Critical Care Research and Practice最新文献

Background: Early mobilisation of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) is associated with positive health benefits. Research literature lacks insight into the current status of ICU physical therapy (PT) practice in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Aim: To determine the current standard of ICU PT practice, attitude, and barriers.

Methods: A questionnaire was e-mailed to physiotherapists (PTs) working in the hospital. The questions pertained to experience, qualification, barriers, and most frequently encountered case scenarios in the ICU.

Results: The response rate was 28.1% (124/442). Frequent cases referred to the PTs were traumatic paraplegia (n = 111, 89%) and stroke (n = 102, 82.3%) as compared to congestive heart failure (n = 20, 16.1%) and pulmonary infections (n = 7, 5.6%). The preferred treatment of choice among PTs was chest physiotherapy (n = 102, 82.2%) and positioning (n = 73, 58.8%), whereas functional electrical stimulation (n = 12, 9.6%) was least preferred irrespective of the condition. Perceived barriers in the ICU PT management were of low confidence in managing cases (n = 89, 71.7%) followed by inadequate training (n = 53, 42.7%), and the least quoted barrier was a communication gap between the critical care team members (n = 8, 6.4%).

Conclusion: PTs reported significant variation in the choice of treatment for different clinical cases inside ICU. The main barriers in the ICU setting were low confidence and inadequate training.

Background: The area under the curve- (AUC-) guided vancomycin dosing is the best strategy for individualized therapy in critical illnesses. Since AUC can be calculated directly using drug clearance (CL_van), any parameter estimating CL_van will be able to achieve the goal of 24-hour AUC (AUC_24 h). The present study was aimed to determine CL_van based on 6-hour urine creatinine clearance measurement in critically ill patients with normal renal function.

Method: 23 adult critically ill patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥60 mL/min who received vancomycin infusion were enrolled in this pilot study. Vancomycin pharmacokinetic parameters were determined for each patient using serum concentration data and a one-compartment model provided by MONOLIX software using stochastic approximation expectation-maximization (SAEM) algorithm. Correlation of CL_van with the measured creatinine clearance in 6-hour urine collection (CL_6 h) and estimated creatinine clearance by the Cockcroft-Gault formula (CL_CG) was investigated.

Results: Data analysis revealed that CL_6 h had a stronger correlation with CL_van rather than CL_CG (r = 0.823 vs. 0.594; p < 0.001 vs. 0.003). The relationship between CL_van and CL_6 h was utilized to develop the following equation for estimating CL_van: CL_van (mL/min) = ─137.4 + CL_6 h (mL/min) + 2.5 IBW (kg) (R ²  = 0.826, p < 0.001). Regarding the described model, the following equation can be used to calculate the empirical dose of vancomycin for achieving the therapeutic goals in critically ill patients without renal impairment: total daily dose of vancomycin (mg) = (─137.4CL_6-h (mL/min) + 2.5 IBW (kg)) × 0.06 AUC_24 h (mg.hr/L).

Conclusion: For AUC estimation, CL_van can be obtained by collecting urine in a 6-hour period with good approximation in critically ill patients with normal renal function.

Background: Poor sleep quality is common in the intensive care unit (ICU), where several factors including environmental factors contribute to sleep deprivation.

Objective: This study aims to assess and compare the effectiveness of earplugs and eye mask versus ocean sound on sleep quality among ICU patients.

Design: A true experimental crossover design was used. Setting. Medical ICU of the Maharishi Markandeshwar Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Hospital, Mullana, India. Participants. Sixty-eight patients admitted in the medical ICU were randomly allocated by lottery methods into group 1 and group 2.

Methods: Nocturnal nine-hour (10 : 00 pm to 7 : 00 am) for a four-night period were measured. Earplugs and eye mask versus ocean sound were crossed over between two groups. Subjective sleep quality of four nights was assessed using a structured sleep quality scale. Scores for each question range from 0 to 3, with a higher score indicating poor sleep quality.

Results: Repeated measures ANOVA showed that there was a significant change in the sleep quality score (p=0.001), which showed that sleep quality score was improved after the administration of earplugs and eye mask and ocean sound. Fisher's LSD post hoc comparison showed a significant difference (p=0.001).

Conclusion: Earplugs and eye mask were better than ocean sound in improving sleep quality. Earplugs, eye mask, and ocean sound are safe and cost effective, which could be used as an adjuvant to pharmacological interventions to improve sleep quality among ICU patients. However, further research in this area needs to be conducted. This trial is registered with NCT03215212.

Background: The current COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in over 54,800,000 SARS-CoV-2 infections worldwide with a mortality rate of around 2.5%. As observed in other airborne viral infections such as influenza and SARS-CoV-1, healthcare workers are at high risk for infection when performing aerosol-generating medical procedures (AGMP). Additionally, the threats of a global shortage of standard personal protective equipment (PPE) prompted many healthcare workers to explore alternative protective enclosures, such as the "aerosol box" invented by a Taiwanese anesthetist. Our study includes the design process of a protective barrier enclosure and its subsequent clinical implementation in the management of critically ill adults and children infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Methods and results: The barrier enclosure was designed for use in our tertiary care facility and named "SplashGuard CG" (CG for Care Givers). The device has been adapted using a multi- and interdisciplinary approach, with collaboration between physicians, respiratory therapists, nurses, and biomechanical engineers. Computer-aided design and simulation sessions throughout the entire process facilitated the rapid and safe implementation of the SplashGuard CG in different settings (intensive care unit, emergency department, and the operating room) during AGMPs such as bag-valve-mask ventilation, nasopharyngeal suctioning, intubation and extubation, and noninvasive ventilation. Indications for use and anticipatory precautions were communicated to all healthcare workers using the SplashGuard CG. The entire process was completed within one month.

Conclusion: The rapid design, development, and clinical implementation of a new barrier enclosure, the "SplashGuard CG," was feasible in this time of crisis thanks to close collaboration between medical and engineering teams and the use of recurring simulation sessions to test and improve the initial prototypes. Following this accelerated process, it is necessary to maintain team skills, monitor any undesirable effects, and evaluate and continuously improve this new device.

Introduction: Although the detrimental effects of excessive perioperative fluid administration are generally well established, data in the setting of cardiac surgery remain less robust.

Methods: In this retrospective single-center observational study, the total fluid balance in the first 12 hours during and after surgery was evaluated. Primary endpoint was the relationship between total fluid balance and the incidence of prolonged mechanical ventilation. For this purpose, data were divided into quartiles (Q); prolonged mechanical ventilation and prolonged length of stay (LOS) in the ICU were defined as Q4. Secondary endpoints were prolonged LOS in the ICU, incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI; defined as a 1.5-fold increase in serum creatinine during, relative to baseline), and ICU mortality.

Results: In a 3-year period, 748 patients were included. In a univariate analysis, the median duration of mechanical ventilation was 2.9 h [2.4-3.7] in Q1 of the fluid balance and increased significantly to 4.7 h [3.1-9.2] in Q4 of the fluid balance (p < 0.001). In addition, patients in Q4 of the fluid balance had a significantly longer LOS in the ICU, as well as a higher incidence of AKI and ICU mortality. In a multivariate analysis, Q4 of the fluid balance was independently associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation (OR 4.9, CI 2.9-8.4, p < 0.001) and prolonged LOS in the ICU (OR 11.3 CI 6.1-20,9, p < 0.001), but not with the incidence of AKI or ICU mortality.

Conclusions: Perioperative fluid administration in cardiac surgery patients was independently associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation and prolonged LOS in the ICU.

Design: This is a retrospective case series describing the feasibility and tolerability of postextubation prone positioning (PEPP) and its impact on physiologic parameters in a tertiary intensive care unit during the COVID-19 pandemic. Setting and Patients. This study was conducted on patients with COVID-19 respiratory failure hospitalized in a tertiary Intensive Care Unit at Surrey Memorial Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Measurements and Results. We did not find prior reports of PEPP following prolonged intubation in the literature. Four patients underwent a total of 13 PEPP sessions following liberation from prolonged mechanical ventilation. Each patient underwent a median of 3 prone sessions (IQR: 2, 4.25) lasting a median of 1.5 hours (IQR: 1.2, 2.1). PEPP sessions were associated with a reduction in median oxygen requirements, patient respiratory rate, and reintubation rate. The sessions were well tolerated by patients, nursing, and the allied health team.

Conclusions: The novel practice of PEPP after liberation from prolonged mechanical ventilation in patients with COVID-19 respiratory failure is feasible and well tolerated, and may be associated with favourable clinical outcomes including improvement in oxygenation and respiratory rate and a low rate of reintubation. Larger prospective studies of PEPP are warranted.

Background: Providing an organ for donation is a major problem worldwide and nurses play an important role in facilitating the process of organ donation. This study is aimed at investigating the knowledge, attitude, and performance of nurses working in the ICU, CCU, and emergency wards regarding organ donation.

Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, 185 nurses working in ICU, CCU, and emergency wards were studied through systematic random sampling. The data collection was done by a self-administered questionnaire.

Results: The mean knowledge of nurses was 8.9 ± 1.4 out of 10. There was a significant relationship between knowledge of nurses regarding donation and religion and having organ donation card (P < 0.001). The mean attitude of nurses was 7.8 ± 2.2 out of 8. The variables, including "having a donation card and marriage," were associated with attitude of nurses toward organ donation. The mean performance of nurses was 0.4 ± 0.7 out of 3. There was a significant relationship between performance of nurses and having a donation card (P < 0.001). Knowledge was the strongest predictor of nurses' performance (P < 0.01).

Conclusion: The studied nurses showed sufficient knowledge and favorable attitude toward organ donation; however, they had poor performance. It is suggested to hold training courses to improve performance of nurses. The revision of the nursing students' curriculum as future nurses should also be considered.