Improvement of the nutritional support management system for patients in intensive care units

BACKGROUND Nutritional support for patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit(ICU)is an important part of clinical treatment and care,but there are significant implementation difficulties.AIM To introduce a modified nutritional support management system for ICU patients based on closed-loop information management and psychological counseling.METHODS The division of functions,personnel training,system construction,development of an intelligent decision-making software system,quality control,and improvement of the whole process were carried out to systematically manage nutritional support for ICU patients.RESULTS Following the implementation of the whole process management system,the scores of ICU medical staff’s knowledge,attitudes/beliefs,and practices regarding nutritional support were comprehensively enhanced.The proportion of hospital bed-days of total enteral nutrition(EN)in ICU patients increased from 5.58%to 11.46%,and the proportion of EN plus parenteral nutrition increased from 42.71%to 47.07%.The rate of EN initiation within 48 h of ICU admission increased from 37.50%to 48.28%,and the EN compliance rate within 72 h elevated from 20.59%to 31.72%.After the implementation of the project,the Self-rating Anxiety Scale score decreased from 61.07±9.91 points to 52.03±9.02 points,the Self-rating Depression Scale score reduced from 62.47±10.50 points to 56.34±9.83 points,and the ICU stay decreased from 5.76±2.77 d to 5.10±2.12 d.CONCLUSION The nutritional support management system based on closed-loop information management and psychological counseling achieved remarkable results in clinical applications in ICU patients.

Risk Factors for Mortality in Acute Kidney Injury in Intensive Care Units in Togo

Context: Acute kidney injury (AKI) in intensive care unit (ICU) is common and associated with very high mortality. In Togo, a tropical country with limited resources and only one nephrology department in the north, acute kidney injury seems to be a real tragedy with high mortality. Aims: to determine risk factors for mortality in acute kidney injury in the intensive care units. Methods and Material: We made a multicentric cross sectional study during 6 months in the four referral centers in northern Togo. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with mortality. Data were analyzed using RStudio 2023.04.1. Results: A total of 12.6% of patients admitted to intensive care had presented with AKI. The mean age was 49.6 ± 17.9. The sex ratio (M/F) was 2.1. Community-acquired AKI was in the majority (67.7%). Oligo anuria was the most frequent functional sign (38.4%). In our series, 81.6% of patients were in KDIGO stages 2 to 3. AKI was organic in 56.2% of cases. Mortality was 44.3%. In multivariate analysis, the main factors predictive of death were: respiratory distress (OR = 2.36;p Conclusions: Acute kidney injury in intensive care is common in northern Togo, and mortality is high. Identification of associated factors should help anticipate prognosis.

The trajectories of physical growth in 4 months postnatal corrected age among preterm infants discharged from neonatal intensive care units and associated factors: A prospective study

Objectives Growth retardation is a risk for premature infants.In addition to demographic and perinatal factors,preterm infants’physical growth may be affected by neonatal intensive care unit(NICU)stress,maternal postpartum depression,and mother-infant interaction.This study aimed to investigate the trajectories of physical growth in 4 months corrected age among preterm infants discharged from the NICU and the impactors on these trajectories.Methods A prospective study was conducted among 318 preterm infants from September 2019 to April 2021 in Shanghai,China.Latent growth modeling was applied to identify the weight,length,and head circumference growth trajectories in 4 months corrected age and explore the effects of demographic and medical characteristics,infant stress during NICU stay,maternal postpartum depression,and mother-infant interaction on each trajectory.Results Unconditional latent growth models showed curve trajectories with increasingly slower growth in weight,length,and head circumference until 4 months of corrected age.Conditional latent growth models showed that a longer length of stay in the NICU and more skin punctures were negatively associated with weight at 40 weeks corrected gestational age(β=−0.43 and−0.19,respectively,P<0.05).The maternal postpartum depression between 40 weeks corrected gestational age and 1 month corrected postnatal age was associated with a lower growth rate of length(β=−0.17,P=0.040),while between 2 and 3 months corrected postnatal age,there were lower growth rates of weight and head circumference(β=−0.15 and−0.19,respectively,P<0.05).The mother-infant interaction scores between 40 weeks corrected gestational age and 1 month corrected postnatal age negatively predicted the growth rate of weight(β=−0.19,P=0.020).Conclusion The physical growth trajectories of preterm infants discharged from the NICU were influenced by infant stress during the NICU stay,maternal postpartum depression and mother-infant interaction.

Clinical decision making on the use of physical restraint in intensive care units

Physical restraint is a common nursing intervention in intensive care units and nurses often use it to ensure patients'safety and to prevent unexpected accidents.However,existing literature indicated that the use of physical restraint is a complex one because of inadequate rationales,the negative physical and emotional effects on patients,but the lack of perceived alternatives.This paper is aimed to interpret the clinical decision-making theories related to the use of physical restraint in intensive care units in order to facilitate our understanding on the use of physical restraint and to evaluate the quality of decisions made by nurses.By reviewing the literature,intuition and heuristics are the main decision-making strategies related to the use of physical restraint in intensive care units because the rapid and reflexive nature of intuition and heuristics allow nurses to have a rapid response to urgent and emergent cases.However,it is problematic if nurses simply count their decision-making on experience rather than incorporate research evidence into clinical practice because of inadequate evidence to support the use of physical restraint.Besides that,such a rapid response may lead nurses to make decisions without adequate assessment and thinking and therefore biases and errors may be generated.Therefore,despite the importance of intuition and heuristics in decision-making in acute settings on the use of physical restraint,it is recommended that nurses should incorporate research evidence with their experience to make decisions and adequate assessment before implementing physical restraint is also necessary.

Professional nurses’facilitation of self-care in intensive care units:A concept analysis

Objective:This article aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the concept of self-care in the intensive care unit and outline its defining attributes,antecedents,consequences and empirical referents.Methods:The literature was searched electronically using databases such as CINAHL,Medline,Psych INFO,ERIC,ScienceDirect,Amed,EBSCO(Health Source:Nursing and Academic Edition),Sage,Ujoogle and Google Scholar.Articles from 2013 to 2020 were searched to target recent and up-to-date information about the definitions,attributes,antecedents and consequences of the concept of self-care.Walker and Avant’s framework was utilised to analyse the concept of self-care.Results:The results of the concept analysis identified seven attributes,namely process,activity,capability,autonomous choice,education,self-control and interaction.The seven identified antecedents are self-motivation,participation,commitment,resources,religious and cultural beliefs,social,spiritual and professional support,and the availability of time.The consequences are the maintenance of health and wellbeing,autonomy,increased self-esteem,disease prevention,empowerment,increased social support and the ability to cope with stress.

Effects of parental involvement in infant care in neonatal intensive care units:a meta-analysis

Objective： This meta-analysis aimed to examine the effects of parental involvement in infant care in neonatal intensive care units （NlCUs）. Methods： PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI）, Wanfang database, and VIP database were searched till November 2017. Randomized controlled trials （RCTs） and controlled clinical trials （CCTs） examining the effect of parental involvement in the NICU were considered for inclusion. Resulls： We included 10 studies （three RCTs, seven CCTs） with a total of 1,851 participants. The meta-analysis demonstrated that there were no statistically significant differences on nosocomial infection between two groups （risk ratio [RR] = 0.90, 95% CI 0.63-1.30, P = 0.58）. Compared with no parental involvement groups, parental involvement groups showed more weight gain （mean difference [MD] = 1.47, 95% CI 0.65-2.29, P 〈 0.05）, higher breast-feeding rate （RR = 1.38, 95% CI 1.25-1.53, P 〈 0.05）, lower readmission rate （RR = 0.35, 95% CI 0.15-0.80, P 〈 0.05）, and higher satisfaction rate （RR = 1.09, 95% CI 1.02-1.16, P 〈 0.05）.Conclusions： Parentaiinvolvement in the NICU interventions could not increase the rate of nosocomial infection of neonates, but could improve their weight gain, breast-feeding and parental satisfaction and decrease their readmission. However, since the conclusion of this meta-analysis was drawn based on the limited number of high-quality RCTs, more hioh-quality studies should be conducted in the future to confirm its positive intervention effects.

Indoor Surveillance of Airborne Fungi Contaminating Intensive Care Units and Operation Rooms in Assiut University Hospitals, Egypt

Mycoflora of atmospheric air and dust samples collected from air conditioning systems in 12 of each I.C.U. （intensive care units） and O.R. （operation rooms） were tested using settle and dilution plate methods on four types of agar media and incubated at 25℃. Forty-five fungal species representing 23 genera were isolated and identified. The most prevalent genera recorded were Cladosporium, Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium. The total colony forming units of airborne fungi recovered in I.C.U. and O.R. ranged between 31.13-49.61 colonies/m3 on the four types of media usedl The fungal total catch of the dust samples collected from the air conditioning system filters in I.C.U. and O.R. were ranged from 65.5-170 colonies/mg dust. Since, the interest to replace synthetic xenobiotics by natural compounds with low environmental persistence and biodegradable to control such airborne fungal contaminants is needed. In this respect, essential oils showed to possess a broad spectrum of antifungal activity. Fungal static ability of six oils was tested on 30 different fungal isolates. Vapors of common thyme oil exhibited the strongest inhibitory effects on the tested isolates, whereas the headspace vapors of blue gum and ginger had no inhibitory effects on the tested fungal isolates. These data revealed that the air conditioning systems may be an important source of contamination in I.C.U. and O.R. of Assiut university hospitals. Thus, patients may be in risk of being exposed to contaminated atmospheric air by opportunistic fungi and the use of essential oils as an alternative option to control hospital wards from fungal contaminants needs further studies.

Abdominal compartment syndrome:Often overlooked conditions in medical intensive care units

Intra-abdominal hypertension(IAH)and abdominal compartment syndrome are well recognized entities among surgical patients.Nevertheless,a number of prospective and retrospective observational studies have shown that IAH is prevalent in about half of the critically ill patients in the medical intensive care units(ICU)and has been widely recognized as an independent risk factor for mortality.It is alarming to note that many members of the critical care team in medical ICU are not aware of the consequences of untreated IAH and the delay in making the diagnosis leads to increased morbidity and mortality.Frequently it is underdiagnosed and undertreated in this patient population.Elevated intraabdominal pressure decreases the blood flow to the kidneys and other abdominal viscera and also results in reduced cardiac output and difficulties in ventilating the patient because of increased intrathoracic pressure.When intraabdominal hypertension is not promptly recognized and treated,it leads to abdominal compartment syndrome,multiorgan dysfunction syndrome and death.Large volume fluid resuscitation is very common in medical ICU patients presenting with sepsis,shock and other inflammatory conditions like pancreatitis and it is one of the major risk factors for the development of intra-abdominal hypertension.This article presents an overview of the epidemiology,definitions,risk factors,pathophysiology and management of IAH and abdominal compartment syndrome in critically ill medical ICU patients.

Device-associated infection rates, mortality, length of stay and bacterial resistance in intensive care units in Ecuador: International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium's findings

AIM To report the results of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium(INICC) study conducted in Quito, Ecuador.METHODS A device-associated healthcare-acquired infection(DAHAI) prospective surveillance study conducted from October 2013 to January 2015 in 2 adult intensive care units(ICUs) from 2 hospitals using the United States Centers for Disease Control/National Healthcare Safety Network(CDC/NHSN) definitions and INICC methods. RESULTS We followed 776 ICU patients for 4818 bed-days. The central line-associated bloodstream infection(CLABSI) rate was 6.5 per 1000 central line(CL)-days, the ventilator-associated pneumonia(VAP) rate was 44.3 per 1000 mechanical ventilator(MV)-days, and the catheterassociated urinary tract infection(CAUTI) rate was 5.7 per 1000 urinary catheter(UC)-days. CLABSI and CAUTI rates in our ICUs were similar to INICC rates [4.9(CLABSI) and 5.3(CAUTI)] and higher than NHSN rates [0.8(CLABSI) and 1.3(CAUTI)]- although device use ratios for CL and UC were higher than INICC and CDC/NSHN's ratios. By contrast, despite the VAP rate was higher than INICC(16.5) and NHSN's rates(1.1), MV DUR was lower in our ICUs. Resistance of A. baumannii to imipenem and meropenem was 75.0%, and of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to ciprofloxacin and piperacillin-tazobactam was higher than 72.7%, all them higher than CDC/NHSN rates. Excess length of stay was 7.4 d for patients with CLABSI, 4.8 for patients with VAP and 9.2 for patients CAUTI. Excess crude mortality in ICUs was 30.9% for CLABSI, 14.5% for VAP and 17.6% for CAUTI. CONCLUSION DA-HAI rates in our ICUs from Ecuador are higher than United States CDC/NSHN rates and similar to INICC international rates.

Incremental value of thoracic ultrasound in intensive care units:Indications,uses,and applications

Emergency physicians are required to care for unstable patients with life-threatening conditions, and thus must make decisions that are both quick and precise about unclear clinical situations. There is increasing consensus in favor of using ultrasound as a real-time bedside clinical tool for clinicians in emergency settings alongside the irreplaceable use of historical and physical examinations. B-mode sonography is an old technology that was first proposed for medical applications more than 50 years ago. Its application in the diagnosis of thoracic diseases has always been considered limited, due to the presence of air in the lung and the presence of the bones of the thoracic cage, which prevent the progression of the ultrasound beam. However, the close relationship between air and water in the lungs causes a variety of artifacts on ultrasounds. At the bedside, thoracic ultrasound is based primarily on the analysis of these artifacts, with the aim of improving accuracy and safety in the diagnosis and therapy of the various varieties of pulmonary pathologic diseases which are predominantly "water-rich" or "air-rich". The indications, contraindications, advantages, disadvantages, and techniques of thoracic ultrasound and its related procedures are analyzed in the present review.

Physician staffing pattern in intensive care units:Have we cracked the code?

Intensive care is slowly being recognized as a separate medical specialization. Physicians, called intensivists, are being specially trained to manage intensive care units(ICUs) and provide focused, high quality care to critically ill patients. However, these ICUs were traditionally managed by primary physicians who used to admit patients in ICUs under their own care. The presence of specially trained intensivists in these ICUs has started a "turf" war. In spite of the availability of overwhelming evidence that intensivists-based ICUs can provide better patient care leading to improved outcome, there is hesitancy among hospital administrators and other policy makers towards adopting such a model. Major critical care societies and workgroups have recommended intensivists-based ICU models to care for critically ill patients, but even in developed countries, on-site intensivist coverage is lacking in a great majority of hospitals. Lack of funds and unavailability of skilled intensivists are commonly cited as the main reasons for not implementing intensivist-led ICU care in most of the ICUs. To provide optimal, comprehensive and skilled care to this severely ill patient population, it is imperative that a multi-disciplinary team approach must be adopted with intensivists as in-charge. Even though ICU organization and staffingmay be determined by hospital policies and other local factors, all efforts must be made to attain the goal of having round-the-clock onsite intensivist coverage to ensure continuity of specialized care for all critically ill patients.

Mothers’ Knowledge of Health Caring for Premature Infants after Discharge from Neonatal Intensive Care Units in the Gaza Strip, Palestine

Background: Preterm labor is one of the most public health problems related to neonates admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Poor knowledge among mothers about the care requirements of a preterm neonate is immediate cause for post-discharge medical problems in premature and neonates readmission to NICU. Hence, this study aims to evaluate mothers’ knowledge of caring for premature infants post-discharge from Neonatal Intensive Care Units in the Gaza strip. Methods: A Quantitative-based cross-sectional designs study was used to survey 120 mothers of preterm neonates at the time of preterm neonates discharge by face-to-face interview at Al-Shifa medical complex and Nasser hospital between February and June 2018. Results: The results showed that only about 58.4% of mothers of premature babies had good knowledge about health care needed for premature infants after discharge from NICU. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant difference between the level of knowledge and mother’s sociodemographic characteristics (P-values > 0.05). Conclusion: Mothers’ knowledge of premature infants care was not at the optimal level, which might put the newborns at risk. Therefore, the study emphasizes the necessity of thoughtful exchange of health information between team members and mothers and establishing pre- and post-discharge plans with mothers to start their healthy transition of preterm neonate to home and to ameliorate family concerns.

A care bundle for pressure ulcer treatment in intensive care units

Pressure ulcers(PUs)are localized injuries of the skin or underlying tissue caused by prolonged pressure,exposure to shear forces or friction.PUs represent a major concern for hospitalized patients and the health professionals responsible for their wellbeing.intensive care init(ICU)patients are at high risk of PU development,and the development of PUs can significantly extend the length of time a patient must remain in the ICU.Patients with PUs experience significantly increased morbidity,mortality and financial burden.A significant amount of evidence has accumulated indicating that PU prevention is an essential component of patient care.However,standardized guidelines and protocols for PU prevention in ICUs have not been universally implemented.This review aims to describe and analyze an optimized PU prevention care bundle based on the best available evidence and existing national guidelines.We distilled the available information into five main topics important for PU prevention:Risk Assessment,Skin Assessment,Support Surfaces,Nutrition and Repositioning.Further larger scale studies are needed to clinically verify the effectiveness of the care bundle.

Generalizable items and modular structure for computerised physician staffing calculation on intensive care units

Intensive care medicine remains one of the most costdriving areas within hospitals with high personnel costs. Under the scope of limited budgets and reimbursement, realistic needs are essential to justify personnel staffing. Unfortunately, all existing staffing models are top-down calculations with a high variability in results. We present a workload-oriented model, integrating quality of care, efficiency of processes, legal, educational, controlling, local, organisational and economic aspects. In our model, the physician's workload solely related to the intensive care unit depends on three tasks: Patient-oriented tasks, divided in basic tasks(performed in every patient) and additional tasks(necessary in patients with specific diagnostic and therapeutic requirements depending on their specific illness, only), and non patient-oriented tasks. All three tasks have to be taken into account for calculating the required number of physicians. The calculation tool further allows to determine minimal personnel staffing, distribution of calculated personnel demand regarding type of employee due to working hours per year, shift work or standby duty. This model was introduced and described first by the German Board of Anesthesiologists and the German Society ofAnesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine in 2008 and since has been implemented and updated 2012 in Germany. The modular, flexible nature of the Excel-based calculation tool should allow adaption to the respective legal and organizational demands of different countries. After 8 years of experience with this calculation, we report the generalizable key aspects which may help physicians all around the world to justify realistic workload-oriented personnel staffing needs.

Epidemiological Characteristics, Resistance Patterns and Spread of Gram-Negative Bacteria Related to Colonization of Patients in Intensive Care Units

Our aim was to determine the epidemiological characteristics, the resistance patterns and the spread of Gram negative bacteria related to colonization of patients in adult Intensive Care Units. Methods: A prospective cohort of patients colonized and/or infected with Gram negative bacteria was conducted at two adult ICUs from hospitals in Brazil (April 2012 to February 2013). Nasal, groin and perineum swabs were performed. Samples were incubated on MacConkey and cetrimide agar (48 h at 37℃) and identification tests (Vitek-BioMérieux), antibiogram (Bauer-Kirby method), Carba NP test, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and sequencing were performed. The patterns of resistant microorganisms were compared by rep-PCR (Diversilab). Results: There were 53 cases of colonization. In these cases, we identified imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (51%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (32%), Klebsiella pneumoniae ESBL (38%) or imipenem resistant (5.6%). The use of antimicrobials and medical devices were related to colonization (p The resistance patterns expressed by Klebsiella pneumoniae were ESBL (CTX-M, SHV e TEM) and KPC2. A verified profile of Acinetobacter baumannii was related to OXA-23 and OXA-253 (OXA-143 variant). The profiles ESBL and KPC2 expressed by Klebsiella pneumoniae were distributed between the both ICUs. The distribution of OXA-23 and OXA-253 was verified only in one ICU. The similarity of strains ranged from 80% to 95%, highlighting the horizontal transference of these microorganisms.

Perceptions of Collaboration and Satisfaction with Collaboration Regarding Care Decision-Making in Intensive Care Units in Japan: A National Survey

Multi-professional collaboration is being promoted worldwide as a response to the need for sophisticated medical care and for catering to patients’ diverse needs. Patients in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) are seriously ill, and their families may be at risk depending on the patient’s situation. Considering these characteristics of patients and families, there is a strong need for multi-professional collaboration within ICUs. The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine recognition and other factors related to collaboration and satisfaction involving care decisions in Japanese ICUs. A mail survey about collaboration of activities and systems was sent to physicians, clinical engineers, and nurses working in ICUs in Japan, 387 consented to participate in this study. Results showed that satisfaction scores were generally high among the three aforementioned professions, but collaboration scores on deciding care for patients showed significant differences (p < 0.05). The total collaboration score was the highest among physicians (36.7 ± 6.7 points), followed by nurses (32.8 ± 7.4 points), and CEs (32.8 ± 7.4 points). The factors that commonly affected collaboration scores were the satisfaction score and the ability to collaborate with other professionals and set team medical care as a goal. Moreover, it is worth noting that the degree of difficulty in collaboration negatively affected this factor. On the other hand, other factors differed among the three professions, suggesting that the purpose and need for collaboration differ depending on the profession.

National preparedness survey of pediatric intensive care units with simulation centers during the coronavirus pandemic

The coronavirus disease pandemic caught many pediatric hospitals unpreparedand has forced pediatric healthcare systems to scramble as they examine and planfor the optimal allocation of medical resources for the highest priority patients.There is limited data describing pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) preparednessand their health worker protections.AIMTo describe the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) preparedness effortsamong a set of PICUs within a simulation-based network nationwide.METHODS A cross-sectional multi-center national survey of PICU medical director(s) fromchildren’s hospitals across the United States. The questionnaire was developedand reviewed by physicians with expertise in pediatric critical care, disasterreadiness, human factors, and survey development. Thirty-five children’shospitals were identified for recruitment through a long-established nationalresearch network. The questions focused on six themes: (1) PICU and medicaldirector demographics;(2) Pediatric patient flow during the pandemic;(3)Changes to the staffing models related to the pandemic;(4) Use of personalprotective equipment (PPE);(5) Changes in clinical practice and innovations;and(6) Current modalities of training including simulation.RESULTSWe report on survey responses from 22 of 35 PICUs (63%). The majority of PICUswere located within children’s hospitals (87%). All PICUs cared for pediatricpatients with COVID-19 at the time of the survey. The majority of PICUs (83.4%)witnessed decreases in non-COVID-19 patients, 43% had COVID-19 dedicatedunits, and 74.6% pivoted to accept adult COVID-19 patients. All PICUsimplemented changes to their staffing models with the most common changesbeing changes in COVID-19 patient room assignment in 50% of surveyed PICUsand introducing remote patient monitoring in 36% of the PICU units. Ninety-fivepercent of PICUs conducted training for donning and doffing of enhanced PPE.Even 6 months into the pandemic, one-third of PICUs across the United Statesreported shortages in PPE. The most common training formats for PPE werehands-on training (73%) and video-based content (82%). The most commonconcerns related to COVID-19 practice were changes in clinical protocols andguidelines (50%). The majority of PICUs implemented significant changes in theirairway management (82%) and cardiac arrest management protocols in COVID-19patients (68%). Simulation-based training was the most commonly utilizedtraining modality (82%), whereas team training (73%) and team dynamics (77%)were the most common training objectives.CONCLUSIONSA substantial proportion of surveyed PICUs reported on large changes in theirpreparedness and training efforts before and during the pandemic. PICUsimplemented broad strategies including modifications to staffing, PPE usage,workflow, and clinical practice, while using simulation as the preferred trainingmodality. Further research is needed to advance the level of preparedness,support staff assuredness, and support deep learning about which preparednessactions were effective and what lessons are needed to improve PICU care andstaff protection for the next COVID-19 patient waves.

Vigilance in Nurses Working in Intensive Care Units

Background and Aim: Vigilance is an essential element in intensive care nursing. This study was conducted to determine nursing vigilance in nurses working in the intensive care units of educational and medical centers in Ardabil, Iran. Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study with 192 ICU nurses as the participants. The data were obtained through questionnaires regarding demographic characteristics and nursing vigilance. SPSS software version 24 was used for the statistical analysis. Results: The mean total vigilance score was 3.86 ± 0.23 of 5. The mean scores of the timely diagnosis of changes, pattern recognition, and clinical decision-making subscales were 4.07 ± 0.26, 04.04 ± 0.41, and 3.44 ± 0.25, respectively. No significant relationships were observed between the total or subscale vigilance scores and other demographic characteristics. Conclusion: We assessed ICU nurses’ vigilance behaviors and found that their mean vigilance score was higher than the expected average, indicating our participants had a high level of clinical vigilance. These results suggest a need for effective educational interventions to boost clinical decision-making skills in ICU nurses, especially younger nurses.

Risk factors and mortality rates of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections in intensive care units

Background The prevalence of hospital-acquired infections caused by carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria(CRGNB)is increasing worldwide.Several risk factors have been associated with such infections.The present study aimed to identify risk factors and determine the mortality rates associated with CRGNB infections in intensive care units.Methods This retrospective case-control study was conducted at Erciyes University Hospital(Kayseri,Turkey)between January 2017 and December 2021.Demographic and laboratory data were obtained from the Infection Control Committee data and record system.Patients who had CRGNB infection 48–72 h after hospitalization were assigned to the case group,while those who were not infected with CRGNB during hospitalization formed the control group.Risk factors,comorbidity,demographic data,and mortality rates were compared between the two groups.Results Approximately 1449 patients(8.97%)were monitored during the active follow-up period;of those,1171 patients were included in this analysis.CRGNB infection developed in 14 patients(70.00%)who had CRGNB colonization at admission;in 162(78.26%)were colonized during hospitalization,whereas 515(54.56%)were not colonized.There was no significant difference in age,sex(male/female)or comorbidities.The total length of hospital stay was statistically significantly longer(P=0.001)in the case group(median:24[interquartile range:3–378]days)than the control group(median:16[interquartile range:3–135]days).The rates of colonization at admission(25.5%;vs.10.6%,P=0.001)and mortality(64.4%vs.45.8%,P=0.001)were also significantly higher in the cases than in the control group,respectively.In the univariate analysis,prolonged hospitalization,the time from intensive care unit admission to the development of infection,presence of CRGNB colonization at admission,transfer from other hospitals,previous antibiotic use,enteral nutrition,transfusion,hemodialysis,mechanical ventilation,tracheostomy,reintubation,central venous catheter,arterial catheterization,chest tube,total parenteral nutrition,nasogastric tube use,and bronchoscopy procedures were significantly associated with CRGNB infections(P<0.05).Multivariate analysis identified the total length of stay in the hospital(odds ratio[OR]=1.02;95%confidence interval[CI]:1.01 to 1.03;P=0.001),colonization(OR=2.19;95%CI:1.53 to 3.13;P=0.001),previous antibiotic use(OR=2.36;95%CI:1.53 to 3.62;P=0.001),intubation(OR=1.59;95%CI:1.14 to 2.20;P=0.006),tracheostomy(OR=1.42;95%CI:1.01 to 1.99;P=0.047),and central venous catheter use(OR=1.62;95%CI:1.20 to 2.19;P=0.002)as the most important risk factors for CRGNB infection.Conclusions Colonization,previous use of antibiotics,and invasive interventions were recognized as the most important risk factors for infections.Future research should focus on measures for the control of these parameters.

Prediction of Th17/Treg cell balance on length of stay in intensive care units of patients with sepsis

Background Prolonged length of stay(LOS)of sepsis can drain a hospital's material and human resources.This study investigated the correlations between T helper type 17(Th17)and regulatory T(Treg)balance with LOS in sepsis.Methods A prospective clinical observational study was designed in Changhai Hospital affiliated to Naval Medical University in Shanghai,China,from January to October 2020.The patients diagnosed with sepsis and who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were recruited and whether the levels of cytokines,procalcitonin,subtypes,and biomarkers of T cells in the peripheral blood were detected.We analyzed the correlation between these and LOS.Results Sixty septic patients were classified into two groups according to whether their intensive care unit(ICU)stay exceeded 14 days.The patients with LOS≥14 days were older([72.6±7.5]years vs.[63.3±10.4]years,P=0.015)and had higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment(SOFA)(median[interquartile range]:6.5[5.0–11.0]vs.4.0[3.0–6.0],P=0.001)and higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation(APACHE)II scores(16.0[13.0–21.0]vs.8.5[7.0–14.0],P=0.001).There was no difference in other demographic characteristics and cytokines,interleukin-6,tumor necrosis factor-α,and interleukin-10 between the two groups.The Th17/Treg ratio of sepsis with LOS<14 days was considerably lower(0.48[0.38–0.56]vs.0.69[0.51–0.98],P=0.001).For patients with LOS≥14 days,the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the Th17/Treg ratio was 0.766.It improved to 0.840 and 0.850 when combined with the SOFA and APACHE II scores,respectively.Conclusions The Th17/Treg ratio was proportional to septic severity and can be used as a potential predictor of ICU stay in sepsis,presenting a new option for ICU practitioners to better care for patients with sepsis.