ICU LENGTH OF STAY IN CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS WITH COVID-19: DOES RACE MATTER?

Summary Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disrupts routine care and alters treatment pathways in every medical specialty, including intensive care medicine, which has been at the core of the pandemic response. The impact of the pandemic is inevitably not limited to patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and their outcomes; however, the impact of COVID-19 on intensive care has not yet been analyzed. Methods The objective of this propensity score-matched study was to compare the clinical outcomes of non-COVID-19 critically ill patients with the outcomes of prepandemic patients. Critically ill, non-COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) during the first wave of the pandemic were matched with patients admitted in the previous year. Mortality, length of stay, and rate of readmission were compared between the two groups after matching. Results A total of 211 critically ill SARS-CoV‑2 negative patients admitted between 13 March 2020 and 16 May 2020 were matched to 211 controls, selected from a matching pool of 1421 eligible patients admitted to the ICU in 2019. After matching, the outcomes were not significantly different between the two groups: ICU mortality was 5.2% in 2019 and 8.5% in 2020, p = 0.248, while intrahospital mortality was 10.9% in 2019 and 14.2% in 2020, p = 0.378. The median ICU length of stay was similar in 2019: 4 days (IQR 2–6) compared to 2020: 4 days (IQR 2–7), p = 0.196. The rate of ICU readmission was 15.6% in 2019 and 10.9% in 2020, p = 0.344. Conclusion In this retrospective single center study, mortality, ICU length of stay, and rate of ICU readmission did not differ significantly between patients admitted to the ICU during the implementation of hospital-wide COVID-19 contingency planning and patients admitted to the ICU before the pandemic.

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Hypophosphatemia and Outcomes in ICU: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Journal of Intensive Care Medicine ◽

10.1177/0885066620940274 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 088506662094027

Author(s):

Jeremy Cheuk Kin Sin ◽

Lillian King ◽

Emma Ballard ◽

Stacey Llewellyn ◽

Kevin B. Laupland ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Length Of Stay ◽

Critically Ill ◽

Critically Ill Patients ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Hospital Length ◽

Hospital Length Of Stay ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Icu Length Of Stay ◽

Newcastle Ottawa Scale

Purpose: Hypophosphatemia is reported in up to 5% of hospitalized patients and ranges from 20% to 80% in critically ill patients. The consequences of hypophosphatemia for critically ill patients remain controversial. We evaluated the effect of hypophosphatemia on mortality and length of stay in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library (Reviews and Trials), and PubMed were searched for articles in English. The primary outcome was mortality and secondary outcome was length of stay. The quality of evidence was graded using a modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Results: Our search yielded 828 articles and ultimately included 12 studies with 7626 participants in the analysis. Hypophosphatemia was associated with increased hospital length of stay (2.19 days [95% CI, 1.74-2.64]) and ICU length of stay (2.22 days [95% CI, 1.00-3.44]) but not mortality (risk ratio: 1.13 [95% CI, 0.98-1.31]; P = .09). Conclusions: Hypophosphatemia in ICU was associated with increased hospital and ICU length of stay but not all-cause mortality. Hypophosphatemia appears to be a marker of disease severity. Limited number of available studies and varied study designs did not allow for the ascertainment of the effect of severe hypophosphatemia on patient mortality.

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Short- and Long-term Outcomes of Critically Ill Patients With Cancer and Prolonged ICU Length of Stay

CHEST Journal ◽

10.1378/chest.08-0359 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 134 (3) ◽

pp. 520-526 ◽

Cited By ~ 56

Author(s):

Márcio Soares ◽

Jorge I.F. Salluh ◽

Viviane B.L. Torres ◽

Juliana V.R. Leal ◽

Nelson Spector

Keyword(s):

Length Of Stay ◽

Critically Ill ◽

Critically Ill Patients ◽

Long Term Outcomes ◽

Patients With Cancer ◽

Icu Length Of Stay ◽

Short And Long Term

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Appropriateness of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia (HIT) Testing and the Reliability of 4-Ts Scoring in Critically Ill Patients

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood-2018-99-114788 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 132 (Supplement 1) ◽

pp. 4988-4988

Author(s):

Phyo Thazin Myint ◽

Amani Erra ◽

Taha Alrifai ◽

Salman Syed ◽

Bibek Singh Pannu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Length Of Stay ◽

Critically Ill ◽

Critically Ill Patients ◽

False Positive ◽

High Probability ◽

Icu Patients ◽

Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia ◽

Common Cause ◽

Icu Length Of Stay ◽

Low Probability

Abstract Introduction: Thrombocytopenia is a common occurrence in critically ill patients and results in an array of diagnostic workup. Heparin induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is one of the most frequently ordered tests in this scenario, although it is a less common cause (0.02-0.5%) The over testing and treatment of HIT in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) can lead to a change in medications, and result in side effects, increased ICU length of stay and increased costs. Current guidelines recommend 4-Ts criteria to evaluate the clinical HIT probability in general population, but it may also be used in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients. Here, we want to analyze the the usage of 4Ts score in a community hospital and to understand its correlation with HIT testing to see if HIT testing could have been avoided. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of adult patients who underwent testing for Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia anti-platelet factor 4 antibody (anti- PF4 Ab) in ICU at our institution from 03/01/2012 to 02/01/2018. The primary outcomes were set to identify (1) the extent of inappropriate of HIT testing and its consequences in patients with low 4Ts scores, and (2) if 4Ts score as a potential predictor of length of stay and mortality in ICU. As a secondary outcome, we assessed if Body Mass Index (BMI) and Recent Surgery are related to false positive anti-PF4 Ab test. Kruskal-Wallis test and Fisher Exact test were used. Results: A total of 66 patients were identified. The mean age was 64 yr and the male-female ratio was similar. 40 patients had recent surgery in the past 3 months. The cause of thrombocytopenia other than HIT was possible or definite in 62 patients with sepsis being the most common cause (56.45%). 30 patients had low probability 4-Ts scores, 28 had intermediate and 7 had high probability. HIT was confirmed (Serotonin Release Assay-SRA positive) in 0%, 7.14% and 12.5% of patients with low, intermediate and high probability 4Ts scores, respectively. In the patients with low probability 4Ts and anti-PF4 Ab testing, heparin was held in 24 (80%) and the anti-coagulation was switched (to either fondaparinux or argatroban) in 10 (33.33%). In those patients with anticoagulation switch, 3 had minor bleeding. There was no difference in the ICU length of stay (p=0.1712) and mortality (p=0.149) between patients with low, intermediate and high probability 4Ts scores. Patients with BMI ≥40 kg/m2 had twice the percentage of false positive anti-PF4 Ab testing compared with the rest, but the results were not significant (p=0.285). Recent surgery was not related to the false positive anti-PF4 Ab testing (p=1). Conclusion: As no patient with low-probability 4Ts score had confirmed HIT, low 4Ts may be a good estimator of the unlikeliness of HIT even in critically ill patients. We found discrepancy in the recommendations and usage of Anti-PF4 Ab testing in our institution. This has resulted in switching of heparin to other, more expensive anti-coagulations. This may very well be the situation in many other similar institutions. This could partly be due to lack of awareness of HIT testing guidelines in the critical care setting. We recommend the use of 4Ts scoring and more sensible testing and treatment of HIT in ICU patients. Although we could not demonstrate the statistical association between morbid obesity and false positive anti-PF4 Ab, our study might have been underpowered by low subgroup population of such patients. We propose further studies about HIT testing and treatment to include morbidly obese patients as a separate sub-group. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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Use of Intravenous Vitamin C in Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19 Infection

Journal of Pharmacy Practice ◽

10.1177/08971900211015052 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 089719002110150

Author(s):

Matthew Li ◽

Tsung Han Ching ◽

Christopher Hipple ◽

Ricardo Lopez ◽

Asad Sahibzada ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Length Of Stay ◽

Vitamin C ◽

Hospital Mortality ◽

Critically Ill ◽

Critically Ill Patients ◽

Primary Objective ◽

Primary Study ◽

Protective Effects ◽

Icu Length Of Stay ◽

Intravenous Vitamin

Introduction The pathophysiology for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection is characterized by cytokine oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction. Intravenous (IV) vitamin C has been utilized as adjuvant therapy in critically ill patients with sepsis for its protective effects against reactive oxygen species and immunomodulatory effects. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of IV vitamin C in critically ill patients with COVID-19 infection. Methods Retrospective observational cohort study with propensity score matching of intensive care unit (ICU) patients who received 1.5 grams IV vitamin C every 6 hours for up to 4 days for COVID-19 infection. The primary study outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included vasopressor requirements in norepinephrine equivalents, ICU length of stay, and change in Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score. Results Eight patients received IV vitamin C and were matched to 24 patients. Patients in the IV vitamin C group had higher rates of hospital mortality [7 (88%) vs. 19 (79%), P = 0.049]. There was no difference in the daily vasopressor requirement in the treatment group or between the 2 groups. The mean SOFA scores post-treatment was higher in the IV vitamin C group (12.4 ± 2.8 vs. 8.1 ± 3.5, P < 0.005). There was no difference in ICU length of stay between the treatment and control groups. Conclusion Adjunctive IV vitamin C for the management of COVID-19 infection in critically ill patients may not decrease the incidence of mortality, vasopressor requirements, SOFA scores, or ventilator settings.

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Multi-Drug Resistant Gram-Negative Infections Among Critically Ill Patients: Analysis of Baseline Characteristics and Factors Associated with Mortality

10.21203/rs.3.rs-129355/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Fadi Aljamaan ◽

Esraa Altawil ◽

Mohamad-Hani Temsah ◽

Ahmad Almeman

Keyword(s):

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽

Length Of Stay ◽

Critically Ill ◽

Critically Ill Patients ◽

Drug Resistant ◽

Gram Negative ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Icu Length Of Stay ◽

Acinetobacter Spp ◽

Apache Iv

Abstract BackgroundBacterial infections are a frequent cause of hospitalization and a leading cause of death, particularly with the emergence of antibiotics resistance. The emergence of Carbapenem resistance among gram-negative bacteria (GNB) is one of the evolving alerts as its use is considered the last resort of treatment [1]. Therefore, this urged studying the risk factors for the development of multi-drug resistant [2] GNB, identify the clinical outcomes and factors associated with mortality, especially among critically ill patients who are expected to have the worst outcomes.Materials/methodsThis is a retrospective observational study of critically ill patients who had an infection with Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), or MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa, or MDR Acinetobacter spp. between May 2016- Nov 2018. Baseline demographics, co-morbidities, and clinical outcomes were collected and were evaluated for association with 28 days mortality. ResultsA total of 255 patients with MDR Gram-negative cultures were screened, 77 patients met the inclusion criteria. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most common index organism (53% of patients), followed by Acinetobacter spp. and CRE, respectively. The mortality rate at 28 days was (59.7%). Non-survivors were significantly older (mean age 64 vs. 44 years, P= 0.0001), had significantly worse disease severity scores on ICU admission, higher incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) (43% vs. 16%, P= 0.010), required more continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) (54% vs. 13% P= 0.0001), had longer hospital length of stay prior to infection (median 34 vs. 13 days, P= 0.018), and required longer inotropic and vasopressors support (median 19 vs. 8 days, P = 0.0001). In multivariate logistic regression the following factors were significantly associated with mortality; requirement of inotropic support [OR 10.01 (95% CI 1.55-64.77); P= 0.015], age [OR 1.05 (95% CI 1.0-1.1); P=0.01], APACHE IV score on ICU admission [OR 1.03 (95% CI 1.0- 1.06); P= 0.04], and ICU length of stay [OR 1.03 (95% CI 1.0- 1.06); P= 0.035].ConclusionMDR Gram-negative infection is associated with significant in-hospital mortality among critically ill patients. Old age, high APACHE IV score, higher ICU length of stay, and higher hemodynamic support are associated with higher mortality.Trial registrationretrospectively registered.

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The Impact of Continuous Infusion Compared to Intravenous Bolus Administration of Pantoprazole on Length of Intensive Care Unit Stay in Critically Ill Patients

Journal of Pharmacy Practice ◽

10.1177/08971900211036096 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 089719002110360

Author(s):

Katelynn Callaway ◽

Mrinmayee Lakkad ◽

Jacob T Painter ◽

Lindsey Dayer ◽

Allison K Oswalt

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care Unit ◽

Intensive Care ◽

Length Of Stay ◽

Continuous Infusion ◽

Critically Ill ◽

Critically Ill Patients ◽

Unit Length ◽

Intravenous Bolus ◽

Gi Bleeding ◽

Icu Length Of Stay

Purpose: To determine if intravenous (IV) bolus pantoprazole increases intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay compared to IV infusion pantoprazole for treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding in critically ill patients. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included adult patients admitted to the ICU with GI bleeds. Patients treated with IV pantoprazole from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017 were analyzed in the continuous infusion group, and patients treated from March 1, 2018 to February 28, 2019 were analyzed in the bolus only group. Patients with pregnancy, variceal bleeds, or lower GI bleeds were excluded. Intensive care unit length of stay was compared between the two cohorts using the Mann Whitney U test. Adjusted analysis was conducted using the generalized linear model with gamma log link to estimate the effect of type of infusion on ICU length of stay. Results: A total of 145 patients were included in the analysis, with 72 patients in the continuous infusion group and 73 patients in the bolus only group. The median ICU length of stay was 70.5 hours for continuous infusion and 64 hours for bolus only pantoprazole ( P-value = .577). In the adjusted analysis, there was no difference in ICU length of stay between the continuous infusion and bolus only groups (RR, 1.06; 95% CI, .76–1.47). Conclusion: Intensive care unit length of stay was not prolonged with the use of IV bolus only compared to continuous infusion pantoprazole. Intravenous bolus only pantoprazole may be used in critically ill patients for treatment of upper GI bleeding.

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Effect of vitamin C in critically ill patients with sepsis and septic shock: A meta-analysis

Science Progress ◽

10.1177/0036850421998175 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 104 (1) ◽

pp. 003685042199817

Author(s):

Fang Feng ◽

Huyong Yang ◽

Weiwei Yang ◽

Min Li ◽

Xueni Chang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Septic Shock ◽

Length Of Stay ◽

Vitamin C ◽

Critically Ill ◽

Critically Ill Patients ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Control Group ◽

Icu Length Of Stay ◽

Sepsis And Septic Shock

The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of vitamin C in patients experiencing sepsis and septic shock. The PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about vitamin C treatments for critically ill patients suffering from sepsis and septic shock from inception until December 31, 2019. The primary outcome was mortality, and the secondary outcomes were the ICU length of stay and the dose of vasopressors. A meta-analysis of nine RCTs with a total of 584 patients (301 in the intervention group and 283 in the control group) was conducted. There were significant differences between the vitamin C group and the control group in 28-day mortality (fixed effects OR = 0.60 95% CI [0.42, 0.85], p = 0.004) and in the dose of vasopressors (SMD = −0.88 95% CI [−1.48, −0.29], p = 0.003); however, the ICU length of stay was the same between the two groups (SMD = −0.33 95% CI [−0.87, 0.20] p = 0.23). This meta-analysis demonstrated that the use of vitamin C (compared with placebo) led to a reduction in ICU mortality and a reduction in the dose of vasopressors in patients with septic shock. However, the ICU length of stay was not significantly different between the two groups. Therefore, multicentre and high-quality RCTs are needed to further clarify the safety and effectiveness of vitamin C among patients with sepsis and septic shock.

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Early oseltamivir treatment improves survival in critically ill patients with influenza pneumonia

ERJ Open Research ◽

10.1183/23120541.00888-2020 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 00888-2020

Author(s):

Gerard Moreno ◽

Alejandro Rodríguez ◽

Jordi Sole-Violán ◽

Ignacio Martín-Loeches ◽

Emili Díaz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Length Of Stay ◽

Propensity Score ◽

Propensity Score Matching ◽

Critically Ill ◽

Critically Ill Patients ◽

Early Treatment ◽

Survival Rates ◽

Icu Mortality ◽

Icu Length Of Stay ◽

Influenza Pneumonia

Background and aimsThe relationship between early oseltamivir treatment (within 48 h of symptom onset) and mortality in patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) with severe influenza is disputed. This study aimed to investigate the association between early oseltamivir treatment and ICU mortality in critically ill patients with influenza pneumonia.MethodsThis was an observational study of patients with influenza pneumonia admitted to 184 ICUs in Spain. The primary outcome was to evaluate the association between early oseltamivir treatment and ICU mortality compared to later treatment. Secondary outcomes were to compare the duration of mechanical ventilation (MV) and the ICU length of stay between the early and later oseltamivir treatment groups. To reduce biases related to observational studies, propensity score matching and a competing risk analysis were performed.ResultsDuring the study period, 2124 met the inclusion criteria. All patients had influenza pneumonia and received oseltamivir before ICU admission. Of these, 529 (24.9%) received early oseltamivir treatment. In the multivariate analysis, early treatment was associated with reduced ICU mortality (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.51–0.95). After propensity score matching, early oseltamivir treatment was associated with improved survival rates in the Cox regression (HR 0.77, 95% CI 0.61–0.99) and competing risk (sHR 0.67, 95% CI 0.53–0.85) analyses. The ICU length of stay and duration of MV were shorter in patients receiving early treatment.ConclusionsEarly oseltamivir treatment is associated with improved survival rates in critically ill patients with influenza pneumonia and may decrease ICU length of stay and MV duration.

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Mechanical Power Normalized to Predicted Body Weight is Associated with Mortality in Critically Ill Patients: A Cohort Study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-534242/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yanhong Zhu ◽

Wenyong Peng ◽

Shuai Zhen ◽

Xiaofeng Jiang

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Length Of Stay ◽

Critically Ill ◽

Critically Ill Patients ◽

Critical Factor ◽

Mechanical Power ◽

Invasive Ventilation ◽

Icu Mortality ◽

Predicted Body Weight ◽

Icu Length Of Stay

Abstract Background: Mechanical power (MP), defined as the amount of energy produced by mechanical ventilation and released into the respiratory system, has long been considered a critical factor in the pathogenesis of ventilator-induced lung injury. However, our knowledge suggests that the effects of MP may be proportional to their involvement in total lung function size. Therefore, MP normalized to predicted body weight (norMP) should be greater than absolute MP value. The objective of this research is to determine the connection between norMP and mortality in critically ill patients who have been on invasive ventilation for at least 48 hours.Methods: This is a study of data stored in the databases of the MIMIC–III, which contains data of critically ill patients for over 50,000. The study involved critically ill patients who had been on invasive ventilation for at least 48 hours. norMP was the relevant exposure. The major endpoint was ICU mortality, the secondary endpoints were 30-day, 90-day mortality; ICU length of stay, the number of ventilator-free days at day 28.Result: The study involved a total of 1301 critically ill patients. This study revealed that norMP was correlated with ICU mortality [OR per quartile increase 1.20 (95% CI 1.07–1.35), p = 0.009]. Similarly, norMP was correlated with ventilator-free days at day 28, ICU length of stay. In the subgroup analysis, high norMP was associated with ICU mortality whether low or high Vt (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.01–1.47, p = 0.040; OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.06–1.54, p = 0.011, respectively). But high norMP was associated with ICU mortality only in low PIP (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.01–1.37, p = 0.034)Conclusion: Our findings indicate that higher norMP is independently linked with elevated ICU mortality and various other clinical findings in critically ill patients with a minimum of 48 hours of invasive ventilation.

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