Acute and Critical Care

Original Article

Policy/Pulmonary
Association between the National Health Insurance coverage benefit extension policy and clinical outcomes of ventilated patients: a retrospective study: Wanho Yoo, Saerom Kim, Soohan Kim, Eunsuk Jeong, Kwangha Lee; Acute Crit Care. 2022;37(1):53-60. Published online February 22, 2022; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2021.01389

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Background
This study aimed to investigate the association between the Korean National Health Insurance coverage benefit extension policy and clinical outcomes of patients who were ventilated owing to various respiratory diseases. Methods: Data from 515 patients (male, 69.7%; mean age, 69.8±12.1 years; in-hospital mortality rate, 28.3%) who were hospitalized in a respiratory intensive care unit were retrospectively analyzed over 5 years. Results: Of total enrolled patients, 356 (69.1%) had one benefit items under this policy during their hospital stay. They had significantly higher medical expenditure (total: median, 23,683 vs. 12,742 U.S. dollars [USD], P<0.001), out-of-pocket (median, 5,932 vs. 4,081 USD; P<0.001), and a lower percentage of out-of-pocket medical expenditure relative to total medical expenditure (median, 26.0% vs. 32.2%; P<0.001). Patients without benefit items associated with higher in-hospital mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 2.794; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.980–3.941; P<0.001). In analysis of patients with benefit items, patients with three items (“cancer,” “tuberculosis,” and “disability”) had significantly lower out-of-pocket medical expenditure (3,441 vs. 6,517 USD, P<0.001), and a lower percentage of out-of-pocket medical expenditure relative to total medical expenditure (17.2% vs. 27.7%, P<0.001). They were associated with higher in-hospital mortality (HR, 3.904; 95% CI, 2.533–6.039; P<0.001). Conclusions: Our study showed patients with benefit items had more medical resources and associated improved in-hospital survival. Patients with the aforementioned three benefit items had lower out-of-pocket medical expenditure due to the implementation of this policy, but higher in-hospital mortality.

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The effect of socioeconomic status, insurance status, and insurance coverage benefits on mortality in critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit
Moo Suk Park
Acute and Critical Care.2022; 37(1): 118. CrossRef

Editorial

Pulmonary
Rapid communication for effective medical resource allocation in the COVID-19 pandemic: Kwangha Lee; Acute Crit Care. 2021;36(3):262-263. Published online August 31, 2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2021.01046

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Comparison of clinical characteristics and hospital mortality in critically ill patients without COVID-19 before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a multicenter, retrospective, propensity score-matched study
Sua Kim, Hangseok Choi, Jae Kyeom Sim, Won Jai Jung, Young Seok Lee, Je Hyeong Kim
Annals of Intensive Care.2022;[Epub] CrossRef

Erratum

Pulmonary
Erratum to “Utilization of pain and sedation therapy on noninvasive mechanical ventilation in Korean intensive care units: a multi-center prospective observational study”: Taehee Kim, Jung Soo Kim, Eun Young Choi, Youjin Chang, Won-Il Choi, Jae-Joon Hwang, Jae Young Moon, Kwangha Lee, Sei Won Kim, Hyung Koo Kang, Yun Su Sim, Tai Sun Park, Seung Yong Park, Sunghoon Park, Jae Hwa Cho; Acute Crit Care. 2021;36(2):172-172. Published online May 28, 2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2020.00164.e1; Corrects: Acute Crit Care 2020;35(4):255

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Original Articles

Pulmonary
Development of a prognostic scoring system in patients with pneumonia requiring ventilator care for more than 4 days: a single-center observational study: Yeseul Oh, Yewon Kang, Kwangha Lee; Acute Crit Care. 2021;36(1):46-53. Published online February 17, 2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2020.00787

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Abstract PDF: Background
The aim of the present study was to develop a prognostic model using demographic characteristics, comorbidities, and clinical variables measured on day 4 of mechanical ventilation (MV) for patients with prolonged acute mechanical ventilation (PAMV; MV for >96 hours).
Methods
Data from 437 patients (70.9% male; median age, 68 years) were obtained over a period of 9 years. All patients were diagnosed with pneumonia. Binary logistic regression identified factors predicting mortality at 90 days after the start of MV. A PAMV prognosis score was calculating ß-coefficient values and assigning points to variables.
Results
The overall 90-day mortality rate was 47.1%. Five factors (age ≥65 years, body mass index <18.5 kg/m², hemato-oncologic diseases as comorbidities, requirement for vasopressors on day 4 of MV and requirement for neuromuscular blocking agents on day 4 of MV) were identified as prognostic indicators. Each factor was valued as +1 point, and used to develop a PAMV prognosis score. This score showed acceptable discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.695 for mortality, 95% confidence interval 0.650–0.738, p<0.001), and calibration (Hosmer–Lemeshow chi-square=6.331, with df 7 and p=0.502). The cutoff value for predicting mortality based on the maximum Youden index was ≤2 (sensitivity, 87.5%; specificity, 41.3%). For patients with PAMV scores ≤1, 2, 3 and ≥4, the 90-day mortality rates were 29.2%, 45.7%, 67.9%, and 90.9%, respectively (P<0.001).
Conclusions
Our study developed a PAMV prognosis score for predicting 90-day mortality. Further research is needed to validate the utility of this score.

Pulmonary
Utilization of pain and sedation therapy on noninvasive mechanical ventilation in Korean intensive care units: a multi-center prospective observational study: Taehee Kim, Jung Soo Kim, Eun Young Choi, Youjin Chang, Won-Il Choi, Jae-Joon Hwang, Jae Young Moon, Kwangha Lee, Sei Won Kim, Hyung Koo Kang, Yun Su Sim, Tai Sun Park, Seung Yong Park, Sunghoon Park, Jae Hwa Cho; Acute Crit Care. 2020;35(4):255-262. Published online November 9, 2020; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2020.00164; Correction in: Acute Crit Care 2021;36(2):172

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Abstract PDF

Background
The use of sedative drugs may be an important therapeutic intervention during noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in intensive care units (ICUs). The purpose of this study was to assess the current application of analgosedation in NIV and its impact on clinical outcomes in Korean ICUs.
Methods
Twenty Korean ICUs participated in the study, and data was collected on NIV use during the period between June 2017 and February 2018. Demographic data from all adult patients, NIV clinical parameters, and hospital mortality were included.
Results
A total of 155 patients treated with NIV in the ICUs were included, of whom 26 received pain and sedation therapy (sedation group) and 129 did not (control group). The primary cause of ICU admission was due to acute exacerbation of obstructed lung disease (45.7%) in the control group and pneumonia treatment (53.8%) in the sedation group. In addition, causes of NIV application included acute hypercapnic respiratory failure in the control group (62.8%) and post-extubation respiratory failure in the sedation group (57.7%). Arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) levels before and after 2 hours of NIV treatment were significantly decreased in both groups: from 61.9±23.8 mm Hg to 54.9±17.6 mm Hg in the control group (P<0.001) and from 54.9±15.1 mm Hg to 51.1±15.1 mm Hg in the sedation group (P=0.048). No significant differences were observed in the success rate of NIV weaning, complications, length of ICU stay, ICU survival rate, or hospital survival rate between the groups.
Conclusions
In NIV patients, analgosedation therapy may have no harmful effects on complications, NIV weaning success, and mortality compared to the control group. Therefore, sedation during NIV may not be unsafe and can be used in patients for pain control when indicated.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

2021 KSCCM clinical practice guidelines for pain, agitation, delirium, immobility, and sleep disturbance in the intensive care unit
Yijun Seo, Hak-Jae Lee, Eun Jin Ha, Tae Sun Ha
Acute and Critical Care.2022; 37(1): 1. CrossRef
Comfort During Non-invasive Ventilation
Gianmaria Cammarota, Rachele Simonte, Edoardo De Robertis
Frontiers in Medicine.2022;[Epub] CrossRef
Current status of treatment of acute respiratory failure in Korea
Yong Jun Choi, Jae Hwa Cho
Journal of the Korean Medical Association.2022; 65(3): 124. CrossRef
Treatment of acute respiratory failure: noninvasive mechanical ventilation
Sunghoon Park
Journal of the Korean Medical Association.2022; 65(3): 144. CrossRef
Dexmedetomidine-Induced Aortic Contraction Involves Transactivation of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor in Rats
Soo Hee Lee, Seong-Chun Kwon, Seong-Ho Ok, Seung Hyun Ahn, Sung Il Bae, Ji-Yoon Kim, Yeran Hwang, Kyeong-Eon Park, Mingu Kim, Ju-Tae Sohn
International Journal of Molecular Sciences.2022; 23(8): 4320. CrossRef

Pulmonary
Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score as a predictor of mortality in ventilated patients with multidrug-resistant bacteremia: Yeseul Oh, Jiyeon Roh, Jaemin Lee, Hyun Sung Chung, Kwangha Lee, Min Ki Lee; Acute Crit Care. 2020;35(3):169-178. Published online August 31, 2020; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2020.00143

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Abstract PDF

Background
The occurrence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteremia in ventilated patients may be associated with a high mortality rate. We evaluated whether Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score on the day of bacteremia could predict 90-day mortality in these patients.
Methods
Data were obtained retrospectively from 202 patients (male, 60.4%; median age, 64 years) hospitalized at a single university-affiliated tertiary care hospital. All adult patients who had were ventilated and had one of the following six MDR bacteremias between March 2011 and February 2018 were enrolled: methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia), carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative rods (Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), or vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium.
Results
The overall 90-day mortality rate after the day of bacteremia was 59.9%. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for the SOFA and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores were 0.732 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.666 to 0.792; P<0.001) and 0.662 (95% CI, 0.593 to 0.727; P<0.001), respectively, with no difference between the two (P=0.059). Also, the cutoff value of the SOFA score was 9 (based on Youden’s index). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that this cut-off value was significantly associated with higher mortality rate (hazard ratio, 2.886; 95% CI, 1.946 to 4.221; P<0.001).
Conclusions
SOFA score measured on the day of bacteremia may be a useful prognostic indicator of 90-day mortality in ventilated patients with MDR bacteremia.

Citations

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The value of admission Troponin I to predict outcomes in suspected infections in elderly patients admitted in Internal Medicine: results from the SOFA-T collaboration, a multi-center study
N. Tarquinio, G. Viticchi, V. Zaccone, M. Martino, A. Fioranelli, P. Morciano, G. Moroncini, C. Di Pentima, A. Martini, C. Nitti, A. Salvi, M. Burattini, L. Falsetti
Internal and Emergency Medicine.2021; 16(4): 981. CrossRef

Editorial

Basic science and research
Critical Care Research Using “Big Data”: A Reality in the Near Future: Kwangha Lee; Acute Crit Care. 2018;33(4):269-270. Published online November 30, 2018; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2018.00346

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Original Articles

Pulmonary
Clinical Application of Modified Burns Wean Assessment Program Scores at First Spontaneous Breathing Trial in Weaning Patients from Mechanical Ventilation: Eun Suk Jeong, Kwangha Lee; Acute Crit Care. 2018;33(4):260-268. Published online November 30, 2018; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2018.00276

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Abstract PDF

Background
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical application of modified Burns Wean Assessment Program (m-BWAP) scoring at first spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) as a predictor of successful liberation from mechanical ventilation (MV) in patients with endotracheal intubation.
Methods
Patients requiring MV for more than 72 hours and undergoing more than one SBT in a medical intensive care unit (ICU) were prospectively enrolled over a 3-year period. The m-BWAP score at first SBT was obtained by a critical care nursing practitioner.
Results
A total of 103 subjects were included in this study. Their median age was 69 years (range, 22 to 87 years) and 72 subjects (69.9%) were male. The median duration from admission to first SBT was 5 days (range, 3 to 26 days), and the rate of final successful liberation from MV was 84.5% (n=87). In the total group of patients, the successful liberation from MV group at first SBT (n=65) had significantly higher m-BWAP scores than did the unsuccessful group (median, 60; range, 43 to 80 vs. median, 53; range, 33 to 70; P<0.001). Also, the area under the m-BWAP curve for predicting successful liberation of MV was 0.748 (95% confidence interval, 0.650 to 0.847), while the cutoff value based on Youden’s index was 53 (sensitivity, 76%; specificity, 64%).
Conclusions
The present data show that the m-BWAP score represents a good predictor of weaning success in patients with an endotracheal tube in place at first SBT.

Citations

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What do we know about experiencing end-of-life in burn intensive care units? A scoping review
André Filipe Ribeiro, Sandra Martins Pereira, Rui Nunes, Pablo Hernández-Marrero
Palliative and Supportive Care.2022; : 1. CrossRef
Value of modified Burns Wean Assessment Program scores in the respiratory intensive care unit: An Egyptian study
Nermeen A. Abdelaleem, Sherif A.A. Mohamed, Azza S. Abd ElHafeez, Hassan A. Bayoumi
Multidisciplinary Respiratory Medicine.2020;[Epub] CrossRef
Protecting Postextubation Respiratory Failure and Reintubation by High-Flow Nasal Cannula Compared to Low-Flow Oxygen System: Single Center Retrospective Study and Literature Review
Minhyeok Lee, Ji Hye Kim, In Beom Jeong, Ji Woong Son, Moon Jun Na, Sun Jung Kwon
Acute and Critical Care.2019; 34(1): 60. CrossRef

Infection
Current Status and Survival Impact of Infectious Disease Consultation for Multidrug-Resistant Bacteremia in Ventilated Patients: A Single-Center Experience in Korea: Insu Kim, Won-Young Kim, Eun Suk Jeoung, Kwangha Lee; Acute Crit Care. 2018;33(2):73-82. Published online April 26, 2018; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2017.00591

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Abstract PDF

Background
We evaluated the current status and survival impact of infectious disease consultation (IDC) in ventilated patients with multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteremia.
Methods
One hundred sixty-one consecutive patients from a single tertiary care hospital were enrolled over a 5-year period. Patients with at least one of the following six MDR bacteremias were included: methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia), carbapenem-resistant gram-negative rods (Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium.
Results
Median patient age was 66 years (range, 18 to 95), and 57.8% of subjects were male. The 28-day mortality after the day of blood culture was 52.2%. An IDC was requested for 96 patients based on a positive blood culture (59.6%). Patients without IDC had significantly higher rate of hemato-oncologic diseases as a comorbidity (36.9% vs. 11.5%, P < 0.001). Patients without an IDC had higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score (median, 20; range, 8 to 38 vs. median, 16; range, 5 to 34, P < 0.001) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score (median, 9; range, 2 to 17 vs. median, 7; range, 2 to 20; P = 0.020) on the day of blood culture and a higher 28-day mortality rate (72.3% vs. 38.5%, P < 0.001). In patients with SOFA ≥9 (cut-off level based on Youden’s index) on the day of blood culture and gram-negative bacteremia, IDC was also significantly associated with lower 28-day mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.298; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.167 to 0.532 and HR, 0.180; 95% CI, 0.097 to 0.333; all P < 0.001] based on multivariate Cox regression analysis.
Conclusions
An IDC for MDR bacteremia was requested less often for ventilated patients with greater disease severity and higher 28- day mortality after blood was drawn. In patients with SOFA ≥9 on the day of blood culture and gram-negative bacteremia, IDC was associated with improved 28-day survival after blood draw for culture.

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Impact of infectious diseases consultation among patients with infections caused by gram-negative rod bacteria: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis
Shinya Hasegawa, Satoshi Kakiuchi, Joseph Tholany, Takaaki Kobayashi, Alexandre R. Marra, Marin L. Schweizer, Riley J. Samuelson, Hiroyuki Suzuki
Infectious Diseases.2022; 54(8): 618. CrossRef
Infectious Disease Consults of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bloodstream Infection and Impact on Health Outcomes
Swetha Ramanathan, Fritzie S Albarillo, Margaret A Fitzpatrick, Katie J Suda, Linda Poggensee, Amanda Vivo, Martin E Evans, Makoto Jones, Nasia Safdar, Chris Pfeiffer, Bridget Smith, Geneva Wilson, Charlesnika T Evans
Open Forum Infectious Diseases.2022;[Epub] CrossRef
Timeliness of Infectious Diseases Referral and Inappropriate Antibiotic Usage Post-Referral in an Asian Tertiary Hospital
Liang En Wee, Aidan Lyanzhiang Tan, Limin Wijaya, Maciej Piotr Chlebicki, Julian Thumboo, Ban Hock Tan
Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease.2019; 4(4): 137. CrossRef

Infection
Clinical Application of the Quick Sepsis-Related Organ Failure Assessment Score at Intensive Care Unit Admission in Patients with Bacteremia: A Single-Center Experience of Korea: Hae Jung Na, Eun Suk Jeong, Insu Kim, Won-Young Kim, Kwangha Lee; Korean J Crit Care Med. 2017;32(3):247-255. Published online August 31, 2017; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/kjccm.2017.00241

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Abstract PDF

Background
We evaluated the clinical usefulness of the quick Sepsis-Related Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) score (based on the 2016 definition of sepsis) at intensive care unit admission in Korean patients with bacteremia. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed clinical data from 236 patients between March 2011 and February 2016. In addition to the qSOFA, the Modified Early Warning score (MEWS) and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria were calculated. Results: The patients’ median age was 69 years, and 61.0% were male. Of the patients, 127 (53.8%) had a qSOFA score ≥2 points. They had significantly higher rates of septic shock, thrombocytopenia, and hyperlactatemia, and increased requirements for ventilator care, neuromuscular blocking agents, vasopressors, and hemodialysis within 72 hours after intensive care unit admission. They also had a significantly higher 28-day mortality rate. When analyzed using common thresholds (MEWS ≥5 and ≥2 SIRS criteria), patients with a MEWS ≥5 had the same results as those with a qSOFA score ≥2 (P < 0.05). However, patients with ≥2 SIRS criteria showed no significant differences. Conclusions: Our results show that a qSOFA score ≥2 at admission is a useful screening tool for predicting disease severity and medical resource usage within 72 hours after admission, and for predicting 28-day mortality rates in patients with bacteremia. In addition, qSOFA scores may be more useful than SIRS criteria in terms of prognostic utility.

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A catalogue of tools and variables from crisis and routine care to support decision-making about allocation of intensive care beds and ventilator treatment during pandemics: Scoping review
Magnolia Cardona, Claudia C. Dobler, Eyza Koreshe, Daren K. Heyland, Rebecca H. Nguyen, Joan P.Y. Sim, Justin Clark, Alex Psirides
Journal of Critical Care.2021; 66: 33. CrossRef
Consensus recommendation: Indications and methods for microbiological wound diagnostics
Axel Kramer, Ojan Assadian, Jürgen Bohnert, Georg Daeschlein, Joachim Dissemond, Veronika Gerber, Peter Hinz, Adam Junka, Simon Kim, Roald Papke, Christian Willy
Wound Medicine.2018; 23: 53. CrossRef

Editorial

Infection
Sepsis in Immunocompromised Patients: Current Status in Korea: Kwangha Lee; Korean J Crit Care Med. 2015;30(4):239-240. Published online November 30, 2015; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/kjccm.2015.30.4.239

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Abstract PDF: No abstract available.

Published Erratum

Pulmonary
Erratum: Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Caused by Scrub Typhus: Clinical Experiences of Eight Patients: Sun Young Kim, Hang Jea Jang, Hyunkuk Kim, Kyunghwa Shin, Mi Hyun Kim, Kwangha Lee, Ki Uk Kim, Hye Kyung Park, Min Ki Lee; Korean J Crit Care Med. 2014;29(4):348-348. Published online November 30, 2014; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/kjccm.2014.29.4.348; Corrects: Acute Crit Care 2014;29(3):189

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Abstract PDF: The title of page 189 should be corrected.

Original Articles

Pulmonary
Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Caused by Scrub Typhus: Clinical Experiences of Eight Patients: Sun Young Kim, Hang Jea Jang, Hyunkuk Kim, Kyunghwa Shin, Mi Hyun Kim, Kwangha Lee, Ki Uk Kim, Hye Kyung Park, Min Ki Lee; Korean J Crit Care Med. 2014;29(3):189-193. Published online August 31, 2014; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/kjccm.2014.29.3.189; Correction in: Acute Crit Care 2014;29(4):348

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Abstract PDF

BACKGROUND
The aim of this study is to describe the clinical course and outcome of patients who were diagnosed with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by scrub typhus and who received ventilator care in the intensive care units (ICU) of two university hospitals.
METHODS
We performed a retrospective analysis of all adult ventilated patients who were diagnosed with ARDS caused by scrub typhus.
RESULTS
Eleven (1.7%) of 632 scrub typhus patients were diagnosed with ARDS (median age 72; seven were male). Eight patients had underlying diseases, the most common of which was hypertension (four patients). Eight patients (72.7%) were admitted in November. The most common chief complaints of the patients were fever and rash (63.6%). All patients had skin eschar and rash; seven were treated for shock. On the day of diagnosis with ARDS, the median Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation score was 20 (range 11-28) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score was 7 (range 4-14). All patients had PaO2/FiO2 < 200 mmHg, high serum aspartate aminotransferase level (> 40 IU/L), and hypoalbuminemia (< 3.3 g/dl). Nine patients were treated with doxycycline on the day of admission. Their median lengths of stay in the ICU and hospital were 10 (range 4-65) and 14 (4-136) days, respectively. The mortality rate during treatment in the hospital was 36.4%.
CONCLUSIONS
In our study, the risk of ARDS among patients diagnosed with scrub typhus was at least 1.7%, with a hospital mortality rate of 36.4%.

Citations

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Rapid Recovery of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Scrub Typhus, With Pulse Methylprednisolone and Therapeutic Plasma Exchange
Thilina Rathnasekara, Lanka Wijekoon, Hemal Senanayake, Sisira Siribaddana
Cureus.2022;[Epub] CrossRef

Ethics
The Current Status of Medical Decision-Making for Dying Patients in a Medical Intensive Care Unit: A Single-Center Study: Kyunghwa Shin, Jeong Ha Mok, Sang Hee Lee, Eun Jung Kim, Na Ri Seok, Sun Suk Ryu, Myoung Nam Ha, Kwangha Lee; Korean J Crit Care Med. 2014;29(3):160-165. Published online August 31, 2014; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/kjccm.2014.29.3.160

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5 Citations

Abstract PDF

BACKGROUND
Many terminally ill patients die while receiving life-sustaining treatment. Recently, the discussion of life-sustaining treatment in intensive care units (ICUs) has increased. This study is aimed to evaluate the current status of medical decision-making for dying patients.
METHODS
The medical records of patients who had died in the medical ICU from March 2011 to February 2012 were reviewed retrospectively.
RESULTS
Eighty-nine patients were enrolled. Their mean age was 65.8 +/- 13.3 years and 73.0% were male. The most common diagnosis was acute respiratory failure, and the most common comorbidity was hemato-oncologic malignancy. Withdrawing or withholding life-sustaining treatment including do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders was discussed for 64 (71.9%) patients. In almost all cases, the discussion involved a physician and the patient's family. No patient wrote advance directives themselves before ICU admission. Of the patients for whom withdrawing or withholding life-sustaining treatment was discussed, the decisions were recorded in formal consent documents in 36 (56.3%) cases, while 28 (43.7%) cases involved verbal consent. In patients granting verbal consent, death within one day of the consent was more common than in those with formal document consent (85.7% vs. 61.1%, p < 0.05). The most common demand was a DNR order. Patients died 2.7 +/- 1.0 days after the decision for removal of life-sustaining treatment.
CONCLUSIONS
The decision-making for life-sustaining treatment of dying patients in the ICU very often involves conflict. There is a general need to heighten our sensitivity on the objective decision-making based on patient autonomy.

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Agreement between Family Members and the Physician’s View in the ICU Environment: Personal Experience as a Factor Influencing Attitudes towards Corresponding Hypothetical Situations
Paraskevi Stamou, Dimitrios Tsartsalis, Georgios Papathanakos, Elena Dragioti, Mary Gouva, Vasilios Koulouras
Healthcare.2023; 11(3): 345. CrossRef
Family's Perception of Proxy Decision Making to Authorize Do Not Resuscitate Order of Elderly Patients in Long Term Care Facility: A Q-Methodological Study
Hyeon Jin Cho, Jiyeon Kang
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Decision-making regarding withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment and the role of intensivists in the intensive care unit: a single-center study
Seo In Lee, Kyung Sook Hong, Jin Park, Young-Joo Lee
Acute and Critical Care.2020; 35(3): 179. CrossRef
Factors Associated With Quality of Death in Korean ICUs As Perceived by Medical Staff
Jun Yeun Cho, Ju-Hee Park, Junghyun Kim, Jinwoo Lee, Jong Sun Park, Young-Jae Cho, Ho Il Yoon, Sang-Min Lee, Jae-Ho Lee, Choon-Taek Lee, Yeon Joo Lee
Critical Care Medicine.2019; 47(9): 1208. CrossRef
Transcultural Adaptation and Validation of Quality of Dying and Death Questionnaire in Medical Intensive Care Units in South Korea
Jun Yeun Cho, Jinwoo Lee, Sang-Min Lee, Ju-Hee Park, Junghyun Kim, Youlim Kim, Sang Hoon Lee, Jong Sun Park, Young-Jae Cho, Ho Il Yoon, Jae Ho Lee, Choon-Taek Lee, Yeon Joo Lee
Acute and Critical Care.2018; 33(2): 95. CrossRef

Clinical Characteristics in Patients with Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Isolates from Tracheal Secretions: Jeong Ha Mok, Mi Hyun Kim, Kwangha Lee, Ki Uk Kim, Hye Kyung Park, Min Ki Lee; Korean J Crit Care Med. 2013;28(3):173-179.; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/kjccm.2013.28.3.173

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Abstract PDF: BACKGROUND
This study was conducted to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of mechanically ventilated patients with carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) isolates from tracheal secretions in a medical intensive care unit (ICU) of a university hospital.
METHODS
We conducted a retrospective study from January 2009 to June 2012.
RESULTS
Among the patients who had isolates cultured from tracheal secretions, 130 patients (34.8%) had CRAB isolates. Their mean age was 65 +/- 14 yr and 74.6% were male. The ICU and hospital mortality was 51.5% and 60.0%, respectively. According to physician's clinical decision, antibiotics were changed in order to cover CRAB in 75 (57.7%) patients. The total duration of antibiotics use was 12.2 +/- 8.1 days. Of patients with antibiotics change to cover CRAB, 70 patients (93.3%) had Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score of 6 and over. However, there was no significant difference in hospital mortality between patients with antibiotics change against CRAB and those without change. In multivariable analysis, only Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score was related to hospital mortality of patients with CRAB.
CONCLUSIONS
In this study, changing antibiotics to cover CRAB by physician's clinical decision only did not influence hospital mortality; further studies would be necessary to investigate how to use antibiotics against CRAB isolates cultured from tracheal secretions.

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