Journal of Intensive Care Medicine

Stroke remains a major cause of mortality and disability worldwide. This study aims to identify the risk factors associated with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) deterioration in stroke patients using data from the MIMIC-IV database.

We conducted a retrospective cohort study based on the MIMIC-IV database, involving 1984 adult stroke patients. The main exposure variables included age, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score. The outcome variable was GCS deterioration during hospitalization. Covariates included demographic information, comorbidities, and laboratory indicators. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyze risk factors.

Each 1-point increase in SOFA score was associated with a 50.69% increased risk of GCS score deterioration (OR = 1.5069, 95% CI: 1.2641-1.7964, P < .0001). Each year increase in age was associated with a 24.19% increased risk (OR = 1.2419, 95% CI: 1.0496-1.4695, P = .0116). Each 1 mEq/L increase in minimum anion gap was associated with a 24.56% increased risk (OR = 1.2456, 95% CI: 1.0076-1.5398, P = .0424). Risk factors varied significantly among disease subtypes.

SOFA score, age, and anion gap are important predictors of GCS score deterioration in patients with neurological diseases. These findings may help identify high-risk patients early and optimize treatment strategies.

This study directly compares outcomes of phenobarbital and dexmedetomidine as adjuncts to symptom-triggered benzodiazepine treatment for alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS).

This is a retrospective cohort analysis at a single tertiary referral institution in a major urban center in the United States. In hospitalized patients above 18 years with AWS between May 1, 2018, and July 31, 2021 we compared the hospital length of stay (LOS), ICU LOS, mechanical ventilation incidence and duration of patients who received dexmedetomidine versus phenobarbital as adjuncts to lorazepam-based treatment. Patients were divided into two cohorts based on treatment they received – dexmedetomidine/lorazepam (DEX) versus phenobarbital/lorazepam (PHENO). The use of phenobarbital or dexmedetomidine was left to the discretion of the treating bedside physician.

One hundred fifty-six patients met inclusion criteria with 102 patients (65%) in the DEX group and 54 patients (35%) in the PHENO group. The PHENO group had a lower probability of intubation (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.15-0.70, p = 0.005) and shorter hospital LOS (IRR 0.45, 95% CI 0.31-0.64, p < 0.001), and ICU LOS (IRR 0.58, 95% CI 0.34-1.00, p = 0.050). For both hospital and ICU LOS, the PHENO group had shorter LOS than dexmedetomidine at lower doses of lorazepam (<3 mg), but this protective effect diminished at higher doses of lorazepam, at a rate of 10% (hospital LOS, IRR 1.10, 95% CI 1.05-1.16, p < 0.001) and 6% (ICU LOS, IRR 1.06, 95% CI 0.99-1.13, p = 0.074) per milligram increase in lorazepam.

A symptom- triggered lorazepam regimen including early phenobarbital administration for severe alcohol withdrawal syndrome is associated with lower hospital LOS and need for intubation compared to a symptom triggered lorazepam regimen with dexmedetomidine adjunct.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) after surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD) provides hemodynamic support to patients when their myocardial function is temporarily affected. Postoperative infections in children with CHD on ECMO are a significant challenge, as they complicate recovery and affect outcomes during this critical period of hemodynamic support. The objective of this study was to analyze the mortality related to the micro-organism isolated in children with ECMO after surgery for CHD.

Retrospective cohort study from January 2014 to December 2021 at a university hospital in Colombia. The primary outcome was the infection-related inpatient mortality of children undergoing surgery for CHD who received ECMO support, according to the type of microorganisms isolated in cultures.

A total of 3307 surgeries for CHD were performed during the study period. Of these, 108 (3.3%) required veno-arterial ECMO after surgery. We found positive cultures in 35% of these patients. The incidence of infection was 14.5 cases per 1000 days of ECMO. The overall mortality of infected patients was 54.1%. Isolation of Gram-negative bacteria in cultures was associated with higher odds of dying compared with other isolations, regardless of age and type of CHD (aOR 6.92 95% CI 1.91-25.02; p < .01). We found no differences in hospital length of stay or PICU stay based on the type of bacteria isolated. The most commonly isolated Gram-negative bacteria was Klebsiella pneumoniae, which was associated with longer mechanical ventilation [26 (IQR 18.2-31.0) versus 11 (IQR 8.0-15.0) days; p < .01].

The presence of a Gram-negative bacterium as the cause of infection in any sample was associated with increased odds of mortality in children receiving ECMO support in the postoperative period following corrective surgery for congenital heart disease. Infections occurred in 1 out of 3 children on ECMO following surgery for CHD.

The objective of this study was to examine the association between admission time and in-hospital mortality in patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia.

The study population consisted of individuals who were enrolled between January 2019 and December 2023. These individuals were divided into two groups based on the time of admission: daytime admission from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm and nighttime admission from 6:00 pm to 8:00 am The primary endpoint of the study was in-hospital mortality. Binary logistic regression was employed to assess the association between admission time and in-hospital mortality.

A total of 307 patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia were ultimately enrolled in the study. Of the total number of patients, 57% (175 patients) were admitted at night. A comparative analysis of the clinical outcomes in the two groups revealed that the mortality rate for patients admitted at night was 28%, which was not significantly different from that of patients admitted during the day, which was 35.6% (P = .155). The findings from binary logistic regression analyses revealed no statistically significant correlation between nighttime admissions and in-hospital mortality.

This study's findings indicate that nighttime admission for patients diagnosed with severe community-acquired pneumonia is not associated with an elevated risk of mortality. Conversely, there may be a reduced mortality rate for patients admitted during nighttime hours. However, further prospective multicenter studies are required in the future to confirm this.

Hemoadsorption is currently employed to treat septic shock and other clinical conditions involving massive inflammatory mediator release. CytoSorb^®, a device utilizing synthetic resin microbeads, provides a large adsorption surface for blood purification. This study aimed to review the clinical course of patients with septic shock treated with CytoSorb^® in our hospital's intensive care unit (ICU).

This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical course of patients with septic shock treated with CytoSorb^®, focusing on treatment timing and the volume of blood processed.

Between July 1, 2016, and December 31, 2023, 175 patients (106 men, 69 women; median age: 67 years, interquartile [IQR]: 58-85) received CytoSorb^® therapy. Survivors exhibited a significantly lower simplified acute physiology score at admission than nonsurvivors. CytoSorb^® was initiated within 24 h of shock onset in 102 patients (58%, early starters) and between 25 and 48 h in 73 patients (42%, late starters). Hemodynamic improvements elevated mean arterial pressure and reduced lactate, procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, sequential organ failure assessment scores, and noradrenaline doses in survivors. These effects were more pronounced in early starters receiving intensive treatment, who also demonstrated significantly lower lactate levels and higher mean arterial pressure at the end of therapy. Overall, 86 patients (49%) died in the ICU. Survivors underwent longer treatment durations and processed greater blood volumes than nonsurvivors.

In patients with septic shock treated with CytoSorb^® within 48 h of onset, treatment intensity–rather than timing–was associated with lower ICU mortality rates.