Objective To evaluate the effect of exogenous melatonin and its analogues on the prevention of delirium in critically ill patients by meta-analysis. Methods Randomized controlled trials of exogenous melatonin and its analogues in the prevention of delirium in critically ill patients were searched by computer from the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chongqing VIP, Wanfang, and SinoMed databases. The trial group was treated with melatonin or its analogues, while the control group was treated with placebo. The retrieval period was from the establishment of database to January 14th, 2021. Two researchers independently evaluated the literature quality, and meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software. Results A total of 11 randomized controlled trials containing 1177 patients were enrolled, including 588 patients in the trial group and 589 patients in the control group. The results showed that exogenous melatonin and its analogues could reduce the occurrence of delirium in critically ill patients [odds ratio (OR)=0.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.22, 0.91), P=0.03] and shorten the time of mechanical ventilation [standard mean difference (SMD)=?0.49, 95%CI (?0.94, ?0.03), P=0.04], while might not affect the mortality rate [OR=0.73, 95%CI (0.46, 1.17), P=0.19] or length of intensive care unit stay [SMD=?0.05, 95%CI (?0.26, 0.15), P=0.61]. Conclusions The current evidence shows that exogenous melatonin and its analogues have some effect on reducing the occurrence of delirium and shortening the duration of mechanical ventilation in critically ill patients, and have no significant effect on reducing the mortality or length of intensive care unit stay. The above conclusions need to be confirmed by more high-quality studies.
ObjectiveTo investigate and analyze the strategies for choosing venous access devices for critically ill patients.
MethodsThe medical staffs in ICU were required to fulfill a questionnaire on the knowledge and application of venous access devices in critically ill patients in May 2015.A descriptive statistical analysis was carried out on the answers generated from the questionnaire using SPSS 19.0 software.
ResultsA total of 50 questionnaires were distributed randomly and 46 valid questionnaires were recovered.The effective response rate was 92.0%.The proportion of junior, intermediate and senior medical staffs was 80.4%, 13.0% and 6.6%, respectively.The proportion of doctors and nurses was 39.1% and 60.9%, respectively.The average seniority was (5.7±4.9)years.The proportion of ICU medical staffs who were acquainted with PIV, ACVC, PICC, TCVC, PORT and Midline was 100.0%, 100.0%, 100.0%, 69.6%, 43.5% and 13.0%, respectively.The proportion of ICU medicial staffs who would take the styles of drug, the time of treatment, the patients' condition and the costs into consideration when choosing venous access devices was 100.0%, 100.0%, 64.0% and 18.0%, respectively.91.3% and 39.1% of ICU medical staffs would choose PIV and ACVC respectively if the time of treatment was less than 1 week.56.5%, 69.6% and 26.1% of ICU medical staffs would choose PIV, ACVC and PICC respectively if the time of treatment was between 1 and 4 weeks.30.4%, 39.1%, 82.6% and 32.6% of ICU medical staffs would choose PIV, ACVC, PICC and PORT respectively if the time of treatment was more than 4 weeks.52.2% of ICU medical staffs were acquaint with the styles and the indication of antibiotic coating central venous catheter.The main reasons for infusion failure were poor vascular condition (91.3%), old age (52.2%), skin lesions (39.1%) and pipeline plugging (26.1%).The main reasons for choosing the peripheral vein were lower risk of infection (87.0%), short-term treatment (82.6%), common transfusion (78.3%) and antibiotic treatment (47.8%).The main reasons for choosing central venous infusion were irritant drugs (82.6%), peripheral vascular puncture difficulty (69.6%), long-term infusion (65.2%) and hemodynamic monitor (56.5%).
ConclusionsIt is difficult to establish a vascular access for critically ill patients.The ICU medical staffs are experienced to PIV, ACVC and PICC but not to Midline, TCVC and PORT.A comprehensive evaluation is essential to choose a suitable and reliable venous access device for critically ill patients.
Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is the treatment of choice for critically ill patients with hemodynamic instability who require renal replacement therapy. This review summarizes the impact of CRRT treatment on nutritional support in critically ill patients, including: energy increase caused by citrate-based anticoagulants, energy loss caused by glucose-free replacement fluid and dialysate, a large amount of amino acids loss in the effluent, and the influences on the way of lipid emulsion administration, capacity, electrolyte, vitamins, and trace elements. It is hoped that the intensive care unit doctors, nephrologists, and nutritionists can fully cooperate to determine the CRRT prescription and the nutritional support prescription.
Objective To explore the diagnosis and treatment of critically ill patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome ( OSAHS) . Methods Critically ill patients with OSAHS admitted in intensive care unit from January 2003 to December 2007 were retrospectively analyzed. Results Seventy-nine critically ill patients were diagnosed as OSAHS. The initial diagnosis of OSAHS was made by history requiring, physical examination, and Epworth sleepiness score evaluation. The final diagnosis was comfirmed by polysomnography thereafter. Base on the treatment of primary critical diseases, the patients were given respiratory support either with continuous positive airway pressure ( CPAP) or with bi-level positive airway pressure ventilation ( BiPAP) . Two cases died and the remaining 77 patients were cured anddischarged. Conclusions Timely diagnosis of OSAHS is important to rescue the critically ill patients. Respiratory support combined with treatment of primary critical diseases can improve the outcomes of these patients.
ObjectiveTo compare the indirect calorimetry (IC) measured resting energy expenditure (MREE) with adjusted Harris-Benedict formula calculating resting energy expenditure (CREE) in the mechanically ventilated surgical critically ill patients and to evaluate the relationship between the resting energy expenditure (REE) with the severity of illness. MethodsTwenty-one patients undergonging mechanical ventilation for critical illness in the intensive care unit of general surgery between August 2008 and February 2010 were included in this study. Data during the study period of nutrition support were collected for computation of the severity of critical illness by acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ scores (APACHE Ⅱ scores) and organ dysfunction scores (Marshall scores). MREE was measured by using IC of the MedGraphics CCM/D System within the first 7 d after nutrition therapy. CREE was calculated by using the HarrisBenedict formula adjusted with correction factors for illness at the same time. According to APACHE Ⅱ scores on admission, the enrolled patients were divided into two groups: APACHEⅡ score ≥20 scores group (n=8) and APACHE Ⅱ score lt;20 scores group (n=13), and the differences between MREE and CREE of patients in two groups were determined. ResultsThe reduction of variation tendency in CREE other than MREE in the enrolled patients within the first week of nutritional support was statistical significance (Plt;0.001). The CREE of patients 〔(1 984.49±461.83) kcal/d〕 was significantly higher than the MREE 〔(1 563.88±496.93) kcal/d〕 during the first week of nutritional support (Plt;0.001). The MREE on the 0, 1, 2, and 4 d after nutrition therapy were statistically significant lower than CREE at the same time interval in these patients (Plt;0.01), and the differences at the other time points were not significant (Pgt;0.05). There was a trend towards a reduction in APACHE Ⅱ and Marshall scores within the first week of nutrition therapy that reached statistical significance (Plt;0.001). During the first week of nutrition therapy, APACHEⅡ and Marshall scores of patients in ≥20 scores group were significantly higher than those in lt;20 scores group, respectively (Plt;0.05 or Plt;0.01), and the reductions of APACHE Ⅱ scores and Marshall scores were significant in patients of two groups (Plt;0.001). A significant positive correlation was found between CREE with APACHE Ⅱ scores (r=0.656, Plt;0.001) and Marshall scores (r=0.608，Plt;0.001) in patients within the first week after nutrition support. Although no statistically significant correlation was observed between MREE and APACHEⅡ scores (r=-0.045， P=0.563), a significant positive correlation was observed between MREE and Marshall scores (r=0.263, P=0.001) within the first week after nutrition therapy. There was no correlation between MREE and CREE (r=0.064, P=0.408) in patients at the same time interval. The reduction of MREE of patients in ≥20 scores group other than in lt;20 scores group was statistically significant within the first week after nutrition therapy (P=0.034). In addition, the MREE of patients in ≥20 scores group were not significantly different from those in lt;20 scores group (Pgt;0.05), and the mean CREE was not different in two groups patients within the first week of nutritional therapy 〔(1 999.55±372.73) kcal/d vs. (1 918.39±375.27) kcal/d, P=0.887〕. CREE was significantly higher than MREE of patients in ≥20 scores group within the first week except the 3 d and 5 d after nutrition therapy (Plt;0.05), while in lt;20 scores group CREE was significantly higher than MREE in patients only within the first 3 d after nutrition therapy (Plt;0.05 or Plt;0.01). MREE and CREE of patients in ≥20 scores group were not different from those in lt;20 scores group, respectively (Pgt;0.05).
Malnutrition is directly related to the outcomes of critically ill children. Providing ideal nutritional treatment can reduce the high catabolic state caused by the critically ill, reduce oxidative damage and regulate immune response, then improving clinical prognosis. Optimized nutritional supply for critically ill children has been transformed from auxiliary support to one of the important treatment methods. Enteral nutrition is the preferred way to provide nutrition, but parenteral nutrition is the only method of supplement and replacement when the supply of enteral nutrition is insufficient or deficient. This article reviews the timing of parenteral nutrition initiation, protein and amino acids in parenteral nutrition, the mechanism of possible adverse effects in early parenteral nutrition, and issues related to parenteral nutrition in premature infants, in order to help clinicians in pediatric intensive care unit improve the evaluation and management of parenteral nutrition use.
ObjectiveTo investigate the species and resistance phenotypes of the pathogens causing catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) in critically ill patients in West China Hospital of Sichuan University, and to provide the basis for the prevention and treatment of this kind of infection.
MethodsThe clinical data and findings of the laboratory examination of the patients, who were admitted to intensive care units and suffered from CAUTI in our hospital during January 2012 to December 2014, were retrospectively analyzed. The pathogens isolates from the urine specimens of the patients with CAUTI and their resistance phenotypes were analyzed.
ResultsThree hundred and seventy patients suffering from CAUTI were included in this study. Five hundred and seventeen strains of pathogens were isolated from the urine specimens of these patients, including 222 isolates (42.9%) of fungus, 181 isolates (35.0%) of gram negative bacteria, and 114 isolates (22.0%) of gram positive bacteria. In terms of species distribution, Candida albicans (105 isolates, 20.3%), C.glabrata (78 isolates, 15.1%) and C.glabrata (30 isolates, 5.8%) were the predominant fungus. Among the gram negative bacteria, Escherichia coli (81 isolates, 15.7%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (37 isolates, 7.2%), and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii complex (23 isolates, 4.4%) were the main species. Enterococcus faecium (79 isolates, 15.3%) and E.faecalis (13 isolates, 2.5%) were the frequently isolated gram positive bacteria. Analysis of the resistance phenotype showed that the resistance rates to itraconazole, voriconazole and fluconazole of Candida spp. were above 10%. Thirty percent of the isolates of E.coli and K.pneumoniae, and 60% of the isolates of A.calcoaceticus-Baumannii complex were resistant to many of the regular antibiotics. Imipenem resistance rate of A.calcoaceticus-Baumannii complex was 60.8%. Sixty percent of the isolates of E.faecium and E.faecalis were resistant to many of the regular antibiotics. The vancomycin-resistant isolates accounted for 16.5% of E.faecium and 31.0% of E.faecalis.
ConclusionCandida species are the major pathogens for CAUTI in critically ill patients in our hospital and show the resistance to azoles. We should focus on the drug resistance of gram negative bacteria and gram positive bacteria. The rational use of antibiotics and application of effective infection control measures are important to decrease the CAUTI.
In recent years, with the development of neuroimaging and the improvement of people’s awareness, the incidence of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) has been increasing year by year. CVST with venous infarction or haemorrhage is severe, accounting for about 60% of CVST, and its clinical manifestations are serious. The current therapies including anticoagulation and intravascular treatment have not significantly improved the prognosis of severe CVST patients. The incidence of long-term poor prognosis (modified Rankin scale score≥2) is up to 56.1%. Recent research indicates that inflammation may be an important factor leading to severe CVST and is significantly associated with poor prognosis. Anti-inflammatory treatment with glucocorticoids may provide a novel method for severe CVST, but further clinical studies are needed to verify it. This paper introduces the relationship between inflammation and severe CVST in order to explore the feasibility of glucocorticoid for severe CVST.
Objective To investigate the efficacy of interdisciplinary therapy in critically ill patients with gas gangrene in the 2008 W enchuan earthquake．Methods Four critically wounded patients with gas gangrene caused by Wenchuan earthquake were treated by interdisciplinary cooperation．Results Two patients received debridement and decompression were not amputated．Two amputated patients did not received futher amputation．Conclusions Interdisciplinary therapy of critically ill patients with gasgangrene in earthquake could limited the area of tissue necrosis，minimized the necessity of amputation and further amputation．
Objective To examine the adrenal function of critically ill patients received mechanical ventilation, and explore the relationship between the occurrence of relative adrenal insufficiency ( RAI) and weaning outcome.Methods Critically ill patients who were mechanically ventilated over 48 hours were enrolled in this study. Every patient was given one shot of corticotrophin 250 μg intravenously on the first day of admission and the first day of spontaneous-breathing-trial ( SBT) . Plasma contisol level was detected by radio-immunoassay before ( T0 ) and 30 minutes ( T30 ) after the shot. Meanwhile the following parameters were recorded including APACHEⅡ, age, and cause of disease, etc. RAI was defined as the difference between T0 and T30 ≤9 μg/dL. Receiver operating characteristic ( ROC) curve was used to evaluate the accuracy of the indicators towards the weaning outcome. Results A total of 45 patients with mechanical ventilation were recruited. The successful weaning group consisted 29 patients and the failure weaning group consisted 16 patients. The incidence of RAI in the successful weaning group ( 37.9% , 11/ 29) was significantly lower than that in the failure weaning group ( 75.0% , 12 /16) ( P=0. 017) . On the first day of admission, there was no significant difference of Δcortisol between the successful weaning group and the failure weaning group [ ( 10.3 ±5.7) μg/dL vs. ( 7.5 ±4.5) μg/dL, P=0.100) . On the first SBT day, Δcortisol of the successful weaning group was significantly higher than that in the failure weaning group [ ( 10.9 ±5.1) μg/dL vs. ( 4.9 ±2.9) μg/dL, P= 0.043] . Logistic regression analysis showed that Δcortisol was an independent risk factor of weaning. ROC curve analysis showed that on the first SBT day, the area under the curve of Δcortisol was 0.872; The sensitivity and the specificity of accurate judgmentwere 0.813 and 0.828 if Δcortisol ≤6. 95 μg/dL. Conclusions The occurrence of RAI is common in critically ill patients with mechanical ventilation. The adrenal function affects the outcome of weaning, and Δcortisol may be used as an important predictive indicator for weaning outcome.
