Mechanical ventilation for comatose patients with inoperative acute intracerebral hemorrhage: possible futility of treatment

Risk factors of mortality and severe disability in the patients with cerebrovascular diseases treated with perioperative mechanical ventilation

BACKGROUND

The prognosis of cerebrovascular diseases treated with mechanical ventilation during perioperative has not been clearly reported.

AIM

To analyze mortality and functional disability and to determine predictors of unfavorable outcome in the patients with cerebrovascular diseases treated with mechanical ventilation.

METHODS

A retrospective follow-up study of 111 cerebrovascular disease patients who underwent mechanical ventilation during the perioperative period in the First Hospital of Jilin University from June 2016 to June 2019 was performed. Main measurements were mortality and functional outcome in-hospital and after 3-month follow-up. According to the modified rankin scale (mRS), the functional outcome was divided into three groups: Good recovery (mRS ≤ 3), severe disability (mRS = 4 or 5) and death (mRS = 6). Univariate analysis was used to compare the differences between three functional outcomes. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to for risk factors of mortality and severe disability.

RESULTS

The average age of 111 patients was 56.46 ± 12.53 years, 59 (53.15%) were males. The mortality of in-hospital and 3-month follow-up were 36.9% and 45.0%, respectively. Of 71 discharged patients, 46.47% were seriously disabled and 12.67% died after three months follow-up. Univariate analysis showed that preoperative glasgow coma scale, operation start time and ventilation reasons had statistically significant differences in different functional outcomes. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the cause of ventilation was related to the death and poor prognosis of patients with cerebrovascular diseases. Compared with brainstem compression, the risk of death or severe disability of pulmonary disease, status epilepticus, impaired respiratory center function, and shock were 0.096 (95%CI: 0.028-0.328), 0.026 (95%CI: 0.004-0.163), 0.095 (95%CI: 0.013-0.709), 0.095 (95%CI: 0.020-0.444), respectively.

CONCLUSION

The survival rate and prognostic outcomes of patients with cerebrovascular diseases treated with mechanical ventilation during the perioperative period were poor. The reason for mechanical ventilation was a statistically significant predictor for mortality and severe disability.

The Long-Term Survival of Intracranial Hemorrhage Patients Successfully Weaned from Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation

Background

Ninety-one intracranial hemorrhage prolonged mechanical ventilation patients were successfully weaned from the ventilator. No article had discussed the factors related to 1-year survival in successfully weaned prolonged mechanical ventilation patients with intracranial hemorrhage. This study aimed to evaluate the factors influencing the one-year survival of successfully weaned intracranial hemorrhage prolonged mechanical ventilation patients. The identification of patients with a poor long-term prognosis could guide long-term care decisions after discharge in such patients.

Patients and Methods

We performed this retrospective study on the respiratory care center of Dalin Tzu Chi hospital and enrolled all successfully weaned intracranial hemorrhage prolonged mechanical ventilation patients between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2017. We analyzed data including age, gender, comorbidities, intracranial hemorrhage type, spontaneous or traumatic intracranial hemorrhage, location of intracerebral hemorrhage, presence or not of an intraventricular hemorrhage, Glasgow Coma Scale, receipt or not of intracranial hemorrhage surgery, receipt or not of tracheostomy, long-term survival, and end-of-life decisions.

Results

We had long-term follow-up data on 69 of these successfully weaned intracranial hemorrhage prolonged mechanical ventilation patients. The 1-year survival rate of successfully weaned patients was 43.5%. The factors unrelated to the 1-year survival rate were comorbidities, intracranial hemorrhage type, spontaneous or traumatic intracranial hemorrhage, location of the intracerebral hemorrhage, presence or not of an intraventricular hemorrhage, intracranial hemorrhage surgery, and tracheostomy. Four factors were independently associated with the 1-year survival rate of these patients: Glasgow Coma Scale score at discharge from the respiratory care center, age ≥ 65 years, signed do-not-resuscitate and do-not-intubate orders, and the absence of comorbidity.

Conclusion

This study emphasizes an important key factor in terms of the survival of successfully weaned intracranial hemorrhage prolonged mechanical ventilation patients. The patient’s Glasgow Coma Scale score at discharge from the respiratory care center is an important predictor of outcomes. These results can help physician better plan the clinical course for intracranial hemorrhage prolonged mechanical ventilation patients.

Prefectural difference in spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage incidence in Japan analyzed with publically accessible diagnosis procedure combination data: possibilities and limitations

OBJECTIVES

Annually reported, publically accessible Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) data from the Japanese government is a part of the total DPC database of the Japanese medical reimbursement system for hospitalization. Although medical issues can be evaluated with these data promptly, the applicability of these data in epidemiological analyses has not been assessed.

METHODS

We performed analyses using only statistical indices reported on the a government website. As a preliminary step, the prefectural consistency of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) was examined with prefectural mortality over 20 years. Then the prefectural incidence of sICH for four years was calculated, utilizing publically accessible DPC data. To determine its reliability, the consistency was examined, and correlations were analyzed with three prefectural factors expected to have an effect: the elderly rate, mortality due to sICH, and the non-DPC bed rate. In addition, a comparison model between prefectures with this method was developed by analyzing other prefecture-specific factors.

RESULTS

Prefectural mortality due to sICH and prefectural sICH incidence in the DPC database were both consistent over the years. Prefectural sICH incidence had a constant positive correlation with the elderly rate, a partial correlation with mortality due to sICH, but no correlation with the non-DPC bed rate, which is one of the major biases when utilizing the DPC database. In the comparison model, the factors of low income and alcohol consumption showed increased sICH incidence.

CONCLUSIONS

Although careful attention to its limitations is required, publically accessible DPC data will provide insights into epidemiological issues.

[Treatment choice for patients with hemorrhagic cerebral stroke expected to be in a disabled condition--An analysis of questionnaire responses of patients' families]

AIM

Many patients with cerebral stroke are successively treated with the latest advances in medical therapies. Surgical hematoma evacuation is a treatment option for patients with hemorrhagic cerebral stroke, however; it may result in a prolonged vegetative state. The difficult choice of whether or not such surgery should be performed is mostly made by the family, frequently in an urgent manner, and nurses need to understand the factors affecting this decision-making.

METHODS

We performed statistical analyses on the responses of 30 patients' families who answered our questionnaire, presuming disabilities after the surgery were expected. Multiple answers were obtained according to the severity of the expected disabilities after the surgery.

RESULTS

The refusal of surgery increased as the expected disabilities worsened, and the statistically significant factor affecting the decision-making process was "what they would wish if they suffered a stroke themselves." The 18 nurses working in the neurological ward who responded to the same questionnaire wished surgery more in the case of the patient's cognition being preserved.

CONCLUSIONS

Since it is rare for patients with stroke to have an advance directive, patients' families have to decide the treatment choice in most cases. In the clinical setting, such decisions frequently need to be made rapidly, however; the decision should be made by speculating on the patients' own will, and it is desirable for medical staff to explain the expected outcomes of the surgery in detail as far as possible.