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Background As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the number of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) is still increasing. The aim of our article is to estimate which of the conventional ICU mortality risk scores is the most accurate at predicting mortality in COVID-19 patients and to determine how these scores can be used in combination with the 4C Mortality Score. Methods This was a retrospective study of critically ill COVID-19 patients treated in tertiary reference COVID-19 hospitals during the year 2020. The 4C Mortality Score was calculated upon admission to the hospital. The Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II, and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores were calculated upon admission to the ICU. Patients were divided into two groups: ICU survivors and ICU non-survivors. Results A total of 249 patients were included in the study, of which 63.1% were male. The average age of all patients was 61.32 ± 13.3 years. The all-cause ICU mortality ratio was 41.4% (n = 103). To determine the accuracy of the ICU mortality risk scores a ROC-AUC analysis was performed. The most accurate scale was the APACHE II, with an AUC value of 0.772 (95% CI 0.714–0.830; p Conclusions The study demonstrated that the APACHE II had the best discrimination of mortality in ICU patients. Both the APACHE II and 4C Mortality Score independently predict mortality risk and can be used concomitantly.

Malnutrition leads to poor outcomes for critically ill patients; however, underfeeding remains a prevalent issue in the intensive care unit (ICU). One of the reasons for underfeeding is enteral nutrition interruption (ENI). Our aim was to investigate the causes, frequency, and duration of ENIs and their association with underfeeding in critical care.This was a prospective observational study conducted at the Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Clinics, Lithuania, between December 2017 and February 2018. It included adult medical and surgical ICU patients who received enteral nutrition (EN). Data on ENIs and caloric, as well as protein intake were collected during the entire ICU stay. Nutritional goals were assessed using indirect calorimetry, where available.In total 73 patients were enrolled in the study. Data from 1023 trial days and 131 ENI episodes were collected; 68% of the patients experienced ENI during the ICU stay, and EN was interrupted during 35% of the trial days. The main reasons for ENIs were haemodynamic instability (20%), high gastric residual volume (GRV) (17%), tracheostomy (16%), or other surgical interventions (16%). The median duration of ENI was 12 [6-24] h, and the longest ENIs were due to patient-related factors (22 [12-42] h). The rate of underfeeding was 54% vs. 15% in the trial days with and without ENI (p 0.001), respectively. Feeding goal was achieved in 26% of the days with ENI vs. 45% of days without ENI (p 0.001). The daily average caloric provision was 77 ± 36% vs. 106 ± 29% in the trial days with and without ENI (p 0.001) and protein provision was 0.96 ± 0.5 vs. 1.3 ± 0.5 g/kg, respectively (p 0.001).The episodes of ENI in critically ill patients are frequent and prolonged, often leading to underfeeding. Similar observations have been reported by other studies; however, the causes and duration of ENI vary, mainly because of different practices worldwide. Hence, safe and internationally recognised reduced-fasting guidelines and protocols for critically ill patients are needed in order to minimise ENI-related underfeeding and malnutrition.

Contains fulltext : 169644.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) BACKGROUND AND AIM: Malnutrition represents a serious health care threat, as it increases morbidity, mortality and health care cost. The effective screening and treatment with enteral (EN) or parenteral (PN) nutrition are the key elements of the policy called Optimal Nutrition Care for All (ONCA). The study tried to analyze the impact of the state's economy on the implementation of EN and PN to define its role in ONCA. MATERIAL AND METHODS: an international survey in twenty two European countries was performed between January and December 2014. An electronic questionnaire was distributed to 22 representatives of clinical nutrition (PEN) societies. The questionnaire comprised questions regarding country economy, reimbursement, education and the use EN and PN. Return rate was 90.1% (n = 20). RESULTS: EN and PN were used in all countries surveyed (100%), but to different extent. The country's income significantly influenced the reimbursement for EN and PN (p < 0.05). It was also associated with the overall use of tube feeding and PN (p = 0.05), but not with the use of oral nutritional supplements (p = 0.165). The use of both, EN and PN at hospitals was not depended on the economy (p > 0.05). Education was actively carried out in all countries, however the teaching at the pre-graduate level was the least widespread, and also correlated with the country income (p = 0.042). CONCLUSIONS: Results indicated that economic situation influences all aspects of ONCA, including education and treatment. The reimbursement for EN and PN seemed to be the key factor of effective campaign against malnutrition.

Introduction When minimally invasive therapy was introduced, it became possible to cure some patients without open surgery, or at least delay the operation for longer than a month. Aim To determine the optimal timing to operate on patients with severe acute necrotizing pancreatitis based on the severity of organ insufficiency. Material and methods A retrospective analysis was performed in all severe acute necrotizing pancreatitis patients treated in Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos (VUL SK) from 2007 to 2016. The patients were divided into groups based on the number of dysfunctional organ systems (one or more) and whether the minimally invasive step-up approach to treatment was used. Results The patients with one organ dysfunction had a delay of 35 (without the step-up approach) and 36 (with the step-up approach) days before the open surgery, while the patients with two or more organ systems’ dysfunction had almost an identical delay of 28 days, using both surgical treatment methods. The mortality of the patients who had one organ dysfunction and in whom the step-up approach was used was 0%, while in patients without the step-up approach it was 41.7%. In the two or more organ systems’ dysfunction group, the mortality for those treated with a step-up approach was 64.3%, and without it 70.7%. Conclusions The surgical treatment should be initiated with a minimally invasive procedure. Additionally, the surgery on patients with two or more organ systems’ dysfunction should not be delayed for more than one month.

Su transfuzija susijęs ūminis plaučių pažeidimas yra pagrindinė sergamumo ir mirštamumo priežastis tarp su transfuzijomis susijusių reakcijų. Sindromas pasireiškia po kraujo plazmos turinčių komponentų transfuzijos. Straipsnyje aprašomas klinikinis atvejis apie su transfuzija susijusį plaučių pažeidimą ligoniui po politraumos. Gydant buvo sėkmingai pritaikytas ekstrakorporinės membraninės oskigenacijos metodas.

Disease-related malnutrition (DRM) represents a critical public health concern. Therefore, Fight Against Malnutrition (FAM) should be a state priority, but the degree to which this is true appears to differ considerably among European countries. The aim of this study was to put the problem into perspective by comparing the prevalence of malnutrition in countries from opposite parts of the continent. Six countries - Croatia, Estonia, Greece, Lithuania, Poland, and Turkey - participated in the study. A short questionnaire was used to assess DRM: its prevalence, the current situation in hospitals, regulations for reimbursement, and general healthcare circumstances. Data from ESPEN's NutritionDay 2006 were used to broaden the perspective. At admission in October 2012, 4068 patients were assessed. The study was performed in 160 hospitals and 225 units with 9143 beds. The highest proportions of patients with 3 or more points on the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 were observed in Estonia (80.4%) and Turkey (39.4%), whereas the lowest were in Lithuania (14.2%). The provision of nutrition support was best in Turkey (39.4% required intervention, 34.4% received intervention) and Poland (21.9% and 27.8%, respectively). Nutrition support teams (NSTs) are active in some countries, whereas in others they virtually do not exist. The prevalence of malnutrition was quite high in some countries, and the nutrition approach differed among them. It could be the result of the lack of reimbursement, inactive or nonexistent NSTs, and low nutrition awareness. Those facts confirmed that the continuation of FAM activities is necessary.

Summary Background & aims The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of malnutrition (MN) in cardiac surgery patients by implementing the new ESPEN diagnostic criteria and to determine whether these criteria are concordant with the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) provided phase angle (PA) in predicting early stages of malnutrition. Methods A prospective study was conducted in a tertiary hospital. The nutritional state of the cardiac surgery patients was evaluated one day prior to cardiac surgery using the malnutrition screening tools NRS-2002, MUST and SF-MNA, and bioelectrical impedance analysis. Patients at risk of malnutrition were further studied in accordance with the ESPEN malnutrition diagnostic criteria. A BIA provided PA value of less than the 15th percentile of the age and gender group was set as a theoretical marker of early malnutrition. ROC AUC (receiver operating characteristic area under curve) analysis and other parameters were calculated to determine the concordance between the new ESPEN malnutrition diagnostic criteria and a low PA. Results The study comprised 549 enrolled cardiac surgery patients. MN or risk of MN in accordance with at least one nutritional status assessment tool was diagnosed in 372 (67.75%) patients. MN, according to the new ESPEN malnutrition diagnostic criteria, was only diagnosed in 31 (5.6%) patients. Low PA was detected in 124 patients (22.6%), providing a higher MN rate. The ROC analysis and other concordance parameters showed that the new ESPEN diagnostic criteria (AUC 0.560, p = 0.042) were not concordant with a low PA. Conclusion Fewer patients are classified as malnourished by the new ESPEN definition as those identified by the BIA provided PA. Incorporation of the BIA provided PA into the new ESPEN definition may aid to diagnose the early stages of MN in the field of cardiac surgery.

Background and Objective. Impaired health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is one of the possible outcomes after discharge from an intensive care unit (ICU). Evaluation of patient health status on discharge from the ICU would help identify factors influencing changes in HRQOL after ICU discharge. The objective of the study was to identify whether health state on discharge from prolonged stay in the ICU has any influence on survivors’ HRQOL 6 months after intensive care. Material and Methods. A prospective study of patients with the prolonged length of stay (exceeding 7 days) in the ICU was conducted. The study covered the impact of organ system dysfunction (SOFA score), number of therapeutic interventions (TISS-28 score), and critical illness neuromuscular abnormalities (CINMA) on discharge from the ICU on HRQOL 6 months following ICU discharge. Results. In total, 137 patients were included in the study. The SOFA score on the last day in the ICU was 2.91 (SD, 1.57); the TISS-28 score on the last day in the ICU was 21.79 (SD, 4.53). Decreased physical functioning (PF) and role physical (RP) were identified. Circulatory impairment on discharge from the ICU had an impact on decreased PF (P=0.016), role physical (P=0.066), and role emotional (P=0.001). Patients with dysfunction in more than one organ system on ICU discharge had decreased role emotional (P=0.016). Severe CINMA was diagnosed in 18 patients. They had decreased PF (P=0.007) and RP (P=0.019). Patients with the TISS-28 score above or equal to 20 points showed lower HRQOL in the PF domain (P=0.077) and general health (P=0.038). Conclusions. HRQOL in patients with prolonged stay in the ICU is particularly impaired in the domains of physical functioning and role physical. It is associated with circulatory impairment, CINMA, and greater number of therapeutic interventions on discharge from the ICU.

Neuromuscular weakness is a condition which is often found during long-term ICU treatment. Critical illness polyneuropathy (CIP) is the main reason for neuromuscular weakness. Diagnosis of CIP is difficult in the ICU setting. The reasons, even predisposing factors, for CIP are not fully studied. The aim of this study was to analyze whether sedation, duration of ventilation, and duration of ICU stay are good determinants of CIP.

Mortality of patients readmitted to the ICU is significantly higher than the mortality of patients treated once in the ICU. A simple method to predict mortality of patients readmitted to the ICU could help to select the most seriously ill readmitted patients.