Etiology and Outcomes of ARDS in the Elderly Population in an Intensive Care Unit in North India

Clinical characteristics and risk factors for mortality in pneumonia-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome patients: a single center retrospective cohort study

Background

Pathogenic diversity may have contributed to the high mortality of pneumonia-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (p-ARDS). Metagenomics next-generation sequencing (mNGS) serves as a valuable diagnostic tool for early pathogen identification. However, its clinical utility in p-ARDS remains understudied. There are still limited researches on the etiology, clinical characteristics and risk factors for 28-day mortality in p-ARDS patients.

Methods

A single center retrospective cohort study of 75 p-ARDS patients was conducted. Patients were categorized into survival and deceased groups based on their 28-day outcomes. A comprehensive clinical evaluation was conducted, including baseline characteristics, laboratory indicators, outcomes and pathogen identification by mNGS and traditional microbiological testing. We then evaluated the diagnostic value of mNGS and identified clinical characteristics and risk factors for 28-day mortality in p-ARDS.

Result

The overall ICU mortality was 26.67%, and the 28-day mortality was 57.33%, with 32 cases (42.67%) in the survival group, and 43 cases (57.33%) in the deceased group. Patients in the deceased group were older than those in the survival group (68(59,73) years vs. 59(44,67) years, P=0.04). The average lengths of ICU and hospital stay were 9(5,13) days and 14(7,21) days, respectively. The survival group had longer lengths of ICU and hospital stay (ICU: 11(7,17) days and hospital: 17(9,27) days) compared to the deceased group (ICU: 8(4,11) days and hospital: 12(6,19) days) (P<0.05). Survival patients exhibited lower Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score on the 3rd and 7th days, higher lymphocyte counts, higher CD3+ and CD8+ T cell counts compared to deceased patients (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified age, APACHE II scores on 3rd and 7th days, CD8+ T cell count and length of ICU as independent risk factors for 28-day mortality in p-ARDS patients. mNGS demonstrated a significantly higher overall pathogen detection rate (70/75, 93.33%) compared to the traditional method (50/75, 66.67%, P=0.022). The average turnaround time (TAT) for mNGS was significantly shorter at 1(1,1) day compared to 4(3,5) days for the traditional method (P<0.001).

Conclusion

Metagenome next-generation sequencing can be used as a valuable tool for identifying pathogens in p-ARDS, reducing diagnostic time and improving accuracy. Early application of mNGS alongside traditional methods is recommended for p-ARDS. Furthermore, older age, higher APACHE II scores, lower lymphocyte counts and lymphocyte subset counts were associated with increased mortality in p-ARDS patients, highlighting the importance of timely assessment of immune status and disease severity, especially in elderly.

Lower body mass index is an independent predictor of mortality in older patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome

Background

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with high mortality. The impacts of body mass index (BMI) on the morality of older patients with ARDS remain unclear.

Methods

This is a single-center cohort study which was conducted at Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan. Adult patients admitted to the ICU needing mechanical ventilation with ARDS were included for analysis. We compared the data of older patients (age ≥65 years) with those of younger patients (Age <65 years). The factors associated with in-hospital mortality of older patients were investigated.

Results

This study included a total of 728 (mean age: 66 years; men: 63%) patients, and 425 (58.4%) of them aged ≥65 years. Older patients exhibited lower body mass index (BMI) (23.8 vs 25.2), higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores (28.9 vs 26.3), higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) (4.0 vs 3.4), and lower Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores (10.0 vs 11.1) than younger patients. Furthermore, older patients had mortality rates similar to younger patients (40.5% vs 42.9%, P = 0.542), but had longer length of stay in the ICU (17.6 vs 15.6 days, P = 0.047). For older patients, BMI <18.5 (odds ratio [OR], 2.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.45-5.34), high SOFA score (OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.12-1.28), and moderate (OR, 1.95; 95% CI 1.20-3.14) or severe ARDS (OR, 2.30; 95% CI 1.26-4.22) were independent risk factors for mortality.

Conclusions

In this cohort, critical ill older patients with ARDS had lower BMI, more comorbidities, and higher APACHE II scores than younger patients. Mortality rate was similar between older and younger patients. Low BMI, high SOFA score, and moderate or severe ARDS were independently associated with mortality in older patients with ARDS.

Long-term Survival and Quality of Life among Survivors Discharged from a Respiratory ICU in North India: A Prospective Study

Background

Advancements in the intensive care unit (ICU) have improved critically ill subjects' short-term outcomes. However, there is a need to understand the long-term outcomes of these subjects. Herein, we study the long-term outcomes and factors associated with poor outcomes in critically ill subjects with medical illnesses.

Materials and methods

All subjects (≥12 years) discharged after an ICU stay of at least 48 hours were included. We evaluated the subjects at 3 and 6 months after ICU discharge. At each visit, subjects were administered the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument (WHO-QOL-BREF) questionnaire. The primary outcome was mortality at 6 months after ICU discharge. The key secondary outcome was quality of life (QOL) at 6 months.

Results

In total, 265 subjects were admitted to the ICU, of whom 53 subjects (20%) died in the ICU, and 54 were excluded. Finally, 158 subjects were included: 10 (6.3%) subjects were lost to follow-up. The mortality at 6 months was 17.7% (28/158). Most subjects [16.5% (26/158)] died within the initial 3 months after ICU discharge. Quality of life scores were low in all the domains of WHO-QOL-BREF. About 12% (n = 14) of subjects could not perform the activity of daily living at 6 months. After adjusting for covariates, ICU-acquired weakness at the time of discharge (OR 15.12; 95% CI, 2.08-109.81, p <0.01) and requirement for home ventilation (OR 22; 95% CI, 3.1-155, p <0.01) were associated with mortality at 6 months.

Conclusion

Intensive care unit survivors have a high risk of death and a poor QOL during the initial 6 months following discharge.

How to cite this article

Kodati R, Muthu V, Agarwal R, Dhooria S, Aggarwal AN, Prasad KT, et al. Long-term Survival and Quality of Life among Survivors Discharged from a Respiratory ICU in North India: A Prospective Study. Indian J Crit Care Med 2022;26(10):1078-1085.

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in the Elderly

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a commonly encountered complex syndrome of varied etiology and outcomes. The elderly population is at a high risk of developing severe ARDS with poor outcomes. The age-related changes in the immune system, structural and functional modifications of the respiratory system, and the frailty with a decrease in the physiological reserve of organ systems place them precariously for poor outcomes. However, does age alone influence the outcomes or is it the associated comorbidities that determine mortality in the elderly is not clearly known.

HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE

Jagathkar G. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in the Elderly. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(6):613-614.