Risk factors for hospital mortality in intensive care unit survivors: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Deaths can occur after a patient has survived treatment for a serious illness in an intensive care unit (ICU). Mortality rates after leaving the ICU can be considered indicators of health care quality. This study aims to describe risk factors and mortality of surviving patients discharged from an ICU in a university hospital.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort study carried out from January 2017 to December 2018. Data on age, sex, length of hospital stay, diagnosis on admission to the ICU, hospital discharge outcome, presence of infection, and Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) III prognostic score were collected. Infected patients were considered as those being treated for an infection on discharge from the ICU. Patients were divided into survivors and non-survivors on leaving the hospital. The association between the studied variables was performed using the logistic regression model.

RESULTS

A total of 1,025 patients who survived hospitalization in the ICU were analyzed, of which 212 (20.7%) died after leaving the ICU. When separating the groups of survivors and non-survivors according to hospital outcome, the median age was higher among non-survivors. Longer hospital stays and higher SAPS III values were observed among non-survivors. In the logistic regression, the variables age, length of hospital stay, SAPS III, presence of infection, and readmission to the ICU were associated with hospital mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Infection on ICU discharge, ICU readmission, age, length of hospital stay, and SAPS III increased risk of death in ICU survivors.

Associação entre nível de priorização na admissão da unidade de terapia intensiva e desfecho hospitalar

Objetivo: Avaliar a associação entre os níveis de priorização para admissão na unidade de terapia intensiva (UTI) e o prognóstico dos pacientes.Material e método: Estudo longitudinal retrospectivo que incluiu adultos internados na UTI de hospital universitário ano de 2020. As variáveis, coletadas nos prontuários e banco de dados eletrônicos do hospital contemplam: identificação, data de entrada no hospital e de admissão na UTI, diagnósticos, antecedentes, data de alta, desfecho, cálculo do Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3 (SAPS 3) e nível de priorização da admissão. Resultados: O estudo avaliou 274 pacientes. As patologias respiratórias totalizaram 41,25% das admissões, sendo COVID-19 o diagnóstico mais frequente (65 casos confirmados e 2 suspeitos). Dentre as comorbidades, destacam-se hipertensão arterial sistêmica (64,32%), diabetes mellitus (25,82%) e tabagismo (18,78%). O SAPS 3 médio foi de 59,29 pontos, representando uma probabilidade de óbito de 39,00%. A respeito dos níveis de priorizações, 174 (63,50%) pacientes foram classificados como prioridade 1 (P1); 94 (34,31%) pacientes como prioridade 2 (P2); e 6 (2,19%) pacientes como prioridade 3 (P3). Comparando os grupos P1 e P2, a probabilidade de óbito foi, respectivamente, 51,95% e 13,75%. E o número de óbitos observado foi de 90 (60,81%) no grupo P1 e 19 no grupo P2 (25,30%; p<0,001)). Conclusão: Os pacientes classificados como P1 foram mais frequentes na amostra de estudo. A classificação de prioridades identificou os pacientes mais graves e com maior taxa de mortalidade na primeira categoria, apesar de não haver diferença na idade, comorbidade e fragilidade.

IMPACTO-MR: a Brazilian nationwide platform study to assess infections and multidrug resistance in intensive care units

OBJECTIVE

To describe the IMPACTO-MR, a Brazilian nationwide intensive care unit platform study focused on the impact of health care-associated infections due to multidrug-resistant bacteria.

METHODS

We described the IMPACTO-MR platform, its development, criteria for intensive care unit selection, characterization of core data collection, objectives, and future research projects to be held within the platform.

RESULTS

The core data were collected using the Epimed Monitor System® and consisted of demographic data, comorbidity data, functional status, clinical scores, admission diagnosis and secondary diagnoses, laboratory, clinical, and microbiological data, and organ support during intensive care unit stay, among others. From October 2019 to December 2020, 33,983 patients from 51 intensive care units were included in the core database.

CONCLUSION

The IMPACTO-MR platform is a nationwide Brazilian intensive care unit clinical database focused on researching the impact of health care-associated infections due to multidrug-resistant bacteria. This platform provides data for individual intensive care unit development and research and multicenter observational and prospective trials.

IMPACTO-MR: a Brazilian nationwide platform study to assess infections and multidrug resistance in intensive care units

OBJECTIVE

To describe the IMPACTO-MR, a Brazilian nationwide intensive care unit platform study focused on the impact of health care-associated infections due to multidrug-resistant bacteria.

METHODS

We described the IMPACTO-MR platform, its development, criteria for intensive care unit selection, characterization of core data collection, objectives, and future research projects to be held within the platform.

RESULTS

The core data were collected using the Epimed Monitor System® and consisted of demographic data, comorbidity data, functional status, clinical scores, admission diagnosis and secondary diagnoses, laboratory, clinical, and microbiological data, and organ support during intensive care unit stay, among others. From October 2019 to December 2020, 33,983 patients from 51 intensive care units were included in the core database.

CONCLUSION

The IMPACTO-MR platform is a nationwide Brazilian intensive care unit clinical database focused on researching the impact of health care-associated infections due to multidrug-resistant bacteria. This platform provides data for individual intensive care unit development and research and multicenter observational and prospective trials.

COVID-19 and isolation: Risks and implications in the scenario of new variants

With the emergence of new variants of SARS-CoV-2, questions about transmissibility, vaccine efficacy, and impact on mortality are important to support decision-making in public health measures. Modifications related to transmissibility combined with the fact that much of the population has already been partially exposed to infection and/or vaccination, have stimulated recommendations to reduce the isolation period for COVID-19. However, these new guidelines have raised questions about their effectiveness in reducing contamination and minimizing impact in work environments. Therefore, a collaborative task force was developed to review the subject in a non-systematic manner, answering questions about SARS-CoV-2 variants, COVID-19 vaccines, isolation/quarantine periods, testing to end the isolation period, and the use of masks as mitigation procedures. Overall, COVID-19 vaccines are effective in preventing severe illness and death but are less effective in preventing infection in the case of the Omicron variant. Any strategy that is adopted to reduce the isolation period should take into consideration the epidemiological situation of the geographical region, individual clinical characteristics, and mask for source control. The use of tests for isolation withdrawal should be evaluated with caution, due to results depending on various conditions and may not be reliable.

2293. Revival of Polymyxins: A Single-Center Historical Cohort of Critically Ill Patients in Brazil

Background

The epidemiological scenario of multidrug-resistant bacteria has brought polymyxins back to medical prescriptions, as they are last-line therapy against carbapenem-resistant bacteria. There is a lack of knowledge of which is the best way to use this drug, especially in critically ill patients. We aimed to evaluate polymyxin use in an intensive care unit (ICU) in a university hospital and to describe its epidemiological characteristics.

Methods

This historical cohort included all consecutive patients who used polymyxins to treat ventilator-associated pneumonia from January 1, 2017 to January 31, 2018, during hospitalization in an ICU from a public university hospital, endemic for carbapenem-resistant bacteria, in Londrina, Brazil. Microbiological processing for diagnosis followed the guidelines from the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Statistical analyses were performed using MedCalc for Windows, version 18.9 (MedCalc Software, Ostend, Belgium) and significance level adopted was 0.05.

Results

There were 179 patients; median of age was 57 years (IQR: 40.0 - 70.75). Polymyxin B was the most prescribed polymyxin (97.2%). Most of the patients had comorbidities (72.6%). Age was higher in the group of patients who died (60.0 vs. 36.5 years, P < 0.0001). Comorbidities prevalence was higher in non-survivors (80.7% vs. 38.2%, P < 0.0001). Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score on polymyxin prescribing day was higher in non-survivors (8.0 vs. 7.0, P = 0.0093), as well as Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3 (SAPS 3) score (70.7 vs. 59.35, P = 0.0003). Thirty-day mortality was 43%. Analysis of 14-day survival showed a higher mortality for patients who had sepsis (Log-rank test, P = 0.0284) and septic shock (Log-rank test, P = 0.0065). Acinetobacter baumannii was the most common etiologic agent, in 125 samples (73.9%), with 97.6% of resistance to carbapenem and 5.6% of resistance to polymyxins.

Conclusion

Polymyxin B was the most prescribed polymyxin. Age was higher in non-survivors, as well as comorbidities prevalence, SOFA and SAPS 3 scores. Patients with sepsis and septic shock showed a 14-day higher mortality. Acinetobacter baumannii was the most isolated agent. Carbapenem resistance was high.

Disclosures

All authors: No reported disclosures.

Aspectos clínicos e procedência de pacientes sépticos atendidos em um hospital universitário

Resumo Objetivo: Caracterizar os aspectos clínicos, gravidade e mortalidade de pacientes com sepse atendidos em setor de urgência e emergência de um hospital terciário, relacionando-os aos serviços de saúde de origem, onde foi feito o atendimento inicial. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo transversal, quantitativo, realizado com pacientes sépticos atendidos em setor de urgência e emergência de um hospital universitário terciário. Resultados: Dos 225 pacientes elegíveis, 115 (51,1%) foram admitidos com sepse, e destes, 63,5% foram encaminhados de outros serviços. Entre os pacientes procedentes de outros serviços o desenvolvimento do choque séptico e necessidade de ventilação mecânica foi significativamente mais frequente. Os pacientes admitidos no hospital do estudo por sepse tiveram maior aderência ao pacote de 3 horas da Surviving Sepsis Campaining-2016. Não houve diferença entre a mortalidade dos admitidos por sepse ou aqueles que desenvolveram sepse no hospital do estudo, entretanto, evoluíram a óbito 60,4% dos pacientes, destes, 63,2% procedentes de outros serviços. Conclusão: Mais da metade dos pacientes admitidos por sepse provém de outros serviços de saúde. Estes apresentaram maior grau de gravidade e requereram mais intervenções terapêuticas. Entretanto, não houve diferença nas taxas de mortalidade.

Currently used dosage regimens of vancomycin fail to achieve therapeutic levels in approximately 40% of intensive care unit patients

Objective:

This study aimed to assess whether currently used dosages of vancomycin for treatment of serious gram-positive bacterial infections in intensive care unit patients provided initial therapeutic vancomycin trough levels and to examine possible factors associated with the presence of adequate initial vancomycin trough levels in these patients.

Methods:

A prospective descriptive study with convenience sampling was performed. Nursing note and medical record data were collected from September 2013 to July 2014 for patients who met inclusion criteria. Eighty-three patients were included. Initial vancomycin trough levels were obtained immediately before vancomycin fourth dose. Acute kidney injury was defined as an increase of at least 0.3mg/dL in serum creatinine within 48 hours.

Results:

Considering vancomycin trough levels recommended for serious gram-positive infection treatment (15 - 20µg/mL), patients were categorized as presenting with low, adequate, and high vancomycin trough levels (35 [42.2%], 18 [21.7%], and 30 [36.1%] patients, respectively). Acute kidney injury patients had significantly greater vancomycin trough levels (p = 0.0055, with significance for a trend, p = 0.0023).

Conclusion:

Surprisingly, more than 40% of the patients did not reach an effective initial vancomycin trough level. Studies on pharmacokinetic and dosage regimens of vancomycin in intensive care unit patients are necessary to circumvent this high proportion of failures to obtain adequate initial vancomycin trough levels. Vancomycin use without trough serum level monitoring in critically ill patients should be discouraged.

Impacto de ação educativa na manutenção do decúbito elevado como medida preventiva de pneumonia associada à ventilação mecânica em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva

Introdução: A pneumonia adquirida na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva (UTI) ocasiona o prolongamento da hospitalização e impacta na mortalidade. Intervenções educativas com profissionais de saúde são estratégias de prevenção relevantes nas infecções relacionadas à assistência à saúde. Objetivo: Avaliar o resultado de uma ação educativa na adesão à manutenção do decúbito elevado, acima de 30 graus, como medida para prevenção de pneumonia associada à ventilação mecânica. Métodos: Estudo quase experimental do tipo antes e depois desenvolvido na UTI do Hospital Universitário de Londrina, no período de março e junho de 2010, dividido em três fases (pré-intervenção, intervenção e pós-intervenção). Durante o período de estudo, foram treinados 49 profissionais. Foram realizadas observações diretas da altura do decúbito antes e após o treinamento e coletados dados clínicos dos pacientes admitidos na UTI. A adesão à recomendação de manter o decúbito elevado foi definida como a manutenção de decúbito acima de 30 graus para cada observação. Resultados: A média de angulação do decúbito apresentou aumento significativo do período pré-intervenção (27,85 ± 6,76 graus) para o primeiro mês pós-intervenção (30,70 ± 8,18 graus; p<0,001), no entanto esses valores não persistiram no terceiro mês de observação pós-intervenção (29,46 ± 6,19 graus). Conclusão: A ação educativa mostrou-se eficaz a curto prazo, na adesão à elevação do decúbito em ambiente hospitalar, porém essa adesão sofreu redução progressiva, demonstrando a necessidade de uma intervenção continuada para manutenção dos resultados.

Evaluation of the five-year operation period of a rapid response team led by an intensive care physician at a university hospital

Objective

To evaluate the implementation of a multidisciplinary rapid response team led by an intensive care physician at a university hospital.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study analyzed assessment forms that were completed during the assessments made by the rapid response team of a university hospital between March 2009 and February 2014.

Results

Data were collected from 1,628 assessments performed by the rapid response team for 1,024 patients and included 1,423 code yellow events and 205 code blue events. The number of assessments was higher in the first year of operation of the rapid response team. The multivariate analysis indicated that age (OR 1.02; 95%CI 1.02 - 1.03; p < 0.001), being male (OR 1.48; 95%CI 1.09 - 2.01; p = 0.01), having more than one assessment (OR 3.31; 95%CI, 2.32 - 4.71; p < 0.001), hospitalization for clinical care (OR 1.77; 95%CI 1.29 - 2.42; p < 0.001), the request of admission to the intensive care unit after the code event (OR 4.75; 95%CI 3.43 - 6.59; p < 0.001), and admission to the intensive care unit before the code event (OR 2.13; 95%CI 1.41 - 3.21; p = 0.001) were risk factors for hospital mortality in patients who were seen for code yellow events.

Conclusion

The hospital mortality rates were higher than those found in previous studies. The number of assessments was higher in the first year of operation of the rapid response team. Moreover, hospital mortality was higher among patients admitted for clinical care.

Parenteral colistin for the treatment of severe infections: a single center experience

OBJECTIVE

To describe a single center experience involving the administration of colistin to treat nosocomial infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria and identify factors associated with acute kidney injury and mortality.

METHODS

This retrospective longitudinal study evaluates critically ill patients with infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. All adult patients who required treatment with intravenous colistin (colistimethate sodium) from January to December 2008 were considered eligible for the study. Data include demographics, diagnosis, duration of treatment, presence of acute kidney injury and 30-day mortality.

RESULTS

Colistin was used to treat an infection in 109 (13.8%) of the 789 patients admitted to the intensive care unit. The 30-day mortality observed in these patients was 71.6%. Twenty-nine patients (26.6%) presented kidney injury prior to colistin treatment, and six of these patients were able to recover kidney function even during colistin treatment. Twenty-one patients (19.2%) developed acute kidney injury while taking colistin, and 11 of these patients required dialysis. The variable independently associated with the presence of acute kidney injury was the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment at the beginning of colistin treatment (OR 1.46; 95%CI 1.20-1.79; p<0.001). The factors age (OR 1.03; 95%CI 1.00-1.05; p=0.02) and vasopressor use (OR 12.48; 95%CI 4.49-34.70; p<0.001) were associated with death in the logistic-regression model.

CONCLUSIONS

Organ dysfunction at the beginning of colistin treatment was associated with acute kidney injury. In a small group of patients, we were able to observe an improvement of kidney function during colistin treatment. Age and vasopressor use were associated with death.

Mortality and risks related to healthcare-associated infection

Healthcare-associated infections are a major cause of morbidity-mortality among hospitalized patients. The aim of this epidemiological study was to determine mortality and risks related to death in adult patients with healthcare-associated infections admitted to a teaching hospital in one year. Patient data were collected from infection medical reports. The mortality rate associated with infections was 38.4%, and it was classified as a contributing factor to deaths in 87.1% of death cases. The correlation between healthcare-associated infection and death was statistically significant among clinical patients (41.3%) presenting comorbidities related to the diagnosis (55.8%), cardiovascular infection (62.2%), pneumonia (48.9%), developing sepsis (69.0%), as well as patients who had been colonized (45.2%) and infected (44.7%) by multidrug resistance microorganisms.

[Ventilator-associated pneumonia in surgical Intensive Care Unit]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a severe infection that presents multiple causes which can vary depending on the type of intensive care unit, type of patients, emphasizing the needs for vigilance measures with local data. The aim of this study is to describe the incidence, risk factors and mortality of VAP in patients in a surgical ICU.

METHODS

Prospective cohort conducted from January 2004 to January 2005. It was included all the patients in mechanical ventilation, followed daily to collect data about demographics, diagnostic, APACHE II and TISS 28 scores, duration of mechanical ventilation, length of stay, incidence of VAP and mortality.

RESULTS

462 patients were studied; age 57.2 ± 16.6 years, 55% men. The mean APACHE II score was 18.3 and the incidence of VAP was 18.8%. The TISS score at admission OR = 1.050 (IC 95%: 1.003-1.050) and the enteral nutrition OR = 5.609 (IC 3.351-9.388) were factors associated with VAP and the prophylactic use of antibiotics was a factor of protection OR = 0.399 (IC95%: 0.177-0.902). The patients with VAP had longer length of stay in ICU (10.3 ± 10.7 vs 4.9 ± 3.3 days), higher median of duration of mechanical ventilation (4 vs 1 days), higher mean of TISS 28 (24.4 ± 4.6 vs 22.8 ± 4.5), and higher crude mortality (46 vs 28.8%) when compared with the patients without VAP.

CONCLUSIONS

VAP was a frequent infection in surgical patients in mechanical ventilation. Enteral nutrition and admission TISS were risk factors and the previous use of antibiotics was protection factor to develop VAP. In our sample the results demonstrate that VAP is associated with higher duration in mechanical ventilation, longer length of stay and higher mortality.