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Although the COVID pandemic has challenged the resilience of health services in general, this impact has been most visible in intensive care units (ICUs). This paper presents an exploratory study of how ICUs in Brazil have coped with the complexity stemming from the pandemic. Five guidelines for coping with complexity were adopted as analytical framework. The guidelines were concerned with slack resources, diversity of perspectives, visibility, work-as-done, and unintended consequences. There were three main sources of data: (i) a survey with respondents from 33 ICUs, which indicated their agreement with 23 statements related to the use of the complexity guidelines; (ii) semistructured interviews with seven survey respondents and two public health officials; and (iii) 20 h of observations of the meetings of a municipal bed management committee. Seventy resilience practices were identified from these data sources. Most of these practices (

To compare whether the diagnostic evaluation of metabolic acidosis can be improved by using a modified Story method compared to the traditional evaluation in a population of critically ill patients with shock. This prospective cohort study included shock patients admitted to the ICU of a tertiary hospital in Brazil between May 2018 and November 2019. We collected laboratory data necessary for traditional evaluation and the simplified Stewart's method. During the study period, 149 patients were included in the final analysis. Of the 17 patients with a normal SBE and AGcorrected, 13 (76.5%) presented with metabolic acidosis according to the modified Story assessment. Therefore, of the 149 patients included in the study, the traditional approach failed to identify metabolic acidosis that was identified by the modified Story assessment in 13 (8.7%) patients. In addition, the determination of the severity of metabolic acidosis also differed between the two methods by a mean of − 7.8 mEq/L. We found that a modified Story method can identify and quantify metabolic acidosis in patients with disorders that were not revealed by the traditional approach.

ObjectivesTo assess the level of agreement among patients, their family caregivers and health professionals regarding the symptoms presented by patients with cancer.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study carried out in patients with cancer admitted to a hospital in Brazil from December 2019 to July 2020. One family caregiver for each patient was included in the study. In addition, nurses and physicians involved in patient care were included. Patients, family caregivers and health professionals responded to the Palliative Outcome Scale (POS).ResultsSixty-one patients with their family caregivers, 18 nurses and 8 physicians were included. Physicians reported a lower mean POS score than patients (p=0.008). In general, physicians and nurses underestimated the anxiety of the patient and the anxiety of the family caregivers and how much the patient feels that his or her life is worthwhile. Intraclass correlation coefficient showed moderate and good levels of agreement between patients’ and family caregivers’ responses (0.61). Agreement between patient and nurse (0.02) and physician (0.21) responses was poor.ConclusionsThe level of agreement between patients and healthcare professionals was very poor regarding patients’ symptoms. However, the caregiver’s perception of the patient’s symptoms can be a reliable source of information.

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar a associação entre a incidência de delirium na unidade de terapia intensiva e qualidade de vida 1 mês após a alta hospitalar Métodos: Trata-se de estudo de coorte prospectivo desenvolvido em unidades de terapia intensiva de dois hospitais de média complexidade durante o período de dezembro de 2015 a dezembro de 2016. Delirium foi identificado por meio da escala Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit. No momento da alta hospitalar, foram avaliadas capacidade funcional e cognição por meio do índice de Barthel e da escala de Mini Exame do Estado Mental, respectivamente. Após 30 dias da alta hospitalar do paciente, por meio de contato telefônico, aplicou-se o questionário World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref. Resultados: Foram incluídos 216 pacientes. Delirium foi identificado em 127 (58,8%) deles. Os pacientes com delirium apresentaram maior dependência funcional (mediana do índice de Barthel 50,0 [21,2 - 70,0] versus 80,0 [60,0 - 95,0]; p < 0,001) e menor cognição (escore do Mini Exame do Estado Mental 12,9 ± 7,5 versus 20,7 ± 9,8; p < 0,001) na alta hospitalar. Com relação à qualidade de vida, avaliada 1 mês após alta hospitalar, não houve diferença, em nenhum dos domínios, entre os pacientes com e sem delirium. Conclusão: Nossos achados sugerem que os pacientes com delirium na unidade de terapia intensiva não apresentam piora da qualidade de vida 1 mês após a alta hospitalar, apesar de apresentarem maior prejuízo cognitivo e incapacidade funcional no momento da alta hospitalar. Abstract Objective: To evaluate the association between the incidence of delirium in the intensive care unit and quality of life 1 month after hospital discharge. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study conducted in the intensive care units of two medium-complexity hospitals from December 2015 to December 2016. Delirium was identified using the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit scale. At the time of hospital discharge, functional capacity and cognition were assessed with the Barthel index and the Mini Mental State Examination, respectively. Thirty days after patient discharge, the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF questionnaire was administered by telephone. Results: A total of 216 patients were included. Delirium was identified in 127 (58.8%) of them. Patients with delirium exhibited greater functional dependence (median Barthel index 50.0 [21.2 - 70.0] versus 80.0 [60.0 - 95.0]; p < 0.001) and lower cognition (Mini Mental State Examination score 12.9 ± 7.5 versus 20.7 ± 9.8; p < 0.001) at hospital discharge. There was no difference in any of the quality-of-life domains evaluated 1 month after hospital discharge between patients with and without delirium. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that patients with delirium in the intensive care unit do not have worse quality of life 1 month after hospital discharge, despite presenting greater cognitive impairment and functional disability at the time of hospital discharge.

Pressure injury is damage to the skin and underlying soft tissue that occurs in response to intense and/or prolonged skin pressure. The Braden scale is the most used in health services to assess pressure injury. However, this scale was not specifically developed for critically ill patients. The Critical Care Pressure Ulcer Assessment Tool Made Easy (CALCULATE) scale was developed for patients in intensive care units.The objective of this study was to compare the accuracy of the CALCULATE scale with that of Braden in predicting the risk of pressure injury in critically ill patients.This was a prospective cohort study, involving patients who did not have pressure injury on admission to the intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil. Data collection took place between January and July 2020 using the Braden and CALCULATE scales, in addition to clinical and sociodemographic variables. Patients were followed up until discharge from the intensive care unit or death.Fifty-one patients were included in the study. Of these, 29 (56.9%) developed pressure injury. To predict pressure injury onset, the areas under the receiver operator characteristic curve of the Braden scale on the first day and the lowest score during the first 3 days were 0.71 (0.56-0.86) and 0.70 (0.53-0.87), respectively. The areas under the receiver operator characteristic curve of the CALCULATE scale on the first day and the highest score during the first 3 days were 0.91 (0.82-0.99) and 0.92 (0.85-1.00), respectively. In the logistic regression analysis, the CALCULATE scale on the first day remained an independent predictor of pressure injury onset after controlling for age and length of stay in the intensive care unit.We found that the CALCULATE scale may be more accurate than the Braden scale as a tool to assess the risk of developing pressure injury in critically ill patients.

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar se há associação entre o balanço hídrico nas 48 horas após a extubação e a falha da extubação. Métodos: Este é um estudo de coorte prospectiva que incluiu os pacientes admitidos à unidade de terapia intensiva de um hospital terciário no sul do Brasil entre março e dezembro de 2019. Incluíram-se os pacientes que necessitaram de ventilação mecânica por pelo menos 24 horas e foram extubados durante o período do estudo. O desfecho primário foi falha da extubação, considerada como necessidade de reintubar dentro das primeiras 72 horas após a extubação. O desfecho secundário foi um desfecho combinado de falha da extubação ou necessidade de ventilação não invasiva terapêutica. Resultados: Foram incluídos 101 pacientes. Observou-se falha da extubação em 29 (28,7%) deles. Na análise univariada, pacientes com balanço hídrico negativo acima de 1L no período de 48 horas após a extubação tiveram menor taxa de falha da extubação (12,0%), em comparação a pacientes com balanço hídrico negativo nas 48 horas após a extubação menor que 1L (34,2%; p = 0,033). A duração da ventilação mecânica e o balanço hídrico negativo nas 48 horas após a extubação inferior a 1L se associaram com falha da extubação na análise multivariada quando corrigido pelo Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3. Quando avaliou-se o desfecho combinado, apenas o balanço hídrico nas 48 horas pós-extubação inferior a 1L manteve associação, quando corrigido pelo Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3 e duração da ventilação mecânica. Conclusão: O balanço hídrico nas 48 horas após a extubação se associa com falha da extubação. São necessários mais estudos para avaliar se evitar um balanço hídrico positivo nesse período poderia melhorar os desfechos do desmame. ABSTRACT Objective: To assess whether there is an association between 48-hour postextubation fluid balance and extubation failure. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study that included patients admitted to the intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital in southern Brazil from March 2019 to December 2019. Patients who required mechanical ventilation for at least 24 hours and who were extubated during the study period were included. The primary outcome was extubation failure, considered as the need for reintubation in the first 72 hours after extubation. The secondary outcome was a combined outcome with extubation failure or the need for therapeutic noninvasive ventilation. Results: A total of 101 patients were included. Extubation failure was observed in 29 (28.7%) patients. In univariate analysis, patients with a negative 48-hour postextubation fluid balance higher than one liter had a lower rate of extubation failure (12.0%) than patients with a negative 48-hour postextubation fluid balance lower than 1L (34.2%; p = 0.033). Mechanical ventilation duration and negative 48-hour postextubation fluid balance lower than one liter were associated with extubation failure when corrected for Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3 in multivariate analysis. When we evaluated the combined outcome, only negative 48-hour postextubation lower than 1L maintained an association when corrected for for Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3 and mechanical ventilation duration. Conclusion: The 48-hour postextubation fluid balance is associated with extubation failure. Further studies are necessary to assess whether avoiding positive fluid balance in this period might improve weaning outcomes.

Central venous catheters (CVCs) are frequently used, but the rate of complications is high. This study evaluates the effects of a short training program for CVC insertion in a university-based teaching hospital. A sample of adults with CVCs inserted outside the intensive care unit was selected from two academic years: 2015, year without structured training, and 2016, year with structured training. Clinical and laboratory information, as well as the procedure’s characteristics and complications (mechanical and infectious) were collected. The incidence of complications before and after the training was compared. A total of 1502 punctures were evaluated. Comparing the pre- and post-training period, there was an increase in the choice for jugular veins and the use of ultrasound. A numerical reduction in the rate of complications was identified (RR 0.732; 95% CI 0.48–1.12; P = 0.166). This difference was driven by a statistically significant lower rate of catheter-related infections (RR 0.78; 95% CI 0.64–0.95; P = 0.047). In the multivariate analysis, aspects regarding technique (ultrasound use, multiple punctures) and year of training were associated with outcomes. Structured training reduces the rate of complications related to CVC insertion, especially regarding infections.

To evaluate the association between the incidence of delirium in the intensive care unit and quality of life 1 month after hospital discharge.This was a prospective cohort study conducted in the intensive care units of two medium-complexity hospitals from December 2015 to December 2016. Delirium was identified using the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit scale. At the time of hospital discharge, functional capacity and cognition were assessed with the Barthel index and the Mini Mental State Examination, respectively. Thirty days after patient discharge, the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF questionnaire was administered by telephone.A total of 216 patients were included. Delirium was identified in 127 (58.8%) of them. Patients with delirium exhibited greater functional dependence (median Barthel index 50.0 [21.2 - 70.0] versus 80.0 [60.0 - 95.0]; p0.001) and lower cognition (Mini Mental State Examination score 12.9 ± 7.5 versus 20.7 ± 9.8; p0.001) at hospital discharge. There was no difference in any of the quality-of-life domains evaluated 1 month after hospital discharge between patients with and without delirium.Our findings suggest that patients with delirium in the intensive care unit do not have worse quality of life 1 month after hospital discharge, despite presenting greater cognitive impairment and functional disability at the time of hospital discharge.Avaliar a associação entre a incidência de delirium na unidade de terapia intensiva e qualidade de vida 1 mês após a alta hospitalar.Trata-se de estudo de coorte prospectivo desenvolvido em unidades de terapia intensiva de dois hospitais de média complexidade durante o período de dezembro de 2015 a dezembro de 2016. Delirium foi identificado por meio da escala Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit. No momento da alta hospitalar, foram avaliadas capacidade funcional e cognição por meio do índice de Barthel e da escala de Mini Exame do Estado Mental, respectivamente. Após 30 dias da alta hospitalar do paciente, por meio de contato telefônico, aplicou-se o questionário World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref.Foram incluídos 216 pacientes. Delirium foi identificado em 127 (58,8%) deles. Os pacientes com delirium apresentaram maior dependência funcional (mediana do índice de Barthel 50,0 [21,2 - 70,0] versus 80,0 [60,0 - 95,0]; p0,001) e menor cognição (escore do Mini Exame do Estado Mental 12,9 ± 7,5 versus 20,7 ± 9,8; p0,001) na alta hospitalar. Com relação à qualidade de vida, avaliada 1 mês após alta hospitalar, não houve diferença, em nenhum dos domínios, entre os pacientes com e sem delirium.Nossos achados sugerem que os pacientes com delirium na unidade de terapia intensiva não apresentam piora da qualidade de vida 1 mês após a alta hospitalar, apesar de apresentarem maior prejuízo cognitivo e incapacidade funcional no momento da alta hospitalar.

To verify whether there is an association between the Modified Early Warning Score before the transfer from the emergency room to the ward and death or admission to the intensive care unit within 30 days.This is a historical cohort study conducted in a high-complexity hospital in southern Brazil with patients who were transferred from the emergency room to the ward between January and June 2017. The following data were collected: sociodemographic variables; comorbidities, as determined by the Charlson index; reason for hospitalization; Modified Early Warning Score at the time of transfer; admission to the intensive care unit; care by the Rapid Response Team; mortality within 30 days; and hospital mortality.A total of 278 patients were included in the study. Regarding the Modified Early Warning Score, patients who died within 30 days had a significantly higher score than surviving patients during this period (2.0 [1.0 - 3.0] versus 1.0 [1.0 - 2.0], respectively; p = 0.006). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for death within 30 days and for ICU admission were 0.67 (0.55 - 0.80; p = 0.012) and 0.72 (0.59 - 0.84; p = 0.02), respectively, with a Modified Early Warning Score cutoff of ≥ 2. In the Cox regression, the Modified Early Warning Score was independently associated with mortality within 30 days after multivariate adjustment (hazard ratio 2.91; 95% confidence interval 1.04 - 8.13).The Modified Early Warning Score before intrahospital transfer from the emergency room to the ward is associated with admission to the intensive care unit and death within 30 days. The Modified Early Warning Score can be an important indicator for monitoring these patients and can prompt the receiving team to take specific actions.Verificar se há associação entre o Modified Early Warning Score antes da transferência da emergência para enfermaria e o óbito ou a admissão na unidade de terapia intensiva em 30 dias.Trata-se de estudo de coorte histórica desenvolvido em hospital de alta complexidade do Sul do Brasil com pacientes transferidos da emergência para a enfermaria entre os meses de janeiro e junho de 2017. Foram coletados: variáveis sociodemográficas, comorbidades pelo índice de Charlson, motivo da internação hospitalar, pontuação do Modified Early Warning Score no momento da transferência, internação na unidade de terapia intensiva, atendimento pelo Time de Resposta Rápida, mortalidade em 30 dias e mortalidade hospitalar.Foram incluídos 278 pacientes no estudo. Em relação ao Modified Early Warning Score, os pacientes com óbito em 30 dias apresentaram escore significativamente maior do que os pacientes sobreviventes nesse período (2,0 [1,0 - 3,0] versus 1,0 [1,0 - 2,0], respectivamente; p = 0,006). As áreas sob a curva Característica de Operação do Receptor para óbito em 30 dias e para admissão na UTI foram 0,67 (0,55 - 0,80; p = 0,012) e 0,72 (0,59 - 0,84; p = 0,02), respectivamente, com ponto de corte do Modified Early Warning Score ≥ 2. Na regressão de Cox, o Modified Early Warning Score apresentou associação independente com mortalidade em 30 dias, após ajuste multivariável (hazard ratio 2,91; intervalo de confiança de 95% 1,04 - 8,13).O Modified Early Warning Score antes da transferência intra-hospitalar da emergência para enfermaria está associado com admissão na unidade de terapia intensiva e óbito em 30 dias. Calcular o Modified Early Warning Score pode ser um indicador importante para acompanhamento desses pacientes, permitindo ações específicas da equipe receptora.

BackgroundHighly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has reduced HIV-related morbidity and mortality at all stages of infection and reduced transmission of HIV. Currently, the immediate start of HAART is recommended for all HIV patients, regardless of the CD4 count. There are several concerns, however, about starting treatment in critically ill patients. Unpredictable absorption of medication by the gastrointestinal tract, drug toxicity, drug interactions, limited reserve to tolerate the dysfunction of other organs resulting from hypersensitivity to drugs or immune reconstitution syndrome, and the possibility that subtherapeutic levels of drug may lead to viral resistance are the main concerns. The objective of our study was to compare the early onset (up to 5 days) with late onset (after discharge from the ICU) of HAART in HIV-infected patients admitted to the ICU.MethodsThis was a randomized, open-label clinical trial enrolling HIV-infected patients admitted to the ICU of a public hospital in southern Brazil. Patients randomized to the intervention group had to start treatment with HAART within 5 days of ICU admission. For patients in the control group, treatment should begin after discharge from the ICU. The patients were followed up to determine mortality in the ICU, in the hospital and at 6 months. The primary outcome was hospital mortality. The secondary outcome was mortality at 6 months.ResultsThe calculated sample size was 344 patients. Unfortunately, we decided to discontinue the study due to a progressively slower recruitment rate. A total of 115 patients were randomized. The majority of admissions were for AIDS-defining illnesses and low CD4. The main cause of admission was respiratory failure. Regarding the early and late study groups, there was no difference in hospital (66.7% and 63.8%, p = 0.75) or 6-month (68.4% and 79.2%, p = 0.20) mortality. After multivariate analysis, the only independent predictors of in-hospital mortality were shock and dialysis during the ICU stay. For the mortality outcome at 6 months, the independent variables were shock and dialysis during the ICU stay and tuberculosis at ICU admission.ConclusionsAlthough the early termination of the study precludes definitive conclusions being made, early HAART administration for HIV-infected patients admitted to the ICU compared to late administration did not show benefit in hospital mortality or 6-month mortality. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01455688. Registered 20 October 2011, https://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01455688.

Submitted by DSpace Unilasalle (dspace@unilasalle.edu.br) on 2021-09-10T21:36:15Z No. of bitstreams: 1 trlima.mmboniatti.pdf: 245951 bytes, checksum: daa0233554f52437a28a6417d99fbc53 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2021-09-10T21:36:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 trlima.mmboniatti.pdf: 245951 bytes, checksum: daa0233554f52437a28a6417d99fbc53 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2020

Objective: to evaluate the performance of the Timed Up and Go test (TUG) as a screening tool for sarcopenia in elderly persons living in a city in the south of Brazil. Method: A cross-sectional, home-based study was conducted with 322 elderly persons. The diagnosis of sarcopenia was based on the criteria proposed by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EGWSOP). A Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed to assess the discriminatory power of the TUG on sarcopenia screening. Results: With a cutoff point of 7.5 seconds, the test had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.66 (CI 0.56-0.76; p=0.002) and adequate sensitivity and negative predictive values (88.9% and 93.2%, respectively). Conclusion: Due to its ease of use and rapid execution, in addition to its low cost, this test is useful for the screening of sarcopenia, especially among elderly persons with good physical and cognitive abilities. The early identification of individuals with probable sarcopenia may allow for preventive or directive interventions for the management of this geriatric syndrome.

Submitted by DSpace Unilasalle (dspace@unilasalle.edu.br) on 2021-07-08T20:04:25Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Is red blood cell distribution_JIC.pdf: 506183 bytes, checksum: eabf86792138ee14e969d903f32abee8 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2021-07-08T20:04:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Is red blood cell distribution_JIC.pdf: 506183 bytes, checksum: eabf86792138ee14e969d903f32abee8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2019

To describe the pre-hospital, emergency department, and intensive care unit (ICU) care and prognosis of patients with inhalation injury after exposure to indoor fire and smoke.This is a prospective observational cohort study that includes patients admitted to seven ICUs after a fire disaster. The following data were collected: demographic characteristics; use of fiberoptic bronchoscopy; degree of inhalation injury; percentage of burned body surface area; mechanical ventilation parameters; and subsequent events during ICU stay. Patients were followed to determine the ICU and hospital mortality rates.Within 24h of the incident, 68 patients were admitted to seven ICUs. The patients were young and had no comorbidities. Most patients (n=35; 51.5%) only had an inhalation injury. The mean ventilator-free days for patients with an inhalation injury degree of 0 or I was 12.5±8.1 days. For patients with an inhalation injury degree of II or III, the mean ventilator-free days was 9.4±5.8 days (p=0.12). In terms of the length of ICU stay for patients with degrees 0 or I, and patients with degrees II or III, the median was 7.0 days (5.0-8.0 days) and 12.0 days (8.0-23.0 days) (p0.001), respectively. In addition, patients with a larger percentage of burned surface areas also had a longer ICU stay; however, no association with ventilator-free days was found. The patients with10% of burned body surface area showed a mean of 9.2±5.4 ventilator-free days. The mean ventilator-free days for patients who had10% burned body surface area was 11.9±9.5 (p=0.26). The length of ICU stay for the10% and10% burned body surface area patients was 7.0 days (5.0-10.0 days) and 23.0 days (11.5-25.5 days) (p0.001), respectively.We conclude that burn patients with inhalation injuries have different courses of disease, which are mainly determined by the percentage of burned body surface area.

Despite the increase in the identification of patients at the end of life after the introduction of rapid response team (RRT), there is doubt as to whether there has been an improvement in the quality of care offered to these patients. Proper end-of-life care is the next expected step after identifying patients who are dying.To evaluate the end-of-life care after limitations of medical treatment (LOMTs) as defined by an RRT.This is a single-center retrospective cohort study at a tertiary teaching hospital in Porto Alegre, Brazil, from July 2014 to July 2016.We included 242 patients with an LOMT as defined by the RRT.Outcomes of interest included symptoms and palliative measures after RRT review.During the study period, there were 5396 calls to 2937 patients, representing 126 calls per 1000 hospital discharges. Of these calls, 4.9% (n = 242) resulted in an LOMT. The primary care team agreed with the LOMT decision proposed by the RRT in 91.7% of cases. Regarding end-of-life symptoms, 7.4% and 5.8% of patients presented with intense or moderate pain, respectively, and 62.4% of patients presented dyspnea in the last 48 hours of hospitalization. Less than 15% of patients received attention for their spiritual needs and/or received psychological support.Our data reinforce the important role of RRTs in the identification of end-of-life patients with clinical deterioration. Despite the increase in the identification of these patients, the quality of end-of-life care needs to be improved.

Background Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a predictor of mortality in critically ill patients. Our objective was to investigate the association between the RDW at ICU discharge and the risk of ICU readmission or unexpected death in the ward. Methods A secondary analysis of prospectively collected data study was conducted including patients discharged alive from the ICU to the ward. The target variable was the RDW collected at ICU discharge. Elevated RDW was defined as an RDW > 16%. Outcomes of interest included readmission to the ICU, unexpected death in the ward and in-hospital death. Variables with a p -value univariate analysis or with biological plausibility for the occurrence of the outcome were included in the Cox proportional hazards model for adjustment. Results We included 813 patients. A total of 138 readmissions to the ICU and 44 unexpected deaths in the ward occurred. Elevated RDW at ICU discharge was independently associated with readmission to the ICU or unexpected death in the ward after multivariable adjustment (HR: 1.901; 95% CI 1.357–2.662). Other variables associated with this outcome included age, tracheostomy and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) at ICU discharge. Similar results were obtained after the exclusion of unexpected deaths in the ward (HR 1.940; CI 1.312–2.871) and for in-hospital deaths (HR 1.716; 95% CI 1.141–2.580). Conclusions Elevated RDW at ICU discharge is independently associated with ICU readmission and in-hospital death.

Submitted by DSpace Unilasalle (dspace@unilasalle.edu.br) on 2021-09-13T15:23:44Z No. of bitstreams: 1 jaspellegrini.etal.pdf: 681346 bytes, checksum: 1db6b5f721b51a74a31b4e3315673762 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2021-09-13T15:23:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 jaspellegrini.etal.pdf: 681346 bytes, checksum: 1db6b5f721b51a74a31b4e3315673762 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018 ackground Little is known about the best strategy for weaning patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) from mechanical ventilation. Spontaneous breathing trials (SBT) using a T-piece or pressure-support ventilation (PSV) have a central role in this process. Our aim was to compare T-piece and PSV SBTs according to the duration of mechanical ventilation (MV) in patients with COPD. Methods Patients with COPD who had at least 48 hours of invasive MV support were randomized to 30 minutes of T-piece or PSV at 10 cm H2O after being considered able to undergo a SBT. All patients were preemptively connected to non-invasive ventilation after extubation. Tracheostomized patients were excluded. The primary outcome was total invasive MV duration. Time to liberation from MV was assessed as secondary outcome. Results Between 2012 and 2016, 190 patients were randomized to T-piece (99) or PSV (91) groups. Extubation at first SBT was achieved in 78% of patients. The mean total MV duration was 10.82 ± 9.1 days for the T-piece group and 7.31 ± 4.9 days for the PSV group (p < 0.001); however, the pre-SBT duration also differed (7.35 ± 3.9 and 5.84 ± 3.3, respectively; p = 0.002). The time to liberation was 8.36 ± 11.04 days for the T-piece group and 4.06 ± 4.94 for the PSV group (univariate mean ratio = 2.06 [1.29–3.27], p = 0.003) for the subgroup of patients with difficult or prolonged weaning. The study group was independently associated with the time to liberation in this subgroup. Conclusions The SBT technique did not influence MV duration for patients with COPD. For the difficult/prolonged weaning subgroup, the T-piece may be associated with a longer time to liberation, although this should be clarified by further studies.

Summary Introduction: Central venous catheters are fundamental to daily clinical practice. This procedure is mainly performed by residents, often without supervision or structured training. Objective: To describe the characteristics of central venous catheterization and the complication rate related to it. Method: Retrospective cohort study. Adult patients undergoing central venous catheter insertion out of the intensive care unit (ICU) of a teaching hospital were selected from March 2014 to February 2015. Data were collected from medical charts using an electronic form. Clinical and laboratory characteristics from patients, procedure characteristics, and mechanical and infectious complications rates were assessed. Patients with and without complications were compared. Results: Three hundred and eleven (311) central venous catheterizations were evaluated. The main reasons to perform the procedure were lack of peripheral access, chemotherapy and sepsis. There were 20 mechanical complications (6% of procedures). Arterial puncture was the most common. Procedures performed in the second semester were associated with lower risk of complications (odds ratio 0.35 [95CI 0.12-0.98; p=0.037]). Thirty-five (35) catheter-related infection cases (11.1%) were reported. They were related to younger patients and procedures performed by residents with more than one year of training. Procedures performed after the first trimester had a lower chance of infection. Conclusion: These results show that the rate of mechanical complications of central venous puncture in our hospital is similar to the literature, but more attention should be given to infection prevention measures. Resumo Introdução: Cateteres venosos centrais são fundamentais na prática clínica diária. Em hospitais de ensino, esse procedimento é realizado por médicos residentes, frequentemente sem supervisão ou treinamento estruturado. Objetivo: Descrever as características das punções venosas centrais e a taxa de complicações relacionadas. Método: Estudo de coorte retrospectiva. Foram selecionados pacientes adultos submetidos a punção venosa central fora de unidade de terapia intensiva (UTI) de um hospital de ensino no ano letivo de 2014 (março de 2014 a fevereiro de 2015). Os dados foram coletados por meio de revisão de prontuários com o uso de formulário eletrônico. Foram avaliadas características clínicas e laboratoriais dos pacientes, características do procedimento, taxa de complicações mecânicas e infecciosas relacionadas. Foram comparados os pacientes com complicações em relação àqueles sem complicações. Resultados: Foram avaliadas 311 punções venosas centrais. Os principais motivos para realização do procedimento foram falta de rede periférica, quimioterapia e sepse. Ocorreram 20 complicações mecânicas (6% dos procedimentos); punção arterial foi a mais comum. Procedimentos realizados no segundo semestre do ano letivo foram associados a menor risco de complicações (razão de chances de 0,35 [IC95 0,12-0,98; p=0,037]). Foram descritos 35 casos de infecção relacionada ao cateter (11,1%). Casos de infecção foram associados a pacientes mais jovens e procedimentos realizados por residentes com mais de um ano de treinamento. Procedimentos realizados após o primeiro trimestre tiveram menor chance de infecção. Conclusão: Esses resultados mostram que a taxa de complicações mecânicas de punção venosa central em nosso hospital é semelhante à da literatura; porém, maior atenção deve ser dada para medidas de prevenção de infecção.

Objective To assess the performance of central venous oxygen saturation, lactate, base deficit, and C-reactive protein levels and SOFA and SWIFT scores on the day of discharge from the intensive care unit as predictors of patient readmission to the intensive care unit. Methods This prospective and observational study collected data from 1,360 patients who were admitted consecutively to a clinical-surgical intensive care unit from August 2011 to August 2012. The clinical characteristics and laboratory data of readmitted and non-readmitted patients after discharge from the intensive care unit were compared. Using a multivariate analysis, the risk factors independently associated with readmission were identified. Results The C-reactive protein, central venous oxygen saturation, base deficit, and lactate levels and the SWIFT and SOFA scores did not correlate with the readmission of critically ill patients. Increased age and contact isolation because of multidrug-resistant organisms were identified as risk factors that were independently associated with readmission in this study group. Conclusion Inflammatory and perfusion parameters were not associated with patient readmission. Increased age and contact isolation because of multidrug-resistant organisms were identified as predictors of readmission to the intensive care unit.

INTRODUCTION: The extubation period is one of the most challenging aspects for intensive care teams. Timely recognition of the return to spontaneous ventilation is essential for reducing costs, morbidity, and mortality. Several weaning predictors were studied in an attempt to evaluate the outcome of removing ventilatory support. The purpose of this study was to analyze the predictive performance of the modified integrative weaning index (IWI) in the extubation process. METHODS: A prospective study was performed in an ICU in a public hospital in Porto Alegre, Brazil, with 59 adult medical-surgical beds. The final population of the study comprised 153 patients receiving mechanical ventilation for over 48 h who were extubated during the period from February to November 2011. Demographic data and clinical parameters were collected in addition to extubation predictors, including static compliance of the respiratory system, ratio of breathing frequency to tidal volume, tracheal airway-occlusion pressure 0.1 s after the start of inspiratory flow, and modified IWI. RESULTS: Extubation failure was observed in 23 of the subjects (15%). Subjects with greater positive fluid balance, lower hemoglobin levels, and lower levels of bicarbonate presented a higher rate of reintubation. The 3 modified IWI values (the first and 30th minute of the spontaneous breathing trial and the difference between them), as well as the other ventilatory parameters and extubation predictors, displayed poor extubation outcome discrimination accuracy. All indexes presented small areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve, and no accurate cutoff point was identified. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that modified IWI, similar to other extubation predictors, does not accurately predict extubation failure.

Objectives To analyze the mechanism of acid–base disorders in liver transplant recipients and to examine the relationship between these disorders and the fluids administered during surgery. Methods This prospective study in a university-affiliated hospital intensive care unit (ICU) included 52 patients admitted to the ICU from December 2009 to January 2011. We examined the contributions of inorganic ion differences, lactate, unmeasured anions, phosphate, and albumin to metabolic acidosis. In addition to laboratory variables, we collected demographic and clinical data. Results Metabolic acidosis (standard base excess ≤ −2.0 mmol/L) was identified in 37 (71.2%) patients during the immediate postoperative period. The inorganic ion difference was the main determinant of acidosis, accounting for −6.17 mEq/L of acidifying effect. The acidemia was attenuated mainly by the alkalinizing effect of albumin reduction, which contributed +6.03 mEq/L. There was an inverse proportional relationship between the quantity of saline solution used during surgery and the inorganic ion difference during the immediate postoperative period. Conclusions Hyperchloremia is the primary contributor to metabolic acidosis in liver transplant recipients. Possibly the use of chloride-rich solutions increases the incidence of this disorder.

Background. Polymyxin B is a last-line therapy for multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria. There is a dearth of pharmacokinetic data to guide dosing in critically ill patients. Methods. Twenty-four critically ill patients were enrolled and blood/urine samples were collected over a dosing interval at steady state. Polymyxin B concentrations were measured by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Population pharmacokinetic analysis and Monte Carlo simulations were conducted. Results. Twenty-four patients aged 21–87 years received intravenous polymyxin B (0.45–3.38 mg/kg/day). Two patients were on continuous hemodialysis, and creatinine clearance in the other patients was 10–143 mL/min. Even with very diverse demographics, the total body clearance of polymyxin B when scaled by total body weight (population mean, 0.0276 L/hour/kg) showed remarkably low interindividual variability (32.4% coefficient of variation). Polymyxin B was predominantly nonrenally cleared with median urinary recovery of 4.04%. Polymyxin B total body clearance did not show any relationship with creatinine clearance (r 2 = 0.008), APACHE II score, or age. Median unbound fraction in plasma was 0.42. Monte Carlo simulations revealed the importance of initiating therapeutic regimens with a loading dose. Conclusions. Our study showed that doses of intravenous polymyxin B are best scaled by total body weight. Importantly, dosage selection of this drug should not be based on renal function.

Objective: To assess the incidence, costs, and mortality associated with chronic critical illness (CCI), and to identify clinical predictors of CCI in a general intensive care unit. Methods: Thiswas a prospective observational cohort study. All patients receiving supportive treatment for over 20 dayswere considered chronically critically ill and eligible for the study. After applying the exclusion criteria, 453 patients were analyzed. Results: Therewas an 11% incidence of CCI. Total length of hospital stay, costs, and mortality were significantly higher among patients with CCI. Mechanical ventilation, sepsis, Glasgow score < 15, inadequate calorie intake, and higher body mass index were independent predictors for CCI in the multivariate logistic regression model. Conclusions: CCI affects a distinctive population in intensive care units with higher mortality, costs, and prolonged hospitalization. Factors identifiable at the time of admission or during the first week in the intensive care unit can be used to predict CCI. Objetivo: Avaliar a incidência, custos e mortalidade relacionados a doenc¸a crítica crônica (DCC) e identificar seus preditores clínicos em uma unidade de terapia intensiva geral. Métodos: Trata-se de uma coorte observacional prospectiva. Todos pacientes que recebiam tratamento de suporte por mais de 20 dias eram considerados doentes críticos crônicos. Permaneceram 453 pacientes após a aplicac¸ão dos critérios de exclusão. Resultados: A incidência de DCC foi de 11%. Permanência hospitalar, custos e mortalidade foram significativamente maiores na populac¸ão com DCC. Ventilac¸ão mecânica, sepse,Glasgowescore < 15, inadequada ingestão calórica e elevado índice de massa corporal foram preditores independentes para DCC em um modelo multivariado de regressão logística. Conclusão: DCC abrange uma distinta populac¸ão nas unidades de terapia intensiva apresentando maiores mortalidade, custos e permanência hospitalar. Alguns fatores presentes na admissão ou durante a primeira semana na unidade de terapia intensiva podem ser usados como preditores de DCC.

Objectives To evaluate the pharmacokinetics of polymyxin B in patients on continuous venovenous haemodialysis (CVVHD) after intravenous administration of unadjusted dosage regimens. Patients and methods Two critically ill patients had eight blood samples collected during a 12 h interval on days 8 and 10 of polymyxin B therapy. Dialysate was collected every hour during the 12 h dosing interval. Polymyxin B binding in plasma was determined by rapid equilibrium dialysis. Concentrations of polymyxin B in plasma and dialysate samples were quantified using a validated ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay. Results Respective maximum plasma concentrations in patients 1 and 2 were 8.62 and 4.38 mg/L; total body clearances (scaled linearly by body weight) were 0.043 and 0.027 L/h/kg, respectively, of which 12.2% and 5.62% were dialysis clearance, respectively. The corresponding volumes of distribution of polymyxin B at steady state were 0.50 and 0.34 L/kg, respectively, and protein binding in pooled plasma samples was 74.1% and 48.8%, respectively. Conclusions Our findings indicate that the recommended polymyxin B doses should not be reduced for patients on CVVHD.

Approximately 80% of the patients admitted into intensive care units survive the acute event, and most remain in this unit briefly.1 However, a subgroup does not recover sufficiently quickly to become independent and from then they recover slowly.2 These patients are called chronically critically ill (CCI) patients, and, depending on the definition criteria, comprise 5 to 10% of the patients admitted into intensive care units.3-5 There is a great deal of controversy regarding the definition of a CCI patient. The two most commonly used definitions are the duration of mechanical ventilation (MV) and tracheostomy.2 The advantage of the latter is that the patients are identified by a code, simplifying the extraction of information from a secondary database.2 However, the great variability in the indication of tracheostomy and its tendency to be performed increasingly early may contribute to the selection of patients with different evolutions than those of chronic patients.6,7 MV varies from 4 to 29 days across different studies.2 A recent consensus conference defined patients with cases of prolonged MV as those who need invasive MV for at least 21 days.8 Regardless of the definition, the main characteristics of this population are repeated episodes of shock and infection during their stays in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).9 It is clear that a chronic critical illness is not simply an extension of an acute critical illness but, rather, is a complex syndrome characterized by metabolic, neuroendocrine, neuropsychiatric and immunological changes.10 This study aims to compare the two definitions of CCI patients: tracheostomy (Tracheo group) and MV ≥ 21 days (MV group). In addition, we described the clinical, epidemiological and outcome characteristics of the CCI patients and tried to identify the factors that predispose patients to the evolution to chronic critical illness.

To determine whether Stewart’s approach can improve our ability to diagnose acid–base disorders compared to the traditional model. This prospective cohort study took place in a university-affiliated hospital during the period of February–May 2007. We recorded clinical data and acid–base variables from one hundred seventy-five patients at intensive care unit admission. Of the 68 patients with normal standard base excess (SBE) (SBE between −4.9 and +4.9), most (n = 59; 86.8%) had a lower effective strong ion difference (SIDe), and of these, 15 (25.4%) had SIDe

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of alcoholism among inpatients, to identify social and demographic factors associated with this prevalence and to determine its rate of recognition by the medical team. METHODS: The study population consisted of all patients admitted to the emergency room at Hospital São Lucas, Porto Alegre, Brazil, between July and September of 2005. The data were collected in two steps: an interview with the patient and a review of the medical records to investigate the cases of alcoholism recorded by the medical team. The questionnaire consisted of questions concerning social and demographic data, smoking habits and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. RESULTS: We interviewed 248 patients. Twenty-eight (11.3%) were identified as alcoholics. Compared to the patients with a negative Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test value (less than 8), those with a positive Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test were more likely to be male, illiterate and smokers. The medical records of 217 (87.5%) patients were reviewed. Only 5 (20.0%) of the 25 patients with a positive Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test whose medical records were reviewed were identified as alcoholics by the medical team. The diagnosis made by the medical team, compared to Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, shows only a 20% sensitivity, 93% specificity and positive and negative predictive values of 29% and 90%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Alcoholism has been underrecognized in patients who are hospitalized, and, as such, this opportunity for possible early intervention is often lost. Key social and demographic factors could provide physicians with risk factors and, when used together with a standardized diagnostic instrument, could significantly improve the rate of identification of alcoholic patients.

The objective of our study was to investigate the patterns of use of psychoactive substances among students of a medical school in Southern Brazil and to explore a putative role of discrete behavioral and social variables in their drug use. This is a descriptive and transversal cut study. All regularly enrolled medical students at the University of Caxias do Sul were invited to participate in the study. A self-administered questionnaire, which analyses lifetime drug use as well as drug use in the previous 30 days and 12 months was utilized to collect data. From a total of 318 regularly enrolled students, 183 (57.5%) completed and returned the questionnaires. The highest prevalence rates of lifetime drug use, drug use in the last 12 months and drug use in the last 30 days were observed, according to drug type, as follow in descending order: alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, inhalants, tranquilizers, amphetamine and cocaine. A multivariate analysis indicated that research respondents who live with their parents as well as those whose parents live together harmoniously, those who deny close ties to drug users, those who disapprove drug use, those who are not tobacco smokers and those who manifest religious beliefs and practice presented the most reduced levels of illicit drug use. The use of psychoactive substances among medical students in the University of Caxias do Sul is a significant problem. Appropriate and timely initiatives are needed to prevent and curb drug use among medical students.

Purpose Weaning failure and prolonged mechanical ventilation are associated with increased morbidity, cost of care, and high mortality rates. In the last few years, cardiac performance has been recognized as a common etiology of weaning failure, and growing evidence suggests that left ventricular diastolic dysfunction is a key factor that determines weaning outcomes. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and a meta-analysis to evaluate whether diastolic dysfunction in the critically ill patient subjected to mechanical ventilation is an independent predictor of weaning failure. Materials and methods We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, LILACS, Google Scholar, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to September 2014, along with conferences proceeding from January 2005 through September 2014, and included Observational Studies and Randomized Clinical Trials evaluating predictors of weaning failure. Results Ten studies were included in the systematic review; and 7, in the meta-analysis (6 observational studies and 1 randomized controlled trial). Patients who developed weaning failure had a higher E/e′ ratio when compared with those who did not (mean difference, 2.65; 95% confidence interval, 0.52-4.79; P= .01); however, there was no difference in the E/A ratio (mean difference, 0.07; 95% confidence interval, − 0.04 to 0.18; P= .22). Both the E/e′ and E/A ratios were associated with weaning-induced pulmonary edema at the end of a spontaneous breathing trial. Conclusion A higher E/e′ ratio is significantly associated with weaning failure, although a high heterogeneity of diastolic dysfunction criteria and different clinical scenarios limit additional conclusions linking diastolic dysfunction with weaning failure.