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Purpose: The effect of renal replacement therapy (RRT) in comatose patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) remains unclear. We compared two RRT initiation strategies on the probability of awakening in comatose patients with severe AKI. Methods: We conducted a post hoc analysis of a trial comparing two delayed RRT initiation strategies in patients with severe AKI. Patients were monitored until they had oliguria for more than 72 h and/or blood urea nitrogen higher than 112 mg/dL and then randomized to a delayed strategy (RRT initiated after randomization) or a more-delayed one (RRT initiated if complication occurred or when blood urea nitrogen exceeded 140 mg/dL). We included only comatose patients (Richmond Agitation-Sedation scale [RASS] < − 3), irrespective of sedation, at randomization. A multi-state model was built, defining five mutually exclusive states: death, coma (RASS < − 3), incomplete awakening (RASS [− 3; − 2]), awakening (RASS [− 1; + 1] two consecutive days), and agitation (RASS > + 1). Primary outcome was the transition from coma to awakening during 28 days after randomization. Results: A total of 168 comatose patients (90 delayed and 78 more-delayed) underwent randomization. The transition intensity from coma to awakening was lower in the more-delayed group (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.36 [0.17–0.78]; p = 0.010). Time spent awake was 10.11 days [8.11–12.15] and 7.63 days [5.57–9.64] in the delayed and the more-delayed groups, respectively. Two sensitivity analyses were performed based on sedation status and sedation practices across centers, yielding comparable results. Conclusion: In comatose patients with severe AKI, a more-delayed RRT initiation strategy resulted in a lower chance of transitioning from coma to awakening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Cardiac arrest may occur unexpectedly in intensive care units (ICU). We hypothesize that certain patient characteristics and treatments are associated with survival and long-term functional outcome following in-ICU cardiac arrest.Methods: Over a 12-month period, cardiac arrests with resuscitation attempts were prospectively investigated in 45 French ICUs. Survivors were followed for 6 months.Results: In total, 677 (2.16%) of 31,399 admitted patients had at least one in-ICU cardiac arrest with resuscitation attempt, 42% of which occurred on the day of admission. In 79% cases, one or more condition(s) likely to promote the occurrence of cardiac arrest was/were identified, including hypoxia (179 patients), metabolic disorders (122), hypovolemia (94), and adverse events linked to the life-sustaining devices in place (98). Return of spontaneous circulation was achieved in 478 patients, of whom 163 were discharged alive from ICU and 146 from hospital. Six-month survival with no or moderate functional sequel (118 of 125 patients alive) correlated with a number of organ failures ≤ 2 when cardiac arrest occurred (OR 4.17 [1.92-9.09]), resuscitation time ≤ 5 min (3.32 [2.01-5.47]), shockable rhythm cardiac arrests (2.13 [1.26-3.45]) or related to the life-sustaining devices in place (2.11 [1.22-3.65]), absence of preexisting disability (1.98 [1.09-3.60]) or disease deemed fatal within 5 years (1.70 [1.05-2.77]), and sedation (1.71 [1.06-2.75]).Conclusion: Only one in six patients with in-ICU cardiac arrest and resuscitation attempt was alive at 6 months with good functional status. Certain characteristics specific to cardiac arrests, resuscitation maneuvers, and the pathological context in which they happen may help clarify prognosis and inform relatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Artificial Kidney Initiation in Kidney Injury (AKIKI) trial showed that a delayed renal replacement therapy (RRT) strategy for severe acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill patients was safe and associated with major reduction in RRT initiation compared with an early strategy. The five criteria which mandated RRT initiation in the delayed arm were: severe hyperkalemia, severe acidosis, acute pulmonary edema due to fluid overload resulting in severe hypoxemia, serum urea concentration > 40 mmol/l and oliguria/anuria > 72 h. However, duration of anuria/oliguria and level of blood urea are still criteria open to debate. The objective of the study is to compare the delayed strategy used in AKIKI (now termed "standard") with another in which RRT is further delayed for a longer period (termed "delayed strategy").Methods/design: This is a prospective, multicenter, open-label, two-arm randomized trial. The study is composed of two stages (observational and randomization stages). At any time, the occurrence of a potentially severe condition (severe hyperkalemia, severe metabolic or mixed acidosis, acute pulmonary edema due to fluid overload resulting in severe hypoxemia) suggests immediate RRT initiation. Patients receiving (or who have received) intravenously administered catecholamines and/or invasive mechanical ventilation and presenting with AKI stage 3 of the KDIGO classification and with no potentially severe condition are included in the observational stage. Patients presenting a serum urea concentration > 40 mmol/l and/or an oliguria/anuria for more than 72 h are randomly allocated to a standard (RRT is initiated within 12 h) or a delayed RRT strategy (RRT is initiated only if an above-mentioned potentially severe condition occurs or if the serum urea concentration reaches 50 mmol/l). The primary outcome will be the number of RRT-free days at day 28. One interim analysis is planned. It is expected to include 810 patients in the observational stage and to randomize 270 subjects.Discussion: The AKIKI2 study should improve the knowledge of RRT initiation criteria in critically ill patients. The potential reduction in RRT use allowed by a delayed RRT strategy might be associated with less invasive care and decreased costs. Enrollment is ongoing. Inclusions are expected to be completed by November 2019.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT03396757. Registered on 11 January 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We investigated, using a multicentre survey of practices in France, the practices of ICU physicians concerning the decision not to readmit to the ICU, in light of current legislation. Materials and methods: Multicentre survey of practices among French ICU physicians via electronic questionnaire in January 2016. Questions related to respondents’ practices regarding re-admission of patients to the ICU and how these decisions were made. Criteria were evaluated by the health care professionals as regards importance for non-readmission. Results: In total, 167 physicians agreed to participate, of whom 165 (99%) actually returned a completed questionnaire from 58 ICUs. Forty-five percent were aged <35 years, 74% were full-time physicians. The findings show that decisions for non-readmission are taken at the end of the patient’s stay (87%), using a collegial decision-making procedure (89% of cases); 93% reported that this decision was noted in the patient’s medical file. While 73% indicated that the family/relatives were informed of non-readmission decisions, only 29% reported informing the patient, and 91% considered that non-readmission decisions are an integral part of the French legislative framework. Conclusion: This study shows that decisions not to re-admit a patient to the ICU need to be formally materialized, and anticipated by involving the patient and family in the discussions, as well as the other healthcare providers that usually care for the patient. The optimal time to undertake these conversations is likely best decided on a case-by-case basis according to each patient’s individual characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]