The Effect of Dexmedetomidine as a Sedative Agent for Mechanically Ventilated Patients With Sepsis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Purpose: Dexmedetomidine has been shown to improve clinical outcomes in critically ill patients. However, its effect on septic patients remains controversial. Therefore, the purpose of this meta-analysis was to assess the effect of dexmedetomidine as a sedative agent for mechanically ventilated patients with sepsis.Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library from inception through May 2021 for randomized controlled trials that enrolled mechanically ventilated, adult septic patients comparing dexmedetomidine with other sedatives or placebo.Results: A total of nine studies involving 1,134 patients were included in our meta-analysis. The overall mortality (RR 0.97, 95%CI 0.82 to 1.13, P = 0.67, I2 = 25%), length of intensive care unit stay (MD −1.12, 95%CI −2.89 to 0.64, P = 0.21, I2 = 71%), incidence of delirium (RR 0.95, 95%CI 0.72 to 1.25, P = 0.70, I2 = 0%), and delirium free days (MD 1.76, 95%CI –0.94 to 4.47, P = 0.20, I2 = 80%) were not significantly different between dexmedetomidine and other sedative agents. Alternatively, the use of dexmedetomidine was associated with a significant reduction in the duration of mechanical ventilation (MD –0.53, 95%CI −0.85 to −0.21, P = 0.001, I2 = 0%) and inflammatory response (TNF-α: MD −5.27, 95%CI −7.99 to −2.54, P<0.001, I2 = 0%; IL-1β: MD −1.25, 95%CI −1.91 to –0.59, P<0.001, I2 = 0%).Conclusions: For patients with sepsis, the use of dexmedetomidine as compared with other sedative agents does not affect all-cause mortality, length of intensive care unit stay, the incidence of delirium, and delirium-free days. But the dexmedetomidine was associated with the reduced duration of mechanical ventilation and inflammatory response.

Course of Stress during the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Stay in Preterm Infants

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Understanding the course of stress during the neonatal intensive care unit stay may provide targets for interventions. Our aim was to describe the course of stress in preterm infants during the first 28 days of life, the influence of gestational age, and associations with clinical characteristics. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> In a single centre prospective cohort study, we included infants with a gestational age &#x3c;30 weeks and/or birth weight &#x3c;1,000 g. We measured stress over the first 28 days using the Neonatal Infant Stressor Scale (NISS). We plotted daily NISS total and subcategory scores by gestational age. The subcategories were (1) nursing, (2) skin-breaking, (3) monitoring and imaging, and (4) medical morbidity-related scores. We assessed associations of cumulative NISS scores over the first 7, 14, and 28 days with clinical characteristics using regression analyses. <b><i>Results:</i></b> We included 45 infants, with a median gestational age of 27 weeks. The mean daily NISS score was 66.5 (SD 8.7), with highest scores in the first 7 days of life. Scores decreased the slowest for the lowest gestational ages, in particular for nursing scores, rather than skin-breaking, monitoring and imaging, and medical morbidity-related scores. Adjusted for gestational age, infants with lower Apgar scores, sepsis, intraventricular haemorrhages, and on mechanical ventilation had significantly higher cumulative NISS scores at 7, 14, and 28 days. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> NISS scores varied greatly within infants and over time, with the highest mean scores in the first week after birth. The course of declining NISS scores in the first 28 days depended on gestational age at birth.

RISK FACTORS AND OUTCOMES OF NEW ONSET ARRHYTHMIA IN SURGICAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Objective: To assess the frequency of new-onset cardiac arrhythmias among patients admitted in surgical intensive care unit as well as associated risk factors. Study Design: Retrospective observational study. Place and Duration of Study: Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from Jan 2018 to Dec 2019. Methodology: The medical record numbers of all patients admitted in surgical intensive care unit were obtained from Surgical intensive care unit case log entries and reviewed. Patients` and healthcare providers` identification were kept confidential. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 19. Results: Only 13/1076 patients included in the study had cardiac arrhythmias during their stay in Surgical intensive care unit. Among all patients with arrhythmias (n=13), atrial fibrillation was the most common type of arrhythmia 7 (53.8%). The study found higher occurrence of arrhythmias among the patients in the age category of 66 years or above 8 (4.6%) and when compared to younger patients with age categories 18-40 years 2 (0.3%) and 41-65 years 3 (0.3%) respectively (p-value<0.05). Similarly, arrhythmias were higher among patients who had relatively prolong intensive care unit stay and post-operative status as the primary cause of intensive care unit admission. Conclusion: Occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias is relatively low among patients admitted to surgical intensive care patient population. Patients age (>65 years), prolong intensive care unit stay, post-operative status are positively associated with development of cardiac arrhythmias among critically ill patients admitted in surgical intensive care unit.

Physician Influence on Variation in Receipt of Aggressive End-of-Life Care Among Women Dying of Ovarian Cancer

PURPOSE: End-of-life care for women with ovarian cancer is persistently aggressive, but factors associated with overuse are not well understood. We evaluated physician-level variation in receipt of aggressive end-of-life care and examined physician-level factors contributing to this variation in the SEER-Medicare data set. METHODS: Medicare beneficiaries with ovarian cancer who died between 2000 and 2016 were included if they were diagnosed after age 66 years, had complete Medicare coverage between diagnosis and death, and had outpatient physician evaluation and management for their ovarian cancer. Using multilevel logistic regression, we examined physician variation in no hospice enrollment, late hospice enrollment (≤ 3 days), > 1 emergency department visit, an intensive care unit stay, terminal hospitalization, > 1 hospitalization, receiving a life-extending or invasive procedure, and chemotherapy (in the last 2 weeks). RESULTS: In this sample of 6,288 women, 51% of women received at least one form of aggressive end-of-life care. Most common were no hospice enrollment (28.9%), an intensive care unit stay (18.6%), and receipt of an invasive procedure (20.7%). For not enrolling in hospice, 9.9% of variation was accounted for by physician clustering ( P < .01). Chemotherapy had the highest physician variation (12.4%), with no meaningful portion of the variation explained by physician specialty, volume, region, or patient characteristics. CONCLUSION: In this study, a meaningful amount of variation in aggressive end-of-life care among women dying of ovarian cancer was at the physician level, suggesting that efforts to improve the quality of this care should include interventions aimed at physician practices and decision making in end-of-life care.

Surgical Approach to Rib Fractures

Rib fractures due to thorax trauma are one of the issues that mostly concern thoracic surgeons. Treatment for rib fractures is usually conservative. However, in some cases, fractured rib can cause complicated situations and surgical repair is required. Very serious respiratory problems occur in multiple costa fractures. Therefore, many advantages of surgical stabilization of the thorax wall have been reported. Especially shortening mechanical ventilation, decreasing the duration of intensive care unit stay, is important in preventing complications. Operation indications; Persistent pain despite intercostal block, narcotic and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics, It was determined upon the presence of leakage from the thorax tube, intrathoracic hematoma and flail chest deformity. Nowadays, nithinol plates and titanium plates are frequently used in surgeon fixation of the rib fractures.