Assessment of Risk Factors for Mortality in Patients in Medical Intensive Care Unit of a Tertiary Hospital

Risk factors in non‑surviving patients with infection with carbapenemase‑producing Enterobacterales strains in an intensive care unit

Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) are Gram-negative bacteria that belong to the Enterobacterales family and produce enzymes known as carbapenemases, which inhibit carbapenems, cephalosporins and penicillins. Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) are resistant to carbapenems, cephalosporins and penicillins via mechanisms that may or may not produce carbapenemases. The identification of carbapenems is critical for the initiation of proper antibiotic therapy. The present case-control, retrospective study included 64 patients with CPE strains admitted to an intensive care unit between September, 2017 and October, 2021; of these, 34 patients with CPE succumbed and 30 control patients with CPE strains survived. CPE strains in the deceased patients were caused by Klebsiella spp. in 31 cases (91.2%) and Escherichia coli in 3 cases (8.8%). The univariate analysis revealed that the predictive factors associated with mortality in patients with CPE were admission with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (P=0.001), invasive mechanical ventilation (P=0.001), and treatment with corticosteroids (P=0.006). The multivariate analysis revealed that admission with COVID-19 [odds ratio (OR), 16.26; 95% confidence interval (CI), 3.56-74.14; P≤0.05] and invasive mechanical ventilation (OR, 14.98; 95% CI, 1.35-166.22; P≤0.05) were associated with mortality as independent risk factors. Admission with COVID-19 increased the risk of mortality 16.26-fold and invasive mechanical ventilation increased the risk of mortality by 14.98-fold. On the whole, the present study demonstrates that the length of hospital duration in patients who acquired CPE did not influence mortality, whereas infection with COVID-19 increased and invasive mechanical ventilation were associated with an increased risk of mortality.

Multinational Prospective Cohort Study of Mortality Risk Factors in 198 ICUs of 12 Latin American Countries over 24 Years: The Effects of Healthcare-Associated Infections

BACKGROUND

The International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) has found a high ICU mortality rate in Latin America.

METHODS

A prospective cohort study in 198 ICUs of 96 hospitals in 46 cities in 12 Latin American countries to identify mortality risk factors (RF), and data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression.

RESULTS

Between 07/01/1998 and 02/12/2022, 71,685 patients, followed during 652,167 patient-days, acquired 4700 HAIs, and 10,890 died. We prospectively collected data of 16 variables. Following 11 independent mortality RFs were identified in multiple logistic regression: ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) acquisition (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.17; 95% CI: 1.06-1.30; p < 0.0001); catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) acquisition (aOR = 1.34; 95% CI: 1.15-1.56; p < 0.0001); older age, rising risk 2% yearly (aOR = 1.02; 95% CI: 1.01-1.02; p < 0.0001); longer indwelling central line(CL)-days, rising risk 3% daily (aOR = 1.03; 95% CI: 1.02-1.03; p < 0.0001); longer indwelling urinary catheter(UC)-days, rising risk 1% daily (aOR = 1.01; 95% CI: 1.01-1.26; p < 0.0001); higher mechanical ventilation (MV) (aOR = 6.47; 95% CI: 5.96-7.03; p < 0.0001) and urinary catheter-utilization ratio (aOR = 1.19; 95% CI: 1.11-1.27; p < 0.0001); lower-middle level income country (aOR = 2.94; 95% CI: 2.10-4.12; p < 0.0001); private (aOR = 1.50; 95% CI: 1.27-1.77; p < 0.0001) or public hospital (aOR = 1.47; 95% CI: 1.24-1.74; p < 0.0001) compared with university hospitals; medical hospitalization instead of surgical (aOR = 1.67; 95% CI: 1.59-1.75; p < 0.0001); neurologic ICU (aOR = 4.48; 95% CI: 2.68-7.50; p < 0.0001); adult oncology ICU (aOR = 3.48; 95% CI: 2.14-5.65; p < 0.0001); and others.

CONCLUSION

Some of the identified mortality RFs are unlikely to change, such as the income level of the country, facility ownership, hospitalization type, ICU type, and age. But some of the mortality RFs we found can be changed, and efforts should be made to reduce CL-days, UC-days, MV-utilization ratio, UC-utilization ratio, and lower VAPs and CAUTI rates.

The Impact of Healthcare-Associated Infections on Mortality in ICU: A Prospective Study in Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East

BACKGROUND

The International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium has found a high ICU mortality rate. Our aim was to identify all-cause mortality risk factors in ICU-patients.

METHODS

Multinational, multicenter, prospective cohort study at 786 ICUs of 312 hospitals in 147 cities in 37 Latin American, Asian, African, Middle Eastern, and European countries.

RESULTS

Between 07/01/1998 and 02/12/2022, 300,827 patients, followed during 2,167,397 patient-days, acquired 21,371 HAIs. Following mortality risk factors were identified in multiple logistic regression: Central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) (aOR:1.84; p<0.0001); ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) (aOR:1.48; p<0.0001); catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) (aOR:1.18;p<0.0001); medical hospitalization (aOR:1.81; p<0.0001); length of stay (LOS), risk rises 1% per day (aOR:1.01; p<0.0001); female gender (aOR:1.09; p<0.0001); age (aOR:1.012; p<0.0001); central line-days, risk rises 2% per day (aOR:1.02; p<0.0001); and mechanical ventilator (MV)-utilization ratio (aOR:10.46; p<0.0001). Coronary ICU showed the lowest risk for mortality (aOR: 0.34;p<0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Some identified risk factors are unlikely to change, such as country income-level, facility ownership, hospitalization type, gender, and age. Some can be modified; CLABSI, VAP, CAUTI, LOS, and MV-utilization. So, to lower the risk of death in ICUs, we recommend focusing on strategies to shorten the LOS, reduce MV-utilization, and use evidence-based recommendations to prevent HAIs.

Impact of nutrition status and body mass index on mortality in hospitalized general medical patients: A prospective observational study

BACKGROUND

Malnutrition and low body mass index (BMI) are risk factors for mortality in hospitalized patients. Data substantiating this are unavailable for hospitalized general medical patients in our setting. We studied the prevalence of malnutrition among patients admitted to general medical wards in a tertiary care hospital and its role as a risk factor for 1-month mortality. We also investigated the association of BMI with mortality.

METHODS

In this prospective observational study, nutrition assessment using Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) and anthropometric measurements was performed in 395 hospitalized general medical patients. Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and Modified Early Warning System (MEWS) score were calculated. Clinical course and vital status at 1 month after discharge was noted. Factors associated with mortality were identified using logistic regression.

RESULTS

The mean age of the study population was 46.2 + 16.1 years; 247 (62.5%) were males. Of 395 patients, 129 (32.7%) belonged to SGA A, 155 (39.2%) to SGA B, and 111 (28.1%) to SGA C. Mean (±SD) BMI was 23.38 (±5.33); 141 (35.6%) were obese. Mortality was observed in 61 (15.4%) patients. Patients in the lowest BMI quartile had the lowest mortality. The adjusted regression analysis showed that higher age and MEWS scores were independently associated with mortality. Severe malnourishment (SGA C) was another important predictor. Further, the odds of death increased consistently across the consecutive BMI quartiles.

CONCLUSION

Higher age, higher MEWS scores, severe malnourishment, and higher BMI scores were independent risk factors for 1-month mortality in hospitalized general medical patients.