Objective To verify the association between admission serum phosphate level and short-term (<30 days) mortality of severe pneumonia patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) / respiratory intensive care unit (RICU). Methods Severe pneumonia patients admitted to the ICU/RICU of Quanzhou First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University from November 2019 to September 2021 were included in the study. Serum phosphate was demonstrated as an independent risk factor for short-term mortality of severe pneumonia patients admitted to ICU/RICU by logical analysis and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve. The patients were further categorized by serum phosphate concentration to explore the relationship between serum phosphate level and short-term mortality. Results Comparison of baseline indicators at admission between the survival group (n=54) and the non survival group (n=46) revealed that there was significant difference in serum phosphate level [0.9 (0.8, 1.2) mmol/L vs. 1.2 (0.9, 1.5) mmol/L, P<0.05]. Logical analysis showed serum phosphate was an independent risk factor for short-term mortality. ROC curve showed that the prediction ability of serum phosphate was close to pneumonia severity index (PSI). After combining serum phosphate with PSI score, CURB65 score, and sequential organ failure score, the predictive ability of these scores for short-term mortality was improved. Compared with the normophosphatemia group, hyperphosphatemia was found be with significantly higher short-term mortality (85.7% vs. 47.3%, P<0.05), which is absent in hypophosphatemia (25.8%). Conclusions Serum phosphate at admission has a good predictive value on short-term mortality in severe pneumonia patients admitted to the ICU/RICU. Hyperphosphatemia at admission is associated with a higher risk of short-term death.
ObjectiveTo investigate the protein intake of patients in the general surgery intensive care unit (ICU) and to analyze the factors, both hindering and facilitating, that affecting protein intake from the perspective of healthcare professionals. MethodsA mixed-methods approach was used in this study, including a quantitative study and a qualitative study. The quantitative study was use to assess the protein intake in the ICU patients. The qualitative study was used to analyze the perspectives of healthcare professionals via semi-structured interviews. In the quantitative study, 32 variables were analyzed, and the sample size was estimated to be 10 times the number of study variables. The qualitative study employed the maximum difference sampling strategy, with the sample size determined by data saturation. The multiple linear regression was used to identify the risk factors affecting protein intake achievement, with a significance level of α=0.05. ResultsThe quantitative study included 459 patients, with a protein intake of (0.739±0.552) g/(kg·d). Of the patients, 90 (19.6%) had a protein intake of 1.2–2.0 g/(kg·d), 11 (2.3%) had 2.0 g/(kg·d) or more, and 358 (78.0%) had less 1.2 g/(kg·d). The multiple linear regression analysis identified several risk factors influencing protein intake attainment, including male, higher body mass index, elevated blood glucose levels upon ICU admission, early initiation of enteral nutrition (≤48 h), nasoenteric tube placement, and the only use of enteral nutrition feedings. In the qualitative study, three key themes relevant protein intake attainment were identified from the interviews: inadequate infrastructure, healthcare workers’ factors, and patient-related factors. ConclusionsThe findings of this study suggest a substantial gap between the protein intake of general surgical ICU patients and the guideline-recommended intake. The study highlights patient groups at risk for inadequate protein intake based on identified risk factors. Future efforts should focus on improving the efficiency of protein supplementation, enhancing the nutritional status of patients, standardizing protein supplementation protocols, and increasing education for both healthcare workers and patients.
Objective To evaluate the predictive value of CURB-65 score combined with blood urea nitrogen to albumin ratio (B/A) for intensive care unit (ICU) admission and death in adults with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 523 patients with CAP hospitalized in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from January 2018 to January 2022. According to whether the patients were admitted to ICU, they were divided into an ICU group (n=36) and a general ward group (n=487). The patients were divided into a death group (n=45) and a non-death group (n=478) according to the death situation during hospitalization. Basic data (age, gender, history of underlying diseases, etc.), hospital stay, antibiotic use days, CURB-65 score, white blood cell count (WBC), neutrophil count (NEUT), procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), serum albumin (Alb), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and BUN to Alb ratio (B/A) of the two groups were compared respectively. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were plotted to evaluate the predictive value of CURB-65 score, B/A, and their combination for death during ICU admission and hospitalization in patients with CAP. Logistic regression was used to analyze risk factors for in-hospital death in the patients with CAP. Results The number of days in hospital, the number of days of antibiotic use, the number of deaths during hospitalization, the proportion of hypertension, diabetes, CURB-65 score, WBC, NEUT, PCT, CRP, BUN and B/A in the ICU group were significantly higher than those in the general ward group. Age, male, combined hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, ICU admission, CURB-65 score, WBC, NEUT, PCT, CRP, BUN and B/A in the death group were significantly higher than those in the non-death group, and Alb in the ICU group and the death group were significantly lower (all P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that B/A was positively correlated with PCT, CRP, WBC, NEUT and CURB-65 scores (correlation coefficient r values were 0.486, 0.291, 0.260, 0.310, 0.666, all P<0.001). The area under ROC curve of CURB-65 combined with B/A to predict ICU admission and death of CAP patients was 0.862 (95%CI 0.807 - 0.918, sensitivity 91.7%, specificity 66.4%) and 0.908 (95%CI 0.864 - 0.952, sensitivity 93.3%, specificity 75.7%), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that diabetes, high CURB-65 score, low Alb level and B/A≥4.755 mg/g were independent risk factors for death of CAP patients during hospitalization (P<0.05). Conclusions There is a significant correlation between elevated B/A and ICU demand and mortality in CAP patients. Combined use can improve the predictive value of CURB-65 score for ICU admission and mortality in CAP patients.
ObjectiveTo assess the effectiveness of phrenic nerve electrical stimulation (PNES) on extubation outcomes in intensive care unit (ICU) patients undergoing mechanical ventilation using a meta-analysis approach. Methods A comprehensive search was conducted on the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published from database inception to December 2023, evaluating the effect of PNES on extubation outcomes in ICU patients receiving mechanical ventilation. The control group received standard rehabilitation measures, while the intervention group received PNES in addition to standard rehabilitation. Two reviewers independently screened the literature, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan5.4 software. Results Nine RCTs were included in the final analysis. The quality assessment indicated that one study was rated as Grade A and eight as Grade B, reflecting relatively high study quality. Meta-analysis results demonstrated that PNES significantly improved extubation success rates [relative risk (RR)=1.33, 95%CI 1.09 - 1.62, P=0.006], maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) [mean difference (MD)=1.36, 95%CI 0.46 - 2.27, P=0.003], and diaphragmatic thickness fraction (DTF) (MD=7.11, 95%CI 0.53 - 13.69, P=0.03) compared with the control group. PNES also significantly reduced the duration of mechanical ventilation (MD=–2.23, 95%CI –3.07- –1.38, P<0.000 01), re-intubation rates (RR=0.35, 95%CI 0.15 - 0.85, P=0.02), and rapid shallow breathing index (RSBI) (MD=–11.57, 95%CI –18.51 - –4.62, P=0.001). Additionally, PNES shortened ICU length of stay (MD=–4.03, 95%CI –5.95 - –2.11, P<0.000 1), with all differences being statistically significant. Conclusion PNES effectively reduces the duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU length of stay, decreases re-intubation rates and RSBI, and improves extubation success, MIP, and DTF in ICU patients. Future high-quality, large-scale, multi-center RCTs are needed to further validate these findings.
Objective To investigate the predictive value of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) for 28-day all-cause mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in intensive care unit (ICU). Methods The relationship between PNI and short-term mortality in COPD patients was analysed using COX proportional hazards and restricted cubic spline (RCS) models. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted and area under the ROC curve (AUC) was calculated to assess the predictive performance of PNI. The optimal cut-off value for PNI was determined using the Youden index, and the data were divided into a low PNI group and a high PNI group. Kaplan-Meier curves were then constructed and the log-rank test was used to assess differences in survival between the two groups. Results A total of 980 COPD patients were included in the study. Multivariable COX regression analysis showed that PNI was an independent factor influencing short-term mortality in the severe COPD patients (HR=0.972, 95%CI 0.948 - 0.995, P=0.019). RCS curve results showed a non-linear relationship between PNI and short-term mortality in the severe COPD patients (P for non-linear=0.032), with the risk of death gradually decreasing as PNI increased. The ROC curve indicated that PNI had some predictive power, comparable to that of SOFA score [(AUCPNI=0.693) vs. (AUCSOFA=0.672)]. Kaplan-Meier curve analysis showed a significant difference in survival time between the low (≤38.3) PNI group and the high (>38.3) PNI group (P<0.05). Conclusions PNI has a certain predictive role for short-term all-cause mortality in patients with severe COPD. Patients with low PNI at ICU admission have a higher risk of short-term mortality.
Objective To investigate the clinical features, etiology and treatment strategies of patients with delirium in emergency intensive care unit ( EICU) . Methods Patients with delirium during hospitalization between January 2010 and January 2012 were recruited from respiratory group of EICU of Beijing Anzhen Hospital. Over the same period, same amount of patients without delirium were randomly collected as control. The clinical datawere retrospectively analyzed and compared. Results The incidence of delirium was 7.5% ( 42/563) . All delirium patients had more than three kinds of diseases including lung infections, hypertension, coronary heart disease, respiratory failure, heart failure, renal failure, hyponatremia, etc. 50% of delirium patients received mechanical ventilation ( invasive/noninvasive) . The mortality of both the delirium patients and the control patients was 11.9% ( 5 /42) . However, the patients with delirium exhibited longer hospital stay [ 14(11) d vs. 12(11) d, P gt;0. 05] and higher hospitalization cost [ 28, 389 ( 58,999) vs. 19, 373( 21, 457) , P lt;0.05] when compared with the control group. 52.4% ( 22/42) of delirium patients were associated with primary disease. 9. 5% ( 4/42) were associated with medication. 38. 1% (16/42) were associated with ICU environment and other factors. Conclusions Our data suggest that the causes of delirium in ICU are complex. Comprehensive treatment such as removal of the relevant aggravating factors, treating underlying diseases, enhancing patient communication, and providing counseling can shorten their hospital stay, reduce hospitalization costs, and promote rehabilitation.
ObjectiveTo analyze the trend of disease spectrum and main diagnosis and therapeutic technologies in respiratory intensive care unit (RICU) in recent years, and find out the trend of change of patient’s characteristics and commonly used interventions in order to provide evidence for planning discipline development and improving personnel training program.MethodsPatients information and main diagnosis and therapeutic technologies of 1503 inpatients in RICU of Shenzhen People's Hospital from January, 2017 to December, 2020 were collected. The changes of disease spectrum and diagnosis and treatment technologies in different years were compared and analyzed.ResultsAmong all the patients, 66.3% were directly admitted into RICU, 12.1% were transferred from respiratory department, and 21.6% were transferred from other departments. The proportion of patients with non-respiratory diseases as principal diagnosis had an increasing trend, from 18.8% in 2017 to 37.3% in 2020 (P<0.05). The diseases with most obvious increasing trend were sepsis, nervous system diseases, circulatory system diseases and extra-pulmonary malignancies (P<0.05). The use of respiratory related diagnosis and therapeutic technologies was gradually increasing, meanwhile, the use of non-traditional respiratory related technologies, especially continuous renal replacement therapy, was also increasing. There was no significant difference in fatality rate among different years (P>0.05).ConclusionsThe number of patients with extra-pulmonary diseases and the use of non-traditional respiratory related diagnosis and therapeutic technologies in RICU were increasing. The development of RICU and the allocation of technical personnel needed to be improved accordingly.
ObjectiveTo analyze targeted surveillance results of nosocomial infection in Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and investigate the characteristics of nosocomial infection, in order to provide reference for constituting the intervention measures. MethodsWe monitored the incidence of nosocomial infection, the application and catheter-related infection of invasive operation, and the situation of multiple resistant bacteria screening and drug resistance characteristics of each patient who stayed more than two days in neurosurgical ICU during January to December 2013. ResultsThere were a total of 1 178 patients, and the total ICU stay was 4 144 days. The nosocomial infection rate was 4.92%, and the day incidence of nosocomial infection was 13.75‰. The nosocomial infection rate was significantly higher in January and between July and December compared with other months. Ventilator utilization rate was 9.75%; ventilator-associated pneumonia incidence density was 14.85 per 1 000 catheter-days; central line utilization rate was 28.40%; central line-associated bloodstream infection incidence density was 0.85 per 1 000 catheter-days; urinary catheter utilization rate was 97.90%; and the incidence density of catheter-associated urinary tract infection was 0.25 per 1 000 catheter-days. ConclusionThe nosocomial infection rate has an obvious seasonal characteristic in neurosurgical intensive care unit, so it is necessary to make sure that the hospital infection control full-time and part-time staff should be on alert, issue timely risk warning, and strengthen the risk management of hospital infection.
ObjectiveTo analyze epidemic characteristics of multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) in Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit (NSICU), and to analyze the status of infection and colonization, in order to provide reference for constituting intervention measures. MethodsPatients who stayed in NSICU during January 2014 to April 2015 were actively monitored for the MDRO situation. ResultsA total of 218 MDRO pathogens were isolated from 159 patients, and 42 cases were healthcare-associated infections (HAI) among 159 patients. The Acinetobacter baumannii was the most common one in the isolated acinetobacter. Colonization rate was positively correlated with the incidence of HAI. From January to December, there was a significantly increase in the colonization rate, but not in the incidence of HAI. ConclusionThe main MDRO situation is colonization in NSICU. The obvious seasonal variation makes the HAI risk at different levels. So it is necessary that full-time and part-time HAI control staff be on alert, issue timely risk warning, and strengthen risk management. The Acinetobacter baumannii has become the number one target for HAI prevention and control in NSICU, so their apparent seasonal distribution is worthy of more attention, and strict implementation of HAI prevention and control measures should be carried out.
ObjectiveTo investigate clinical characteristics and influencing factors of lower respiratory tract infection of Acinetobacter baumannii (AB-LRTI) in respiratory intensive care unit (RICU).MethodsClinical data were collected from 204 RICU patients who were isolated Acinetobacter baumannii (AB). The bacteriological specimens were derived from sputum, bronchoscopic endotracheal aspiration, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, pleural effusion and blood. The definition of bacterial colonization was based on the responsible criteria from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Medical Safety Network (CDC/NHSN). The patients were divided into three groups as follows, AB colonization group (only AB was isolated, n=40); simple AB-LRTI group (only AB was isolated and defined as infection, n=63), AB with another bacteria LRTI group (AB and another pathogen were isolated simultaneously, n=101). The epidemiology, clinical characteristics and influencing factors of each group were analyzed and compared. ResultsCompared with the AB colonization group, the AB with another bacteria LRTI group had higher proportion of patients with immunosuppression, specimens from sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, more than 4 invasive procedures, 90-day mortality, white blood cell count >10×109/L (or <4×109/L), neutrophil percent >75% (or <40%), lymphocyte count <1.1×109/L, platelet count <100×109/L, albumin <30 g/L, high sensitivity C-reactive protein >10 mg/L, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR). The frequency of bronchoscopy and days of infusing carbapenem within 90 days before isolating AB, the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation Ⅱ score, the proportion of patients with invasive mechanical ventilation and the duration of invasive mechanical ventilation in the AB with another pathogen LRTI group were higher than those in the AB colonization group (all P<0.05). Days of infusing carbapenem and β-lactams/β-lactamase inhibitors within 90 days before isolating AB, proportion of septic shock, NLR and 90-day mortality of the patients from the AB with another pathogen LRTI group were more than those in the simple AB-LRTI group (all P<0.05). After regression analysis, more than 4 invasive procedures, or immunosuppression, or with more days of infusing carbapenem within 90 days before isolating AB were all the independent risk factors for AB-LRTI.ConclusionsThere are significant differences in epidemiology, clinical symptoms and laboratory indicators between simple AB-LRTI, AB with another pathogen LRTI and AB colonization in RICU patients. For RICU patients, who suffered more than 4 invasive procedures, immunosuppression, or with more days of infusing carbapenem within 90 days before isolating AB, are more susceptible to AB-LRTI.