Skip Navigation
Skip to contents

ACC : Acute and Critical Care

OPEN ACCESS
SEARCH
Search

Search

Page Path
HOME > Search
148 "intensive care unit"
Filter
Filter
Article category
Keywords
Publication year
Authors
Funded articles
Review Article
Meta-analysis
The impact of ketamine on outcomes in critically ill patients: a systematic review with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis of randomized controlled trials
Yerkin Abdildin, Karina Tapinova, Assel Nemerenova, Dmitriy Viderman
Acute Crit Care. 2024;39(1):34-46.   Published online February 28, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2023.00829
  • 1,197 View
  • 104 Download
AbstractAbstract PDF
Background
This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effects of ketamine in critically ill intensive care unit (ICU) patients.
Methods
We searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library; the search was performed initially in January but was repeated in December of 2023. We focused on ICU patients of any age. We included studies that compared ketamine with other traditional agents used in the ICU. We synthesized evidence using RevMan v5.4 and presented the results as forest plots. We also used trial sequential analysis (TSA) software v. 0.9.5.10 Beta and presented results as TSA plots. For synthesizing results, we used a random-effects model and reported differences in outcomes of two groups in terms of mean difference (MD), standardized MD, and risk ratio with 95% confidence interval. We assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane RoB tool for RCTs. Our outcomes were mortality, pain, opioid and midazolam requirements, delirium rates, and ICU length of stay.
Results
Twelve RCTs involving 805 ICU patients (ketamine group, n=398; control group, n=407) were included in the meta-analysis. The ketamine group was not superior to the control group in terms of mortality (in five studies with 318 patients), pain (two studies with 129 patients), mean and cumulative opioid consumption (six studies with 494 patients), midazolam consumption (six studies with 304 patients), and ICU length of stay (three studies with 270 patients). However, the model favored the ketamine group over the control group in delirium rate (four studies with 358 patients). This result is significant in terms of conventional boundaries (alpha=5%) but is not robust in sequential analysis. The applicability of the findings is limited by the small number of patients pooled for each outcome.
Conclusions
Our meta-analysis did not demonstrate differences between ketamine and control groups regarding any outcome except delirium rate, where the model favored the ketamine group over the control group. However, this result is not robust as sensitivity analysis and trial sequential analysis suggest that more RCTs should be conducted in the future.
Original Articles
Pediatrics
Development of a deep learning model for predicting critical events in a pediatric intensive care unit
In Kyung Lee, Bongjin Lee, June Dong Park
Acute Crit Care. 2024;39(1):186-191.   Published online February 20, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2023.01424
Correction in: https://doi.org/
  • 409 View
  • 46 Download
AbstractAbstract PDF
Background
Identifying critically ill patients at risk of cardiac arrest is important because it offers the opportunity for early intervention and increased survival. The aim of this study was to develop a deep learning model to predict critical events, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation or mortality. Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary university hospital. All patients younger than 18 years who were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit from January 2010 to May 2023 were included. The main outcome was prediction performance of the deep learning model at forecasting critical events. Long short-term memory was used as a deep learning algorithm. The five-fold cross validation method was employed for model learning and testing. Results: Among the vital sign measurements collected during the study period, 11,660 measurements were used to develop the model after preprocessing; 1,060 of these data points were measurements that corresponded to critical events. The prediction performance of the model was the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (95% confidence interval) of 0.988 (0.9751.000), and the area under the precision-recall curve was 0.862 (0.700–1.000). Conclusions: The performance of the developed model at predicting critical events was excellent. However, follow-up research is needed for external validation.
Trauma
Clinical characteristics and outcomes of obstetric patients transferred directly to intensive care units
Saad Pirzada, Kimberly Boswell, Jerry Yang, Samantha Asuncion, Fernando Albelo, Amanda Tuchler, Lauren Becker, Allison Lankford, Emad Elsamadicy, Quincy K Tran
Acute Crit Care. 2024;39(1):138-145.   Published online February 15, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2023.01375
  • 582 View
  • 29 Download
AbstractAbstract PDFSupplementary Material
Background
Medical complications in peripartum patients are uncommon. Often, these patients are transferred to tertiary care centers, but their conditions and outcomes are not well understood. Our study examined peripartum patients transferred to an intensive care unit (ICU) at an academic quaternary center. Methods: We reviewed charts of adult, non-trauma, interhospital transfer (IHT) peripartum patients sent to an academic quaternary ICU between January 2017 and December 2021. We conducted a descriptive analysis and used multivariable ordinal regression to examine associations of demographic and clinical factors with ICU length of stay (LOS) and hospital length of stay (HLOS). Results: Of 1,794 IHT peripartum patients, 60 (3.2%) were directly transferred to an ICU. The average was 32 years, with a median Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score of 3 (1–4.25) and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score of 8 (7–12). Respiratory failure was most common (32%), followed by postpartum hemorrhage (15%) and sepsis (14%). Intubation was required for 24 (41%), and 4 (7%) needed extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Only 1 (1.7%) died, while 45 (76.3%) were discharged. Median ICU LOS and HLOS were 5 days (212) and 8 days (5–17). High SOFA score was linked to longer HLOS, as was APACHE II. Conclusions: Transfers of critically ill peripartum patients between hospitals were rare but involved severe medical conditions. Despite this, their outcomes were generally positive. Larger studies are needed to confirm our findings.
Pulmonary
Early bronchoscopy in severe pneumonia patients in intensive care unit: insights from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-IV database analysis
Chiwon Ahn, Yeonkyung Park, Yoonseok Oh
Acute Crit Care. 2024;39(1):179-185.   Published online February 15, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2023.01165
  • 453 View
  • 47 Download
AbstractAbstract PDF
Background
Pneumonia frequently leads to intensive care unit (ICU) admission and is associated with a high mortality risk. This study aimed to assess the impact of early bronchoscopy administered within 3 days of ICU admission on mortality in patients with pneumonia using the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-IV (MIMIC-IV) database. Methods: A single-center retrospective analysis was conducted using the MIMIC-IV data from 2008 to 2019. Adult ICU-admitted patients diagnosed with pneumonia were included in this study. The patients were stratified into two cohorts based on whether they underwent early bronchoscopy. The primary outcome was the 28-day mortality rate. Propensity score matching was used to balance confounding variables. Results: In total, 8,916 patients with pneumonia were included in the analysis. Among them, 783 patients underwent early bronchoscopy within 3 days of ICU admission, whereas 8,133 patients did not undergo early bronchoscopy. The primary outcome of the 28-day mortality between two groups had no significant difference even after propensity matched cohorts (22.7% vs. 24.0%, P=0.589). Patients undergoing early bronchoscopy had prolonged ICU (P<0.001) and hospital stays (P<0.001) and were less likely to be discharged to home (P<0.001). Conclusions: Early bronchoscopy in severe pneumonia patients in the ICU did not reduce mortality but was associated with longer hospital stays, suggesting it was used in more severe cases. Therefore, when considering bronchoscopy for these patients, it's important to tailor the decision to each individual case, thoughtfully balancing the possible advantages with the related risks.
Pulmonary
Association between mechanical power and intensive care unit mortality in Korean patients under pressure-controlled ventilation
Jae Kyeom Sim, Sang-Min Lee, Hyung Koo Kang, Kyung Chan Kim, Young Sam Kim, Yun Seong Kim, Won-Yeon Lee, Sunghoon Park, So Young Park, Ju-Hee Park, Yun Su Sim, Kwangha Lee, Yeon Joo Lee, Jin Hwa Lee, Heung Bum Lee, Chae-Man Lim, Won-Il Choi, Ji Young Hong, Won Jun Song, Gee Young Suh
Acute Crit Care. 2024;39(1):91-99.   Published online January 26, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2023.00871
  • 656 View
  • 50 Download
AbstractAbstract PDFSupplementary Material
Background
Mechanical power (MP) has been reported to be associated with clinical outcomes. Because the original MP equation is derived from paralyzed patients under volume-controlled ventilation, its application in practice could be limited in patients receiving pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV). Recently, a simplified equation for patients under PCV was developed. We investigated the association between MP and intensive care unit (ICU) mortality. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of Korean data from the Fourth International Study of Mechanical Ventilation. We extracted data of patients under PCV on day 1 and calculated MP using the following simplified equation: MPPCV = 0.098 ∙ respiratory rate ∙ tidal volume ∙ (ΔPinsp + positive end-expiratory pressure), where ΔPinsp is the change in airway pressure during inspiration. Patients were divided into survivors and non-survivors and then compared. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine association between MPPCV and ICU mortality. The interaction of MPPCV and use of neuromuscular blocking agent (NMBA) was also analyzed. Results: A total of 125 patients was eligible for final analysis, of whom 38 died in the ICU. MPPCV was higher in non-survivors (17.6 vs. 26.3 J/min, P<0.001). In logistic regression analysis, only MPPCV was significantly associated with ICU mortality (odds ratio, 1.090; 95% confidence interval, 1.029–1.155; P=0.003). There was no significant effect of the interaction between MPPCV and use of NMBA on ICU mortality (P=0.579). Conclusions: MPPCV is associated with ICU mortality in patients mechanically ventilated with PCV mode, regardless of NMBA use.
Pediatrics
Outcomes of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support in pediatric hemato-oncology patients
Hong Yul An, Hyoung Jin Kang, June Dong Park
Acute Crit Care. 2024;39(1):108-116.   Published online January 24, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2023.01088
  • 557 View
  • 33 Download
AbstractAbstract PDFSupplementary Material
Background
In this study, we reviewed the outcomes of pediatric patients with malignancies who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the records of pediatric hemato-oncology patients treated with chemotherapy or HSCT and who received ECMO in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at Seoul National University Children’s Hospital from January 2012 to December 2020. Results: Over a 9-year period, 21 patients (14 males and 7 females) received ECMO at a single pediatric institute; 10 patients (48%) received veno-arterial (VA) ECMO for septic shock (n=5), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (n=3), stress-induced myopathy (n=1), or hepatopulmonary syndrome (n=1); and 11 patients (52%) received veno-venous (VV) ECMO for ARDS due to pneumocystis pneumonia (n=1), air leak (n=3), influenza (n=1), pulmonary hemorrhage (n=1), or unknown etiology (n=5). All patients received chemotherapy; 9 received anthracycline drugs and 14 (67%) underwent HSCT. Thirteen patients (62%) were diagnosed with malignancies and 8 (38%) were diagnosed with non-malignant disease. Among the 21 patients, 6 (29%) survived ECMO in the PICU and 5 (24%) survived to hospital discharge. Among patients treated for septic shock, 3 of 5 patients (60%) who underwent ECMO and 5 of 10 patients (50%) who underwent VA ECMO survived. However, all the patients who underwent VA ECMO or VV ECMO for ARDS died. Conclusions: ECMO is a feasible treatment option for respiratory or heart failure in pediatric patients receiving chemotherapy or undergoing HSCT.
Review Articles
Basic science and research
Brain–computer interface in critical care and rehabilitation
Eunseo Oh, Seyoung Shin, Sung-Phil Kim
Acute Crit Care. 2024;39(1):24-33.   Published online January 12, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2023.01382
  • 1,413 View
  • 111 Download
AbstractAbstract PDF
This comprehensive review explores the broad landscape of brain–computer interface (BCI) technology and its potential use in intensive care units (ICUs), particularly for patients with motor impairments such as quadriplegia or severe brain injury. By employing brain signals from various sensing techniques, BCIs offer enhanced communication and motor rehabilitation strategies for patients. This review underscores the concept and efficacy of noninvasive, electroencephalogram-based BCIs in facilitating both communicative interactions and motor function recovery. Additionally, it highlights the current research gap in intuitive “stop” mechanisms within motor rehabilitation protocols, emphasizing the need for advancements that prioritize patient safety and individualized responsiveness. Furthermore, it advocates for more focused research that considers the unique requirements of ICU environments to address the challenges arising from patient variability, fatigue, and limited applicability of current BCI systems outside of experimental settings.
Surgery
Early detection and assessment of intensive care unit-acquired weakness: a comprehensive review
Hanan Elkalawy, Pavan Sekhar, Wael Abosena
Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(4):409-424.   Published online November 30, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2023.00703
  • 2,016 View
  • 214 Download
AbstractAbstract PDF
Intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICU-AW) is a serious complication in critically ill patients. Therefore, timely and accurate diagnosis and monitoring of ICU-AW are crucial for effectively preventing its associated morbidity and mortality. This article provides a comprehensive review of ICU-AW, focusing on the different methods used for its diagnosis and monitoring. Additionally, it highlights the role of bedside ultrasound in muscle assessment and early detection of ICU-AW. Furthermore, the article explores potential strategies for preventing ICU-AW. Healthcare providers who manage critically ill patients utilize diagnostic approaches such as physical exams, imaging, and assessment tools to identify ICU-AW. However, each method has its own limitations. The diagnosis of ICU-AW needs improvement due to the lack of a consensus on the appropriate approach for its detection. Nevertheless, bedside ultrasound has proven to be the most reliable and cost-effective tool for muscle assessment in the ICU. Combining the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score assessment, and ultrasound can be a convenient approach for the early detection of ICU-AW. This approach can facilitate timely intervention and prevent catastrophic consequences. However, further studies are needed to strengthen the evidence.
Original Articles
Pediatrics
Eleven years of experience in operating a pediatric rapid response system at a children’s hospital in South Korea
Yong Hyuk Jeon, Bongjin Lee, You Sun Kim, Won Jin Jang, June Dong Park
Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(4):498-506.   Published online November 29, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2023.01354
  • 873 View
  • 41 Download
AbstractAbstract PDFSupplementary Material
Background
Various rapid response systems have been developed to detect clinical deterioration in patients. Few studies have evaluated single-parameter systems in children compared to scoring systems. Therefore, in this study we evaluated a single-parameter system called the acute response system (ARS).
Methods
This retrospective study was performed at a tertiary children’s hospital. Patients under 18 years old admitted from January 2012 to August 2023 were enrolled. ARS parameters such as systolic blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and whether the ARS was activated were collected. We divided patients into two groups according to activation status and then compared the occurrence of critical events (cardiopulmonary resuscitation or unexpected intensive care unit admission). We evaluated the ability of ARS to predict critical events and calculated compliance. We also analyzed the correlation between each parameter that activates ARS and critical events.
Results
The critical events prediction performance of ARS has a specificity of 98.5%, a sensitivity of 24.0%, a negative predictive value of 99.6%, and a positive predictive value of 8.1%. The compliance rate was 15.6%. Statistically significant increases in the risk of critical events were observed for all abnormal criteria except low heart rate. There was no significant difference in the incidence of critical events.
Conclusions
ARS, a single parameter system, had good specificity and negative predictive value for predicting critical events; however, sensitivity and positive predictive value were not good, and medical staff compliance was poor.
Nursing
The effects of environmental interventions for delirium in critically ill surgical patients
Hak-Jae Lee, Yoon-Joong Jung, Nak-Joon Choi, Suk-Kyung Hong
Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(4):479-487.   Published online November 28, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2023.00990
  • 845 View
  • 59 Download
AbstractAbstract PDF
Background
Delirium occurs at high rates among patients in intensive care units and increases the risk of morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of environmental interventions on delirium.
Methods
This prospective cohort study enrolled 192 patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) during the pre-intervention (June 2013 to October 2013) and post-intervention (June 2014 to October 2014) periods. Environmental interventions involved a cognitive assessment, an orientation, and a comfortable environment including proper sleep conditions. The primary outcomes were the prevalence, duration, and onset of delirium.
Results
There were no statistically significant differences in incidence rate, time of delirium onset, general characteristics, and mortality between the pre-intervention and post-intervention groups. The durations of delirium were 14.4±19.1 and 7.7±7.3 days in the pre-intervention and post-intervention groups, respectively, a significant reduction (P=0.027). The lengths of SICU stay were 20.0±22.9 and 12.6±8.7 days for the pre-intervention and post-intervention groups, respectively, also a significant reduction (P=0.030).
Conclusions
The implementation of an environmental intervention program reduced the duration of delirium and length of stay in the SICU for critically ill surgical patients.
Surgery
Biomarkers to predict mortality in patients with Fournier’s gangrene admitted to the intensive care unit after surgery in South Korea
In Sik Shin, Seong Chan Gong, Sanghyun An, Kwangmin Kim
Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(4):452-459.   Published online November 21, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2023.00766
  • 1,030 View
  • 33 Download
  • 1 Web of Science
  • 1 Crossref
AbstractAbstract PDF
Background
The use of biomarkers to predict patient outcomes may be crucial for patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) following surgery because biomarkers guide clinicians in tailoring treatment plans accordingly. Therefore, we aimed to identify potential biomarkers to predict the prognosis of patients with Fournier’s gangrene (FG) admitted to the ICU after surgery.
Methods
We enrolled patients with FG admitted to our Hospital between January 2013 and December 2022. We retrospectively analyzed patient characteristics, factors related to management, scores known to be associated with the prognosis of FG, and laboratory data.
Results
The study population included 28 survivors and 13 nonsurvivors. The initial serum lactate level taken in the emergency department; white blood cell, neutrophil, and platelet counts; delta neutrophil index and international normalized ratio; albumin, glucose, HCO3, and postoperative lactate levels; and the laboratory risk indicator for necrotizing fasciitis differed between survivors and nonsurvivors. Postoperative lactate and initial albumin levels were independent predictors of mortality in patients with FG. In the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the postoperative lactate level was the best indicator of mortality (area under the curve, 0.877; 95% confidence interval, 0.711–1.000). The optimal cutoff postoperative lactate level for predicting mortality was 3.0 mmol/L (sensitivity, 80.0%; specificity, 95.0%).
Conclusions
Postoperative lactate and initial albumin levels could be potential predictors of mortality in patients with FG admitted to the ICU after surgery, and the optimal cutoff postoperative lactate and initial albumin levels to predict mortality were 3.0 mmol/L and 3.05 g/dl, respectively. Large-scale multicenter prospective studies are required to confirm our results.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  
  • Risk Factors for Mortality Among Patients With Fournier Gangrene: A Systematic Review
    Pavan Shet, Ashmit Daiyan Mustafa, Karan Varshney, Lavina Rao, Sameen Sawdagar, Florence McLennan, Siraaj Ansari, Darshan Shet, Niveshan Sivathamboo, Sian Campbell
    Surgical Infections.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
Pulmonary
Risk factors for mortality in intensive care unit patients with Stenotrophomonas maltophilia pneumonia in South Korea
Yong Hoon Lee, Jaehee Lee, Byunghyuk Yu, Won Kee Lee, Sun Ha Choi, Ji Eun Park, Hyewon Seo, Seung Soo Yoo, Shin Yup Lee, Seung-Ick Cha, Chang Ho Kim, Jae Yong Park
Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(4):442-451.   Published online November 21, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2023.00682
  • 1,484 View
  • 65 Download
AbstractAbstract PDFSupplementary Material
Background
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia has been increasingly recognized as an opportunistic pathogen associated with high morbidity and mortality. Data on the prognostic factors associated with S. maltophilia pneumonia in patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) are lacking.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective analysis of data from 117 patients with S. maltophilia pneumonia admitted to the ICUs of two tertiary referral hospitals in South Korea between January 2011 and December 2022. To assess risk factors associated with in-hospital mortality, multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed.
Results
The median age of the study population was 71 years. Ventilator-associated pneumonia was 76.1% of cases, and the median length of ICU stay before the first isolation of S. maltophilia was 15 days. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 82.1%, and factors independently associated with mortality were age (odds ratio [OR], 1.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00–1.09; P=0.046), Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score (OR, 1.21; 95%; CI, 1.02–1.43; P=0.025), corticosteroid use (OR, 4.19; 95% CI, 1.26–13.91; P=0.019), and polymicrobial infection (OR, 95% CI 0.07–0.69). However, the impact of appropriate antibiotic therapy on mortality was insignificant. In a subgroup of patients who received appropriate antibiotic therapy (n=58), antibiotic treatment modality-related variables, including combination or empirical therapy, also showed no significant association with survival.
Conclusions
Patients with S. maltophilia pneumonia in ICU have high mortality rates. Older age, higher SOFA score, and corticosteroid use were independently associated with increased in-hospital mortality, whereas polymicrobial infection was associated with lower mortality. The effect of appropriate antibiotic therapy on prognosis was insignificant.
Pulmonary
Mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit in the United States with or without respiratory failure secondary to COVID-19 pneumonia: a retrospective comparison of characteristics and outcomes
Jesse A. Johnson, Kashka F. Mallari, Vincent M. Pepe, Taylor Treacy, Gregory McDonough, Phue Khaing, Christopher McGrath, Brandon J. George, Erika J. Yoo
Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(3):298-307.   Published online August 23, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2022.01123
  • 1,774 View
  • 43 Download
  • 1 Web of Science
  • 1 Crossref
AbstractAbstract PDFSupplementary Material
Background
There is increasing heterogeneity in the clinical phenotype of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19,) and reasons for mechanical ventilation are not limited to COVID pneumonia. We aimed to compare the characteristics and outcomes of intubated patients admitted to the ICU with the primary diagnosis of acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF) from COVID-19 pneumonia to those patients admitted for an alternative diagnosis.
Methods
Retrospective cohort study of adults with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted to nine ICUs between March 18, 2020, and April 30, 2021, at an urban university institution. We compared characteristics between the two groups using appropriate statistics. We performed logistic regression to identify risk factors for death in the mechanically ventilated COVID-19 population.
Results
After exclusions, the final sample consisted of 319 patients with respiratory failure secondary to COVID pneumonia and 150 patients intubated for alternative diagnoses. The former group had higher ICU and hospital mortality rates (57.7% vs. 36.7%, P<0.001 and 58.9% vs. 39.3%, P<0.001, respectively). Patients with AHRF secondary to COVID-19 pneumonia also had longer ICU and hospital lengths-of-stay (12 vs. 6 days, P<0.001 and 20 vs. 13.5 days, P=0.001). After risk-adjustment, these patients had 2.25 times higher odds of death (95% confidence interval, 1.42–3.56; P=0.001).
Conclusions
Mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU with COVID-19-associated respiratory failure are at higher risk of hospital death and have worse ICU utilization outcomes than those whose reason for admission is unrelated to COVID pneumonia.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  
  • Bacterial Community- and Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia in Patients with Critical COVID-19—A Prospective Monocentric Cohort Study
    Lenka Doubravská, Miroslava Htoutou Sedláková, Kateřina Fišerová, Olga Klementová, Radovan Turek, Kateřina Langová, Milan Kolář
    Antibiotics.2024; 13(2): 192.     CrossRef
Pulmonary
Awake prone positioning for COVID-19 acute hypoxemic respiratory failure in Tunisia
Khaoula Ben Ismail, Fatma Essafi, Imen Talik, Najla Ben Slimene, Ines Sdiri, Boudour Ben Dhia, Takoua Merhbene
Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(3):271-277.   Published online August 21, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2023.00591
  • 1,500 View
  • 113 Download
AbstractAbstract PDF
Background
In this study, we explored whether awake prone position (PP) can impact prognosis of severe hypoxemia coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.
Methods
This was a prospective observational study of severe, critically ill adult COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Patients were divided into two groups: group G1, patients who benefited from a vigilant and effective PP (>4 hours minimum/24) and group G2, control group. We compared demographic, clinical, paraclinical and evolutionary data.
Results
Three hundred forty-nine patients were hospitalized during the study period, 273 met the inclusion criteria. PP was performed in 192 patients (70.3%). The two groups were comparable in terms of demographic characteristics, clinical severity and modalities of oxygenation at intensive care unit (ICU) admission. The mean PaO2/ FIO2 ratios were 141 and 128 mm Hg, respectively (P=0.07). The computed tomography scan was comparable with a critical >75% in 48.5% (G1) versus 54.2% (G2). The median duration of the daily PP session was 13±7 hours per day. The average duration of spontaneous PP days was 7 days (4–19). Use of invasive ventilation was lower in the G1 group (27% vs. 56%, P=0.002). Healthcare-associated infections were significantly lower in G1 (42.1% vs. 82%, P=0.01). Duration of total mechanical ventilation and length of ICU stay were comparable between the two groups. Mortality was significantly higher in G2 (64% vs. 28%, P=0.02).
Conclusions
Our study confirmed that awake PP can improve prognosis in COVID-19 patients. Randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm this result.
Nephrology
Radiomic analysis of abdominal organs during sepsis of digestive origin in a French intensive care unit
Louis Boutin, Louis Morisson, Florence Riché, Romain Barthélémy, Alexandre Mebazaa, Philippe Soyer, Benoit Gallix, Anthony Dohan, Benjamin G Chousterman
Acute Crit Care. 2023;38(3):343-352.   Published online August 21, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2023.00136
  • 1,650 View
  • 42 Download
AbstractAbstract PDFSupplementary Material
Background
Sepsis is a severe and common cause of admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). Radiomic analysis (RA) may predict organ failure and patient outcomes. The objective of this study was to assess a model of RA and to evaluate its performance in predicting in-ICU mortality and acute kidney injury (AKI) during abdominal sepsis.
Methods
This single-center, retrospective study included patients admitted to the ICU for abdominal sepsis. To predict in-ICU mortality or AKI, elastic net regularized logistic regression and the random forest algorithm were used in a five-fold cross-validation set repeated 10 times.
Results
Fifty-five patients were included. In-ICU mortality was 25.5%, and 76.4% of patients developed AKI. To predict in-ICU mortality, elastic net and random forest models, respectively, achieved areas under the curve (AUCs) of 0.48 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.43–0.54) and 0.51 (95% CI, 0.46–0.57) and were not improved combined with Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II. To predict AKI with RA, the AUC was 0.71 (95% CI, 0.66–0.77) for elastic net and 0.69 (95% CI, 0.64–0.74) for random forest, and these were improved combined with SAPS II, respectively; AUC of 0.94 (95% CI, 0.91–0.96) and 0.75 (95% CI, 0.70–0.80) for elastic net and random forest, respectively.
Conclusions
This study suggests that RA has poor predictive performance for in-ICU mortality but good predictive performance for AKI in patients with abdominal sepsis. A secondary validation cohort is needed to confirm these results and the assessed model.

ACC : Acute and Critical Care