scholarly journals Muscle wasting in the critically ill patient: how to minimise subsequent disability

2020 ◽  
Vol 81 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Luke Flower ◽  
Zudin Puthucheary

Muscle wasting in critically ill patients is the most common complication associated with critical care. It has significant effects on physical and psychological health, mortality and quality of life. It is most severe in the first few days of illness and in the most critically unwell patients, with muscle loss estimated to occur at 2–3% per day. This muscle loss is likely a result of a reduction in protein synthesis relative to muscle breakdown, resulting in altered protein homeostasis. The associated weakness is associated with in an increase in both short- and long-term mortality and morbidity, with these detrimental effects demonstrated up to 5 years post discharge. This article highlights the significant impact that muscle wasting has on critically ill patients' outcomes, how this can be reduced, and how this might change in the future.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Kander ◽  
Martin F. Bjurström ◽  
Attila Frigyesi ◽  
Magnus Jöud ◽  
Caroline U. Nilsson

Abstract Background. Previous studies have demonstrated an association between ABO blood groups and many types of disease. The present study primarily aimed to identify associations between ABO blood groups, RhD groups and mortality/morbidity outcomes in critically ill patients both in a main cohort and in six pre-defined subgroups. The secondary aim was to investigate any differences in transfusion requirement between the different ABO blood groups and RhD status.Methods. Adult patients admitted to any of the five intensive care units (ICUs) in Skåne, Sweden, between February 2007 and April 2021 were eligible for inclusion. The outcomes were mortality analysed at 28– and 90–days as well as at the end of observation and morbidity measured using days alive and free of (DAF) invasive ventilation (DAF ventilation) and DAF circulatory support, including vasopressors or inotropes (DAF circulation), maximum Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (SOFAmax) the first 28 days after admission and length of stay. All outcomes were analysed in separate multivariable regression models (adjusted for age and sex), generating odds or hazard ratios for each blood group and RhD status using blood group O and RhD negative as reference. Transfusion requirements were also investigated.Results. In total, 29 512 unique patients were included in the analyses. There were no significant differences for any of the outcomes between non-O blood groups and blood group O, or between RhD groups. In six pre-defined subgroups (sepsis, septic shock, acute respiratory distress syndrome, Covid-19, cardiac arrest and trauma) there were no differences in mortality between non-O blood groups and blood group O or between the RhD groups. Furthermore, we could not demonstrate any differences in the number of transfused patients between the ABO blood groups or between the RhD groups.Conclusions. ABO blood type and RhD status do not appear to influence mortality or morbidity in a general critically ill patient population. There were no differences in the number of transfused patients between the ABO blood groups or between the RhD status groups.


Critical Care ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleni Papoutsi ◽  
Vassilis G. Giannakoulis ◽  
Eleni Xourgia ◽  
Christina Routsi ◽  
Anastasia Kotanidou ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Although several international guidelines recommend early over late intubation of patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), this issue is still controversial. We aimed to investigate the effect (if any) of timing of intubation on clinical outcomes of critically ill patients with COVID-19 by carrying out a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods PubMed and Scopus were systematically searched, while references and preprint servers were explored, for relevant articles up to December 26, 2020, to identify studies which reported on mortality and/or morbidity of patients with COVID-19 undergoing early versus late intubation. “Early” was defined as intubation within 24 h from intensive care unit (ICU) admission, while “late” as intubation at any time after 24 h of ICU admission. All-cause mortality and duration of mechanical ventilation (MV) were the primary outcomes of the meta-analysis. Pooled risk ratio (RR), pooled mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using a random effects model. The meta-analysis was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020222147). Results A total of 12 studies, involving 8944 critically ill patients with COVID-19, were included. There was no statistically detectable difference on all-cause mortality between patients undergoing early versus late intubation (3981 deaths; 45.4% versus 39.1%; RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.99–1.15, p = 0.08). This was also the case for duration of MV (1892 patients; MD − 0.58 days, 95% CI − 3.06 to 1.89 days, p = 0.65). In a sensitivity analysis using an alternate definition of early/late intubation, intubation without versus with a prior trial of high-flow nasal cannula or noninvasive mechanical ventilation was still not associated with a statistically detectable difference on all-cause mortality (1128 deaths; 48.9% versus 42.5%; RR 1.11, 95% CI 0.99–1.25, p = 0.08). Conclusions The synthesized evidence suggests that timing of intubation may have no effect on mortality and morbidity of critically ill patients with COVID-19. These results might justify a wait-and-see approach, which may lead to fewer intubations. Relevant guidelines may therefore need to be updated.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (15) ◽  
pp. 3379
Author(s):  
Matthias Klingele ◽  
Lea Baerens

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication in critically ill patients with an incidence of up to 50% in intensive care patients. The mortality of patients with AKI requiring dialysis in the intensive care unit is up to 50%, especially in the context of sepsis. Different approaches have been undertaken to reduce this high mortality by changing modalities and techniques of renal replacement therapy: an early versus a late start of dialysis, high versus low dialysate flows, intermittent versus continuous dialysis, anticoagulation with citrate or heparin, the use of adsorber or special filters in case of sepsis. Although in smaller studies some of these approaches seemed to have a positive impact on the reduction of mortality, in larger studies these effects could not been reproduced. This raises the question of whether there exists any impact of renal replacement therapy on mortality in critically ill patients—beyond an undeniable impact on uremia, hyperkalemia and/or hypervolemia. Indeed, this is one of the essential challenges of a nephrologist within an interdisciplinary intensive care team: according to the individual situation of a critically ill patient the main indication of dialysis has to be identified and all parameters of dialysis have to be individually chosen with respect to the patient’s situation and targeting the main dialysis indication. Such an interdisciplinary and individual approach would probably be able to reduce mortality in critically ill patients with dialysis requiring AKI.


2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 897-909 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tyler Finocchio ◽  
William Coolidge ◽  
Thomas Johnson

The management of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can be a complicated specialty within itself, made even more complex when there are so many unanswered questions regarding the care of critically ill patients with HIV. The lack of consensus on the use of antiretroviral medications in the critically ill patient population has contributed to an ongoing clinical debate among intensivists. This review focuses on the pharmacological complications of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the intensive care setting, specifically the initiation of ART in patients newly diagnosed with HIV, immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS), continuation of ART in those who were on a complete regimen prior to intensive care unit admission, barriers of drug delivery alternatives, and drug-drug interactions.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erika Biegelmeyer ◽  
Iury Scanagata ◽  
Laura Alves ◽  
Murilo Reveilleau ◽  
Fernando Pereira Schwengber ◽  
...  

Background: Low T3 syndrome refers to a set of thyroid hormone metabolism alterations present in disease state. A correlation between low T3 and poor clinical outcomes in the intensive care unit is more established. Nonetheless, studies on non-critically ill patients are few and controversial. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and predictive value of low T3 levels on 30 days- and six month-term mortality in non-critically ill patients. Secondary outcomes evaluated length of hospital stay, overall mortality, and hospital readmission. Design: Prospective cohort study. Methods: 345 consecutive patients from Internal medicine ward of a tertiary hospital in southern Brazil included from October 2018 to April 2019 and followed for 6 months. Levels of total serum T3 were measured weekly, from admission to discharge, and correlated with 30-day hospital mortality. Results: Prevalence of low T3 was 36.6%. Low T3 levels were associated with higher 30-days hospital mortality (15.1% versus 4.1%, p<0.001) and higher 6-months overall mortality (31.7% versus 13.2%, p<0.001). Total serum T3 at admission was an independent predictor of 30-days hospital mortality. Conclusion: Low T3 levels are a prevalent condition among non-critically ill patients and this condition is associated with poor clinical outcomes in this population. Total serum T3 levels, alone or in association with other predictive scores, were demonstrated to be an easy and valuable tool for risk stratification, and should be further employed in this setting.


2007 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.M. Popovic

At least three-quarters of critically ill patients develop mucosal lesion as a direct consequence of stress within the first 24 hours following the admission to intensive care unit. These mucosal lesions occur as superficial or deep mucosal lesions which can lead to massive gastrointestinal bleeding and it can put at risk the life of critically ill patient. There are multiple risk factors for the occurence of mucosal lesion such as: respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation, sepsis, hypotension, burns, severe trauma, neurotrauma, ileus, coagulopathy, renal and hepatic failure, myocardial infarction etc. The incidence of silent (ocult) bleeding in critically ill patients is almost 100%, but only about 5% of patients have clinically apparent (overt) hemorrhage and 1-2% have clinically significant bleeding which requires blood transfusions. In patients who are at the greatest risk of developing mucosal lesion, prophylactic treatment ought to be started immediately in order to achieve pH4 with adequate perfusion and coagulation. Today several groups of medications are used for the prevention of mucosal gastrointestinal lesion and they include: antacids, sucralfate, hisamine-2 receptor antagonists and proton pump inhibitors.


Author(s):  
Juan G. Ripoll Sanz ◽  
Norlalak Jiramethee ◽  
Jose L. Diaz-Gomez

This chapter provides an overview of fundamental pathophysiologic concepts for the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular disorders in critically ill patients. Three major topics are presented: 1) the importance of vascular–cardiac pump coupling as an integrated system, 2) practical considerations of ventricular dysfunction, and 3) systemic vessels as a crucial factor for cardiac output control and fluid responsiveness.


2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 423-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luke M Weinel ◽  
Matthew J Summers ◽  
Lee-Anne Chapple

Muscle wasting in the intensive care unit (ICU) is common and may impair functional recovery. Ultrasonography (US) presents a modern solution to quantify skeletal muscle size and monitor muscle wasting. However, no standardised methodology for the conduct of ultrasound-derived quadriceps muscle layer thickness or cross-sectional area in this population exists. The aim of this study was to compare methodologies reported for the measurement of quadriceps muscle layer thickness (MLT) and cross-sectional area (CSA) using US in critically ill patients. Databases PubMed, Ovid, Embase, and CINAHL were searched for original research publications that reported US-derived quadriceps MLT and/or CSA conducted in critically ill adult patients. Data were extracted from eligible studies on parameters relating to US measurement including anatomical location, patient positioning, operator technique and image analysis. It was identified that there was a clear lack of reported detail and substantial differences in the reported methodology used for all parameters. A standardised protocol and minimum reporting standards for US-derived measurement of quadriceps muscle size in ICU is required to allow for consistent measurement techniques and hence interpretation of results.


2020 ◽  
Vol 128 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan E. Rosa-Caldwell ◽  
Dennis K. Fix ◽  
Tyrone A. Washington ◽  
Nicholas P. Greene

Cancer cachexia—cancer-associated body weight and muscle loss—is a significant predictor of mortality and morbidity in cancer patients across a variety of cancer types. However, despite the negative prognosis associated with cachexia onset, there are no clinical therapies approved to treat or prevent cachexia. This lack of treatment may be partially due to the relative dearth of literature on mechanisms occurring within the muscle before the onset of muscle wasting. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to compile the current scientific literature on mechanisms contributing to the development and progression of cancer cachexia, including protein turnover, inflammatory signaling, and mitochondrial dysfunction. We define “development” as changes in cell function occurring before the onset of cachexia and “progression” as alterations to cell function that coincide with the exacerbation of muscle wasting. Overall, the current literature suggests that multiple aspects of cellular function, such as protein turnover, inflammatory signaling, and mitochondrial quality, are altered before the onset of muscle loss during cancer cachexia and clearly highlights the need to study more thoroughly the developmental stages of cachexia. The studying of these early aberrations will allow for the development of effective therapeutics to prevent the onset of cachexia and improve health outcomes in cancer patients.


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