Association of postdischarge rehabilitation with mortality in intensive care unit survivors of sepsis

Intensive care unit follow-up clinic activities: a scoping review

The importance of ongoing post-discharge follow-up to prevent functional impairment in patients discharged from intensive care units (ICUs) is being increasingly recognized. Therefore, we conducted a scoping review, which included existing ICU follow-up clinic methodologies using the CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and CINAHL databases from their inception to December 2022. Data were examined for country or region, outpatient name, location, opening days, lead profession, eligible patients, timing of the follow-up, and assessment tools. Twelve studies were included in our review. The results obtained revealed that the methods employed by ICU follow-up clinics varied among countries and regions. The names of outpatient follow-up clinics also varied; however, all were located within the facility. These clinics were mainly physician or nurse led; however, pharmacists, physical therapists, neuropsychologists, and social workers were also involved. Some clinics were limited to critically ill patients with sepsis or those requiring ventilation. Ten studies reported the first outpatient visit 1-3 months after discharge. All studies assessed physical function, cognitive function, mental health, and the health-related quality of life. This scoping review revealed that an optimal operating format for ICU follow-up clinics needs to be established according to the categories of critically ill patients.

Barriers and facilitators to offering post-intensive care follow-up services from the perspective of critical care professionals: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Various programmes and models for post-intensive care unit (ICU) follow-up services have been developed worldwide. In China, post-ICU follow-up remains in the exploratory stage and little is known regarding the appropriate form and challenges of implementation, which need to be further explored.

AIM

This study aimed to explore and describe the barriers to and facilitators of post-ICU follow-up services from the perspective of critical care professionals.

DESIGN

This was a descriptive qualitative study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 health care workers whose units had offered ICU survivors different forms of follow-up services; the data were analysed by qualitative content analysis during August 2022 and December 2022.

SETTING

The study was conducted at 14 ICUs in 11 tertiary hospitals in Shanghai, China.

FINDINGS

Seventeen subthemes were extracted as barriers and facilitators in the follow-up of ICU survivors. In the initiating process, the barriers included the restriction of decision-making rights and scope of practice, indifferent attitude towards survivors and repeated work. The facilitators included admitted significance, the needs of ICU survivors, the conscientiousness of professionals and the pioneers and leadership support. In the implementation process, lack of confidence, lack of cooperation in medical consortium, distrusted relationships, restrictions of medical insurance, ageing problems and insufficient human resources acted as barriers, whereas lessons learned, positive feedback and digital support served as facilitators. Furthermore, recommendations and tips were identified for offering follow-up services.

CONCLUSION

Medical personnel can better utilize available resources and develop strategies to overcome constraints by gaining insights into the abovementioned barriers and facilitators. The findings of this study can provide a useful reference for structured and systematic follow-ups to ameliorate post-intensive care syndrome in low- and middle-income countries.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Publicity and educational measures play a crucial role in enhancing the awareness of survivors and the consensus of health care professionals from medical consortium regarding impairments after critical care. Leadership and policy support can address numerous obstacles to guiding follow-up services.

A randomized clinical trial to evaluate the effect of post-intensive care multidisciplinary consultations on mortality and the quality of life at 1 year

PURPOSE

Critical illness is associated with long-term increased mortality and impaired quality of life (QoL). We assessed whether multidisciplinary consultations would improve outcome at 12 months (M12) after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge.

METHODS

We performed an open, multicenter, parallel-group, randomized clinical trial. Eligible are patients discharged alive from ICU in 11 French hospitals between 2012 and 2018. The intervention group had a multidisciplinary face-to-face consultation involving an intensivist, a psychologist, and a social worker at ICU discharge and then at M3 and M6 (optional). The control group had standard post-ICU follow-up. A consultation was scheduled at M12 for all patients. The QoL was assessed using the EuroQol-5 Dimensions-5 Level (Euro-QoL-5D-5L) which includes five dimensions (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain, and anxiety/depression), each ranging from 1 to 5 (1: no, 2: slight, 3: moderate, 4: severe, and 5: extreme problems). The primary endpoint was poor clinical outcome defined as death or severe-to-extreme impairment of at least one EuroQoL-5D-5L dimension at M12. The information was collected by a blinded investigator by phone. Secondary outcomes were functional, psychological, and cognitive status at M12 consultation.

RESULTS

540 patients were included (standard, n = 272; multidisciplinary, n = 268). The risk for a poor outcome was significantly greater in the multidisciplinary group than in the standard group [adjusted odds ratio 1.49 (95% confidence interval, (1.04-2.13)]. Seventy-two (13.3%) patients died at M12 (standard, n = 32; multidisciplinary, n = 40). The functional, psychological, and cognitive scores at M12 did not statistically differ between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

A hospital-based, face-to-face, intensivist-led multidisciplinary consultation at ICU discharge then at 3 and 6 months was associated with poor outcome 1 year after ICU.

The chain of survival and rehabilitation for sepsis: concepts and proposals for healthcare trajectory optimization

This article describes the structures and processes involved in healthcare delivery for sepsis, from the prehospital setting until rehabilitation. Quality improvement initiatives in sepsis may reduce both morbidity and mortality. Positive outcomes are more likely when the following steps are optimized: early recognition, severity assessment, prehospital emergency medical system activation when available, early therapy (antimicrobials and hemodynamic optimization), early orientation to an adequate facility (emergency room, operating theater or intensive care unit), in-hospital organ failure resuscitation associated with source control, and finally a comprehensive rehabilitation program. Such a trajectory of care dedicated to sepsis amounts to a chain of survival and rehabilitation for sepsis. Implementation of this chain of survival and rehabilitation for sepsis requires full interconnection between each link. To date, despite regular international recommendations updates, the adherence to sepsis guidelines remains low leading to a considerable burden of the disease. Developing and optimizing such an integrated network could significantly reduce sepsis related mortality and morbidity.

Effects of a Rehabilitation-at-Home Program Compared to Post-acute Skilled Nursing Facility Care on Safety, Readmission, and Community Dwelling Status: A Matched Cohort Analysis

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Rehabilitation-at-Home (RaH), which provides high-frequency, multidisciplinary post-acute rehabilitative services in patients' homes.

DESIGN

Comparative effectiveness analysis.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Medicare Fee-For-Service patients who received RaH in a Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation Center Demonstration during 2016-2017 (N=173) or who received Medicare Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) care in 2016-2017 within the same geographic service area with similar inclusion and exclusion criteria (N=5535).

METHODS

We propensity-matched RaH participants to a cohort of SNF patients using clinical and demographic characteristics with exact match on surgical and non-surgical hospitalizations. Outcomes included hospitalization within 30 days of post-acute admission, death within 30 days of post-acute discharge, length of stay, falls, use of antipsychotic medication, and discharge to community.

RESULTS

The majority of RaH participants were older than or equal to 85 years (57.8%) and non-Hispanic white (72.2%) with mean hospital length of stay of 8.1 (SD 7.6) days. In propensity-matched analyses, 10.1% (95% CI: 0.5%, 19.8) and 4.2% (95% CI: 0.1%, 8.5%) fewer RaH participants experienced hospital readmission and death, respectively. RaH participants had, on average, 2.8 fewer days (95% CI 1.4, 4.3) of post-acute care; 11.4% (95% CI: 5.2%, 17.7%) fewer RaH participants experienced fall; and 25.8% (95% CI: 17.8%, 33.9%) more were discharged to the community. Use of antipsychotic medications was no different.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

RaH is a promising alternative to delivering SNF-level post-acute RaH. The program seems to be safe, readmissions are lower, and transition back to the community is improved.

Pediatric Sepsis Requiring Intensive Care Admission: Potential Structured Follow-Up Protocols to Identify and Manage New or Exacerbated Medical Conditions

Pediatric sepsis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children globally. Children who require the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) are at high risk for new or worsening co-morbidities, as well as readmission. This review describes the current state of protocolized follow-up after pediatric sepsis requiring PICU admission. We searched Medline and EMBASE databases for studies published in English from 2005 to date. Duplicates, review articles, abstracts and poster presentations were excluded; neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patients were also excluded since neonatal sepsis is variably defined and differs from the pediatric consensus definition. The search yielded 418 studies of which 55 were duplicates; the subsequent 363 studies were screened for inclusion criteria, yielding 31 studies for which full article screening was completed. Subsequently, 23 studies were excluded due to wrong population (9), wrong publication type (10), duplicate data (3) or wrong outcome (1). In total, nine studies were included for which we described study design, setting, population, sample size, outcomes, PICU core outcome domain, and results. There were 4 retrospective cohort studies, 4 prospective cohort studies, 1 retrospective case series and no prospective trials. These studies show the varying trajectories of recovery after discharge, with the common finding that new or worsening morbidities are worse within months of discharge, but may persist. Sepsis survivors may have distinct needs and a different post-PICU trajectory compared to other critically ill children, particularly in quality of life and neurocognitive outcomes. Future research should focus on developing screening protocols and studying protocolized follow-up trials to reduce morbidity after pediatric sepsis.

Predicting Hospital Readmission among Patients with Sepsis Using Clinical and Wearable Data

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that occurs due to a dysregulated host response to infection. Recent data demonstrate that patients with sepsis have a significantly higher readmission risk than other common conditions, such as heart failure, pneumonia and myocardial infarction and associated economic burden. Prior studies have demonstrated an association between a patient's physical activity levels and readmission risk. In this study, we show that distribution of activity level prior and post-discharge among patients with sepsis are predictive of unplanned rehospitalization in 90 days (P-value<1e-3). Our preliminary results indicate that integrating Fitbit data with clinical measurements may improve model performance on predicting 90 days readmission.Clinical relevance Sepsis, Activity level, Hospital readmission, Wearable data.

Predicting Hospital Readmission among Patients with Sepsis using Clinical and Wearable Data

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that occurs due to a dysregulated host response to infection. Recent data demonstrate that patients with sepsis have a significantly higher readmission risk than other common conditions, such as heart failure, pneumonia and myocardial infarction and associated economic burden. Prior studies have demonstrated an association between a patient's physical activity levels and readmission risk. In this study, we show that distribution of activity level prior and post-discharge among patients with sepsis are predictive of unplanned rehospitalization in 90 days (P-value<1e-3). Our preliminary results indicate that integrating Fitbit data with clinical measurements may improve model performance on predicting 90 days readmission.

The Effects of Postacute Rehabilitation on Mortality, Chronic Care Dependency, Health Care Use, and Costs in Sepsis Survivors

Rationale: Sepsis often leads to long-term functional deficits and increased mortality in survivors. Postacute rehabilitation can decrease long-term sepsis mortality, but its impact on nursing care dependency, health care use, and costs is insufficiently understood. Objectives: To assess the short-term (7-12 months postdischarge) and long-term (13-36 months postdischarge) effect of inpatient rehabilitation within 6 months after hospitalization on mortality, nursing care dependency, health care use, and costs. Methods: An observational cohort study used health claims data from the health insurer AOK (Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse). Among 23.0 million AOK beneficiaries, adult beneficiaries hospitalized with sepsis in 2013-2014 were identified by explicit codes from the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision. The study included patients who were nonemployed presepsis, for whom rehabilitation is reimbursed by the AOK and thus included in the dataset, and who survived at least 6 months postdischarge. The effect of rehabilitation was estimated by statistical comparisons of patients with rehabilitation (treatment group) and those without (reference group). Possible differential effects were investigated for the subgroup of ICU-treated sepsis survivors. The study used inverse probability of treatment weighting based on propensity scores to adjust for differences in relevant covariates. Costs for rehabilitation in the 6 months postsepsis were not included in the cost analysis. Results: Among 41,918 6-month sepsis survivors, 17.2% (n = 7,224) received rehabilitation. There was no significant difference in short-term survival between survivors with and without rehabilitation. Long-term survival rates were significantly higher in the rehabilitation group (90.4% vs. 88.7%; odds ratio [OR] = 1.2; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.1-1.3; P = 0.003). Survivors with rehabilitation had a higher mean number of hospital readmissions (7-12 months after sepsis: 0.82 vs. 0.76; P = 0.014) and were more frequently dependent on nursing care (7-12 months after sepsis: 47.8% vs. 42.3%; OR = 1.2; 95% CI = 1.2-1.3; P < 0.001; 13-36 months after sepsis: 52.5% vs. 47.5%; OR = 1.2; 95% CI = 1.1-1.3; P < 0.001) compared with those without rehabilitation, whereas total health care costs at 7-36 months after sepsis did not differ between groups. ICU-treated sepsis patients with rehabilitation had higher short- and long-term survival rates (short-term: 93.5% vs. 90.9%; OR = 1.5; 95% CI = 1.2-1.7; P < 0.001; long-term: 89.1% vs. 86.3%; OR = 1.3; 95% CI = 1.1-1.5; P < 0.001) than ICU-treated sepsis patients without rehabilitation. Conclusions: Rehabilitation within the first 6 months after ICU- and non-ICU-treated sepsis is associated with increased long-term survival within 3 years after sepsis without added total health care costs. Future work should aim to confirm and explain these exploratory findings.

One-year hospital readmission for recurrent sepsis: associated risk factors and impact on 1-year mortality-a French nationwide study

BACKGROUND

Sepsis is a complex health condition, leading to long-term morbidity and mortality. Understanding the risk factors for recurrent sepsis, as well as its impact on mid- and long-term mortality among other risk factors, is essential to improve patient survival.

METHODS

A risk factor analysis, based on French nationwide medico-administrative data, was conducted on a cohort of patients above 15 years old, hospitalized with an incident sepsis in metropolitan France between 1st January 2018 and 31st December 2018 and who survived their index hospitalization. Two main analyses, focusing on outcomes occurring 1-year post-discharge, were conducted: a first one to assess risk factors for recurrent sepsis and a second to assess risk factors for mortality.

RESULTS

Of the 178017 patients surviving an incident sepsis episode in 2018 and included in this study, 22.3% died during the 1-year period from discharge and 73.8% had at least one hospital readmission in acute care, among which 18.1% were associated with recurrent sepsis. Patients aged between 56 and 75, patients with cancer and renal disease, with a long index hospital stay or with mediastinal or cardiac infection had the highest odds of recurrent sepsis. One-year mortality was higher for patients with hospital readmission for recurrent sepsis (aOR 2.93; 99% CI 2.78-3.09). Among all comorbidities, patients with cancer (aOR 4.35; 99% CI 4.19-4.52) and dementia (aOR 2.02; 99% CI 1.90-2.15) had the highest odds of 1-year mortality.

CONCLUSION

Hospital readmission for recurrent sepsis is one of the most important risk factors for 1-year mortality of septic patients, along with age and comorbidities. Our study suggests that recurrent sepsis, as well as modifiable or non-modifiable other risk factors identified, should be considered in order to improve patient care pathway and survival.

Prevalence and Long-Term Prognosis of Post-Intensive Care Syndrome after Sepsis: A Single-Center Prospective Observational Study

Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) comprises physical, mental, and cognitive disorders following a severe illness. The impact of PICS on long-term prognosis has not been fully investigated. This study aimed to: (1) clarify the frequency and clinical characteristics of PICS in sepsis patients and (2) explore the relationship between PICS occurrence and 2-year survival. Patients with sepsis admitted to intensive care unit were enrolled. Data on patient background; clinical information since admission; physical, mental, and cognitive impairments at 3-, 6-, and 12-months post-sepsis onset; 2-year survival; and cause of death were obtained from electronic medical records and telephonic interviews with patients and their families. At 3 months, comparisons of variables were undertaken in the PICS group and the non-PICS group. Among the 77 participants, the in-hospital mortality rate was 11% and the 2-year mortality rate was 52%. The frequencies of PICS at 3, 6, and 12 months were 70%, 60%, and 35%, respectively. The 2-year survival was lower in the PICS group than in the non-PICS group (54% vs. 94%, p < 0.01). More than half of the survivors had PICS at 3 and 6 months after sepsis. Among survivors with sepsis, those who developed PICS after 3 months had a lower 2-year survival.

Risk for hypoglycemic emergency with levofloxacin use, a population-based propensity score matched nested case-control study

Potential association between oral levofloxacin use and hypoglycemic emergency (HE) have been established. However, a large epidemiological study is required to verify this observation. This study aimed to determine if use of oral levofloxacin increased the risk of HE. The nationwide database between 1999 and 2013, including 1.6 million patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), was used to conduct a nested case-control study. Cases and controls comprised of patients with and without HE, respectively. To avoid indication bias the control subjects were chosen through propensity score matching with cases in a 10-fold ratio. T2D severity was classified based on the adjusted diabetic complication severity index score. 26,695 and 266,950 matched patients with T2D, were finally used as cases and controls, respectively, for the analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that antibiotic use was associated with an increased risk for HE (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 6.08, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 5.79–6.38). When compared with antibiotic non-users, those who used fluoroquinolones and sulfonamides displayed the highest (aOR = 12.05, 95% CI: 10.66–13.61) and second highest (aOR = 7.20, 95% CI: 6.29–8.24) risks of HE, respectively. The associated risk for HE was significantly higher with levofloxacin than that with cephalosporins (aOR = 5.13, 95% CI: 2.28–11.52) and penicillin (aOR = 9.40, 95% CI: 2.25–39.24). In the joint effect analyses, the risk for HE increased with the combination of levofloxacin with insulin (aOR = 8.42, 95% CI: 1.91–37.00) or sulfonylurea (aOR = 3.56, 95% CI: 1.12–11.33). Use of oral levofloxacin, compared to that of other antibiotics, was found to be significantly associated with HE in T2D patients. Clinicians should exercise caution while prescribing levofloxacin, especially when combined with insulin or sulfonylurea.

2021 KSCCM clinical practice guidelines for pain, agitation, delirium, immobility, and sleep disturbance in the intensive care unit

We revised and expanded the “2010 Guideline for the Use of Sedatives and Analgesics in the Adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU).” We revised the 2010 Guideline based mainly on the 2018 “Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Pain, Agitation/Sedation, Delirium, Immobility, and Sleep Disruption (PADIS) in Adult Patients in the ICU,” which was an updated 2013 pain, agitation, and delirium guideline with the inclusion of two additional topics (rehabilitation/mobility and sleep). Since it was not possible to hold face-to-face meetings of panels due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, all discussions took place via virtual conference platforms and e-mail with the participation of all panelists. All authors drafted the recommendations, and all panelists discussed and revised the recommendations several times. The quality of evidence for each recommendation was classified as high (level A), moderate (level B), or low/very low (level C), and all panelists voted on the quality level of each recommendation. The participating panelists had no conflicts of interest on related topics. The development of this guideline was independent of any industry funding. The Pain, Agitation/Sedation, Delirium, Immobility (rehabilitation/mobilization), and Sleep Disturbance panels issued 42 recommendations (level A, 6; level B, 18; and level C, 18). The 2021 clinical practice guideline provides up-to-date information on how to prevent and manage pain, agitation/sedation, delirium, immobility, and sleep disturbance in adult ICU patients. We believe that these guidelines can provide an integrated method for clinicians to manage PADIS in adult ICU patients.

Healthcare Utilization and Costs in Sepsis Survivors in Germany-Secondary Analysis of a Prospective Cohort Study

Background: Survivors of sepsis often face long-term sequelae after intensive care treatment. Compared to the period of hospitalization, little is known about the ambulatory healthcare utilization in sepsis patients. The study evaluated healthcare utilization and associated costs of sepsis care including allied health professions after initial hospitalization. Methods: Secondary analysis was performed on data in 210 sepsis patients prospectively enrolled from nine intensive care study centers across Germany. Data was collected via structured surveys among their Primary care (Family-) physicians (PCPs) within the first month after discharge from ICU (baseline) and again at 6, 12 and 24 months after discharge, each relating to the period following the last survey. Costs were assessed by standardized cost unit rates from a health care system’s perspective. Changes in healthcare utilization and costs over time were calculated using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Results: Of the 210 patients enrolled, 146 (69.5%) patients completed the 24 months follow-up. In total, 109 patients were hospitalized within the first 6 months post-intensive care. Mean total direct costs per patient at 0–6 months were €17,531 (median: €6047), at 7–12 months €9029 (median: €3312), and at 13–24 months €18,703 (median: €12,828). The largest contributor to the total direct costs within the first 6 months was re-hospitalizations (€13,787 (median: €2965). After this first half year, we observed a significant decline in inpatient care costs for re-hospitalizations (p ≤ 0.001). PCPs were visited by more than 95% of patients over 24 months. Conclusions: Sepsis survivors have high health care utilization. Hospital readmissions are frequent and costly. Highest costs and hospitalizations were observed in more than half of patients within the first six months post-intensive care. Among all outpatient care providers, PCPs were consulted most frequently. Clinical impact: Sepsis survivors have a high healthcare utilization and related costs which persist after discharge from hospital. Within outpatient care, possible needs of sepsis survivors as physiotherapy or psychotherapy seem not to be met appropriately. Development of sepsis aftercare programs for early detection and treatment of complications should be prioritized.

Clinical Subtypes of Sepsis Survivors Predict Readmission and Mortality After Hospital Discharge

RATIONALE

Sepsis survivors experience adverse outcomes including high rates of post-discharge mortality and rehospitalization. Given the heterogeneity of the condition, identifying subtypes within this population with different risks of post-discharge outcomes may optimize post-sepsis care.

OBJECTIVES

To classify individuals into subtypes and assess the association of subtypes with 30-day rehospitalization and mortality.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective observational study between January 2014 and October 2017 among 20,745 patients admitted to one of 12 Southeastern US hospitals with a clinical definition of sepsis. We used latent class analysis to classify sepsis survivors into subtypes, which were evaluated against 30-day readmission and mortality rates using a specialized regression approach. A secondary analysis evaluated subtypes against ambulatory-care-sensitive-condition readmission rate.

RESULTS

Among 20,745 patients, latent class analysis identified 5 distinct subtypes as the optimal solution. Clinical subtype was associated with 30-day readmission, with the Chronically Ill, Severe Illness subtype demonstrating highest risk (35%) and the Low Functional Needs, Uncomplicated Illness subtype demonstrating the lowest risk (9%). 47% of readmissions in the High Functional Needs, Uncomplicated Illness subtype were for ambulatory-care-sensitive conditions, whereas 17% of readmissions in the Previously Healthy, Severe Illness subtype were for ambulatory-care-sensitive conditions. Subtype was significantly associated with 30-day mortality; highest in the Chronically Ill, Severe Illness subtype (8%) and lowest in the Low Functional Needs, Uncomplicated Illness subtype (0.1%).

CONCLUSIONS

Sepsis survivors can be classified into subtypes with differential 30-day mortality and readmission risk profiles. Pre-discharge classification may allow an individualized approach to post-sepsis care.

Hospital Readmission and Post-Acute Care Use After Intensive Care Unit Admissions: New ICU Quality Metrics?

OBJECTIVE

Care coordination is a national priority. Post-acute care use and hospital readmission appear to be common after critical illness. It is unknown whether specialty critical care units have different readmission rates and what these trends have been over time.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study, a cohort of 53,539 medical/surgical patients who were treated in a critical care unit during their index admission were compared with 209,686 patients who were not treated in a critical care unit. The primary outcome was 30-day all cause hospital readmission. Secondary outcomes included post-acute care resource use and immediate readmission, defined as within 7 days of discharge.

RESULTS

Compared to patients discharged after an index hospitalization without critical illness, surviving patients following ICU admission were not more likely to be rehospitalized within 30 days (15.8 vs. 16.1%, p = 0.08). However, they were more likely to receive post-acute care services (45.3% vs. 70.9%, p < 0.001) as well as be rehospitalized within 7 days (5.2 vs. 6.0%, p < 0.001). Post-acute care use and 30-day readmission rates varied by ICU type, the latter ranging from 11.7% after admission in a cardiothoracic critical care unit to 23.1% after admission in a medical critical care unit. 30-day readmission after ICU admission did not decline between 2010 and 2015 (p = 0.38). Readmission rates declined over time for 2 of 4 targeted conditions (heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), but only when the hospitalization did not include ICU admission.

CONCLUSIONS

Rehospitalization for survivors following ICU admission is common across all specialty critical care units. Post-acute care use is also common for this population of patients. Overall trends for readmission rates after critical illness did not change over time, and readmission reductions for targeted conditions were limited to hospitalizations that did not include an ICU admission.

[Factors influencing the survival prognosis in older adults]

AIM

The present study examined the predictive factors for the survival prognosis in older adults.

METHODS

The subjects were 431 patients (75-99 years old) who visited our hospital between April 2016 and March 2019. Multivariate analyses were conducted to clarify the survival prognosis (P <0.05).

RESULTS

In a Cox regression analysis, the significant factors for the survival were the age (hazard ratio [HR] 1.050, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.014-1.087), Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) (low vs. medium: HR 0.106, 95% CI 0.032-0.353; low vs. high: HR 0.244, 95% CI 0.150-0.398; low vs. very high: HR 0.514, 95% CI 0.326-0.809), pre-hospitalized gait (HR 1.861, 95% CI 1.158-2.988), sitting at discharge (HR 0.429, 95% CI 0.277-0.663), subcutaneous adipose tissue index (SATI) (HR 0.988, 95% CI 0.979-0.997) and modified controlling nutritional status (m-CONUT) (normal vs. light: HR 0.114, 95% CI 0.042-0.311; normal vs. moderate: HR 0.235, 95% CI 0.110-0.502; normal vs. severe: HR 0.351, 95% CI 0.166-0.741). In decision tree analyses, the significant factors for the 1-year survival were a CCI of low >medium >high-very high, body mass index of >20.7 kg/m², m-CONUT of normal-light >moderate-severe and sitting at discharge, and those for the 2-year survival were sitting at discharge, a SATI of >43.9 cm²m^-2, a CCI of low-medium >high-very high, male <female and m-CONUT of normal-light >moderate-severe.

CONCLUSIONS

High SATI and body mass index values appeared to be associated with better survival outcomes.

Resolution of organ dysfunction as a predictor of long-term survival in necrotizing soft tissue infections: Analysis of the AB103 Clinical Composite Endpoint Study in Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections trial and a retrospective claims database-linked chart study

BACKGROUND

Necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTIs) are an acute surgical condition with high morbidity and mortality. Timely identification, resuscitation, and aggressive surgical management have significantly decreased inpatient mortality. However, reduced inpatient mortality has shifted the burden of disease to long-term mortality associated with persistent organ dysfunction.

METHODS

We performed a combined analysis of NSTI patients from the AB103 Clinical Composite Endpoint Study in Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections randomized-controlled interventional trial (ATB-202) and comprehensive administrative database (ATB-204) to determine the association of persistent organ dysfunction on inpatient and long-term outcomes. Persistent organ dysfunction was defined as a modified Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (mSOFA) score of 2 or greater at Day 14 (D14) after NSTI diagnosis, and resolution of organ dysfunction defined as mSOFA score of 1 or less.

RESULTS

The analysis included 506 hospitalized NSTI patients requiring surgical debridement, including 247 from ATB-202, and 259 from ATB-204. In both study cohorts, age and comorbidity burden were higher in the D14 mSOFA ≥2 group. Patients with D14 mSOFA score of 1 or less had significantly lower 90-day mortality than those with mSOFA score of 2 or higher in both ATB-202 (2.4% vs. 21.5%; p < 0.001) and ATB-204 (6% vs. 16%: p = 0.008) studies. In addition, in an adjusted covariate analysis of the combined study data sets D14 mSOFA score of 1 or lesss was an independent predictor of lower 90-day mortality (odds ratio, 0.26; 95% confidence interval, 0.13-0.53; p = 0.001). In both studies, D14 mSOFA score of 1 or less was associated with more favorable discharge status and decreased resource utilization.

CONCLUSION

For patients with NSTI undergoing surgical management, persistent organ dysfunction at 14 days, strongly predicts higher resource utilization, poor discharge disposition, and higher long-term mortality. Promoting the resolution of acute organ dysfunction after NSTI should be considered as a target for investigational therapies to improve long-term outcomes after NSTI.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic/epidemiology study, level III.

Type 2 Diabetic Sepsis Patients Have a Lower Mortality Rate in Pioglitazone Use: A Nationwide 15-Year Propensity Score Matching Observational Study in Taiwan

Background

Pioglitazone use via the PPARγ agonist in sepsis patients is inconclusive. It was based on a great number of animal studies. However, except for information from animal studies, there are merely any data of human studies for reference.

Methods

This study was conducted by a unique database including 1.6 million diabetic patients. From 1999 to 2013, a total of 145,327 type 2 diabetic patients, first admitted for sepsis, were enrolled. Propensity score matching was conducted in a 1 : 5 ratio between pioglitazone users and nonusers. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to evaluate the adjusted odds ratios (aORs) of hospital mortality in pioglitazone users. Further stratification analysis was done and Kaplan–Meier plot was used.

Results

A total of 9,310 sepsis pioglitazone users (defined as “ever” use of pioglitazone in any dose within 3 months prior to the first admission for sepsis) and 46,550 matched nonusers were retrieved, respectively. In the multivariate logistic regression model, the cohort of pioglitazone users (9,310) had a decreased aOR of 0.95 (95% CI, 0.89–1.02) of sepsis mortality. Further stratification analysis demonstrated that “chronic pioglitazone users” (defined as “at least” 4-week drug use within 3 months) (3,399) were more associated with significant aOR of 0.80 (95% CI, 0.72–0.89) in reducing sepsis mortality.

Conclusions

This first human cohort study demonstrated the potential protective effect of chronic pioglitazone use in type 2 diabetic sepsis patients.

Preadmission Antihypertensive Drug Use and Sepsis Outcome: Impact of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors (ACEIs) and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARBs)

BACKGROUND

Several studies have reported improved sepsis outcomes when certain preadmission antihypertensive drugs, namely, calcium channel blockers (CCBs), are used. This study aims to determine whether preadmission antihypertensive drug use, especially angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), is associated with decreased total hospital mortality in sepsis.

METHODS

This study was conducted using the unique database of a sepsis cohort from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. Frequency matching for age and sex between preadmission antihypertensive drug users (study cohort) and nonusers (comparison cohort) was conducted. The primary outcome was total hospital mortality. Logistic regression analyses were performed to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) of important variables. Further joint effect analyses were carried out to examine the impacts of different combinations of antihypertensive drugs.

RESULTS

A total of 33,213 sepsis antihypertensive drug use patients were retrieved as the study cohort, and an equal number of matched sepsis patients who did not use antihypertensive drugs were identified as the comparison cohort. The study cohort had a higher incidence rate of being diagnosed with septic shock compared with the comparison cohort (4.36%-2.31%, P < 0.001) and a higher rate of total hospital mortality (38.42%-24.57%, P < 0.001). In the septic shock condition, preadmission antihypertensive drug use was associated with a decreased adjusted OR (OR = 0.66, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.55-0.80) for total hospital mortality, which was not observed for the nonseptic shock condition. Compared with antihypertensive drug nonusers, both ACEI and ARB users had decreased adjusted ORs for total hospital mortality in sepsis (adjusted OR = 0.93, 95% CI, 0.88-0.98 and adjusted OR = 0.85, 95% CI, 0.81-0.90); however, CCB, beta-blocker, and diuretic users did not. In the septic shock condition, ACEI, ARB, CCB, and beta-blocker users all had decreased ORs for total hospital mortality. Joint effect analysis showed ACEI use, except in combination with diuretics, to be associated with a decreased adjusted OR for total hospital mortality in sepsis. Similar results were observed for ARB users.

CONCLUSIONS

Preadmission ACEI or ARB use is associated with a decreased risk of total hospital mortality, regardless of a nonshock or septic shock condition.

Characteristics, Outcomes, and Trends of Patients With COVID-19-Related Critical Illness at a Learning Health System in the United States

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to surge in the United States and globally.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the epidemiology of COVID-19-related critical illness, including trends in outcomes and care delivery.

DESIGN

Single-health system, multihospital retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

5 hospitals within the University of Pennsylvania Health System.

PATIENTS

Adults with COVID-19-related critical illness who were admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) with acute respiratory failure or shock during the initial surge of the pandemic.

MEASUREMENTS

The primary exposure for outcomes and care delivery trend analyses was longitudinal time during the pandemic. The primary outcome was all-cause 28-day in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were all-cause death at any time, receipt of mechanical ventilation (MV), and readmissions.

RESULTS

Among 468 patients with COVID-19-related critical illness, 319 (68.2%) were treated with MV and 121 (25.9%) with vasopressors. Outcomes were notable for an all-cause 28-day in-hospital mortality rate of 29.9%, a median ICU stay of 8 days (interquartile range [IQR], 3 to 17 days), a median hospital stay of 13 days (IQR, 7 to 25 days), and an all-cause 30-day readmission rate (among nonhospice survivors) of 10.8%. Mortality decreased over time, from 43.5% (95% CI, 31.3% to 53.8%) to 19.2% (CI, 11.6% to 26.7%) between the first and last 15-day periods in the core adjusted model, whereas patient acuity and other factors did not change.

LIMITATIONS

Single-health system study; use of, or highly dynamic trends in, other clinical interventions were not evaluated, nor were complications.

CONCLUSION

Among patients with COVID-19-related critical illness admitted to ICUs of a learning health system in the United States, mortality seemed to decrease over time despite stable patient characteristics. Further studies are necessary to confirm this result and to investigate causal mechanisms.

PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Post-Sepsis Syndrome

Sepsis is both common and costly. Successful implementation of guidelines in the acute care setting has decreased mortality and increased the number of sepsis survivors. However, patients returning to the community continue to experience complications related to sepsis and many are poorly prepared to manage these long-term complications. These long-term complications are collectively referred to as post-sepsis syndrome. The purpose of this review is to increase knowledge about post-sepsis syndrome and to compare post-sepsis syndrome with post-intensive care unit syndrome.

Improvement in Activities of Daily Living during a Nursing Home Stay and One-Year Mortality among Older Adults with Sepsis

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE

To describe the recovery of activities of daily living (ADLs) during a skilled nursing facility (SNF) stay and the association with 1-year mortality after SNF discharge among Medicare beneficiaries treated in intensive care for sepsis.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Skilled nursing facilities in the United States.

PARTICIPANTS

Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries admitted to an SNF within 3 days of discharge from a hospitalization that included an intensive care unit (ICU) stay for sepsis between January 1, 2013, and September 30, 2015 (N = 59,383).

MEASUREMENTS

Data from the Minimum Data Set (MDS) were used to calculate a total score for seven ADLs. Improvement was determined by comparing the total ADL scores from the first and last MDS assessments of the SNF stay. Proportional hazard models were used to estimate the association between improvement in ADL function and 1-year mortality after SNF discharge.

RESULTS

Approximately 58% of SNF residents had any improvement in ADL function. Residents who had improvement in ADL function had 0.72 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.69-0.74) lower risk for mortality following SNF discharge than residents who did not improve. Residents who improved 1-3 points (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.79-0.84) and four or more points (HR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.55-0.60) in ADL function had significantly lower mortality risk than residents who did not improve.

CONCLUSION

Older adults treated in an ICU with sepsis can improve in ADL function during an SNF stay. This improvement is associated with lower 1-year mortality risk after SNF discharge. These findings provide evidence that ADL recovery during an SNF stay is associated with better health outcomes for older adults who have survived an ICU stay for sepsis.

Risk of ischemic stroke in patients with end-stage renal disease receiving peritoneal dialysis with new-onset atrial fibrillation

BACKGROUND

The clinical effect of atrial fibrillation (AF)-related ischemic cardiovascular events in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the risk of ischemic events in patients undergoing PD with new-onset AF compared with that in patients without AF and ascertain the association between the CHA2DS2-VASc score and risk of ischemic stroke.

METHODS

This nationwide, population-based cohort study used data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database from 1998 to 2011 for patients receiving PD with or without new-onset AF. The clinical endpoints included ischemic stroke, all-cause death, and in-hospital cardiovascular death.

RESULTS

Patients undergoing PD with new-onset AF (N = 505) had significantly higher risks of ischemic stroke (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.98; 95% CI, 1.40-2.80), all-cause death (aHR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.40-1.85), and in-hospital cardiovascular death (aHR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.50.2.21) compared with those in patients undergoing PD without AF. After considering in-hospital death as a competing risk, AF remained associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke (hazard ratio [HR], 1.67; 95% CI, 1.17-2.37). The CHA2DS2-VASc score was associated with the risk of ischemic stroke (HR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.12-1.46).

CONCLUSION

The risks of ischemic stroke, all-cause death, and in-hospital cardiovascular death were significantly higher in patients undergoing PD with AF than those in patients without AF. The CHA2DS2-VASc score remained associated with the risk of ischemic stroke in patients undergoing PD with AF.

Value of mesenchymal stem cell therapy for patients with septic shock: an early health economic evaluation

BACKGROUND.

This study estimates the maximum price at which mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy is deemed cost-effective for septic shock patients and identifies parameters that are most important in making treatment decisions.

METHODS

We developed a probabilistic Markov model according to the sepsis care trajectory to simulate costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) of septic shock patients receiving either MSC therapy or usual care over their lifetime. We calculated the therapeutic headroom by multiplying the gains attributable to MSCs with willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold and derived the maximum reimbursable price (MRP) from the expected net monetary benefit and savings attributable to MSCs. We performed scenario analyses to assess the impact of changes to assumptions on the study findings. A value of information analysis is performed to identify parameters with greatest impact on the uncertainty around the cost-effectiveness of MSC therapy.

RESULTS

At a WTP threshold of $50,000 per QALY, the therapeutic headroom and MRP of MSC therapy were $20,941 and $16,748, respectively; these estimates increased with the larger WTP values and the greater impact of MSCs on in-hospital mortality and hospital discharge rates. The parameters with greatest information value were MSC's impact on in-hospital mortality and the baseline septic shock in-hospital mortality.

CONCLUSION

At a common WTP of $50,000/QALY, MSC therapy is deemed to be economically attractive if its unit cost does not exceed $16,748. This ceiling price can be increased to $101,450 if the therapy significantly reduces both in-hospital mortality and increases hospital discharge rates.

Exploring the pathophysiology of post-sepsis syndrome to identify therapeutic opportunities

Sepsis is a major health problem worldwide. As the number of sepsis cases increases, so does the number of sepsis survivors who suffer from “post-sepsis syndrome” after hospital discharge. This syndrome involves deficits in multiple systems, including the immune, cognitive, psychiatric, cardiovascular, and renal systems. Combined, these detrimental consequences lead to rehospitalizations, poorer quality of life, and increased mortality. Understanding the pathophysiology of these issues is crucial to develop new therapeutic opportunities to improve survival rate and quality of life of sepsis survivors. Such novel strategies include modulating the immune system and addressing mitochondrial dysfunction. A sepsis follow-up clinic may be useful to identify long-term health issues associated with post-sepsis syndrome and evaluate existing and novel strategies to improve the lives of sepsis survivors.

ICU outcomes can be predicted by noninvasive muscle evaluation: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The relationship between muscle function in critically ill patients assessed using bedside techniques and clinical outcomes has not been systematically described. We aimed to evaluate the association between muscle weakness assessed by bedside evaluation and mortality or weaning from mechanical ventilation, and the capacity of each evaluation tool to predict outcomes.

METHODS

Five databases (PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Science Direct) were searched from January 2000 to December 2018. Data were extracted and random effects meta-analyses were performed.

RESULTS

60 studies were analysed, including 4382 patients. Intensive care unit (ICU)-related muscle weakness was associated with an increase in overall mortality with odds ratios ranging from 1.2 (95% CI 0.60-2.40) to 4.48 (95% CI 1.49-13.42). Transdiaphragmatic twitch pressure had the highest predictive capacity for overall mortality, with a sensitivity of 0.87 (95% CI 0.76-0.93) and a specificity of 0.36 (95% CI 0.27-0.43). The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.74 (95% CI 0.70-0.78). Muscle weakness was associated with an increase in mechanical ventilation weaning failure rate with an odds ratio ranging from 2.64 (95% CI 0.72-9.64) to 19.07 (95% CI 9.35-38.9). Diaphragm thickening fraction had the highest predictive capacity for weaning failure with a sensitivity of 0.76 (95% CI 0.67-0.83) and a specificity of 0.86 (95% CI 0.78-0.92). The AUC was 0.86 (95% CI 0.83-0.89).

CONCLUSION

ICU-related muscle weakness detected by bedside techniques is a serious issue associated with a high risk of death or prolonged mechanical ventilation. Evaluating diaphragm function should be a clinical priority in the ICU.

Occurrence and Impact of Gastrointestinal Bleeding and Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events during Sepsis: A 15-Year Observational Study

Objective

Sepsis patients are at risk of gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), but few data are available on the occurrence of GIB and MACEs and their impact on sepsis outcomes.

Methods

The medical claims records of 220,082 patients admitted for sepsis between 1999 and 2013 were retrieved from the nationwide database. The adjusted odds ratios (aORs) of composite outcomes including the hospital mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and mechanical ventilation (MV) in patients with a MACE or GIB were estimated by multivariate logistic regression and joint effect analyses.

Results

The enrollees were 70.15 ± 15.17 years of age with a hospital mortality rate of 38.91%. GIB developed in 3.80% of the patients; MACEs included ischemic stroke in 1.54%, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in 0.92%, and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in 1.59%. Both ICH and AMI significantly increased the risk of (1) ICU admission (aOR = 8.02, 95% confidence interval (CI): 6.84–9.42 for ICH and aOR = 4.78, 95% CI: 4.21–5.42 for AMI, respectively), (2) receiving MV (aOR = 3.92, 95% CI: 3.52–4.40 and aOR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.84–2.16, respectively), and (3) the hospital mortality (aOR = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.98–1.19 and aOR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.03–1.19, respectively). However, sepsis with GIB or ischemic stroke increased only the risk of ICU admission and MV but not the hospital mortality (aOR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.93–1.03 for GIB and aOR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.78–0.91 for ischemic stroke, respectively).

Conclusions

GIB and MACEs significantly increased the risk of ICU admission and receiving MV but not the hospital mortality, which was independently associated with both AMI and ICH. Early prevention can at least reduce the complexity of clinical course and even the hospital mortality.

Incidence and risk of sepsis following appendectomy: a nationwide population-based cohort study

Appendectomy is a frequently performed surgical procedure; however, long-term consequences have not been fully explored. We used a nationwide population-based cohort to determine whether patients undergoing appendectomy are at an increased risk of sepsis. Overall, 252,688 patients undergoing appendectomy and 252,472 matched controls were identified from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. A propensity score analysis was used for matching age, sex, index year and comorbidities at a ratio of 1:1. Multiple Cox regression and stratified analyses were used to estimate the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of developing sepsis. Patients undergoing appendectomy had a 1.29 times (aHR: 1.29; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26-1.33) higher risk of developing sepsis than those not undergoing. Patients aged 20-49 years had a 1.58-fold higher risk of sepsis in the appendectomy cohort (aHR; 95% CI, 1.50-1.68). Also, having undergone appendectomy, patients had a higher likelihood of sepsis, regardless of sex and with or without comorbidities. Patients with <1 year follow-up showed a 1.98-fold risk of sepsis in the appendectomy cohort. Patients with 1-4 and ≥5 years follow-up showed a 1.29 and 1.11-fold risk of sepsis, respectively. Future research is required to elucidate the possible immuno-pathological mechanisms of these associations.

The Effects of Early Mobilization on Patients Requiring Extended Mechanical Ventilation Across Multiple ICUs

Objectives

1) To successfully implement early mobilization of individuals with prolonged mechanical ventilation in multiple ICUs at a tertiary care hospital and 2) to reduce length of stay and improve quality of care to individuals in the ICUs.

Design

Comparative effectiveness cohort study based on a quality improvement project.

Setting

Five ICUs at a tertiary care hospital.

Patients

A total of 541 mechanically ventilated patients over a 2-year period (2014-2015): 280 and 261, respectively. Age ranged from 19 to 94 years (mean, 63.84; sd, 14.96).

Interventions

A hospital-based initiative spurred development of a multidisciplinary team, tasked with establishing early mobilization in ICUs.

Measurements and Main Results

Early mobilization in the ICUs was evaluated by the number of physical therapy consults, length of stay, individual treatment sessions utilizing functional outcomes, and follow-up visits. Implementation of an early mobilization protocol across all ICUs led to a significant increase in the number of physical therapy consults, a significant decrease in ICU and overall lengths of stay, significantly shorter days to implement physical therapy, and a significantly higher physical therapy follow-up rate.

Conclusions

Mobilizing individuals in an intensive care setting decreases length of stay and hospital costs. With an interdisciplinary team to plan, implement, and evaluate stages of the program, a successful early mobilization program can be implemented across all ICUs simultaneously and affect change in patients who will require prolonged mechanical ventilation.

Relationship between Use of Rehabilitation Resources and ICU Readmission and ER Visits in ICU Survivors: the Korean ICU National Data Study 2008-2015

BACKGROUND

Despite the increasing importance of rehabilitation for critically ill patients, there is little information regarding how rehabilitation therapy is utilized in clinical practice. Our objectives were to evaluate the implementation rate of rehabilitation therapy in the intensive care unit (ICU) survivors and to investigate the effects of rehabilitation therapy on outcomes.

METHODS

A retrospective nationwide cohort study with including > 18 years of ages admitted to ICU between January 2008 and May 2015 (n = 1,465,776). The analyzed outcomes were readmission to ICU readmission and emergency room (ER) visit.

RESULTS

During the study period, 249,918 (17.1%) patients received rehabilitation therapy. The percentage of patients receiving any rehabilitation therapy increased annually from 14% in 2008 to 20% in 2014, and the percentages for each type of therapy also increased over time. The most common type of rehabilitation was physical therapy (91.9%), followed by neuromuscular electrical stimulation (29.6%), occupational (28.6%), respiratory, (11.6%) and swallowing (10.3%) therapies. After adjusting for confounding variables, the risk of 30-day ICU readmission was lower in patients who received rehabilitation therapy than in those who did not (P < 0.001; hazard ratio [HR], 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65-0.75). And, the risk of 30-day ER visit was also lower in patients who received rehabilitation therapy (P < 0.001; HR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.77-0.88).

CONCLUSION

In this nationwide cohort study in Korea, only 17% of all ICU patients received rehabilitation therapy. However, rehabilitation is associated with a significant reduction in the risk of 30-day ICU readmission and ER visit.

Early Active Irrigation-Suction Drainage among Enterocutaneous Fistulas Patients with Chronic Critical Illness: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Enterocutaneous fistulas (ECFs) requiring admission to ICU is a serious surgical complication. A growing number of patients survive ECFs but remain chronically critically ill. The aim of our study was to investigate the risk factors of hospital death in patients with chronic critical illness attributed to ECFs. A retrospective single-center study was conducted in 163 ECF patients between 2013 and 2017. Patient-specific baseline characteristics, outcomes, and process of care variables were collected. Risk factors for hospital mortality were determined using univariate and multi-variate analyses. Patients were divided into the following two groups according to the hospital discharge outcome: group survivors (n = 106) and group nonsurvivors (n = 57). Patients who received active irrigation-suction drainage (AISD) within 24 hours after the diagnosis of ECFs had a significantly lower hospital mortality rate than those who received AISD after more than 24 hours (17.9% vs 46.9%, P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that delayed AISD (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 10.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.03234.59; P < 0.001) and no rehabilitation therapy (AOR, 4.77; 95% CI, 1.43215.98; P = 0.011) were independently associated with a greater risk of hospital mortality. The hospital mortality rate in patients with more than or equal to four risk factors was 92.6 per cent (n = 57), compared with a mortality rate of 9.4 per cent (n = 106) in patients who did not have these risk factors ( P < 0.001). The risk of hospital death is exceptionally high among patients with chronic critical illness attributed to ECFs. Efforts aimed at early AISD and rehabilitation therapy are likely to be associated with improved clinical outcomes.

Home Health Rehabilitation Utilization Among Medicare Beneficiaries Following Critical Illness

OBJECTIVES

Medicare beneficiaries recovering from a critical illness are increasingly being discharged home instead of to post-acute care facilities. Rehabilitation services are commonly recommended for intensive care unit (ICU) survivors; however, little is known about the frequency and dose of home-based rehabilitation in this population.

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of 2012 Medicare hospital and home health (HH) claims data, linked with assessment data from the Medicare Outcomes and Assessment Information Set.

SETTING

Participant homes.

PARTICIPANTS

Medicare beneficiaries recovering from an ICU stay longer than 24 hours, who were discharged directly home with HH services within 7 days of discharge and survived without readmission or hospice transfer for at least 30 days (n = 3,176).

MEASUREMENTS

Count of rehabilitation visits received during HH care episode.

RESULTS

A total of 19,564 rehabilitation visits were delivered to ICU survivors over 118,145 person-days in HH settings, a rate of 1.16 visits per week. One-third of ICU survivors received no rehabilitation visits during HH care. In adjusted models, those with the highest baseline disability received 30% more visits (rate ratio [RR] = 1.30; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.17-1.45) than those with the least disability. Conversely, an inverse relationship was found between multimorbidity (Elixhauser scores) and count of rehabilitation visits received; those with the highest tertile of Elixhauser scores received 11% fewer visits (RR = .89; 95% CI = .81-.99) than those in the lowest tertile. Participants living in a rural setting (vs urban) received 6% fewer visits (RR = .94; 95% CI = .91-.98); those who lived alone received 11% fewer visits (RR = .89; 95% CI = .82-.96) than those who lived with others.

CONCLUSION

On average, Medicare beneficiaries discharged home after a critical illness receive few rehabilitation visits in the early post-hospitalization period. Those who had more comorbidities, who lived alone, or who lived in rural settings received even fewer visits, suggesting a need for their consideration during discharge planning. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:1512-1519, 2020.

Long-term mortality and outcome in hospital survivors of septic shock, sepsis, and severe infections: The importance of aftercare

Patients with severe infections and especially sepsis have a high in-hospital mortality, but even hospital survivors face long-term sequelae, decreased health-related quality of life, and high risk of death, suggesting a great need for specialized aftercare. However, data regarding a potential benefit of post-discharge rehabilitation in these patients are scarce. In this retrospective matched cohort study the claim data of a large German statutory health care insurer was analyzed. 83,974 hospital survivors having suffered from septic shock, sepsis, and severe infections within the years 2009–2016 were identified using an ICD abstraction strategy closely matched to the current Sepsis-3 definition. Cases were analyzed and compared with their matched pairs to determine their 5-year mortality and the impact of post-discharge rehabilitation. Five years after hospital discharge, mortality of initial hospital survivors were still increased after septic shock (HR_adj 2.03, 95%-CI 1.87 to 2.19; P<0.001), sepsis (HR_adj 1.73, 95%-CI 1.71 to 1.76; P<0.001), and also in survivors of severe infections without organ dysfunction (HR_adj 1.70, 95%-CI 1.65 to 1.74; P<0.001) compared to matched controls without infectious diseases. Strikingly, patients treated in rehabilitation facilities showed a significantly improved 5-year survival after suffering from sepsis or septic shock (HR_adj 0.81, 95%-CI 0.77 to 0.85; P<0.001) as well as severe infections without organ dysfunction (HR_adj 0.81, 95%-CI 0.73 to 0.90; P<0.001) compared to matched patients discharged to home or self-care. Long-term mortality and morbidity of hospital survivors are markedly increased after septic shock, sepsis and severe infections without organ dysfunction, but best 5-year survival was recorded in patients discharged to a rehabilitation facility in all three groups. Thus, our data suggest that specialized aftercare programs may help to improve long-term outcome in these patients and warrants more vigilance in future investigations.

Risk Factors for Long-term Mortality and Patterns of End-of-Life Care Among Medicare Sepsis Survivors Discharged to Home Health Care

IMPORTANCE

Despite a growing recognition of the increased mortality risk among sepsis survivors, little is known about the patterns of end-of-life care among this population.

OBJECTIVE

To describe patterns of end-of-life care among a national sample of sepsis survivors and identify factors associated with long-term mortality risk and hospice use.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This cohort study assessed sepsis survivors who were Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries discharged to home health care using national Medicare administrative, claims, and home health assessment data from 2013 to 2014. The initial and final primary analyses were conducted in July 2017 and from July to August 2019, respectively.

EXPOSURES

Sepsis hospital discharge and 1 or more home health assessments within 1 week.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Outcomes were 1-year mortality among all sepsis survivors and hospitalization in the last 30 days of life, death in an acute care hospital, and hospice use among decedents. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with 1-year mortality and hospice use.

RESULTS

Among 87 581 sepsis survivors who were Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries discharged to home health care, 49 323 (56.3%) were aged 75 years or older, 69 499 (79.4%) were non-Hispanic white, and 48 472 (55.3%) were female. Among the total survivors, 24 423 (27.9%) people died within 1 year of discharge, with a median (interquartile range) survival time of 119 (51-220) days. Among these decedents, 16 684 (68.2%) were hospitalized in the last 30 days of life, 6560 (26.8%) died in an acute care hospital, and 12 573 (51.4%) were enrolled in hospice, with 5729 (45.6%) using hospice for 7 or fewer days. Several factors were associated with 1-year mortality, including a cancer diagnosis (odds ratio [OR], 3.66; 95% CI, 3.50-3.83; P < .001), multiple dependencies of activities of daily living or instrumental activities of daily living (OR, 2.80; 95% CI, 2.57-3.05; P < .001), and an overall poor health status (OR, 2.21; 95% CI, 2.01-2.44; P < .001) documented on home health assessment. Among the decedents, cancer was associated with hospice use (OR, 2.25; 95% CI, 2.11-2.41; P < .001), patients aged 85 years or older (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.37-1.61; P < .001), and living in an assisted living setting (OR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.69-2.19; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

The findings of this study suggest that death within 1 year after sepsis discharge may be common among Medicare beneficiaries discharged to home health care. Although 1 in 2 decedents used hospice, aggressive care near the end of life and late hospice referral were common. Readily identifiable risk factors suggest opportunities to target efforts to improve palliative and end-of-life care among high-risk sepsis survivors.

Life after sepsis: an international survey of survivors to understand the post-sepsis syndrome

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we aim to describe the post-sepsis syndrome from the perspective of the sepsis survivors.

DESIGN AND SETTING

The study is a prospective, observational online international survey.

PARTICIPANTS

Sepsis survivors enrolled via social media from 13 September 2014 to 13 September 2016.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Physiologic, physical and psychological function post-sepsis; and patient satisfaction with sepsis-centered care.

RESULTS

1731 completed surveys from 41 countries were analyzed, with 79.9% female respondents, age 47.6 ± 14.4 years. The majority of respondents (47.8%) had sepsis within the last year. Survivors reported an increase in sensory, integumentary, digestive, breathing, chest pain, kidney and musculoskeletal problems after sepsis (all P-value <0.0001). Physical functions such as daily chores, running errands, spelling, reading and reduced libido posed increased difficulty (all P-value <0.0001). Within 7 days prior to completing the survey, the survivors reported varying degrees of anxiety, depression, fatigue and sleep disturbance. Sepsis survivors reported dissatisfaction with a number of hospital support services, with up to 29.3% of respondents stating no social services support was provided for their condition.

CONCLUSIONS

Sepsis survivors suffer from a myriad of physiologic, physical and psychological challenges. Survivors overall reveal dissatisfaction with sepsis-related care, suggesting areas for improvement both in-hospital and post-discharge.

Does enhanced physical rehabilitation following intensive care unit discharge improve outcomes in patients who received mechanical ventilation? A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to determine whether enhanced physical rehabilitation following intensive care unit (ICU) discharge improves activities-of-daily-living function, quality of life (QOL) and mortality among patients who received mechanical ventilation in the ICU.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, PEDro and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform searched through January 2019.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES

We included randomised controlled trials assessing the effect of post-ICU rehabilitation designed to either commence earlier and/or be more intensive than the protocol employed in the control group. Only adults who received mechanical ventilation for >24 hours were included.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed risk of bias. Standard mean differences (SMDs) with 95% CIs were calculated for QOL, and pooled risk ratios (RRs) with 95% CIs are provided for mortality. We assessed heterogeneity based on I² and the certainty of evidence based on the GRADE approach.

RESULTS

Ten trials (enrolling 1110 patients) compared physical rehabilitation with usual care or no intervention after ICU discharge. Regarding QOL, the SMD (95% CI) between the intervention and control groups for the physical and mental component summary scores was 0.06 (-0.12 to 0.24) and -0.04 (-0.20 to 0.11), respectively. Rehabilitation did not significantly decrease long-term mortality (RR 1.05, 95% CI 0.66 to 1.66). The analysed trials did not report activities-of-daily-living data. The certainty of the evidence for QOL and mortality was moderate.

CONCLUSIONS

Enhanced physical rehabilitation following ICU discharge may make little or no difference to QOL or mortality among patients who received mechanical ventilation in the ICU. Given the wide CIs, further studies are needed to confirm the efficacy of intensive post-ICU rehabilitation in selected populations.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42017080532.

Statins improve the long-term prognosis in patients who have survived sepsis: A nationwide cohort study in Taiwan (STROBE complaint)

Most patients diagnosed with sepsis died during their first episode, with the long-term survival rate upon post-sepsis discharge being low. Major adverse cardiovascular events and recurrent infections were regarded as the major causes of death. No definite medications had proven to be effective in improving the long-term prognosis. We aimed to examine the benefits of statins on the long-term prognosis of patients who had survived sepsis.Between 1999 and 2013, a total of 220,082 patients who had been hospitalized due to the first episode of sepsis were included, with 134,448 (61.09%) of them surviving to discharge. The surviving patients who were subsequently prescribed statins at a concentration of more than 30 cumulative Defined Daily Doses (cDDDs) during post-sepsis discharge were defined as the users of statin.After a propensity score matching ratio of 1:5, a total of 7356 and 36,780 surviving patients were retrieved for the study (statin users) and comparison cohort (nonstatin users), respectively. The main outcome was to determine the long-term survival rate during post-sepsis discharge.HR with 95% CI was calculated using the Cox regression model to evaluate the effectiveness of statins, with further stratification analyses according to cDDDs.The users of statins had an adjusted HR of 0.29 (95% CI, 0.27-0.31) in their long-term mortality rate when compared with the comparison cohort. For the users of statins with cDDDs of 30-180, 180-365, and >365, the adjusted HRs were 0.32, 0.22, and 0.16, respectively, (95% CI, 0.30-0.34, 0.19-0.26, and 0.12-0.23, respectively), as compared with the nonstatins users (defined as the use of statins <30 cDDDs during post-sepsis discharge), with the P for trend <.0001. In the sensitivity analysis, after excluding the surviving patients who had died between 3 and 6 months after post-sepsis discharge, the adjusted HR for the users of statins remained significant (0.35, 95% CI 0.32-0.37 and 0.42, 95% CI 0.39-0.45, respectively).Statins may have the potential to decrease the long-term mortality of patients who have survived sepsis. However, more evidence, including clinical and laboratory data, is necessary in order to confirm the results of this observational cohort study.Trial registration: CMUH104-REC2-115.

Follow-up program after intensive care unit discharge

INTRODUCTION

Patient follow-up after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge allows the early recognition of complications associated to post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). The aim of this project is to standardize outcome variables in a follow-up program for patients at risk of suffering PICS.

METHODS

The Rehabilitation and Patient Follow-up Committee of the Argentine Society of Intensive Care Medicine (Sociedad Argentina de Terapia Intensiva, SATI) requested the collaboration of different committees to design the present document. A thorough search of the literature on the issue, together with pre-scheduled meetings and web-based discussion encounters were carried out. After comprehensive evaluation, the recommendations according to the GRADE system included in the follow-up program were: frequency of controlled visits, appointed healthcare professionals, basic domains of assessment and recommended tools of evaluation, validated in Spanish, and entire duration of the program.

CONCLUSION

The measures herein suggested for patient follow-up after ICU discharge will facilitate a basic approach to diagnosis and management of the long-term complications associated to PICS.

The effect of early cardiopulmonary rehabilitation on the outcomes of intensive care unit survivors

This study aims to compare the impact of early and late post-discharge cardiopulmonary rehabilitation on the outcomes of intensive care unit (ICU) survivors.The retrospective, cohort study used a sub-database of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) that contained information of all patients had ICU admission between 2000 and 2012. Early group was defined if patients had received cardiopulmonary rehabilitation within 30 days after ICU discharge, and late group was define as if patients had received cardiopulmonary rehabilitation between 30 days and 1 year after ICU discharge. The end points were mortality and re-admission during the 3-year follow-up.Among 2136 patients received cardiopulmonary rehabilitation after ICU discharge, 994 was classified early group and other 1142 patients were classified as late group. Overall, early group had a lower mortality rate (6.64% vs. 10.86%, P = .0006), and a lower ICU readmission rate (47.8% vs. 57.97%, P < 0.0001) than late group after 3-year follow-up. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that early group had significantly lower mortality (P = .0009) and readmission rate (P < .0001) than late group. In multivariate analysis, the risk of ICU readmission was found to be independently associated with late group (hazard ratio, [HR], 1.28; 95% confidence intervals, [CI], 1.13-1.47).Early post-discharge cardiopulmonary rehabilitation among ICU survivors has the long-term survival benefit and significantly decreases the readmission rate.

Hospital outcomes and cumulative burden from complications in type 2 diabetic sepsis patients: a cohort study using administrative and hospital-based databases

BACKGROUND

The association between type 2 diabetes and hospital outcomes of sepsis remains controversial when severity of diabetes is not taken into consideration. We examined this association using nationwide and hospital-based databases.

METHODS

The first part of this study was mainly conducted using a nationwide database, which included 1.6 million type 2 diabetic patients. The diabetic complication burden was evaluated using the adapted Diabetes Complications Severity Index score (aDCSI score). In the second part, we used laboratory data from a distinct hospital-based database to make comparisons using regression analyses.

RESULTS

The nationwide study included 19,719 type 2 diabetic sepsis patients and an equal number of nondiabetic sepsis patients. The diabetic sepsis patients had an increased odds ratio (OR) of 1.14 (95% confidence interval 1.1-1.19) for hospital mortality. The OR for mortality increased as the complication burden increased [aDCSI scores of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and ⩾5 with ORs of 0.91, 0.87, 1.14, 1.25, 1.56, and 1.77 for mortality, respectively (all p < 0.001)].The hospital-based database included 1054 diabetic sepsis patients. Initial blood glucose levels did not differ significantly between the surviving and deceased diabetic sepsis patients: 273.9 ± 180.3 versus 266.1 ± 200.2 mg/dl (p = 0.095). Moreover, the surviving diabetic sepsis patients did not have lower glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c; %) values than the deceased patients: 8.4 ± 2.6 versus 8.0 ± 2.5 (p = 0.078).

CONCLUSIONS

For type 2 diabetic sepsis patients, the diabetes-related complication burden was the major determinant of hospital mortality rather than diabetes per se, HbA1c level, or initial blood glucose level.

Enhancing Recovery From Sepsis: A Review

Importance

Survival from sepsis has improved in recent years, resulting in an increasing number of patients who have survived sepsis treatment. Current sepsis guidelines do not provide guidance on posthospital care or recovery.

Observations

Each year, more than 19 million individuals develop sepsis, defined as a life-threatening acute organ dysfunction secondary to infection. Approximately 14 million survive to hospital discharge and their prognosis varies. Half of patients recover, one-third die during the following year, and one-sixth have severe persistent impairments. Impairments include development of an average of 1 to 2 new functional limitations (eg, inability to bathe or dress independently), a 3-fold increase in prevalence of moderate to severe cognitive impairment (from 6.1% before hospitalization to 16.7% after hospitalization), and a high prevalence of mental health problems, including anxiety (32% of patients who survive), depression (29%), or posttraumatic stress disorder (44%). About 40% of patients are rehospitalized within 90 days of discharge, often for conditions that are potentially treatable in the outpatient setting, such as infection (11.9%) and exacerbation of heart failure (5.5%). Compared with patients hospitalized for other diagnoses, those who survive sepsis (11.9%) are at increased risk of recurrent infection than matched patients (8.0%) matched patients (P < .001), acute renal failure (3.3% vs 1.2%, P < .001), and new cardiovascular events (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] range, 1.1-1.4). Reasons for deterioration of health after sepsis are multifactorial and include accelerated progression of preexisting chronic conditions, residual organ damage, and impaired immune function. Characteristics associated with complications after hospital discharge for sepsis treatment are not fully understood but include both poorer presepsis health status, characteristics of the acute septic episode (eg, severity of infection, host response to infection), and quality of hospital treatment (eg, timeliness of initial sepsis care, avoidance of treatment-related harms). Although there is a paucity of clinical trial evidence to support specific postdischarge rehabilitation treatment, experts recommend referral to physical therapy to improve exercise capacity, strength, and independent completion of activities of daily living. This recommendation is supported by an observational study involving 30 000 sepsis survivors that found that referral to rehabilitation within 90 days was associated with lower risk of 10-year mortality compared with propensity-matched controls (adjusted HR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.92-0.97, P < .001).

Conclusions and Relevance

In the months after hospital discharge for sepsis, management should focus on (1) identifying new physical, mental, and cognitive problems and referring for appropriate treatment, (2) reviewing and adjusting long-term medications, and (3) evaluating for treatable conditions that commonly result in hospitalization, such as infection, heart failure, renal failure, and aspiration. For patients with poor or declining health prior to sepsis who experience further deterioration after sepsis, it may be appropriate to focus on palliation of symptoms.