Acute and Critical Care

Volume 38 (2); May 2023

Review Article

Ethics
Impact of institutional case volume on intensive care unit mortality: Christine Kang, Ho Geol Ryu; Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(2):151-159. Published online May 31, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2023.00689

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Abstract PDF: The primary aim of this review is to explore current knowledge on the relationship between institutional intensive care unit (ICU) patient volume and patient outcomes. Studies indicate that a higher institutional ICU patient volume is positively correlated with patient survival. Although the exact mechanism underlying this association remains unclear, several studies have proposed that the cumulative experience of physicians and selective referral between institutions may play a role. The overall ICU mortality rate in Korea is relatively high compared to other developed countries. A distinctive aspect of critical care in Korea is the existence of significant disparities in the quality of care and services provided across regions and hospitals. Addressing these disparities and optimizing the management of critically ill patients necessitates thoroughly trained intensivists who are well-versed in the latest clinical practice guidelines. A fully functioning unit with adequate patient throughput is also essential for maintaining consistent and reliable quality of patient care. However, the positive impact of ICU volume on mortality outcomes is also linked to complex organizational factors, such as multidisciplinary rounds, nurse staffing and education, the presence of a clinical pharmacist, care protocols for weaning and sedation, and a culture of teamwork and communication. Despite some inconsistencies in the association between ICU patient volume and patient outcomes, which are thought to arise from differences in healthcare systems, ICU case volume significantly affects patient outcomes and should be taken into account when formulating related healthcare policies.

Original Articles

Meta-analysis
Comparison of safety and efficacy between therapeutic or intermediate versus prophylactic anticoagulation for thrombosis in COVID-19 patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis: Hyeon-Jeong Lee, Hye Jin Jang, Won-Il Choi, Joonsung Joh, Junghyun Kim, Jungeun Park, Miyoung Choi; Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(2):160-171. Published online May 25, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2022.01424

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Abstract PDF Supplementary Material: Background
Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections often have macrovascular or microvascular thrombosis and inflammation, which are known to be associated with a poor prognosis. Heparin has been hypothesized that administration of heparin with treatment dose rather than prophylactic dose for prevention of deep vein thrombosis in COVID-19 patients.
Methods
Studies comparing therapeutic or intermediate anticoagulation with prophylactic anticoagulation in COVID-19 patients were eligible. Mortality, thromboembolic events, and bleeding were the primary outcomes. PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and KMbase were searched up to July 2021. A meta-analysis was performed using random-effect model. Subgroup analysis was conducted according to disease severity.
Results
Six randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 4,678 patients and four cohort studies with 1,080 patients were included in this review. In the RCTs, the therapeutic or intermediate anticoagulation was associated with significant reductions in the occurrence of thromboembolic events (5 studies, n=4,664; relative risk [RR], 0.72; P=0.01), and a significant increase in bleeding events (5 studies, n=4,667; RR, 1.88; P=0.004). In the moderate patients, therapeutic or intermediate anticoagulation was more beneficial than prophylactic anticoagulation in terms of thromboembolic events, but showed significantly higher bleeding events. In the severe patients, the incidence of thromboembolic and bleeding events in the therapeutic or intermediate.
Conclusions
The study findings suggest that prophylactic anticoagulant treatment should be used in patients with moderate and severe COVID-19 infection groups. Further studies are needed to determine more individualized anticoagulation guidance for all COVID-19 patients.

Pulmonary
Relationship between positive end-expiratory pressure levels, central venous pressure, systemic inflammation and acute renal failure in critically ill ventilated COVID-19 patients: a monocenter retrospective study in France: Pierre Basse, Louis Morisson, Romain Barthélémy, Nathan Julian, Manuel Kindermans, Magalie Collet, Benjamin Huot, Etienne Gayat, Alexandre Mebazaa, Benjamin G. Chousterman; Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(2):172-181. Published online May 25, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2022.01494

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Abstract PDF Supplementary Material: Background
The role of positive pressure ventilation, central venous pressure (CVP) and inflammation on the occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI) have been poorly described in mechanically ventilated patient secondary to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Methods
This was a monocenter retrospective cohort study of consecutive ventilated COVID-19 patients admitted in a French surgical intensive care unit between March 2020 and July 2020. Worsening renal function (WRF) was defined as development of a new AKI or a persistent AKI during the 5 days after mechanical ventilation initiation. We studied the association between WRF and ventilatory parameters including positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), CVP, and leukocytes count.
Results
Fifty-seven patients were included, 12 (21%) presented WRF. Daily PEEP, 5 days mean PEEP and daily CVP values were not associated with occurrence of WRF. 5 days mean CVP was higher in the WRF group compared to patients without WRF (median [IQR]: 12 mm Hg [11-13] vs. 10 mm Hg [9–12], P=0.03). Multivariate models with adjustment on leukocytes and Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II confirmed the association between CVP value and risk of WRF (odd ratio, 1.97; 95% confidence interval, 1.12–4.33). Leukocytes count was also associated with occurrence of WRF in the WRF group (14.3 G/L [11.3–17.5]) and the no-WRF group (9.2 G/L [8.1–11.1]) (P=0.002).
Conclusions
In Mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients, PEEP levels did not appear to influence occurrence of WRF. High CVP levels and leukocytes count are associated with risk of WRF.

Pulmonary
The role of ROX index–based intubation in COVID-19 pneumonia: a cross-sectional comparison and retrospective survival analysis: Sara Vergis, Sam Philip, Vergis Paul, Manjit George, Nevil C Philip, Mithu Tomy; Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(2):182-189. Published online May 25, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2022.00206

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Abstract PDF: Background
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with acute respiratory failure who experience delayed initiation of invasive mechanical ventilation have poor outcomes. The lack of objective measures to define the timing of intubation is an area of concern. We investigated the effect of timing of intubation based on respiratory rate oxygenation (ROX) index on the outcomes of COVID-19 pneumonia.
Methods
This was a retrospective cross-sectional study performed in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Kerala, India. Patients with COVID-19 pneumonia who were intubated were grouped into early intubation (within 12 hours of ROX index <4.88) or delayed intubation (12 hours or more hours after ROX <4.88).
Results
A total of 58 patients was included in the study after exclusions. Among them, 20 patients were intubated early, and 38 patients were intubated 12 hours after ROX index <4.88. The mean age of the study population was 56.8±13.7 years, and 55.0% of the patients were male; diabetes mellitus (48.3%) and hypertension (50.0%) were the most common comorbidities. The early intubation group had 88.2% successful extubation, while only 11.8% of the delayed group had successful extubation (P<0.001). Survival was also significantly more frequent in the early intubation group.
Conclusions
Early intubation within 12 hours of ROX index <4.88 was associated with improved extubation and survival in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.

CPR/Resuscitation
Prognostic significance of respiratory quotient in patients undergoing extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in Korea: Yun Im Lee, Ryoung-Eun Ko, Soo Jin Na, Jeong-Am Ryu, Yang Hyun Cho, Jeong Hoon Yang, Chi Ryang Chung, Gee Young Suh; Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(2):190-199. Published online May 25, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2022.01438

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Abstract PDF: Background
Respiratory quotient (RQ) may be used as a tissue hypoxia marker in various clinical settings but its prognostic significance in patients undergoing extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) is not known.
Methods
Medical records of adult patients admitted to the intensive care units after ECPR in whom RQ could be calculated from May 2004 to April 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into good neurologic outcome and poor neurologic outcome groups. Prognostic significance of RQ was compared to other clinical characteristics and markers of tissue hypoxia.
Results
During the study period, 155 patients were eligible for analysis. Of them, 90 (58.1%) had a poor neurologic outcome. The group with poor neurologic outcome had a higher incidence of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (25.6% vs. 9.2%, P=0.010) and longer cardiopulmonary resuscitation to pump-on time (33.0 vs. 25.2 minutes, P=0.001) than the group with good neurologic outcome. For tissue hypoxia markers, the group with poor neurologic outcome had higher RQ (2.2 vs. 1.7, P=0.021) and lactate levels (8.2 vs. 5.4 mmol/L, P=0.004) than the group with good neurologic outcome. On multivariable analysis, age, cardiopulmonary resuscitation to pump-on time, and lactate levels above 7.1 mmol/L were significant predictors for a poor neurologic outcome but not RQ.
Conclusions
In patients who received ECPR, RQ was not independently associated with poor neurologic outcome.

Pulmonary
Evaluating diaphragmatic dysfunction and predicting non-invasive ventilation failure in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in India: Nupur B Patel, Gaurav Jain, Udit Chauhan, Ajeet Singh Bhadoria, Saurabh Chandrakar, Haritha Indulekha; Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(2):200-208. Published online May 25, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2022.01060

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Abstract PDF: Background
Baseline diaphragmatic dysfunction (DD) at the initiation of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) correlates positively with subsequent intubation. We investigated the utility of DD detected 2 hours after NIV initiation in estimating NIV failure events in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) patients.
Methods
In a prospective-cohort design, we enrolled 60 consecutive patients with AECOPD initiated on NIV at intensive care unit admission, and NIV failure events were noted. The DD was assessed at baseline (T1 timepoint) and 2 hours after initiating NIV (T2 timepoint). We defined DD as ultrasound-assessed change in diaphragmatic thickness (ΔTDI) <20% (predefined criteria [PC]) or its cut-off that predicts NIV failure (calculated criteria [CC]) at both timepoints. The receiver operating characteristic curve, chi-square, and regression analyses were reported.
Results
In total, 32 patients developed NIV failure, nine within 2 hours of NIV and the remaining in the next 6 days. The ∆TDI cut-off that predicted NIV failure (DD-CC) at T1 was ≤19.04% (area under the curve [AUC], 0.73; sensitivity, 50%; specificity, 85.71%; accuracy; 66.67%), while that at T2 was ≤35.3% (AUC, 0.75; sensitivity, 95.65%; specificity, 57.14%; accuracy, 74.51%). The NIV failure rate was 35.1% in those with normal diaphragmatic function by PC (T2) versus 5.9% by CC (T2). The odds ratio for NIV failure with DD criteria ≤35.3 and <20 at T2 was 29.33 and 4.61, respectively, while that for ≤19.04 and <20 at T1 was 6. A CC ≤35.3 attained a significantly higher hazard ratio (19.55) and cumulative hazard for NIV failure compared to other thresholds.
Conclusions
The DD criterion of ≤35.3 (T2) had a better diagnostic profile compared to baseline and PC in prediction of NIV failure.

CPR/Resuscitation
Percent fluid overload for prediction of fluid de-escalation in critically ill patients in Saudi Arabia: a prospective observational study: Reham A. Alharbi, Namareq F. Aldardeer, Emily L. G. Heaphy, Ahmad H. Alabbasi, Amjad M. Albuqami, Hassan Hawa; Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(2):209-216. Published online May 16, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2022.01550

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Abstract PDF Supplementary Material: Background
Percent fluid overload greater than 5% is associated with increased mortality. The appropriate time for fluid deresuscitation depends on the patient's radiological and clinical findings. This study aimed to assess the applicability of percent fluid overload calculations for evaluating the need for fluid deresuscitation in critically ill patients.
Methods
This was a single-center, prospective, observational study of critically ill adult patients requiring intravenous fluid administration. Patients who were de-resuscitated with diuretics and/or renal replacement therapy were compared to those who did not need such treatment. The study's primary outcome was median percent fluid accumulation on the day of fluid deresuscitation or intensive care unit (ICU) discharge, whichever came first.
Results
A total of 388 patients was screened between August 1, 2021, and April 30, 2022. Of these, 100 with a mean age of 59.8±16.2 years were included for analysis. The mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score was 15.4±8.0. Sixty-one patients (61.0%) required fluid deresuscitation during their ICU stay, while 39 (39.0%) did not. Median percent fluid accumulation on the day of deresuscitation or ICU discharge was 4.5% (interquartile range [IQR], 1.7%–9.1%) and 5.2% (IQR, 2.9%–7.7%) in patients requiring deresuscitation and those who did not, respectively (P=not significant). Hospital mortality occurred in 25 (40.9%) of patients with deresuscitation and six (15.3%) patients who did not require it (P=0.007).
Conclusions
The percent fluid accumulation on the day of fluid deresuscitation or ICU discharge was not statistically different between patients who required fluid deresuscitation and those who did not. A larger sample size is needed to confirm these findings.

Nephrology
Epidemiology and outcome of an acute kidney injuries in the polytrauma victims admitted at the apex trauma center in Dubai: Bhushan Sudhakar Wankhade, Zeyad Faoor Alrais, Ghaya Zeyad Alrais, Ammar Mohamed Abdel Hadi, Gopala Arun Kumar Naidu, Mohammed Shahid Abbas, Ahmed Tarek Youssef Aboul Kheir, Hasan Hadad, Sundareswaran Sharma, Mohammad Sait; Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(2):217-225. Published online May 25, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2023.00388

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Abstract PDF: Background
Polytrauma due to road traffic accidents is one of the common causes of hospital admissions and deaths. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is frequently observed in polytrauma victims. It has a significant impact on patient’s outcomes after polytraumas.
Methods
This is a single-center, retrospective, and observation study done at a tertiary health care center in the state. Polytrauma victims with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) of more than 25 were included in the study.
Results
The incidence of AKI in polytrauma victims is 30.5%. It is common in patients with a higher Carlson comorbidity index (P=0.021). It is more common in patients with higher ISS (P=0.001). On logistic regression, there is good regression between ISS value and AKI (odds ratio [OR], 1.191; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.150–1.233; P<0.05). The main causes of trauma-induced AKI are hemorrhagic shock (P=0.001), need for massive transfusion (P<0.00), rhabdomyolysis (P=0.001), and abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS; P<0.001). On multivariate logistic regression AKI can be predicated by higher ISS (OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.00–1.17; P=0.05) and low mixed venous saturation (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.05–1.22; P<0.001). The development of AKI after polytrauma increases length of stay (LOS)-hospital (P=0.006), LOS-intensive care unit (ICU; P=0.003), need for mechanical ventilation (MV) (P<0.001), ventilator days (P=0.001), and mortality (P<0.001).
Conclusions
The incidence of AKI after polytrauma is about 30.5%. It is more common in a patient with preexisting comorbidities. The frequent causes of AKI after polytrauma are hemorrhagic shock, massive blood transfusion, rhabdomyolysis, and ACS. Although the AKI after polytrauma increases LOS-hospital, LOS-ICU, the need for MV, ventilator days, and mortality, this association may be related to more severe injuries in the AKI group.

Trauma
Comparison of admission GCS score to admission GCS-P and FOUR scores for prediction of outcomes among patients with traumatic brain injury in the intensive care unit in India: Nishant Agrawal, Shivakumar S Iyer, Vishwanath Patil, Sampada Kulkarni, Jignesh N Shah, Prashant Jedge; Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(2):226-233. Published online May 25, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2023.00570

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Abstract PDF: Background
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major contributor to trauma-related mortality and morbidity. Various scoring models have been proposed to evaluate the level of consciousness. The primary objective of this study was to measure the ability of the Full Outline of Unresponsiveness (FOUR) score and the Glasgow Coma Scale Pupil (GCS-P) score in predicting outcomes among TBI patients in terms of the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) at 1 month and 6 months of follow-up.
Methods
Our study was a prospective observational study carried out over a period of 15 months that enrolled 50 patients admitted with TBI to the intensive care unit who fulfilled our inclusion criteria. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to correlate coma scales and outcome measures, and the predictive value of these scales was established by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve by calculating the area under the ROC curve with 99% confidence interval. All hypotheses were constructed as two-tailed, and P<0.01 was considered significant.
Results
In the present study, the GCS-P and FOUR scores among all patients on admission as well as in the subset of patients who were mechanically ventilated were statistically significant and strongly correlated with patient outcomes. The correlation coefficient of the GCS score compared to GCS-P and FOUR scores was higher and statistically significant. The areas under the ROC curve for the GCS, GCS-P, and FOUR scores and the number of computed tomography abnormalities were 0.912, 0.905, 0.937, and 0.324, respectively.
Conclusions
The GCS, GCS-P, and FOUR scores are all excellent predictors with a strong positive linear correlation with final outcome prediction. In particular, the GCS score has the best correlation with final outcome.

Letters to the Editor

Thoracic Surgery
Comment on “Risk factors for intensive care unit readmission after lung transplantation: a retrospective cohort study”: Maida Qazi, Mahnoor Amin; Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(2):234-235. Published online January 26, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2022.01214

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Thoracic Surgery
Reply to comment on “Risk factors for intensive care unit readmission after lung transplantation: a retrospective cohort study”: Hye-Bin Kim, Sungwon Na, Hyo Chae Paik, Hyeji Joo, Jeongmin Kim; Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(2):236-237. Published online May 31, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2023.00556

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Pulmonary
Septic shock due to invasive pulmonary aspergillosis without conventional risk factors: Kyung Eun Shin, Shinhee Park, Ae-Rin Baek; Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(2):238-241. Published online May 25, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2023.00437

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Editorial

CPR/Resuscitation
Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and in-hospital cardiac arrest with return of spontaneous circulation: be careful when comparing apples to oranges: Hwa Jin Cho, In Seok Jeong, Jan Bělohlávek; Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(2):242-243. Published online May 31, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2023.00731

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Case Report

Neurosurgery
What should an intensivist know about pneumocephalus and tension pneumocephalus?: Bhushan Sudhakar Wankhade, Maged Mohsen Kamel Beniamein, Zeyad Faoor Alrais, Jyoti Ittoop Mathew, Ghaya Zeyad Alrais; Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(2):244-248. Published online April 13, 2022; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2021.01102

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2 Citations

Abstract PDF

Collection of air in the cranial cavity is called pneumocephalus. Although simple pneumocephalus is a benign condition, accompanying increased intracranial pressure can produce a life-threatening condition comparable to tension pneumothorax, which is termed tension pneumocephalus. We report a case of tension pneumocephalus after drainage of a cerebrospinal fluid hygroma. The tension pneumocephalus was treated with decompression craniotomy, but the patient later died due to the complications related to critical care. Traumatic brain injury and neurosurgical intervention are the most common causes of pneumocephalus. Pneumocephalus and tension pneumocephalus are neurosurgical emergencies, and anesthetics and intensive care management like the use of nitrous oxide during anesthesia and positive pressure ventilation have important implications in their development and progress. Clinically, patients can present with various nonspecific neurological manifestations that are indistinguishable from a those of a primary neurological condition. If the diagnosis is questionable, patients should be investigated using computed tomography of the brain. Immediate neurosurgical consultation with decompression is the treatment of choice.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Pneumocephalus; a rare cause of coma
Elisavet Simoulidou, Vivian Georgopoulou, Panagiotis Kalmoukos, Dimitrios Kouroupis, Nikoleta Moscha, Maria Sidiropoulou, Sofia Chatzimichailidou, Konstantinos Petidis, Athina Pyrpasopoulou
The American Journal of Emergency Medicine.2023; 68: 215.e1. CrossRef
Pneumocephalus secondary to epidural analgesia: a case report
Maira Ahmad, Shannay Bellamy, William Ott, Rany Mekhail
Journal of Medical Case Reports.2023;[Epub] CrossRef

Corrigendum

Infection
Corrigendum to “Methylprednisolone pulse therapy for critically ill patients with COVID-19: a cohort study”: Keum-Ju Choi, Soo Kyun Jung, Kyung Chan Kim, Eun Jin Kim; Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(2):249-249. Published online May 25, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2022.00941.e1

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