicine hospitalizations at Shaare Zedek Medical Center, between 01.01.2016 and 31.12.2019. Patients were divided according to where they received care: general-ward, Intermediate-Care Unit, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), or both (Intermediate-Care and ICU). We examined the rates at which these different groups of patients received one or more of the following IMTs: mechanical ventilation, daytime bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP), or vasopressor therapy.

RESULTS

Most IMTs were delivered in a general-ward setting - ranging from 45.9% of IMT-treated hospitalizations involving combined mechanical ventilation and vasopressor therapy to as high as 87.4% of IMT-treated hospitalizations involving daytime BiPAP. Compared to ICU patients, Intermediate-Care Unit patients were older (mean age 75.1 vs 69.1, p < 0.001 for this and all other comparisons presented here), had longer hospitalizations (21.3 vs 14.5 days), and were more likely to die in-hospital (22% vs 12%). They were also more likely to receive most of the IMTs compared to ICU patients. For example, 9.7% of Intermediate-Care Unit patients received vasopressors, compared to 5.5% of ICU patients.

CONCLUSION

In this study, most of the patients who received IMTs actually received them in a general-bed and not in a dedicated unit. These results imply that IMTs are predominantly delivered in unmonitored settings, and suggest an opportunity to re-examine where and how IMTs are given. In terms of health policy, these findings suggest a need to further examine the setting and patterns of intensive interventions, as well as a need to increase the number of beds dedicated to delivering intensive interventions.

Mortality analysis among sepsis patients in and out of intensive care units using the Japanese nationwide medical claims database: a study by the Japan Sepsis Alliance study group

BACKGROUND

A substantial number of sepsis patients require specialized care, including multidisciplinary care, close monitoring, and artificial organ support in the intensive care unit (ICU). However, the efficacy of ICU management on clinical outcomes remains insufficiently researched. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that ICU admission would increase the survival rate among sepsis patients.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study using the nationwide medical claims database of sepsis patients in Japan from 2010 to 2017 with propensity score matching to adjust for baseline imbalances. Patients aged over 20 years, with a combined diagnosis of presumed serious infection and organ failure, were included in this study. The primary outcome studied was the in-hospital mortality among non-ICU and ICU patients. In addition to propensity score matching, we performed a multivariable logistic regression analysis for the primary outcome. As the treatment policy was not extracted from the database, we performed sensitivity analyses to determine mortality differences in adults (20 ≤ age ≤ 64), independent patients, patients without malignant tumors, based on the assumption that treatment intensity is likely to increase in those population.

RESULTS

Among 1,167,901 sepsis patients (974,289 in non-ICU and 193,612 in ICU settings), the unadjusted in-hospital mortality was 22.5% among non-ICU patients and 26.2% among ICU patients (3.7% [95% CI 3.5-3.9]). After propensity score matching, the in-hospital mortality was 29.2% among non-ICU patients and 25.8% among ICU patients ([Formula: see text] 3.4% [95% CI [Formula: see text] 3.7 to [Formula: see text] 3.1]). In-hospital mortality with a multivariable regression analysis ([Formula: see text] 5.0% [95% CI [Formula: see text] 5.2 to [Formula: see text] 4.8]) was comparable with the results of the propensity score matching analysis. In the sensitivity analyses, the mortality differences between non-ICU and ICU in adults, independent patients, and patients without malignant tumors were [Formula: see text] 2.7% [95% CI [Formula: see text] 3.3 to [Formula: see text] 2.2], [Formula: see text] 5.8% [95% CI [Formula: see text] 6.4 to [Formula: see text] 5.2], and [Formula: see text] 1.3% [95% CI [Formula: see text] 1.7 to [Formula: see text] 1.0], respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Herein, using the nationwide medical claims database, we demonstrated that ICU admission was potentially associated with decreasing in-hospital mortality among sepsis patients. Further investigations are warranted to validate these results and elucidate the mechanisms favoring ICU management on clinical outcomes.

Epidemiology of sepsis in a Japanese administrative database

Sepsis is the leading cause of death worldwide. Considering regional variations in the characteristics of patients with sepsis, a better understanding of the epidemiology in Japan will lead to further development of strategies for the prevention and treatment of sepsis. To investigate the epidemiology of sepsis, we conducted a systematic literature review of PubMed between 2003 and January 2023. Among the 78 studies using a Japanese administrative database, we included 20 that defined patients with sepsis as those with an infection and organ dysfunction. The mortality rate in patients with sepsis has decreased since 2010, reaching 18% in 2017. However, the proportion of inpatients with sepsis is increasing. A study comparing short-course (≤7 days) and long-course (≥8 days) antibiotic administration showed lower 28-day mortality in the short-course group. Six studies on the treatment of patients with septic shock reported that low-dose corticosteroids or polymyxin B hemoperfusion reduced mortality, whereas intravenous immunoglobulins had no such effect. Four studies investigating the effects of treatment in patients with sepsis-associated disseminated intravascular coagulation demonstrated that antithrombin may reduce mortality, whereas recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin does not. A descriptive study of medical costs for patients with sepsis showed that the effective cost per survivor decreased over an 8-year period from 2010 to 2017. Sepsis has a significant impact on public health, and is attracting attention as an ongoing issue. Further research to determine more appropriate prevention methods and treatment for sepsis should be a matter of priority.

Bedside Tracheostomy: Our Experience in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Tracheostomy is the creation of a stoma at the surface of skin, which leads into trachea. In the critically ill patients, it is one of the most frequently done procedure especially in intensive care unit (ICU) for those requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation. About 24% of all patients in ICU need tracheostomy (Esteban et al. in Am J Respir Crit Care Med 161:1450-1458, 2000). Historically it had a high complication rate and so many authors suggested that it should be done only in operating room (Dayal and Masri in Laryngoscope 96:5862, 1986). A standardized procedure to reduce complications was described by Jackson (Laryngoscope 19:285-290, 1909). The aim of the study is to observe and analyze the outcome of bedside open tracheostomy, in relation to its safety, complications and simplicity. Study consists of 200 patients who underwent bedside tracheostomies in a tertiary care center from 2014 to 2017 in medical/surgical/paediatric ICU's. All the procedures followed a standard protocol. In all the surgeries, two E.N.T. surgeons were scrubbed and did the procedure, assisted by two ICU nurses. One anesthetist who administered sedation and monitored the patient. If coagulation disturbances were present in elective case then they were corrected prior to the procedure. We all want the latest, safest, simplest and cheapest available technique in medical practice. Bedside tracheostomy is one such procedure. It is better than tracheostomy in operating room for patients who need prolonged mechanical ventilation in ICU as it eliminates the need of patient transport to OR and its associated complications and also minimizing cost. Training programs need to be provided to the assisting staff for better procedural outcome.

Comparison of the Outcomes of Patients Starting Mechanical Ventilation in the General Ward Versus the Intensive Care Unit

OBJECTIVE

Mechanical ventilation is sometimes initiated in the general ward (GW) due to the shortage of intensive care unit (ICU) beds. We investigated whether invasive mechanical ventilation (MV) started in the GW affects the patient's prognosis compared with its initiation in the ICU.

METHODS

From January 2016 to December 2018, medical records of patients who started MV in the GW or ICU were collected. The 28-day mortality, ICU mortality, ventilator-free days, and complications related to the ventilator and the ventilator-free days were analyzed as outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 673 patients were enrolled. Among these, 268 patients (39.8%) started MV in the GW and 405 patients (60.2%) started MV within 24 hours after admittance to the ICU. There was no difference in 28-day mortality between the 2 groups (27.2% versus 27.2%, P = 0.997). In addition, there was no difference between ventilator-related complication rates, ventilator-free days, or the length of hospital stay. A high Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, the presence of solid tumor, the absence of chronic kidney diseases, and low platelet count were associated with higher 28-day mortality. However, the initiation of MV in the GW was not associated with an increase in 28-day mortality compared with the initiation in the ICU.

CONCLUSIONS

Starting MV in the GW was not a risk factor for 28-day mortality. Therefore, prompt application of a ventilator if medically indicated, regardless of the patient's location, is desirable if a skilled airway team and appropriate monitoring are available.

Outcomes in Temporary ICUs Versus Conventional ICUs: An Observational Cohort of Mechanically Ventilated Patients With COVID-19-Induced Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of temporary ICUs have been established worldwide. The outcomes and management of mechanically ventilated patients in these areas remain unknown.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate mortality and management of mechanically ventilated patients in temporary ICUs.

DESIGN SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Observational cohort study in a single-institution academic center. We included all adult patients with severe COVID-19 hospitalized in temporary and conventional ICUs for invasive mechanical ventilation due to acute respiratory distress syndrome from March 23, 2020, to April 5, 2021.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

To determine if management in temporary ICUs increased 30-day in-hospital mortality compared with conventional ICUs. Ventilator-free days, ICU-free days (both at 28 d), hospital length of stay, and ICU readmission were also assessed.

RESULTS

We included 776 patients (326 conventional and 450 temporary ICUs). Thirty-day in-hospital unadjusted mortality (28.8% conventional vs 36.0% temporary, log-rank test p = 0.023) was higher in temporary ICUs. After controlling for potential confounders, hospitalization in temporary ICUs was an independent risk factor associated with mortality (hazard ratio, 1.4; CI, 1.06-1.83; p = 0.016).There were no differences in ICU-free days at 28 days (6; IQR, 0-16 vs 2; IQR, 0-15; p = 0.5) or ventilator-free days at 28 days (8; IQR, 0-16 vs 5; IQR, 0-15; p = 0.6). We observed higher reintubation (18% vs 12%; p = 0.029) and readmission (5% vs 1.6%; p = 0.004) rates in conventional ICUs despite higher use of postextubation noninvasive mechanical ventilation (13% vs 8%; p = 0.025). Use of lung-protective ventilation (87% vs 85%; p = 0.5), prone positioning (76% vs 79%; p = 0.4), neuromuscular blockade (96% vs 98%; p = 0.4), and COVID-19 pharmacologic treatment was similar.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

We observed a higher 30-day in-hospital mortality in temporary ICUs. Although both areas had high adherence to evidence-based management, hospitalization in temporary ICUs was an independent risk factor associated with mortality.

Clinical Characteristics of Mechanically Ventilated Patients Treated in Non-ICU Settings in a Rural Area of Japan

Introduction Patients requiring mechanical ventilation (MV) are commonly managed in an intensive care unit (ICU); however, Japan is unique in that many patients are treated in non-ICU settings. The characteristics of these patients, nevertheless, are unknown. We sought to identify disease severity and MV settings of patients in non-ICU. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of Kinan Hospital and Owase General Hospital, where there are no ICUs. Data for adult patients who required MV from January through December 2018 were collected. To find the characteristics of patients who have been decided to treat in non-ICU hospitals without early transferring, we analyzed patients who have been treated for more than three days in those hospitals. Results A total of 171 patients received MV; 29 patients were treated for more than three days. Of those, the mortality rate was 44.8% (13 patients). The median age was 80 years (range: 72-84 years). The mean Acute Physiologic Assessment and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score was 20.9 ± 8.1, and predicted mortality was 0.42 ± 0.25. Tidal volume per predicted body weight was 8.8 ± 2.1 mL/kg, and set inspiratory time was 1.6 ± 0.3 seconds. Conclusions We have first described the severity and the initial ventilator setting of MV patients treated for more than three days in non-ICU setting in Japan. The overall predicted mortality was 42%, and the average age of the patients was 80 years. Further research on wider areas and the comparison to the patients treated in ICUs are needed to identify the appropriateness of treating patients in non-ICU settings.

Survival of mechanically ventilated ward patients and association with organisational factors: a multicentre prospective study

OBJECTIVES

Determine 90-day mortality of mechanically ventilated ward patients outside the intensive care unit (ICU) and its association with organisational factors.

DESIGN

Multicentre prospective observational study of mechanically ventilated ward patients. Modified Poisson regression was used to assess association between nurse to patient ratio (NPR) and 90-day mortality, adjusted for designated medical team, Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) triage priority and centre effect. NPR was divided into low (1:9.6 to 1:10), medium (1:6 to 1:8) and high (1:2.6). Sensitivity analysis was conducted for pneumonia with or without acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) to assess magnitude of association.

SETTING

7 acute public hospitals in Hong Kong.

PARTICIPANTS

All 485 mechanically ventilated patients in wards from participating hospitals between 18 January 2016 and 17 April 2016 were recruited. Three hundred patients were included after excluding patients with limitation of therapy within 24 hours of intubation.

MAIN OUTCOMES

90-day mortality, Mortality Prediction Model III Standardised mortality ratio (MPMIII₀ SMR).

RESULTS

201 patients died within 90 days after intubation (67.0%, 95% CI 61.5% to 72.1%), with MPMIII₀ SMR 1.88, 95% CI 1.63 to 2.17. Compared with high NPR, medium and low NPRs were associated with higher risk of 90-day mortality (adjusted relative risk (RR_adj) 1.84, 95% CI 1.70 to 1.99 and 1.64, 95% CI 1.47 to 1.83, respectively). For 114 patients with pneumonia with or without ARDS, low to medium NPR, too sick to benefit from ICU (SCCM priority 4b), no ICU consultation and designated medical team were associated with risk of 90-day mortality (RR_adj 1.49, 95% CI 1.40 to 1.58; RR_adj 1.60, 95% CI 1.49 to 1.72; RR_adj 1.34, 95% CI 1.27 to 1.40; RR_adj 0.85, 95% CI 0.78 to 0.93, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The 90-day mortality rates of mechanically ventilated ward patients were high. NPR was an independent predictor of survival for mechanically ventilated ward patients.

Mechanical ventilation for older medical patients in a large tertiary medical care center

Aim

The aim of the study is to determine the factors influencing the outcomes of older ventilated medical patients in a large tertiary medical center.

Findings

Of 554 older patients (mean age 79 years) who underwent mechanical ventilation for the first time during the study period in-hospital mortality was 64.1% and overall 6-months survival was 26%. A combination of age 85 years and older, poor functional status prior to ventilation, and associated morbidity were the strongest negative predictors of survival after discharge from the hospital.

Message

The identification of factors predicting poor survival of mechanical ventilation will assist policy makers in clinical decision-making particularly at times of limited health resources.

Background

The development of technologies for the prolongation of life has resulted in an increase in the number of older ventilated patients in internal medicine and chronic care wards. Our study aimed to determine the factors influencing the outcomes of older ventilated medical patients in a large tertiary medical center.

Methods

We performed a prospective observational cohort study including all newly ventilated medical patients aged 65 years and older over a period of 18 months. Data were acquired from computerized medical records and from an interview of the medical personnel initiating mechanical ventilation.

Results

A total of 554 patients underwent mechanical ventilation for the first time during the study period. The average age was 79 years, and 80% resided at home. Following mechanical ventilation, 8% died in the emergency room, and the majority of patients (351; 63%) were hospitalized in internal medicine wards. In-hospital mortality was 64.1%, with 48% dying during the first week of hospitalization. Overall 6-months survival was 26%. We found that a combination of age 85 years and older, functional status prior to ventilation, and associated morbidity (diabetes with target organ injury and/or oncological solid organ disease) were the strongest negative predictors of survival after discharge from the hospital.

Conclusion

Mechanical ventilation at older age is associated with poor survival and it is possible to identify factors predicting survival. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings of this study may help in the decision-making process regarding mechanical ventilation for older people.

Intensive care unit versus high-dependency care unit for mechanically ventilated patients with pneumonia: a nationwide comparative effectiveness study

Background

Many mechanically ventilated patients in Japan are treated in high-dependency care units (HDUs) rather than intensive care units (ICUs). HDUs can provide intermediate-level care with reduced costs; however, there is limited evidence on whether mechanically ventilated patients should be treated in the ICU or HDU.

Methods

This was a comparative effectiveness study using a nationwide administrative database in Japan. We identified mechanically ventilated patients with pneumonia in ICU or HDU on the day of admission in the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database from April 2014 to March 2019. The primary outcome was 30-day in-hospital mortality. Propensity score matching analysis was performed to compare this outcome between patients treated in the ICU and HDU. The robustness of the analyses was evaluated with multivariable regression, overlap weighting, and instrumental variable analyses.

Findings

Of 14,859 mechanically ventilated patients with pneumonia, 7,528 (51%) were treated in the ICU and 7,331 (49%) were treated in the HDU. After propensity score matching, patients treated in the ICU had significantly lower 30-day in-hospital mortality than did those treated in the HDU (24.0% vs. 31.2%; difference, −7.2%; 95% confidence interval, −10.0% to −4.4%). The multivariable regression, overlap weighting, and instrumental variable analyses showed a similar direction and magnitude of association.

Interpretation

Critical care for mechanically ventilated patients with pneumonia in the ICU was associated with a 7.2% decrease in 30-day in-hospital mortality vs. care in the HDU. Residual confounding may still play a role in the effect estimates.

Funding

This study received funding from Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, and Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan.

The Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2020 (J-SSCG 2020)

The Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2020 (J-SSCG 2020), a Japanese-specific set of clinical practice guidelines for sepsis and septic shock created as revised from J-SSCG 2016 jointly by the Japanese Society of Intensive Care Medicine and the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine, was first released in September 2020 and published in February 2021. An English-language version of these guidelines was created based on the contents of the original Japanese-language version. The purpose of this guideline is to assist medical staff in making appropriate decisions to improve the prognosis of patients undergoing treatment for sepsis and septic shock. We aimed to provide high-quality guidelines that are easy to use and understand for specialists, general clinicians, and multidisciplinary medical professionals. J-SSCG 2016 took up new subjects that were not present in SSCG 2016 (e.g., ICU-acquired weakness [ICU-AW], post-intensive care syndrome [PICS], and body temperature management). The J-SSCG 2020 covered a total of 22 areas with four additional new areas (patient- and family-centered care, sepsis treatment system, neuro-intensive treatment, and stress ulcers). A total of 118 important clinical issues (clinical questions, CQs) were extracted regardless of the presence or absence of evidence. These CQs also include those that have been given particular focus within Japan. This is a large-scale guideline covering multiple fields; thus, in addition to the 25 committee members, we had the participation and support of a total of 226 members who are professionals (physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, clinical engineers, and pharmacists) and medical workers with a history of sepsis or critical illness. The GRADE method was adopted for making recommendations, and the modified Delphi method was used to determine recommendations by voting from all committee members.As a result, 79 GRADE-based recommendations, 5 Good Practice Statements (GPS), 18 expert consensuses, 27 answers to background questions (BQs), and summaries of definitions and diagnosis of sepsis were created as responses to 118 CQs. We also incorporated visual information for each CQ according to the time course of treatment, and we will also distribute this as an app. The J-SSCG 2020 is expected to be widely used as a useful bedside guideline in the field of sepsis treatment both in Japan and overseas involving multiple disciplines.

The Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2020 (J-SSCG 2020)

The Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2020 (J-SSCG 2020), a Japanese-specific set of clinical practice guidelines for sepsis and septic shock created as revised from J-SSCG 2016 jointly by the Japanese Society of Intensive Care Medicine and the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine, was first released in September 2020 and published in February 2021. An English-language version of these guidelines was created based on the contents of the original Japanese-language version. The purpose of this guideline is to assist medical staff in making appropriate decisions to improve the prognosis of patients undergoing treatment for sepsis and septic shock. We aimed to provide high-quality guidelines that are easy to use and understand for specialists, general clinicians, and multidisciplinary medical professionals. J-SSCG 2016 took up new subjects that were not present in SSCG 2016 (e.g., ICU-acquired weakness [ICU-AW], post-intensive care syndrome [PICS], and body temperature management). The J-SSCG 2020 covered a total of 22 areas with four additional new areas (patient- and family-centered care, sepsis treatment system, neuro-intensive treatment, and stress ulcers). A total of 118 important clinical issues (clinical questions, CQs) were extracted regardless of the presence or absence of evidence. These CQs also include those that have been given particular focus within Japan. This is a large-scale guideline covering multiple fields; thus, in addition to the 25 committee members, we had the participation and support of a total of 226 members who are professionals (physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, clinical engineers, and pharmacists) and medical workers with a history of sepsis or critical illness. The GRADE method was adopted for making recommendations, and the modified Delphi method was used to determine recommendations by voting from all committee members. As a result, 79 GRADE-based recommendations, 5 Good Practice Statements (GPS), 18 expert consensuses, 27 answers to background questions (BQs), and summaries of definitions and diagnosis of sepsis were created as responses to 118 CQs. We also incorporated visual information for each CQ according to the time course of treatment, and we will also distribute this as an app. The J-SSCG 2020 is expected to be widely used as a useful bedside guideline in the field of sepsis treatment both in Japan and overseas involving multiple disciplines.

Epidemiology and outcomes of invasive mechanical ventilation without ICU admission in acute care hospitals in Texas: A population-based cohort study

PURPOSE

The high ICU bed capacity in the United States (US) allows ICU care of patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), absent public health crisis. The use of IMV without ICU admission (non-ICU) in acute care hospitals in the US and its impact on patients' outcomes were not examined.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was performed using statewide inpatient data in Texas to identify hospitalizations aged ≥18 years receiving IMV in acute care hospitals with ICU care capability during January 2014 through September 2015. Use of non-ICU IMV, patient characteristics, and hospital mortality were examined.

RESULTS

Among 136,728 IMV hospitalizations, 4531 (3.3%) were non-ICU. As compared to ICU admissions, non-ICU IMV hospitalizations were younger (age 18-44 years: 24.9% vs. 17.2%), with lower burden of major comorbidities (no major comorbidity: 24.7% vs. 14.5%), and lower occurrence of non-respiratory organ failures (no non-respiratory organ failure: 32.7% vs. 19.8%). Risk-adjusted hospital mortality of non-ICU vs. ICU IMV hospitalizations was 48.7% (95% CI 48.1-49.4) and 29.9% (95% CI 29.8-30.0), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Non-ICU IMV was provided in 1 in 30 IMV hospitalizations in acute care hospitals. Although non-ICU IMV hospitalizations were younger and healthier than those admitted to ICU, their hospital mortality was markedly higher.

Survival predictors after intubation in medical wards: A prospective study in 151 patients

INTRODUCTION

In health care systems in need of additional intensive care unit (ICU) beds, the decision to mechanically ventilate critically ill patients in Internal Medicine (IM) Department wards needs to balance patients' health outcomes, possible futility, and logistics. We aimed to examine the survival rates and predictors in these patients.

METHODS

We prospectively enrolled consecutive patients receiving mechanical ventilation during their care in the IM wards of a tertiary University hospital between April 2016 and December 2018. Primary outcome was 90-day mortality and secondary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and ICU transfer.

RESULTS

Our cohort consisted of 151 unique patient intubations, of whom 74 (49%) patients were transferred to ICU within a median of 0 days (range 0-7). Compared to patients who remained in the wards, patients transferred to ICU had lower in-hospital and 90-day mortality (65% vs. 97%, and 70% vs. 99%, respectively, p<0.001 for both). Amongst several possible predictors of survival in the ICU, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score at the time of intubation had the best prognostic accuracy with an AUROC of 0.818 and 0.855 for in-hospital and 90-day mortality, respectively. A baseline SOFA score ≤8 had a 100% sensitivity for survival prediction in ICU. However, out of 26 patients with SOFA score ≤8 who remained in the wards, only one survived, whereas 19 patients with SOFA score >8 who were transferred to ICUs received futile care.

CONCLUSION

Mortality for patients receiving mechanical ventilation in IM wards is almost inevitable when ICU availability is lacking. Therefore, applying additional transfer criteria beyond the SOFA score is imperative.

Health care professionals’ knowledge of commonly used sedative, analgesic and neuromuscular drugs: A single center (Rambam Health Care Campus), prospective, observational survey

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Severe community-acquired pneumonia in general medical wards: outcomes and impact of initial antibiotic selection

Background

Most international guidelines recommend empirical therapy for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) to be based on site of care. Some patients with severe CAP are managed in general wards because of limited intensive care unit (ICU) bed or because of unrecognition of the pneumonia severity. Appropriate initial antibiotic treatment for severe CAP outside ICU has not yet been established. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and the impact of initial antibiotic selection on the outcomes of patients with severe CAP who were admitted and managing in general wards.

Methods

This prospective observational study included consecutive patients hospitalized for presumed CAP in general wards over a 1-year period. Severe CAP was identified using the 2007 Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA)/American Thoracic Society (ATS) criteria. Initial antibiotic treatment in the first 24 h were collected. The primary outcome was the rate of unfavorable outcome (composite outcome of treatment failure and in-hospital death). The secondary outcome was the number of hospital-free days assessed 30 days after enrollment into the study.

Results

There were 94 patients hospitalized with CAP of which 50 (53.2%) patients were compatible with severe CAP. An etiologic diagnosis was found in 43 (45.8%) patients. The most common pathogens identified in patients with severe CAP were Staphylococcus aureus (28.6%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (28.6%), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (17.9%). Patients with severe CAP had significantly more positive blood culture than patients with non-severe CAP (24% VS 4.5%; p = .008). Initial antibiotic treatment were discordant with the IDSA/ATS guidelines in 42% of all patients hospitalized with CAP, and 52% of patients with severe CAP. Multivariate analysis revealed that age (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.01–1.1) and initial antibiotic treatment discordant to guidelines for severe CAP in ICU (OR 4.6, 95% CI 1.3–17.1) were independent risk factors of the unfavorable outcome of patients with severe CAP. Patients with unfavorable outcome had lower number of hospital-free days than patients with favorable outcome (5.2 ± 8 days VS 18 ± 7.1 days; p < .001).

Conclusions

Patients with severe CAP outside ICU should be recognized for appropriate initial antibiotic selection to improve outcomes.

The Critical Care Society of Southern Africa Consensus Statement on ICU Triage and Rationing (ConICTri)

Background

In South Africa (SA), intensive care is faced with the challenge of resource scarcity as well as an increasing demand for intensive care unit (ICU) services. ICU services are expensive, and practitioners in low- to middle-income countries experience daily the consequences of limited resources. Critically limited resources necessitate that rationing and triage (prioritisation) decisions are frequently necessary in SA, particularly in the publicly funded health sector.

Purpose

The purpose of this consensus statement is to examine key questions that arise when considering the status of ICU resources in SA, and more specifically ICU admission, rationing and triage decisions. The accompanying guideline in this issue is intended to guide frontline triage policy and ensure the best utilisation of intensive care in SA, while maintaining a fair distribution of available resources. Fair and efficient triage is important to ensure the ongoing provision of high-quality care to adult patients referred for intensive care.

Recommendations

In response to 14 key questions developed using a modified Delphi technique, 29 recommendations were formulated and graded using an adapted GRADE score. The 14 key questions addressed the status of the provision of ICU services in SA, the degree of resource restriction, the efficiency of resource management, the need for triage, and how triage could be most justly implemented. Important recommendations included the need to formally recognise and accurately quantify the provision of ICU services in SA by national audit; actively seek additional resources from governmental bodies; consider methods to maximise the efficiency of ICU care; evaluate lower level of care alternatives; develop a triage guideline to assist policy-makers and frontline practitioners to implement triage decisions in an efficient and fair way; measure and audit the consequence of triage; and promote research to improve the accuracy and consistency of triage decisions. The consensus document and guideline should be reviewed and revised appropriately within 5 years.

Conclusion

In recognition of the absolute need to limit patient access to ICU because of the lack of sufficient intensive care resources in public hospitals, recommendations and a guideline have been developed to guide policy-making and assist frontline triage decision-making in SA. These documents are not a complete plan for quality practice but rather the beginning of a long-term initiative to engage clinicians, the public and administrators in appropriate triage decision-making, and promote systems that will ultimately maximise the efficient and fair use of available ICU resources.

Outcomes of prolonged mechanical ventilation in patients who underwent bedside percutaneous dilatation tracheostomy in intermediate care units - A single center study

BACKGROUND

The number of chronic critical illness (CCI) patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) is increasing worldwide, mandating health professionals to discuss interventions while considering disease trajectory. The aim of this study was to analyze the survival of CCI patients who underwent percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) within intermediate care units.

METHODS

We carried out a retrospective study of all patients who underwent PDT in our intermediate care units from 2009 to 2015. Based on their survival statuses at different time points, patients were categorized into groups of survival at one week, one month, and one year following the procedure.

RESULTS

This study included 254 patients. The mean age was 77.7 (±11.8) years. Out of the 254 patients included, 213 patients (84.2%) were defined as nursing care dependent. In-hospital mortality was 38.2% (97 patients). Seven patients (2.7%) were discharged to their homes. Overall survival rates at one week, one month, and one year following PDT were 88.6%, 66.1%, and 29.5%, respectively. Upon multivariate analyses, higher creatinine levels and resuscitation prior to the procedure were associated with increased mortality rates at one week and one month following tracheostomy. Higher creatinine and low albumin levels were associated with increased mortality at one year following tracheostomy.

CONCLUSION

The prognosis of CCI patients in intermediate care units is generally poor. Identified risk factors for complications and survival should be presented to patients and their surrogates when discussing courses of action and future treatments.

Mechanical ventilation in medical departments: a necessary evil, or a blessing in bad disguise?

In most countries there is a mismatch between demand for intensive care unit (ICU) beds and ICU bed availability. Because of a policy of low ICU-bed reimbursement this mismatch is much more profound in Israel, which arguably has the lowest number of ICU beds/1000 population of OECD countries. Increasing demand for mechanical ventilation has led to an ever-rising presence of ventilated patients in medical departments, which may reach up to 15% or more of medical beds, especially during winter months, posing serious challenges such as: delivery of adequate treatment, guaranteeing patient safety, nosocomial infections, emergence and spread of resistant organisms, dissatisfaction among family members and medical and nursing staff, as well as enormous direct and indirect expenses.

This paper assumes that no change in ICU reimbursement will occur in the near future. We, therefore, describe a number of policy issues that should ideally be addressed together in order to cope realistically with the increase in mechanically ventilated patients in medical departments. First, all medical departments should operate a 5-bed augmented care room with one dedicated nurse per shift. Medical residents should receive a mandatory 3-month ICU rotation in their first year of residency, and attending physicians should receive adequate training in mechanical ventilation and vasopressor support, point-of-care ultrasound and central venous catheterization. Second, family physicians should be required to discuss and fill relevant forms with advance directives for elderly and/or chronically ill patients. Third, rules for terminal extubation should be established, even if only applied infrequently. Finally, co-payment should be considered for families of patients demanding all possible medical treatment in spite of contrary medical advice, considering these patients’ terminal status.

Implementation of these recommendations will require policy decision making in the Ministry of Health, Scientific Council of the Israeli Medical Association, the professional societies (for internal medicine and family practice) and finally by the leadership of individual hospitals.

Mechanical ventilation patterns and trends over 20 years in an Israeli hospital system: policy ramifications

Background

Mechanical ventilation is a life supporting modality increasingly utilized when caring for severely ill patients. Its increasing use has extended the survival of the critically ill leading to increasing healthcare expenditures. We examined changes in the hospital-wide use of mechanical ventilation over 20 years (1997–2016) in two Israeli hospitals to determine whether there were specific patterns (e.g. seasonality, weekday vs. weekend) and trends (e.g. increases or decreases) among various hospital departments and units.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on all mechanically ventilated patients over 20-years in a two-hospital Israeli medical system was performed. Data were collected for each hospital unit caring for ventilated patients. Time-series analysis examined short and long-term trends, seasonality and intra-week variation.

Results

Over two decades overall ventilator-days increased from 11,164 (31 patients/day) in 1997 to 24,317 (67 patients/day) in 2016 mainly due to more patients ventilated on internal medicine wards (1997: 4 patients/day; 2016: 24 patients/day). The increases in other hospital areas did not approach the magnitude of the internal medicine wards increases. Ventilation on wards reflected the insufficient number of ICU beds in Israel. A detailed snapshot over 4 months of patients ventilated on internal medicine wards (n = 745) showed that they tended to be elderly (median age 75 years) and that 24% were ventilated for more than a week. Hospital-wide ventilation patterns were the weighted sum of the various individual patient units with the most noticeable pattern being peak winter prevalence on the internal medical wards and in the emergency department. This seasonality is not surprising, given the greater incidence of respiratory ailments in winter.

Conclusions

Increased mechanical ventilation plus seasonality have budgetary, operational and staffing consequences for individual hospitals and the entire healthcare system. The Israeli healthcare leadership needs to plan and support expanding, equipping and staffing acute and chronic care units that are staffed by providers trained to care for such complex patients.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13584-019-0291-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Epidemiology of mechanically ventilated patients treated in ICU and non-ICU settings in Japan: a retrospective database study

BACKGROUND

In most countries, patients receiving mechanical ventilation (MV) are treated in intensive care units (ICUs). However, in some countries, including Japan, many patients on MV are not treated in ICUs. There are insufficient epidemiological data on these patients. Here, we sought to describe the epidemiology of patients on MV in Japan by comparing and contrasting patients on MV treated in ICUs and in non-ICU settings. A preliminary comparison of patient outcomes between ICU and non-ICU patients was a secondary objective.

METHODS

Data on adult patients receiving MV for at least 3 days in ICUs or non-ICU settings from April 2010 through March 2012 were obtained from the Quality Indicator/Improvement Project, a voluntary data-administration project covering more than 400 acute-care hospitals in Japan. We excluded patients with cancer-related diagnoses. Patient demographic data and the critical care provided were compared between groups.

RESULTS

Over the study period, 17,775 patients on MV were treated only in non-ICU settings, whereas 20,516 patients were treated at least once in ICUs (46.4% vs. 53.6%). Average age was higher in non-ICU patients than in ICU patients (72.8 vs. 70.2, P < 0.001). Mean number of ventilation days was greater in non-ICU patients (11.7 vs. 9.5, P < 0.001). Hospital mortality was higher in non-ICU patients (41.4% vs. 38.8%, P < 0.001). Standard critical care (e.g., arterial line placement, enteral nutrition, and stress-ulcer prevention) was provided significantly less often in non-ICU patients. Multivariate analysis showed that ICU admission significantly decreased hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio 0.713, 95% CI 0.676 to 0.753).

CONCLUSIONS

A large proportion of Japanese patients on MV were treated in non-ICU settings. Analysis of administrative data indicated preliminarily that hospital mortality rates in these patients were higher in non-ICU settings than in ICUs. Prospective analyses comparing non-ICU and ICU patients on MV by severity scoring are needed.

Incidence, temporal trend and factors associated with ventilator-associated pneumonia in mainland China: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Data to date is far from sufficient to describe the recent epidemiology of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in mainland China. This study aimed to estimate the overall incidence of VAP, with a special focus on its temporal trend and associated factors.

Methods

Meta-analyses of 195 studies published from 2010 to 2015 were conducted, followed by subgroup analyses by methodological quality, pre-defined setting characteristics and attributes of populations.

Results

The overall cumulative VAP incidence in mainland China was 23.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 20.6–27.2%), with the results showing high heterogeneity. The pooled incidence densities were 24.14 (95% CI 21.19–27.51) episodes and 22.83 (95% CI 19.88–26.23) patients per 1000 ventilator-days. A decline in the cumulative incidence was observed from 2006 (49.5%, 95% CI 40.0–59.0%) to 2014 (19.6%, 95% CI 10.4–31.0%); differences in the incidence rates were also documented according to Chinese provinces and diagnostic criteria (p < 0.001). Older age (≥60 years), coma, re-intubation, tracheotomy and prolonged ventilation were the factors significantly associated with the occurrence of VAP.

Conclusions

The incidence of VAP remains high in mainland China but has decreased since 2006. The reported rates vary considerably across individual studies, probably due to variations in diagnosis and geographical region. More studies using standard definitions and cut-off points are needed to better clarify the epidemiology of VAP across the country.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12879-017-2566-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Operating a Monitoring Unit in the Geriatric Department: Effects on Outcomes

OBJECTIVES

To compare the effect of a five-bed geriatric monitoring unit (MU) on in-hospital mortality and length of stay with the effect of usual care in a geriatric hospital department and a medical MU.

DESIGN

Prospective, case-control, noninterventional study.

PARTICIPANTS

All individuals hospitalized for 24 hours or longer in the geriatric MU (n = 89, aged 53-101, mean age 82.2 ± 9.6) over a period of 5 months (January-May 2015); individuals admitted to the geriatric department (n = 178, aged 55-100, mean age 83.2 ± 9.8), matched at a ratio of 1:2 according to sex, age ±5 years, and need for mechanical ventilation; and individuals admitted to a similar five-bed medical MU (n = 95, aged 35-90, mean age 68.2 ± 14.4) during the same period.

MEASUREMENTS

Primary outcome was in-hospital mortality.

RESULTS

The predicted death rate was 49 ± 26 for participants in the geriatric MU, 39.6 ± 27 for those in the medical MU (P = .02), and 36.7 ± 27 for those in the geriatric department (P < .001). Observed in-hospital mortality was higher for geriatric MU participants (n = 40, 44.9%) than for the department control group (n = 48, 27%) (P = .002), although the mortality ratios (actual divided by predicted death rates) of these two groups were similar, indicating that the more severely ill participants in the geriatric MU did better than control participants in the departments, in particular those requiring hemodynamic pressure support and those with acute renal failure.

CONCLUSION

For elderly, severely ill adults, care in a geriatric MU was associated with lower in-hospital mortality than care in the hospital geriatric ward and a longer stay and may be an alternative to medical MU admission.

Bedside Percutaneous Tracheostomy versus Open Surgical Tracheostomy in Non-ICU Patients

Percutaneous bedside tracheostomy (PBT) is a one of the common and safe procedures in intensive care units through the world. In the present paper we published our clinical experience with a performance of PBTs in the regular ward by intensive care physicians' team. We found it safe and similar outcome in comparison to open surgical tracheostomy method in operation room by ENT team. The performance of PBT in the regular ward showed potential economic advantages in saving medical staff and operating room resources.

The ethics and reality of rationing in medicine

Rationing is the allocation of scarce resources, which in health care necessarily entails withholding potentially beneficial treatments from some individuals. Rationing is unavoidable because need is limitless and resources are not. How rationing occurs is important because it not only affects individual lives but also expresses society's most important values. This article discusses the following topics: (1) the inevitability of rationing of social goods, including medical care; (2) types of rationing; (3) ethical principles and procedures for fair allocation; and (4) whether rationing ICU care to those near the end of life would result in substantial cost savings.

Elderly patients undergoing mechanical ventilation in and out of intensive care units: a comparative, prospective study of 579 ventilations

INTRODUCTION

Many mechanically ventilated elderly patients in Israel are treated outside of intensive care units (ICUs). The decision as to whether these patients should be treated in ICUs is reached without clear guidelines. We therefore conducted a study with the aim of identifying triage criteria and factors associated with in-hospital mortality in this population.

METHODS

All mechanically invasive ventilated elderly (65+) medical patients in the hospital were included in a prospective, non-interventional, observational study.

RESULTS

Of the 579 ventilations, 283 (48.9%) were done in ICUs compared with 296 (51.1%) in non-ICU wards. The percentage of ICU ventilations in the 65 to 74, 75 to 84, and 85+ age groups was 62%, 45%, and 23%, respectively. The decision to ventilate in ICUs was significantly and independently influenced by age (Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.945, P < 0.001), and pre-hospitalization functional status by functional independence measure (FIM) scale (OR = 1.054, P < 0.001). In-hospital mortality was 53.0% in ICUs compared with 68.2% in non-ICU wards (P < 0.001), but the rate was not independently and significantly affected by hospitalization in ICUs.

CONCLUSIONS

In Israel, most elderly patients are ventilated outside ICUs and the percentage of ICU ventilations decreases as age increases. In our study groups, the lower mortality among elderly patients ventilated in ICUs is related to patient characteristics and not to their treatment in ICUs per se. Although the milieu in which this study was conducted is uncommon today in the western world, its findings point to possible means of managing future situations in which the demand for mechanical ventilation of elderly patients exceeds the supply of intensive care beds. Moreover, the findings of this study can contribute to the search for ways to reduce costs without having a negative effect on outcome in ventilated elderly patients.

Definitive care for the critically ill during a disaster: medical resources for surge capacity: from a Task Force for Mass Critical Care summit meeting, January 26-27, 2007, Chicago, IL

BACKGROUND

Mass numbers of critically ill disaster victims will stress the abilities of health-care systems to maintain usual critical care services for all in need. To enhance the number of patients who can receive life-sustaining interventions, the Task Force on Mass Critical Care (hereafter termed the Task Force) has suggested a framework for providing limited, essential critical care, termed emergency mass critical care (EMCC). This article suggests medical equipment, concepts to expand treatment spaces, and staffing models for EMCC.

METHODS

Consensus suggestions for EMCC were derived from published clinical practice guidelines and medical resource utilization data for the everyday critical care conditions that are anticipated to predominate during mass critical care events. When necessary, expert opinion was used. TASK FORCE MAJOR SUGGESTIONS: The Task Force makes the following suggestions: (1) one mechanical ventilator that meets specific characteristics, as well as a set of consumable and durable medical equipment, should be provided for each EMCC patient; (2) EMCC should be provided in hospitals or similarly equipped structures; after ICUs, postanesthesia care units, and emergency departments all reach capacity, hospital locations should be repurposed for EMCC in the following order: (A) step-down units and large procedure suites, (B) telemetry units, and (C) hospital wards; and (3) hospitals can extend the provision of critical care using non-critical care personnel via a deliberate model of delegation to match staff competencies with patient needs.

DISCUSSION

By using the Task Force suggestions for adequate supplies of medical equipment, appropriate treatment space, and trained staff, communities may better prepare to deliver augmented essential critical care in response to disasters.