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OBJECTIVE: : Multiple quality indicators are available to evaluate adult trauma care, but their characteristics and outcomes have not been systematically compared. We sought to systematically review the evidence about the reliability, validity, and implementation of quality indicators for evaluating trauma care. DATA SOURCES: : Search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and The Cochrane Library up to January 14, 2009; the Gray Literature; select journals by hand; reference lists; and articles recommended by experts in the field. STUDY SELECTION: : Studies were selected that evaluated the reliability, validity, or the impact of one or more quality indicators on the quality of care delivered to patients >=18 yrs of age with a major traumatic injury. DATA EXTRACTION: : Reviewers with methodologic and content expertise conducted data extraction independently. DATA SYNTHESIS: : The literature search identified 6869 citations. Review of abstracts led to the retrieval of 538 full-text articles for assessment; 40 articles were selected for review. Of these, 20 (50%) articles were cohort studies and 13 (33%) articles were case series. Five articles used control groups, including three before and after case series, a case-control study, and a nonrandomized controlled trial. A total of 115 quality indicators in adult trauma care was identified, predominantly measures of hospital processes (62%) and outcomes (17%) of care. We did not identify any posthospital or secondary injury prevention quality indicators. Reliability was described for two quality indicators, content validity for 22 quality indicators, construct validity for eight quality indicators, and criterion validity for 46 quality indicators. A total of 58 quality indicators was implemented and evaluated in three studies. Eight quality indicators had supporting evidence for more than one measurement domain. A single quality indicator, peer review for preventable death, had both reliability and validity evidence. CONCLUSIONS: : Although many quality indicators are available to measure the quality of trauma care, reliability evidence, validity evidence, and description of outcomes after implementation are limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To examine the longitudinal outcome of a cohort of mechanically ventilated patients admitted to an acute care respiratory unit after critical illness. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS: Prospective, observational study of 210 consecutive patients admitted to a respiratory unit of an acute, tertiary care university hospital, who had an acute critical illness with respiratory failure. The study was powered to develop multivariate regression models to investigate the relationship between patient characteristics and a) liberation from mechanical ventilation and b) survival. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The median time to liberation from mechanical ventilation after respiratory unit admission was 14 days (interquartile range, 6-51). A total of 146 patients (69%) were off mechanical ventilation at 6 months, and 123 patients (61%) were alive at 1 yr. Patients who did not come off mechanical ventilation in the respiratory unit were seven times more likely to die within a year than those who did (odds ratio, 6.55; 95% confidence intervals, 4.04-10.63; p < .001). At least 75% of deaths occurred by consensual withdrawal of life support. Patient activity of daily living scores (0-100 scale) increased progressively from hospital discharge (24 +/- 6) through 3 (54 +/- 21) and 6 months (64 +/- 22) (p < .001). The median cost of hospitalization for all study patients was $149,624 (interquartile range, $102,540-225,843). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation in a respiratory unit after acute critical illness are liberated from mechanical ventilation, survive, and have a steady improvement in the activity of daily living during the first 6 months after discharge. However, a substantial fraction of these patients does not wean from mechanical ventilation and dies from consensual withdrawal of life support after a prolonged and costly hospital stay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Interpreting hemodynamic parameters in critically ill obese patients can be difficult as the effects of body mass index (BMI) on cardiac output (CO) and stroke volume (SV) at the extremes of body size remains unknown. We examined the relationship between BMI and both CO and SV for patients with varying body sizes. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort analysis. SETTING: A large tertiary care academic medical center. PATIENTS: A total of 700 consecutive adults who were found to have disease-free coronary arteries and a cardiac output measurement (thermodilution or Fick method) during coronary angiography between July 1, 2000, and July 31, 2004. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: We examined the relationship between BMI (mean, 28 kg/m(2); range, 10.6-91.6 kg/m(2)) and cardiac hemodynamics after adjusting for demographic (age, sex) and clinical (diabetes, smoking status, valvular heart disease, medications, indications for catheterization) characteristics using multivariable regression. Body mass index was positively correlated with CO and SV. Each 1 kg/m increase in BMI was associated with a 0.08 L/min (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.06-0.10; p < .001) increase in CO and 1.35 mL (95% CI, 0.96-1.74; p < .001) increase in SV. There was no significant association between BMI and both cardiac index (0.003 L/min/m(2); 95% CI, -0.008-0.014; p = .571) and stroke volume index (0.17 mL/m(2); 95% CI, -0.03-0.37; p = .094). CONCLUSION: Variations in BMI translate into predictable but only modest differences in CO and SV, even at the extremes of body size. Indexing hemodynamic measurements to body surface area attenuates the effects of BMI. Body habitus should not appreciably complicate the interpretation of hemodynamic measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Although fever is common in the critically ill, only a small number of studies have specifically investigated its epidemiology in the intensive care unit (ICU). The objective of this study was to describe the occurrence of fever in the critically ill and assess its effect on ICU outcome. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. Fever was defined by temperature > or = 38.3 degrees C and high fever by > or = 39.5 degrees C. SETTING: Calgary Health Region during 2000-2006. PATIENTS: All adults (> or = 18 yrs) admitted to ICUs. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A total of 24,204 ICU admission episodes occurred among 20,466 patients; 35% were classified as medical, 33% as cardiac surgical, 16% as other surgical, and 15% as trauma/neurologic. The cumulative incidence of fever and high fever was 44% and 8% and the incidence density was 24.3 and 2.7 per 100 days of ICU admission, respectively. The incidence density of fever was higher in trauma/neuro patients, males, younger patients, and was lower in those with admission Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores > or = 25. Seventeen percent and 31% of patients with fever and high fever had associated positive cultures. Resolution of fever and high fever occurred in 27% and 53% of patients before ICU discharge and prolonged fever and high fever lasting for 5 or more days in the ICU occurred in 18% and 11% of febrile patients, respectively. Although the presence of fever was not associated with increased ICU mortality (13% vs. 12%; p = .08), high fever was associated with significantly increased risk for death (20.3% vs. 12%, p < .0001). After controlling for confounding factors using multivariable logistic regression models, the influence of fever on the ICU mortality varied significantly according to its timing of onset, degree, and main admission category. CONCLUSIONS: Fever is common in patients admitted to the ICU and its occurrence and impact on outcome varies among defined patient populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]