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BACKGROUND Rapid developments in medical care-such as monitoring devices, medications, and working hours restrictions for intensive care personnel-have dramatically increased the demand for intensive care physicians. Therefore, nurse practitioner (NP)-staffed care is becoming increasingly important. This study was aimed to compare the outcomes of daytime NP-staffed and daytime resident-staffed nonsurgical intensive care units (ICU). METHODS We retrospectively assessed patients admitted to a nonsurgical ICU from March 2017 to December 2017. We collected basic patient data, including age, sex, admission diagnosis, transferring unit, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score. Primary endpoints were ICU mortality, hospital mortality, and 30-day mortality. Secondary endpoints were 48-h readmission, discharge to nonhome locations, and lengths of ICU and hospital stay. RESULTS A total of 838 subjects were analysed: 334 subjects in the NP-staffed group and 504 in the resident-staffed group. The NP-staffed group was more likely to come from inpatient units (38.3% vs 16.5% for resident-staffed group; p

OBJECTIVES Pneumonia is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in solid-organ transplant recipients. We studied the demographic characteristics, respiratory management, and outcomes of solid-organ transplant recipients with pneumonia in an intensive care unit. MATERIALS AND METHODS There have been 2857 kidney, 687 liver, and 142 heart transplants performed between October 16, 1985, and February 28, 2021, at our center. We retrospectively analyzed records for 51 of 193 recipients with pneumonia during the posttransplant period between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2018. RESULTS Fifty-one of 193 recipients were followed in the intensive care unit. Mean age was 45.4 ± 16.6 years among 42 male (82.4%) and 9 female (17.6%) recipients. Twenty-six patients (51%) underwent kidney transplant, 14 (27.5%) liver transplant, 7 (13.7%) heart transplant, and 4 (7.8%) combined kidney and liver transplant. Most pneumonia episodes occurred 6 months after transplant (70.6%) with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. Mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation System II score was 18.9 ± 7.7, and the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score was 8.5 ± 3.9 at intensive care unit admission. Whereas 66.7% of pneumonia cases were nosocomial acquired, 33.3% were community acquired. The intensive care unit and 28-day mortality rates were 39.2% and 64.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Solid-organ transplant recipients with pneumonia have been associated with poor prognosis. Our cohort followed in the intensive care unit comprised mostly patients with nosocomial pneumonia with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, hospitalized 6 months after transplant with high Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation System II scores predictive of mortality. In this high-risk patient group, careful follow-up, early discovery of warning signs, and rapid treatment initiation could improve the outcomes in the intensive care unit.

The study focused on the application value of classification algorithms in processing CT images of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and aimed to analyze the pathogenic factors of ARDS. A total of 60 ARDS patients in hospital were selected, and they were divided into ARDS group (38 cases) and non-ARDS group (22 cases) as per diagnostic criteria. There was no significant difference in general data between the two groups ( P > 0.05 ). The FWAC algorithm was introduced into CT imaging to classify the image data more accurately. The two groups were compared for the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), oxygenation index PaO2/FiO2 (P/F), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) scores, pH, and PaO2. The results showed that the PaO2, P/F, and APACHE II scores of the two groups were not statistically significant ( P > 0.05 ). The P/F of the ARDS group was 136.12, and that of the non-ARDS group was 143.04; the APACHE II score of the ARDS group was 40.1, and that of the non-ARDS group was 62.3, showing no significant difference ( P > 0.05 ); the LVEF of the ARDS group was 58.14, and that of the non-ARDS group was 46.26, showing statistically significant differences ( P > 0.05 ). When the minimum support was 0.3 and the minimum confidence was 0.5, the value of Recurrence was 0.7082 and the value of Diagnosis was 0.968. The rules generated by the FWAC algorithm can accurately predict the category and were consistent with the expected results. The accuracy of this algorithm was as high as 98.7%, which was significantly higher than that of the conventional CT imaging (88.4%). The rules generated by FWAC were more accurate, assisting doctors in the prevention and diagnosis of ARDS disease. Premature delivery and asphyxia are high-risk factors of ARDS. In conclusion, the FWAC algorithm has a good classification ability of the CT images of ARDS and demonstrates high accuracy.

Purpose Severe patient–ventilator asynchrony (PVA) might be associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation and mortality. It is unknown if systematic screening and application of conventional methods for PVA management can modify these outcomes. We therefore constructed a twice-daily bedside PVA screening and management protocol and investigated its effect on patient outcomes. Materials and methods A retrospective cohort study of patients who were intubated in the emergency department and directly admitted to the medical intensive care unit (ICU). In phase 1 (6 months; August 2016 to January 2017), patients received usual care comprising lung protective ventilation and moderate analgesia/sedation. In phase 2 (6 months; February 2017 to July 2017), patients were additionally managed with a PVA protocol on ICU admission and twice daily (7 am, 7 pm). Results A total of 280 patients (160 in phase 1, 120 in phase 2) were studied (age = 64.5 ± 21.4 years, 107 women [38.2%], Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score = 27.1 ± 8.5, 271 [96.8%] on volume assist-control ventilation initially). Phase 2 patients had lower hospital mortality than phase 1 patients (20.0% versus 34.4%, respectively, P = 0.011), even after adjustment for age and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores (odds ratio = 0.46, 95% confidence interval = 0.25–0.84). Conclusions Application of a bedside PVA protocol for mechanically ventilated patients on ICU admission and twice daily was associated with decreased hospital mortality. There was however no association with sedation-free days or mechanical ventilation–free days through day 28 or length of hospital stay.

Background: Early identification of risk factors for short-term mortality in patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) is crucial for early prognostication. This study aimed to explore the association of early dynamic changes in inflammatory markers with 30-day mortality in IHCA patients.Methods: This study retrospectively collected demographic and clinical characteristics and relevant laboratory indicators within 72 h after recovery of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) of IHCA patients from December 2015 to December 2020 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. The outcome was 30-day mortality. A linear mixed model was used to analyze the dynamic changes in laboratory indicators within 72 h after ROSC, and Cox regression was used to identify the independent risk factors for 30-day mortality.Results: Overall, 85 IHCA patients were included. The 0-72h and 0-30day cumulative mortality rates were 25.88% and 57.65%, respectively, and the median survival time was 13.79 days. There was no association of inflammatory markers before IHCA with mortality. Within 72 h after ROSC, inflammatory markers showed various changes: the absolute monocyte count (AMC) showed no significant change trend, and the absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) showed an overall upward trend, while the absolute neutral count (ANC), white blood cell (WBC) count, platelet (PLT) count, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) showed an overall downward trend. Cox multivariate analysis showed that Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) (HR = 2.366, 95%CI (1.084, 5.168)), APACHE II score (HR = 2.550, 95% CI (1.001, 6.498)), abnormal Cr before IHCA (HR = 3.417, 95% CI (1.441, 8.104)) and PLR within 72 h after ROSC (HR = 2.993, 95% CI (1.442, 6.214)) were independent risk factors for 30-day mortality. When PLR ≥ 180, the risk of 30-day mortality increased by 199.3%.Conclusions: This study clarified the dynamic change trends of inflammatory markers within 72 h after ROSC. The PLR was an independent risk factor for 30-day mortality in IHCA patients; it can be used as a predictor of short-term mortality and provide a reference for early prognostication.Trial registration: ChiCTR1800014324

BACKGROUND Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas, that results from intrapancreatic activation, release, and digestion of the organ by its own enzymes. The diagnosis of acute pancreatitis can be made when a patient presents with threefold elevated serum levels of amylase or lipase, abdominal pain and vomiting. In this study, we wanted to assess the severity of acute pancreatitis by using BISAP (Bedside index for severity in acute pancreatitis) and APACHE-II (Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation) scoring systems and compare the accuracy of BISAP scores with APACHE-II scores. METHODS A prospective study including 201 patients was conducted from April 2018 to March 2020 in Victoria Hospital, affiliated to BMCRI. RESULTS Among 201 AP patients, 129 were found to have mild acute pancreatitis (MAP), 72 were of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), 192 survival cases, and 9 death cases. The larger the rating score, the higher the proportion of severe pancreatitis and mortality risk. Two kinds of scoring criteria; BISAP score points and Apache II score points compared in patients with MAP and SAP, In Apache II score to predict severity of organ failure, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value was 84.72 %, 93.02 %, 87.14 %, 91.60 % and area under the curve was 0.958 (P < 0.0001). In BISAP, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value was 90.28 %, 80.62 %, 72.22 %, 93.69 % and area under the curve was 0.917 (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Ability of APACHE II score prediction of AP in severity of organ failure and mortality are stronger than BISAP score, But APACHE II scoring system indicators were cumbersome, complicated assessment. BISAP scoring system is simple, economical, rapid and reliable, and it can effectively predict the severity and mortality of acute pancreatitis, and can be used as a preliminary screening method in accurate risk stratification and initiation of management accordingly at community health care, secondary health care and tertiary health care Hospitals. KEYWORDS Pancreatitis, Severity, Prediction, APACHE II and BISAP

Aim: Investigating correlation of lncRNA NEAT1 with Th1 and Th17 in sepsis, and their associations with inflammation, disease severity and prognosis. Materials & methods: A total of 127 sepsis patients and 50 health subjects were included. LncRNA NEAT1, Th1, Th17 and Th1/Th17-secreted cytokines were detected. Results: LncRNA NEAT1 positively correlated with Th1 and Th17 cell proportions in sepsis patients. LncRNA NEAT1 positively correlated with Th1 and Th17-secreted cytokine levels in sepsis patients. LncRNA NEAT1 and Th17 cell proportion positively correlated with CRP level, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II score and sequential organ failure assessment score. High lncRNA NEAT1 expression, Th1 and Th17 cell proportions correlated with elevated accumulating mortality. Conclusion: LncRNA NEAT1 positively correlated with Th1 and Th17, and may serve as an assistant biomarker in sepsis patients.

Background Illness severity scoring systems are commonly used in critical care. When applied to the populations for whom they were developed and validated, these tools can facilitate mortality prediction and risk stratification, optimize resource use, and improve patient outcomes. Objective To describe the characteristics and applications of the scoring systems most frequently applied to critically ill patients. Methods A literature search was performed using MEDLINE to identify original articles on intensive care unit scoring systems published in the English language from 1980 to 2020. Search terms associated with critical care scoring systems were used alone or in combination to find relevant publications. Results Two types of scoring systems are most frequently applied to critically ill patients: those that predict risk of in-hospital mortality at the time of intensive care unit admission (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation, Simplified Acute Physiology Score, and Mortality Probability Models) and those that assess and characterize current degree of organ dysfunction (Multiple Organ Dysfunction Score, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment, and Logistic Organ Dysfunction System). This article details these systems’ differing features and timing of use, score calculation, patient populations, and comparative performance data. Conclusion Critical care nurses must be aware of the strengths, limitations, and specific characteristics of severity scoring systems commonly used in intensive care unit patients to effectively employ these tools in clinical practice and critically appraise research findings based on their use.

Background: This study aimed to validate the Brazilian version of EORTC CAT Core and compare the Brazilian results with those from the original European EORTC CAT Core validation study. Methods: After validated translation, 168 cancer patients from Brazil receiving radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy was assessed. Translated EORTC CAT Core and all QLQ-C30 items were administered to patients using CHES (Computer-Based Health Evaluation System) before (T0) and after (T1) treatment initiation. The association between QLQ-C30 and CAT scores and ceiling/floor effects were estimated. Based on estimates of relative validity (cross-sectional, known-group differences and changes over time), relative sample-size requirements for CAT compared to QLQ-C30 were estimated. Results: Correlation coefficients between CAT and QLQ-C30 domains ranged from 0.63 to 0.93, except for dyspnoea, all coefficients were &gt, 0.82 (corresponding figures were 0.81–0.93 in the European study). On average across domains, floor/ceiling was reduced by 10% using CAT (9% in the European study) corresponding to a relative reduction of 32% (37% in the European study). Analyses of known-group validity and responsiveness indicated that, on average across domains, the sample-size requirements may be reduced by 17% using CAT rather than QLQ-C30, without loss of power (28% in the European study). The Brazilian sample had less symptom/quality of life impairment than the European sample, which likely explains the lower sample-size reduction using CAT when comparing with the European sample. Conclusions: The results in the Brazilian cohort were generally similar to those from the European sample and confirm the validity and usefulness of the EORTC CAT Core.

Asmaa Nasr El-Din,1 Abdelhady Ragab Abdel-Gawad,2 Wesam Abdelgalil,3 Nahed F Fahmy1 1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt; 2Department of Clinical and Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt; 3Departments of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, EgyptCorrespondence: Asmaa Nasr El-Din Tel +20 10-2809-0703Email asmaanasredin81@gmail.comBackground: The purpose of this study was to explore the diagnostic role of sTREM1 in the diagnosis of sepsis and in differentiating between sepsis and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). We also aimed to assess the prognostic value of suPAR in comparison to sequential organ-failure assessment (SOFA), acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II scores, and 28-day mortality.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Medical Microbiology and Immunology Department and Central Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University from June 2019 to January 2021. The study population was classified into two groups: SIRS (no evidence of infection) and sepsis (with SIRS and evidence of infection). Patients were rated on the SOFA and APACHE II scoring systems at admission and after 7 days. Serum levels of sTREM1 and suPAR were measured by ELISA at the same time points.Results: CRP and sTREM1 values were significantly higher in the sepsis group than the SIRS group on both days (P< 0.0001). The area under the curve (AUC) for CRP was 0.87 on the first day and 0.97 on the seventh, while the AUC for sTREM1 was 1.00 and 0.93 on the first and seventh days, respectively. The sensitivity of sTREM1 was 100% and specificity 84% at a cutoff of 49 pg/mL. There was a significantly positive correlation between CRP and sTREM1 values (P< 0.0001). On the seventh day, nonsurvivors had significantly higher serum levels of suPAR (median 4.9 ng/mL) than survivors (median 2.9 ng/mL; P< 0.0001). Nonsurvivors also had significantly higher SOFA and APACHE II scores than survivors (P< 0.0001 and P< 0.0001, respectively).Conclusion: sTREM1 can be used as a good indicator for diagnosing sepsis in intensive care–unit patients. suPAR can also be used as a predictor of bad prognosis and poor survival at 7 days following admission.Keywords: SIRS, sTREM, suPAR, sepsis

Background: Transfusion of ABO-compatible non-identical platelets (PTLs), fresh plasma (FP) and red blood cells (RBCs) has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality of recipients. Trauma victims are frequently exposed to ABO non-identical products, given the need for emergency transfusions. Our goal was to evaluate the impact of the transfusion of ABO non-identical blood products on the severity and all-cause 30-day mortality of trauma patients. Methods: This was a retrospective single-center cohort, which included trauma patients who received emergency transfusions in the first 24 h of hospitalization. Patients were divided in two groups according to the use of

Resumo O aumento da demanda pelo pronto atendimento é um fenômeno mundial, e seu uso inapropriado é um dos principais problemas. Há necessidade de identificar os fatores relacionados para orientar a melhoria da qualidade dos serviços. O objetivo deste artigo é analisar os fatores associados ao uso inapropriado em serviços de Pronto Atendimento. Estudo transversal com dados de 384 prontuários de pacientes atendidos em dois serviços de pronto atendimento de um município do Centro-Sul do Paraná, Brasil, em 2013. A análise foi descritiva, bivariada pelo Qui-quadrado de Pearson para verificar associações entre uso inapropriado e variáveis independentes. Realizou-se Regressão Logística Múltipla. A proporção do uso inapropriado de pronto atendimento foi de 73,4% e apresentou associação com pessoas com alguma condição sensível à atenção primária, residentes em áreas sem cobertura desta atenção, pessoas entre 0 e 11 anos, e 12 a 17 anos, atendimento no primeiro trimestre do ano, doenças do aparelho respiratório, lesões e envenenamentos e doenças do sistema osteomuscular. Necessita-se fortalecer a atenção primária para redução do uso inapropriado do pronto atendimento, especialmente na atenção às condições sensíveis à atenção primária e ampliação da acessibilidade sócio-organizacional. Abstract The increase in the demand for Emergency Services is a worldwide phenomenon, and its inappropriate use is one of the main problems. Factors related to the inappropriate use must be investigated to guide improvement in the quality of services. This article aims at analyzing factors associated with the inappropriate use of emergency services. This is a cross-sectional study with secondary data from 384 medical records from two emergency services in a city in central-southern region of the state of Paraná, Brazil, in 2013. A descriptive, bivariate using Pearson’s chi-squared test was performed to verify associations between inappropriate use and independent variables. Multiple Logistic Regression was also performed. The proportion of inappropriate use of Emergency Services was 73.4% and was associated with people with some primary health care sensitive conditions, residents in areas without primary care coverage, people between 0 and 11 years old, and 12 to 17 years old, care in the first trimester of the year, respiratory diseases, lesions and poisonings and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Primary care must be strengthened to reduce the inappropriate use of care, especially in the attention to primary health care sensitive conditions and to increase the socio-organizational accessibility.

Background: To assess the association between serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels and mortality in intensive care unit patients. Materials & methods: A total of 1981 patients in the eICU Collaborative Research Database were divided into four groups according to quartiles of LDH levels. Logistic regressions were performed. Results: Elevated LDH levels were significantly associated with higher mortality (intensive care unit mortality: Q2 vs Q1: 1.046 [0.622–1.758]; Q3 vs Q1: 1.667 [1.029–2.699]; and Q4 vs Q1: 1.760 [1.092–2.839]). Similar results persisted in patients with different acute physiology and chronic health evaluation IV scores, and with or without sepsis. Conclusion: The serum LDH level may aid in the early identification of mortality risk in critically ill patients.

BACKGROUND: Although a number of studies have reported on the vascular abnormalities detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with late-phase acute pancreatitis (AP), few have studied those occurring in the early phase of the disease. The aim of this research was to investigate the MRI findings of early vascular abnormalities in AP and to analyze the correlation of the prevalence of vascular involvement with the severity of AP based on the MR severity index (MRSI) and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted of 301 consecutive AP patients who were admitted to our institution between March 2013 and June 2019. All patients underwent initial MRI during the early phase of pancreatitis and one or more repeat MRI scans in the late phase. Peripancreatic vascular conditions and pancreatitis were assessed using T1-/T2-weighted imaging and dynamic-enhanced MRI. The association between the prevalence of vascular involvement and AP severity graded according to the MRSI or APACHE II score was analyzed using Spearman’s rank correlation. RESULTS: Among 301 AP patients, 75 (24.9%) had at least one MRI-detected vascular abnormality. Overall, vascular involvement on MRI was higher in necrotizing pancreatitis than in edematous pancreatitis [43.2% (54/125) vs. 11.9% (21/176), χ(2)=38.2, P

BACKGROUND Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) has recently been considered as a defining syndrome of sepsis and is responsible for a high mortality rate among the patients in the intensive care units (ICUs). Prognostication of the ICU patients is an integral part of the management of the critically ill patients and many scoring systems, for that matter, have been devised and compared for their efficiency at predicting mortality. This study was conducted to evaluate and compare the validity of sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE II) and APACHE IV as mortality predictors in intensive care unit (ICU) patients suffering from MODS in sepsis. METHODS Hundred patients diagnosed with MODS in sepsis were carefully examined, followed by relevant laboratory investigations. The SOFA score was calculated daily, and the APACHE II and IV scores were calculated on the day of admission. The scores were further compared among the survivors and the non-survivors, followed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of the SOFA D1, D2, and D3 and the APACHE II and IV scores to estimate their capability of mortality prediction. RESULTS The means of the APACHE II, IV and SOFA D1 were 16.57 ± 6.49, 71.91 ± 16.19 and 8.75 ± 2.20, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in the mean APACHE II scores (14.23 ± 5.20 vs. 21.12 ± 6.38) and the mean APACHE IV scores (67.27 ± 13.21 vs. 80.91 ± 17.77) in the survivors and the nonsurvivors. A statistically significant difference was also evident in the mean ages of the survivors and the non-survivors (52.82 ± 14.67 years vs. 63.25 ± 16.98 years). The SOFA score was high among the non-survivors than the survivors right from day-1 (10.24 ± 2.08 vs. 7.98 ± 1.86) to day-20 (15.00 ± 0.00 vs. 3.14 ± 0.38). Furthermore, ROC analysis showed that the best discrimination was provided by SOFA D3 followed by the APACHE II and SOFA D1 scores, with APACHE IV score showing the least. CONCLUSIONS SOFA score on day 3 provides the best mortality prediction in patients with MODS in sepsis, as compared to APACHE II and IV scores. KEYWORDS SOFA, APACHE II, APACHE IV, Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome, Sepsis

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background The association between the cumulative hypertension burden and the development of atrial fibrillation (AF) is unclear. Purpose We aimed to investigate the relationship between hypertension burden and the development of incident AF. Methods and Results: Using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, we identified 3,726,172 subjects who underwent four consecutive annual health checkups between 2009 and 2013, with no history of AF. During the median follow-up of 5.2 years, AF was newly diagnosed in 22,012 patients (0.59% of the total study population, 1.168 per 1,000 person-years). Using the BP values at each health checkup, we determined the burden of hypertension (systolic blood pressure [SBP] ≥130 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure [DBP] ≥80 mmHg), stratified as 0 to 4 per the hypertension criteria. The subjects were grouped according to hypertension burden scale 1 to 4: 20% (n = 742,806), 19% (n = 704,623), 19% (n = 713,258), 21% (n = 766,204), and 21% (n = 799,281). Compared to normal people, subjects with hypertension burdens of 1, 2, 3, and 4 were associated with an 8%, 18%, 26%, and 27% increased risk of incident AF, respectively. On semi-quantitative analyses with further stratification of stage 1 (SBP 130-139 mmHg or DBP 80-89 mmHg) and stage 2 (SBP ≥140 mmHg or DBP ≥90 mmHg) hypertension, the risk of AF increased with the hypertension burden by up to 71%. Conclusions Both a sustained exposure and the degree of increased blood pressure were associated with an increased risk of incident AF. Tailored blood pressure management should be emphasized to reduce the risk of AF. Abstract Figure.

This review aims to compare the different therapeutic strategies for pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) patients, and a protocol for PLA treatment was proposed, which was based on current evidence from the literature. Data cited in this review were obtained primarily from Pubmed up to November, 2020. Articles were selected with the search items “pyogenic liver abscess”, “hepatic abscess”, “bacterial hepatic abscess”, “percutaneous drainage”, “treatment” and “therapy”. After the summary in the current literature, image-guided percutaneous drainage (PD) combined with antibiotics is recommended as first-line therapy despite lacking consensus on the therapeutic strategies. Surgery is generally performed when PLA fails to respond to PD, or the patient has concomitant abdominal diseases. Antibiotics are usually used prior to PD or surgery and the regime could be adjusted according to the blood or/and abscess culture results. When the PLA patients presented with Acute Physiologic and Chronic Health Evaluation II score > 15 points, ICU admission should be considered to reduce the mortality risk. A protocol for PLA treatment was proposed. However, the accuracy of the proposed protocol should be validated in the further studies.

It is particularly important to improve the quality of physical education curriculum and the overall health level of college students. It is difficult to achieve a comprehensive evaluation of the original evaluation method of students' physical health level. Therefore, this study combined the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and physical fitness training mode to build a university physical health evaluation model. Taking X University as the experimental background, 20 students of different majors in grade 2019 were selected as experimental objects. One group (10 students) adopted the original physical education curriculum mode, and the other group (10 students) integrated physical fitness training into the physical education curriculum. Using the established health evaluation model, the evaluation scores of physical health level of two groups of college students before and after the experiment were comprehensively analyzed. The results showed that the overall score of group A students' physical health level increased; the rising rate was 2.87%. However, there was no significant change in the scores of physical health assessment of group B students. The results show that physical fitness training into the public physical education curriculum can effectively help improve the overall health level of students, and also shows that the introduction of AHP into the evaluation of College Students' physical health level can improve the comprehensiveness of health level analysis. It is hoped that this study can provide some reference for physical education teaching in Colleges and universities, so as to improve the overall teaching level of colleges and universities. RESUMO É particularmente importante melhorar a qualidade dos programas de educação física e o nível geral de saúde dos estudantes universitários. É difícil obter uma avaliação abrangente do método de avaliação inicial do nível de saúde física dos estudantes. Por conseguinte, este estudo combinou o processo hierárquico analítico (AHP) e o modo de condicionamento físico para construir um modelo universitário de avaliação da saúde física. Tendo a Universidade X como objeto experimental, vinte estudantes de diferentes especializações do período de 2019 foram selecionados como objetos experimentais. Um grupo ( de dez estudantes) adotou o modo de educação física original, e o outro grupo (de dez estudantes) integrou o condicionamento físico no currículo de educação física. Utilizando o modelo estabelecido de avaliação da saúde, as pontuações de avaliação do nível de saúde física de dois grupos de estudantes universitários antes e depois do experimento foram exaustivamente analisadas. Os resultados mostraram que a pontuação global do nível de saúde física de um grupo de estudantes aumentou. A taxa de aumento foi de 2.87%. No entanto, não houve alterações significativas nas pontuações da avaliação para a saúde física dos estudantes do grupo B. Os resultados mostram que o condicionamento físico no currículo público de educação física pode contribuir efetivamente para melhorar o nível geral de saúde dos estudantes, e também mostra que a introdução do processo hierárquico analítico (AHP) na avaliação do nível de saúde física dos estudantes universitários pode melhorar a abrangência da análise do nível de saúde. Espera-se que este estudo possa fornecer uma referência para o ensino de educação física nos colégios e universidades a fim de melhorar o nível de ensino geral das universidades. RESUMEN Es particularmente importante mejorar la calidad del plan de estudios de educación física y el nivel de salud general de los estudiantes universitarios. Es difícil lograr un análisis integral del método de evaluación original del nivel de salud física de los estudiantes. Por lo tanto, este estudio combinó el proceso de jerarquía analítica (PJA) y el modo de entrenamiento de aptitud física para construir un modelo universitario de evaluación de la salud física. Tomando la Universidad X como base experimental, se seleccionaron como sujetos experimentales 20 estudiantes de diferentes carreras en los cursos de 2019. Un grupo (10 estudiantes) adoptó el modo de plan de estudios de educación física original y el otro grupo (10 estudiantes) integró el entrenamiento de aptitud física en el plan de estudios de educación física. Utilizando el modelo de evaluación de salud establecido, se analizaron exhaustivamente los puntajes de evaluación del nivel de salud física de los dos grupos de estudiantes universitarios antes y después del experimento. Los resultados mostraron que el puntaje general del nivel de salud física de los estudiantes del grupo A aumentó; la tasa de incremento fue del 2,87%. Sin embargo, no hubo cambios significativos en las puntuaciones de la evaluación de la salud física de los estudiantes del grupo B. Los resultados muestran que el entrenamiento de la aptitud física en el plan de estudios público de educación física puede ayudar de manera efectiva a mejorar el nivel de salud general de los estudiantes y también muestra que la introducción de PJA en la evaluación del nivel de salud física de los estudiantes universitarios puede mejorar la precisión del análisis del nivel de salud. Esperamos que este estudio pueda proporcionar una referencia para la enseñanza de la educación física en los colegios y universidades, a fin de mejorar su nivel general en estos establecimientos.

Background Using three patient characteristics, including age, Injury Severity Score (ISS) and transfusion within 24 h of admission (yes vs. no), the Geriatric Trauma Outcome Score (GTOS) and Geriatric Trauma Outcome Score II (GTOS II) have been developed to predict mortality and unfavourable discharge (to a nursing home or hospice facility), of those who were ≥65 years old, respectively. Objectives This study aimed to validate the GTOS and GTOS II models. For the nested-cohort requiring intensive care, we compared the GTOS scores with two ICU prognostic scores – the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) III and Australian and New Zealand Risk of Death (ANZROD). Methods All elderly trauma patients admitted to the State Trauma Unit between 2009 and 2019 were included. The discrimination ability and calibration of the GTOS and GTOS II scores were assessed by the area under the receiver-operating-characteristic (AUROC) curve and a calibration plot, respectively. Results Of the 57,473 trauma admissions during the study period, 15,034 (26.2%) were ≥65 years-old. The median age and ISS of the cohort were 80 (interquartile range [IQR] 72–87) and 6 (IQR 2–9), respectively; and the average observed mortality was 4.3%. The ability of the GTOS to predict mortality was good (AUROC 0.838, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.821–0.855), and better than either age (AUROC 0.603, 95%CI 0.581–0.624) or ISS (AUROC 0.799, 95%CI 0.779–0.819) alone. The GTOS II's ability to predict unfavourable discharge was satisfactory (AUROC 0.707, 95%CI 0.696–0.719) but no better than age alone. Both GTOS and GTOS II scores over-estimated risks of the adverse outcome when the predicted risks were high. The GTOS score (AUROC 0.683, 95%CI 0.591–0.775) was also inferior to the APACHE III (AUROC 0.783, 95%CI 0.699–0.867) or ANZROD (AUROC 0.788, 95%CI 0.705–0.870) in predicting mortality for those requiring intensive care. Conclusions The GTOS scores had a good ability to discriminate between survivors and non-survivors in the elderly trauma patients, but GTOS II scores were no better than age alone in predicting unfavourable discharge. Both GTOS and GTOS II scores were not well-calibrated when the predicted risks of adverse outcome were high.

Background: Thyroid hormone plays a pivotal role in the adaptation of metabolic function to stress and critical illness like sepsis. Thyroid dysfunction is associated with increased mortality in sepsis. The role of thyroid dysfunction as a prognostic marker in sepsis remains unclear. Aims and Objectives: To correlate the baseline thyroid function tests with APACHE II score and mortality in adult patients admitted with sepsis in Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Materials and Methods: This was a cross sectional, observational study done for a period of one year from September 2019 to September 2020 in a tertiary care referral hospital. Patients admitted with sepsis to ICU were scored on admission using APACHE II score. Blood was sent for thyroid function tests on admission. Patients were divided into survivors and non-survivors based on the outcome. Statistical analysis was done by calculating mean values, Fisher’s exact test and Pearson’s correlation. Results: A total of 52 patients were included. The mean age was 55.65± 18.55 years with a male predominance (M: F=1.4:1). Pneumonia was the commonest cause of sepsis in the study (20 patients,38.5%). Mortality was seen in 20 patients (38.5%) The mean values of thyroid hormones were lower in non-survivors. APACHE II Score was higher among the non-survivors as compared to survivors. (21.7±5.571 vs 19.78 ± 5.939, p value>0.05). Thyroid hormones (T3, T4, FT3, FT4) had a negative correlation with APACHE II score in non-survivors. TSH had significant positive correlation with APACHE II score in non-survivors (p value=0.027). Conclusion: Thyroid hormone levels did not correlate significantly with APACHE II score and mortality among the non-survivors of sepsis.

Introduction Predicting ICU outcome in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is important for effective clinical decision making. CAP is associated with coagulation abnormalities even in patients with nonsevere illness, and these parameters may improve the ability of simple clinical scores to expect mortality in severe CAP. Patients and methods A prospective study was conducted on 100 patients with a primary diagnosis of CAP and who needed admission to ICU Minia University Hospital between the period of September 2018 and October 2019. The study aimed to evaluate the value of clinical scoring systems and coagulation parameters to predict prognosis of severe CAP. Results The overall ICU mortality was 41%. Following multivariable regression, male sex, Simplified Acute Physiological Score II score, diagnosis of cancer, and prothrombin time (PT) were significantly associated with ICU mortality. Apart from Acute Physiologic Assessment and Chronic Health Evaluation III score, all other severity scores, including the CURB-65 score, can differentiate between ICU survivors and nonsurvivors when calculated at the time of admission to ICU (P

Head injury remains one of the most common causes of death worldwide. Approximately 10 to50% of patients with head injury developed disability at some points of their illness, and represent oneof the most common brain casualty encountered by neurosurgeons. Aim of the study: The study wasaimed to determine the effectiveness of semi-fowler's position on the hemodynamic function amongpatients with traumatic head injury. Research design: A quasi-experimental research design wasutilized in this study. Setting: The study was conducted at Emergency Care Unit at BenhaUniversity Hospital. Subjects: A convenient sample included 70 patients who were admitted at theabove mentioned setting. Tools: Two tools were used: patient's assessment data and hemodynamicparameters assessment. Results: Demonstrated that less than half of the studied patients aged between38

Chronic ankle instability (ICT) is common in jumping sports, may alter muscle recruitment, result in functional limitations and recurrence of sprains in this joint. The purpose of the study was to compare the muscle recruitment of the anterior tibial and long fibular muscles of athletes with and without chronic ankle instability by means of surface electromyography. Thirty-four athletes were recruited, divided into instability group (GI: n=14) and control group (GC: n=20), of both sexes and from different sport modalities, aged between 18 and 27 years old, history of ankle sprain in the last 12 months and functional limitation established by the Cumberland Ankle Instability (CAIT) questionnaire, the recruitment of the anterior tibial and long fibular muscles was analyzed by surface electromyography during the lunge exercise. The results for GI and GC were, respectively: age 21.3±2.88 and 22.4±3.25, height 1.77±0.10 and 1.74±0.08, CAIT 17[12.2-19] and 29.5 [27-30] (p

The term fundamentally sick youngster doesn't allude to a specific illness yet it alludes to any kid who is in a clinical state which may bring about respiratory or heart failure or cut off neurologic complexities if not perceived and treated expeditiously. The point of this postulation wass to decide the scope of serum cortisol and urinary Vanillyl Mandelic Acid (VMA) levels in a gathering of basically sick kids and correspond them to seriousness and result. This cross sectional examination included 40 pediatric patients going from 1month to 18years Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II(APACHE II) scoring framework which depends on deviations from typical of 11acute physiologic variablesAll patients had been researched for Assessment of cortisol level (ELISA) and VMA leve. Mean APACHE II score was essentially higher in non-survivors (20) contrasted with 12 in non-survivors. Middle Cortisol level was essentially higher in non-survivors (50) contrasted with survivors (20). Middle VMA was altogether higher in non-survivors (41) contrasted with survivors (10). Cortisol and VMA levels are raised in non-survivors contrasted with survivors. We recommend that the accompanying admonitions be borne as a main priority when diagnosing adrenal inadequacy in the basically sick patient.

Health evaluation of the indoor environment is an important part of the housing study. During the recent COVID-19 lockdown and the increase of longer indoor stays pose a measured threat to general health conditions of residents, especially those that live in more compact and populated living environments. For health-oriented studies that focus on the analysis of indoor environments, many variables should be taken into consideration that could also help to optimize natural lighting, natural airflow, better privacy, less noise from neighboring housing units/buildings, etc. Hence, this study focuses on satisfaction analysis of both general comfort and indoor thermal comfort. By evaluating these, we are able to shed light on inequalities that exist across a large body of 10 housing typologies in the UK. The sample-based satisfaction analysis is representative to indicate the correlations between multiple factors, and specifically those that could have negative impacts on the living indoor environments and human health. The findings of this study suggest that based on the collected data, there is a definite link between dissatisfaction rates and the implications of the housing conditions. Under the circumstances of the lockdown period, the study’s findings could help to find solutions for better indoor environment design, upgraded standards, and pathways for new policy guidelines. A discussion on correlation analysis highlights the issues that are important for the study of housing and health.

In this study, we compared the predictive performances of quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA), the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE II) scores, and the severity grading score (SGS) for evaluation of the disease prognosis of patients with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) at the emergency department. We recorded the qSOFA, SGS, and APACHE II scores at admission and at the 72nd and 120th hour in 97 patients admitted to the emergency department and diagnosed with CCHF. In our study, the area under a receiver operating characteristic curve values of qSOFA, SGS, and APACHE II at admission were found to be 0.640, 0.824, and 0.576, respectively. No statistical significance was found for a qSOFA score ≥ 2 at admission as a predictor of mortality. The use of qSOFA score for diseases with a mortal prognosis such as CCHF is insufficient in predicting the prognosis.

Background and purpose The importance of the specialized management of neurocritical patients is being increasingly recognized. We evaluated the impact of neurointensivist comanagement on the clinical outcomes (particularly the mortality rate) of neurocritical patients admitted to a semiclosed neurocritical-care unit (NCU). Methods We retrospectively included neurocritical patients admitted to the NCU between March 2015 and February 2018. We analyzed the clinical data and compared the outcomes between patients admitted before and after the initiation of neurointensivist co-management in March 2016. Results There were 1,785 patients admitted to the NCU during the study period. Patients younger than 18 years (n=28) or discharged within 48 hours (n=200) were excluded. The 1,557 remaining patients comprised 590 and 967 who were admitted to the NCU before and after the initiation of co-management, respectively. Patients admitted under neurointensivist co-management were older and had higher Acute Physiologic Assessment and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores. The 30-day mortality rate was significantly lower after neurointensivist co-management (p=0.042). A multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that neurointensivist co-management significantly reduced mortality rates in the NCU and in the hospital overall [odds ratio=0.590 (p=0.002) and 0.585 (p=0.001), respectively]. Conclusions Despite the higher severity of the condition during neurointensivist co-management, co-management significantly improved clinical outcomes (including the mortality rate) in neurocritical patients.

Background Ventilator-dependent patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) who are difficult to wean from invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) have been increasing in number. However, data on the clinical outcomes of difficult-to-wean patients are lacking. We aimed to evaluate clinical outcomes in patients discharged from the ICU with tracheostomy and ventilator dependency. Methods We retrospectively investigated clinical course and survival in patients requiring home mechanical ventilation (HMV) with a tracheostomy and difficulty weaning from IMV during medical ICU admission from September 2013 through August 2016 at Severance Hospital, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea. Results Of 84 difficult-to-wean patients who were started on HMV in the medical ICU, 72 survived, were discharged from the ICU, and were included in this analysis. HMV was initiated after a median of 23 days of IMV, and the successful weaning rate was 46% (n=33). In-hospital mortality rate was significantly lower in the successfully weaned group than the unsuccessfully weaned group (0% vs. 23.1%, respectively; P=0.010). Weaning rates were similar according to primary diagnosis, but high body mass index (BMI), low Acute Physiologic Assessment and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score at ICU admission, and absence of neuromuscular disease were associated with weaning success. After a median follow-up of 4.6 months (range, 1-27 months) for survivors, 3-month (n=64) and 6-month (n=59) survival rates were 82.5% and 72.2%, respectively. Survival rates were higher in the successfully weaned group than the unsuccessfully weaned group at 3 months (96.4% vs. 69.0%; P=0.017) and 6 months (84.0% vs. 62.1%; P=0.136) following ICU discharge. Conclusions In summary, 46% of patients who started HMV were successfully weaned from the ventilator in general wards. High BMI, low APACHE II score, and absence of neuromuscular disease were factors associated with weaning success.

OBJETIVO: Comparar a prevalência da fragilidade com o perfil sociodemográfico e a avaliação subjetiva de saúde de idosos cadastrados em Centros de Referência de Assistência Social em um município do interior paulista. MÉTODOS: Estudo comparativo e transversal, baseado no método quantitativo de investigação. Foram avaliados 247 idosos utilizando-se: questionário para caracterização do idoso, Avaliação Subjetiva de Saúde e Escala de Fragilidade de Edmonton. As entrevistas foram realizadas no domicílio. Todos os cuidados éticos foram observados. A pesquisa foi aprovada sob CAAE 00867312.8.0000.5504. RESULTADOS: Dos idosos avaliados, 41,7% não apresentaram fragilidade e 36,8% possuíam algum nível (seja fragilidade leve, moderada ou severa). Houve diferença estatisticamente significativa entre fragilidade e: número de doenças relatadas e avaliação subjetiva de saúde (p

Backround/aim: To identify, at an early stage of intensive care, patients who will require readmission to the intensive care unit (ICU) based on their National Early Warning Score (NEWS-d) at discharge. Materials and methods: Overall, 536 patients aged >18 years who stayed at a tertiary ICU for >24 h were included. Patients who readmitted and not readmitted to the intensive care within 48 h after discharge were compared. Results: Mean patient age was 64.26 +/- 18.50 years and 252 (44.7%) patients were male. Mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score was 21.86 +/- 8.74; mean NEWS-d was 4.48 +/- 2.53. Forty-nine (9.1%) were readmitted to ICU. The reasons for initial admission, age, and NEWS-d vvalues were significantly different between the 2 groups. The NEWS-d values of the readmitted group were significantly higher (9.16 +/- 1.05) than nonreadmitted group (4.01 +/- 2.13). Based on receiver operation curve analysis, sensitivity and specificity were 98% and 95%, respectively, considering a NEWS-d cut-off value of 7.5 as the limit value for estimating readmission. Conclusion : A NEWS-d value of >7.5 demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity in identifying the risk of readmission for patients being discharged from ICU. WOS:000566495700002 2-s2.0-85089832490 PubMed: 32659876

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with heterogeneous pathophysiologic mechanisms and diverse clinical manifestations. SLE is a frequent cause of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions. Multiple studies with controversial findings on the causes, evolution and outcomes of ICU-admitted patients with SLE have been published. The aim of this paper is to review the literature reporting the clinical characteristics and outcomes, such as mortality and associated factors, in such patients. Among the main causes of ICU admissions are SLE disease activity, respiratory failure, multi-organ failure and infections. The main factors associated with mortality are a high Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) score, the need for mechanical ventilation, and vasoactive and inotropic agent use. Reported mortality rates are 18.4%–78.5%. Therefore, it is important to evaluate SLE disease severity for optimizing clinical management and patient outcomes.

Background: Individuals with migraine usually complain about lower memory performance. Diagnostic methods such as neuroimaging may help in the understanding of possible morphologic and functional changes related to the memory of those individuals. Therefore, the aim of this review is to analyze the available literature on neuroimaging changes related to memory processing in migraine. Methods: We searched the following databases: Pubmed/Medline, Psycinfo, Science Direct, Cochrane and Web of Science. We used articles without restriction of year of publication. The combination of descriptors used for this systematic review of literature were Neuroimaging OR Imaging OR Brain AND Migraine OR Chronic Migraine AND Memory. Results: Of the 306 articles found, nine were selected and all used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The studies used structural and functional MRI techniques with a predominance of 3 Tesla equipment and T1-weighted images. According to the results obtained reported by these studies, migraine would alter the activity of memory-related structures, such as the hippocampus, insula and frontal, parietal and temporal cortices, thereby suggesting a possible mechanism by which migraine would influence memory, especially in relation to the memory of pain. Conclusions: Migraine is associated to global dysfunction of multisensory integration and memory processing. This condition changes the activity of structures in various regions related to memory of pain, prospective memory, as well as in short- and long-term verbal and visuospatial memories. However, it is necessary to perform studies with larger samples in association with cognitive tests, and without the interference of medications to verify possible alterations and to draw more concrete conclusions. RESUMO Introdução: Indivíduos com enxaqueca geralmente se queixam de menor desempenho de memória. Métodos de diagnóstico como a neuroimagem podem auxiliar no entendimento de possíveis alterações morfológicas e funcionais relacionadas à memória desses indivíduos. Portanto, o objetivo desta revisão é analisar a literatura disponível sobre alterações de neuroimagem relacionadas a alterações de memória na enxaqueca. Métodos: Pesquisou-se nas seguintes bases de dados: PubMed/MEDLINE, Psycinfo, Science Direct, Cochrane e Web of Science. Foram utilizados artigos sem restrição de ano de publicação. A combinação dos descritores utilizados para esta revisão sistemática da literatura foram Neuroimaging OR Imaging OR Brain AND Migraine OR Chronic Migraine AND Memory. Resultados: Dos 306 artigos encontrados, nove foram selecionados e todos utilizaram ressonância magnética (RM). Os estudos utilizaram as técnicas de RM estrutural e funcional com predomínio de equipamentos de 3 Tesla e imagens ponderadas em T1. De acordo com os resultados obtidos nos estudos, a enxaqueca alteraria a atividade de estruturas relacionadas à memória, como o hipocampo, a ínsula e os córtices frontal, parietal e temporal, sugerindo um possível mecanismo pelo qual a enxaqueca influenciaria a memória, especialmente em relação à memória da dor. Conclusões: A enxaqueca está associada à disfunção global da integração multissensorial e processamento de memória. Essa condição altera a atividade de estruturas em várias regiões relacionadas à memória da dor, à memória prospectiva, bem como às memórias verbais e visuais-espaciais de curto e longo prazo. No entanto, é necessário realizar estudos com amostras maiores em associação com testes cognitivos, e sem a interferência de medicamentos para verificar possíveis alterações e tecer conclusões mais concretas.

A silo may be a structure for storing bulk materials. Silo is utilized in agriculture to store grain or fermented feed referred to as silage. Silo is commonly used for bulk storage of grain, coal, cement, smut, woodchips, food products and sawdust. Three kinds of silos are in widespread use today: tower silos, bunker silos, and bag silos. Every structure needs health evaluation after some time it known as condition assessment of structure. When structure complete, 10 year & found any default in structure then we need to do Non-destructive testing like Ultra-sonic pulse velocity test, Rebound hammer test and Half-cell potential meter test.

ObjectiveTo describe a configurable mobile health (mHealth) framework for integration of physiologic and environmental sensors to be used in studies focusing on the domain of pediatric asthma.Materials and MethodsThe Biomedical REAl-Time Health Evaluation (BREATHE) platform connects different sensors and data streams, contextualizing an individual’s symptoms and daily activities over time to understand pediatric asthma’s presentation and its management. A smartwatch/smartphone combination serves as a hub for personal/wearable sensing devices collecting data on health (eg, heart rate, spirometry, medications), motion, and personal exposures (eg, particulate matter, ozone); securely transmitting information to BREATHE’s servers; and interacting with the user (eg, ecological momentary assessments). Server-side integration of electronic health record data and spatiotemporally correlated information (eg, weather, traffic) elaborates on these observations. An initial panel study involving pediatric asthma patients was conducted to assess BREATHE.ResultsTwenty subjects were enrolled, during which BREATHE accrued seven consecutive days of continuous data per individual. The data were used to confirm knowledge about asthma (use of controller inhalers, time-activity behaviors, personal air pollution exposure), and additional analyses provided insights into within-day associations of environmental triggers and asthma exacerbations. Exit surveys focusing on mHealth usability, while positive, noted several translational challenges.DiscussionBased on these promising results, a longitudinal panel study to evaluate individual microenvironments and exposures is ongoing. Lessons learned thus far reflect the need to address various usability aspects, including convenience and ongoing engagement.ConclusionBREATHE enables multi-sensor mHealth studies, capturing new types of information alongside an evolving understanding of personal exposomes.

The detection of brain death (BD) plays a fundamental role in the management of hospital donation. Delayed diagnosis of BD is the main cause of donor loss. A tool for monitoring and prognosis in the neurocritical patient is essential to meet these objectives. The most used prognostic scores in intensive care units are Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II. A predictive model of good performance (ModSPN) in predicting BD in neurocritical patients with Glasgow Coma Scale score 8 was published in 2014. With the objective of analyzing the predictive capacity of ModSPN and comparing it with SAPS II and APACHE II, 2307 patients admitted to the neurocritical patient monitoring (SPN) program of the INDT were analyzed. The predictive capacity for death and brain death of SAPS II, APACHE II, and ModSPN was compared using receiver operating characteristic curves. The area under the curve showed a better APACHE II performance for the prediction of death and the ModSPN being a better predictor of the probability of dying in BD. Therefore, for the prediction of death in the neurocritical patient, APACHE II was superior, but for the prediction of encephalic death, the ModSPN presented the best predictive power for all causes of brain injury.

No single test can accurately identify neonatal late-onset sepsis (LOS). Our aim was to use clinical evaluation with laboratory tests to rapidly assess sepsis risk. A retrospective case-control study was performed in a tertiary Neonatal Center during the years 2016–2019. Infants with bacteriologically confirmed LOS were compared with control infants. A clinical health evaluation score was assigned to each infant. A prediction model was developed and validated by multivariable analysis. The study included 145 infants, 48 with sepsis, and 97 controls. LOS was independently associated with: sick appearance (OR: 5.7, 95% CI: 1.1–29.1), C-reactive protein > 0.75 (OR: 5.4, 95% CI: 1.1–26.3), and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio > 1.5 (OR: 6.7, 95% CI: 1.2–38.5). Our model had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.92 (95% CI: 0.86–0.97). Clinical evaluation with neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and C-reactive protein can rapidly identify LOS enabling decreased health costs and antibiotic use.

Objectives: To estimate the coverage of the National Vitamin A Supplementation Program (Programa Nacional de Suplementação de Vitamina A) in children from Alagoas, to identify factors associated with this coverage, and to analyze the adequacy of nutrition education actions. Methods: Household survey involving a representative probabilistic sample of children aged 6 to 59 months from Alagoas and their mothers (n = 509). Coverage was defined by the percentage of children with supplementation records in the last semester. The association between the independent variables (socioeconomic, demographic, and health) and the National Vitamin A Supplementation Program coverage was analyzed based on the prevalence ratio and its 95% CI. The mothers’ knowledge of questions related to vitamin A was considered as an indicator of the adequacy of nutrition education actions. Results: Program coverage was 91.9% in children aged 6-11.9 months and 38.6% in children aged 12-59 months. In the adjusted analysis, the factors that were associated with greater coverage were: age between 6-11.9 months (PR = 2.50, 95% CI: 2.10-2.96), living in rural areas (PR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.20-1.76) and living in a house with ≤ 4 rooms (PR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.09-1.63). Only 26.1% of the mothers were able to mention some food source of vitamin A and only 19.2% were aware of the consequences of vitamin deficiency for health. Conclusions: The National Vitamin A Supplementation Program coverage is below the targets set by the Ministry of Health (except for children

To our knowledge, no study to date has assessed the ability of baseline Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score plus uric acid (UA) concentration to predict short-term clin...

Aims of this study Severe acute pancreatitis has been defined recently based on the persistence of organ failure at 48 hours of admission. The bedside index for severity in acute pancreatitis (BISAP) score, a simplified scoring system to predict severity of acute pancreatitis, is proposed to be useful in early risk stratification of acute pancreatitis. Our aim was to prospectively compare BISAP score with the already established acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) and modified computed tomography severity index (CTSI) scores in predicting the severity of acute pancreatitis. Materials and methods A total of 87 consecutive cases presenting with the first attack of acute pancreatitis were included in the study. Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II and BISAP scores were calculated from the worst parameters in the first 24 hours, and modified CTSI was reported at 48 hours of admission. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted, and predictive accuracy of each score was calculated from the area under the curve. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated for each score. Results A total of 20 patients (23%) had severe acute pancreatitis with a total of 11 mortalities (12.64%), 10 of them in the severe acute pancreatitis group. Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II, modified CTSI, and BISAP score all correlated well with each other. Modified CTSI and BISAP score also correlated with duration of hospital stay. Areas under the curve for APACHE II (≥8), modified CTSI (≥8), and BISAP score (≥2) were 0.826, 0.806, and 0.811, respectively, suggesting similar predictive accuracy. Conclusion The BISAP score was similar to APACHE II and modified CTSI in terms of accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and NPV. It is much easier to calculate and a useful risk stratification tool. It should be used for early triage and referral to a high dependency unit. How to cite this article Chatterjee R, Parab N, Sajjan B, Nagar VS. Comparison of Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II, Modified Computed Tomography Severity Index, and Bedside Index for Severity in Acute Pancreatitis Score in Predicting the Severity of Acute Pancreatitis. Indian J Crit Care Med 2020;24(2):99-103.

Background Admissions to the ICU related to alcohol, prescription drugs, and illicit drugs are shown to be widespread and costly. In 1993, a study revealed 28% of ICU admissions at Johns Hopkins Hospital were related to substance abuse and accrued 39% of costs. Since then, health-care expenditures have increased, and substance abuse treatment admissions have risen. We conducted a study to provide updated data on ICU utilization and costs related to licit and illicit abuse at a large county hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana. Methods All admissions to the medical ICU at Eskenazi Hospital from March to October 2017 were reviewed. Demographics, reason for admission, relation to substance abuse and specific substance, ICU and hospital length of stay, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores, mortality, insurance status, and hospital charges were collected based on chart review. Results A total of 611 admissions generated $74,587,280.35 in charges. A total of 25.7% of admissions related to substance abuse accounted for 23.1% of total charges. Illicit drugs were 13% of total admissions, generating 11% of charges. Alcohol-related admissions were 9.5% of total admissions, generating 7.6% of charges. Prescription drugs were 2.9% of admissions, generating 4.2% of charges. Of the substance abuse admissions, patients were generally men and 40 to 64 years of age, with longer ICU stay, higher APACHE II scores, and higher mortality. Conclusions Substance abuse admissions make up almost a one-quarter of resources used by our ICU. Patients tend to be younger and sicker with a higher risk of death. Identifying and accurately describing the landscape of this current health crisis will help us take appropriate action in the future.

Aims and objectives Different severity scores are being used to assess outcomes in intensive care unit, but variable data had been reported so far per their performance. Main objective of this study is to compare performance of acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II), sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), and modified nutrition risk in critically ill (mNUTRIC) scoring systems regarding the outcomes in the form of morbidity and mortality in medical intensive care unit (MICU) at rural tertiary-care health center. Materials and methods In this cross-sectional study, 1,990 patients older than 18 years admitted in the ICU were enrolled. Age, gender, diagnosis, intubation, comorbidities, APACHE II, SOFA scores, m NUTRIC score, MICU stays in days, and need of mechanical ventilation were noted. Results When we compared different score with mortality, APACHE-II was having sensitivity of 89.9% and specificity of 97.6%; SOFA had 90.1% sensitivity and 96.6% specificity; while mNUTRIC score had 97.2% sensitivity and 74.0% specificity. APACHE-II score had sensitivity of 93.4%, SOFA had 90.5%, and mNUTRIC score 92.3% with low specificity of 76.5% in predicting requirement of mechanical ventilation. mNUTRIC score and ICU length of stay showed moderate positive correlation (p value =

Organophosphate pesticide poisoning is a common clinical problem in developing countries, bringing with it significant morbidity and mortality. There is limited evidence on the mobility status in patients who survive acute intoxication by organophosphates. The purpose of this study is to assess the mobility patterns and barriers to mobilization in organophosphate poisoning survivors in the intensive care unit. This cross-sectional study looked at 37 patients with acute intoxication from organophosphate compounds. Patients with Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation scores of less than 93 and Richmond Agitation and Sedation scores between −2 and +2 were included. Potential mobility barriers, bed mobility, functional strength, transfers, and endurance were assessed using the Perme Intensive Care Unit Mobility score on alternative days for the first ten days of intensive care unit admission. Perme scores (2.50–6.0, p ≤ 0.01) improved significantly with improvement in the subcomponents of bed mobility score (1.83 ± 0.35 to 7.23 ± 3.84), transfers (0.37 ± 0.02 to 4.78 ± 3.84), and gait (1.83 ± 0.35 to 5.23 ± 1.27) from day 2 through day 10 of hospital admission. The endotracheal tube and continuous infusion were identified as major barriers to mobilization (66.6%) using Perme scores. Perme scores improved gradually in organophosphate poisoning patients in the intensive care unit. Identification of mobility barriers may help in the modification of rehabilitation goals.

COVID-19; Mortality comparison; Pneumonia COVID-19; Comparación de la mortalidad; Neumonía COVID-19; Comparació de la mortalitat; Pneumònia Background It is unclear whether the changes in critical care throughout the pandemic have improved the outcomes in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients admitted to the intensive care units (ICUs). Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study in adults with COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to 73 ICUs from Spain, Andorra and Ireland between February 2020 and March 2021. The first wave corresponded with the period from February 2020 to June 2020, whereas the second/third waves occurred from July 2020 to March 2021. The primary outcome was ICU mortality between study periods. Mortality predictors and differences in mortality between COVID-19 waves were identified using logistic regression. Findings As of March 2021, the participating ICUs had included 3795 COVID-19 pneumonia patients, 2479 (65·3%) and 1316 (34·7%) belonging to the first and second/third waves, respectively. Illness severity scores predicting mortality were lower in the second/third waves compared with the first wave according with the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation system (median APACHE II score 12 [IQR 9–16] vs 14 [IQR 10–19]) and the organ failure assessment score (median SOFA 4 [3–6] vs 5 [3–7], p

Objective Cholecystostomy is a palliative treatment for patients unfit to undergo immediate cholecystectomy. Nevertheless, the role of cholecystostomy in the clinical management of such patients remains unclear. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation IV (APACHE IV) scoring system is useful for estimating the hospital mortality of high-risk patients. We evaluated the therapeutic effect of cholecystostomy by the APACHE IV scoring system in patients aged >65 years with acute cholecystitis. Methods In total, 597 patients aged >65 years with acute cholecystitis were retrospectively analyzed using APACHE IV scores. Results The fitness of the APACHE IV score prediction was good, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.894. The chi square independence test indicated that compared with conservative treatment, cholecystostomy may have different effects on mortality for patients whose estimated mortality rate was >10%. Comparison of the estimated mortality of patients before and after cholecystostomy indicated that the estimated mortality was significantly lower after than before puncture, both in the whole patient group and in the group with an estimated mortality of >10%. Conclusion The APACHE IV scoring system showed that cholecystostomy is a safe and effective treatment for elderly high-risk patients with acute cholecystitis.

Background: Body image dissatisfaction has been rising in recent years. Despite the large body of evidence on body image, few studies have directed gender comparisons of body image in Iran. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate body image dissatisfaction and its correlation with anthropometric indicators and body composition in men and women. Methods: Following a cross-sectional design, 95 females and 95 males (age range: 18 - 50 years and body mass index: 18.5 - 40.0 kg/m2) who attended a nutrition clinic in Ardabil city were recruited using a convenience sampling method. Anthropometric measurements were achieved while participants were lightly clothed with no shoes. The body fat percentage, visceral fat level, and visceral fat area were measured using a bioelectrical impedance analysis. The body image was evaluated using the Multidimensional Body Self-relation Questionnaire (MBSRQ). Data analysis was administered using SPSS, and a two-tailed P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The appearance orientation (females: 4.04 ± 0.57 vs. males: 3.72 ± 0.49, P-value < 0.001) and illness orientation (females: 3.70 ± 0.74 vs. males: 3.41 ± 0.83, P-value = 0. 01) subscales scores were higher in women than men. A negative association was observed between appearance orientation subscale score with anthropometric indicators and body composition. In contrast, the subjective weight, overweight preoccupation, and health evaluation subscales scores were positively correlated with anthropometric measurement and body composition. Conclusions: This study investigated body image dissatisfaction in a small sample of Iranians. Gender was an important factor in determining body image subscales. Thus, health interventions should be specially designed.