Prediction of risk and incidence of dry eye in critical patients

Ocular dryness in intensive care: proposal for a new nursing diagnosis

OBJECTIVE

to analyze the concept associated with diagnostic proposition Ocular dryness in adult patients hospitalized in an Intensive Care Unit, identifying its attributes, antecedents and consequences.

METHODS

a methodological study carried out through concept analysis, operationalized by scoping review.

RESULTS

the analysis of 180 studies allowed the identification of two attributes, 32 antecedents and 12 consequences. The attributes were tear film deficiency and ocular signs and/or symptoms. The prevalent antecedents were incomplete eyelid closure (lagophthalmos) and blinking mechanism decrease. Major consequences included conjunctival hyperemia and decreased tear volume.

CONCLUSIONS

this study allowed constructing nursing diagnosis Ocular dryness, part of domain 11, class 2, with 12 defining characteristics, 12 related factors, seven populations at risk and 13 associated conditions. This problem-focused proposal may provide targeted care by promoting early detection and implementing interventions that reduce the risk of ocular damage.

Ocular microvascular changes in patients with sepsis: a prospective observational study

Background

The aim of the study was to detect differences in the conjunctival microcirculation between septic patients and healthy subjects and to evaluate the course of conjunctival and retinal microvasculature in survivors and non-survivors over a 24-h period of time.

Methods

This single-center prospective observational study was performed in mixed ICU in a tertiary teaching hospital. We included patients with sepsis or septic shock within the first 24 h after ICU admission. Conjunctival imaging, using an IDF video microscope, and retinal imaging, using portable digital fundus camera, as well as systemic hemodynamic measurements, were performed at three time points: at baseline, 6 h and 24 h. Baseline conjunctival microcirculatory parameters were compared with healthy controls.

Results

A total of 48 patients were included in the final assessment and analysis. Median APACHE II and SOFA scores were 16[12–21] and 10[7–12], respectively. Forty-four (92%) patients were in septic shock, 48 (100%) required mechanical ventilation. 19 (40%) patients were discharged alive from the intensive care unit. We found significant reductions in all microcirculatory parameters in the conjunctiva when comparing septic and healthy subjects. In addition, we observed a significant lower microvascular flow index (MFI) of small conjunctival vessels during all three time points in non-survivors compared with survivors. However, retinal arteriolar vessels were not different between survivors and non-survivors.

Conclusions

Conjunctival microvascular blood flow was altered in septic patients. In the 24-h observation period conjunctival small vessels had a significantly higher MFI, but no difference in retinal arteriolar diameter in survivors in comparison with non-survivors.

Trial registration NCT04214743, https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Date of registration: 31 December 2019 – Retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04214743

Validation of nursing outcome indicators of the nursing outcomes classification: dry eye severity

ABSTRACT Objective: To validate the content of the indicators of the nursing outcome Dry eye severity, of the Nursing Outcomes Classification, in adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Methods: Methodological study of content validity, developed in two stages: the first, consisting of 23 specialists; and the second, of a consensus group formed by ten nurses. For analyzing the data in the first stage, we used the content validity index and binomial test for each indicator; in the second stage, the discussions of each meeting were transcripted, and the indicators that achieved 100% consensus were validated. Results: Of the 14 indicators evaluated by the specialists, 7 presented a cut-off point below 0.80, but did not show statistical significance in the binomial test. In the consensus group’s validation, six indicators were reformulated. Conclusion: This study considered the 14 indicators valid for evaluating patients admitted to the intensive care unit.

Clinical indicators of dry eye severity nursing outcome in intensive care unit

Objective:

to verify the extent of impairment of the clinical indicators of the nursing outcome Dry Eye Severity in patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit.

Method:

cross-sectional, descriptive study developed with 206 patients. Based on the result listed, six indicators of the Classification of Nursing Results were evaluated with a questionnaire containing clinical variables and the Likert scale of the Classification of Nursing Results with constructed definitions, which varies from more impaired to non-impaired. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results:

the decrease in lacrimal production and the presence of redness in the conjunctiva were more impaired. The other indicators were more frequent for the absence of impairment: incomplete eyelid closure 81% (167), excessive tearing 95.1%(196), excessive mucous secretion 78.7% (162) and decreased blinking mechanism 50.5% (104). The clinical characteristics of hospitalization for neurological disorders, invasive mechanical ventilation, chemosis, use of sedatives, vasoconstrictors, benzodiazepines, antibiotics and corticosteroids interfered in the impairment of the dry eye severity.

Conclusion:

the result indicators show that the clinical characteristics of patients in the intensive care unit interfere in the impairment and in the dry eyes severity. According to these results, the importance of assistance directed to the prevention of eye diseases is emphasized.

Predictive clinical factors for ocular dryness in patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the predictive clinical factors for ocular dryness and for the nursing diagnosis Risk for dry eye in the ocular surface of hospitalized adult patients in an intensive care unit.

METHOD

A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and July 2016, with 206 patients (412 eyes). An inference about the presence of the diagnosis in the evaluated patients was performed by diagnostic nurses. The descriptive and inferential statistics subsidized the data analysis.

RESULTS

47.6% of the patients presented Risk for dry eye, and 52.4% were already diagnosed with ocular dryness. Statistical differences between the ocular dryness diagnosis in the right eye with hyperemia, mucous secretion, eyelid edema and lagophthalmia were identified. In addition, statistical differences were observed between hyperemia and eyelid edema with Risk for dry eye in the left eye and with the nursing diagnosis Risk for dry eye.

CONCLUSION

Hyperemia, mucous secretion, eyelid edema and lagophthalmia are the predictive clinical factors for the nursing diagnosis Risk for dry eye and also of ocular dryness in the intensive care unit environment which deserve special attention in the preventive evaluation.

Effectiveness of Nursing Interventions to Prevent Dry Eye in Critically Ill Patients

BACKGROUND

Critically ill patients are susceptible to the development of dry eye. Few studies have been conducted on how to best prevent and treat this condition.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effectiveness of 2 nursing interventions in preventing dry eye in adult intensive care unit patients: liquid artificial tears (Lacribell; Latinofarma) and artificial tears gel (Vidisic Gel; Bausch and Lomb).

METHODS

In this randomized controlled trial, 140 participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatment groups: a liquid artificial tears group (n = 70) and an artificial tears gel group (n = 70). The study inclusion criteria were as follows: admission to the intensive care unit, age of 18 years or older, no diagnosis of dry eye at admission, receipt of mechanical ventilation, blink rate of less than 5 times per minute, and a score of 7 or less on the Glasgow Coma Scale. On 5 consecutive days, a single researcher who was unaware of the treatment assignment assessed the participants' eyes using the fluorescein eye stain test and the Schirmer test for dry eye.

RESULTS

Dry eye developed in 21% of participants who received liquid artificial tears versus 9% of participants who received artificial tears gel (P = .04).

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, artificial tears gel was superior to liquid artificial tears in preventing the development of dry eye. These results may help nurses deliver evidence-based eye care aimed at reducing the risk of dry eye in critically ill patients.