Development and Validation of Early Warning Criteria to Identify Escalated Care Events in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Patients

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (07) ◽  
pp. 754-761
Author(s):  
Sandesh Shivananda ◽  
Jennifer Twiss ◽  
Debie Paterson ◽  
Gillian Dyck ◽  
Stephanie Becker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Early Warning ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Predictive Values ◽  
Warning Criteria ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity ◽  
Development And Validation

Objective This study aimed to identify and validate the diagnostic utility of a set of clinical and laboratory criteria (early warning criteria [EWC]) that portend a clinical deterioration event (escalated care event [ECE]) in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patients. Study Design Using the RAND appropriateness method, we first established a consensus on seven ECE, that is, events that require additional monitoring, treatment, or stay in the NICU or that were associated with morbidity. We then established consensus on EWC that could portend an ECE from an initial set of 32 potential EWC items to a final set of 10 items. The occurrence and nonoccurrence of EWC and ECE were prospectively identified and tracked over 9 weeks. Results Among 170 NICU patients studied (2,502 patient-days), the frequency of an EWC was 53 per 1,000 patient-days. Of these patients, 41% had an EWC and 16% had an ECE. An EWC was followed by an ECE within 72 hours, 37% of the time, and within a median time interval of 113 minutes. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values, and negative predictive values of EWC in identifying an ECE were 0.96, 0.69, 0.37, and 0.99, respectively. Conclusion A simple bedside NICU-specific EWC identifies neonates likely to develop ECEs in the NICU.

Presepsin - New Marker of Sepsis Romanian Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Experience

2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (8) ◽  
pp. 3008-3013
Author(s):  
Silvia Maria Stoicescu ◽  
Ramona Mohora ◽  
Monica Luminos ◽  
Madalina Maria Merisescu ◽  
Gheorghita Jugulete ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Neonatal Sepsis ◽  
Predictive Value ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Complete Blood Count ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Receiver Operating Curve ◽  
Predictive Values

Difficulties in establishing the onset of neonatal sepsis has directed the medical research in recent years to the possibility of identifying early biological markers of diagnosis. Overdiagnosing neonatal sepsis leads to a higher rate and duration in the usage of antibiotics in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), which in term leads to a rise in bacterial resistance, antibiotherapy complications, duration of hospitalization and costs.Concomitant analysis of CRP (C Reactive Protein), procalcitonin, complete blood count, presepsin in newborn babies with suspicion of early or late neonatal sepsis. Presepsin sensibility and specificity in diagnosing neonatal sepsis. The study group consists of newborns admitted to Polizu Neonatology Clinic between 15th February- 15th July 2017, with suspected neonatal sepsis. We analyzed: clinical manifestations and biochemical markers values used for diagnosis of sepsis, namely the value of CRP, presepsin and procalcitonin on the onset day of the disease and later, according to evolution. CRP values may be influenced by clinical pathology. Procalcitonin values were mainly influenced by the presence of jaundice. Presepsin is the biochemical marker with the fastest predictive values of positive infection. Presepsin can be a useful tool for early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis and can guide the antibiotic treatment. Presepsin value is significantly higher in neonatal sepsis compared to healthy newborns (939 vs 368 ng/mL, p [ 0.0001); area under receiver operating curve (AUC) for presepsine was 0.931 (95% confidence interval 0.86-1.0). PSP has a greater sensibility and specificity compared to classical sepsis markers, CRP and PCT respectively (AUC 0.931 vs 0.857 vs 0.819, p [ 0.001). The cut off value for presepsin was established at 538 ng/mLwith a sensibility of 79.5% and a specificity of 87.2 %. The positive predictive value (PPV) is 83.8 % and negative predictive value (NPV) is 83.3%.

The Psychosocial Aspects of Feeding in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Beyond

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 1507-1515
Author(s):  
Lauren L. Madhoun ◽  
Robert Dempster
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Hospital Discharge ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Oral Feeding ◽  
Medical Attention ◽  
Primary Role ◽  
Speech Language Pathologists ◽  
The Family

Purpose Feeding challenges are common for infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). While sufficient oral feeding is typically a goal during NICU admission, this can be a long and complicated process for both the infant and the family. Many of the stressors related to feeding persist long after hospital discharge, which results in the parents taking the primary role of navigating the infant's course to ensure continued feeding success. This is in addition to dealing with the psychological impact of having a child requiring increased medical attention and the need to continue to fulfill the demands at home. In this clinical focus article, we examine 3 main areas that impact psychosocial stress among parents with infants in the NICU and following discharge: parenting, feeding, and supports. Implications for speech-language pathologists working with these infants and their families are discussed. A case example is also included to describe the treatment course of an infant and her parents in the NICU and after graduation to demonstrate these points further. Conclusion Speech-language pathologists working with infants in the NICU and following hospital discharge must realize the family context and psychosocial considerations that impact feeding progression. Understanding these factors may improve parental engagement to more effectively tailor treatment approaches to meet the needs of the child and family.

Acoustic environment at a neonatal intensive care unit

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Gaspar ◽  
S Yohasenan ◽  
F Haslbeck ◽  
D Bassler ◽  
V Kurtcuoglu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Neonatal Intensive Care ◽  
Acoustic Environment
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document