Employment Satisfaction and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Expansion Theory by the Pastoral Care Department

The author decided to explore Maslow’s theory of needs within a Catholic hospital in which 80%of the medical and service staff are non-Christians.The requirements to be focused on include a vision of medical care and service in accordance with the values and mission of Catholicism,and in the context of the highest level of attachment of employees to Cardinal Tien Hospital.The author also wondered whether there was evidence of a shift in employee needs for a sense of meaning in the workplace.If so,how should,or could,the organization and its leaders respond to it?

Approach to traumatic cardiac arrest in the emergency department: a narrative literature review for emergency providers

BACKGROUND:Traumatic cardiac arrest(TCA)is a major contributor to mortality and morbidity in all age groups and poses a significant burden on the healthcare system.Although there have been advances in treatment modalities,survival rates for TCA patients remain low.This narrative literature review critically examines the indications and eff ectiveness of current therapeutic approaches in treating TCA.METHODS:We performed a literature search in the PubMed and Scopus databases for studies published before December 31,2022.The search was refi ned by combining search terms,examining relevant study references,and restricting publications to the English language.Following the search,943 articles were retrieved,and two independent reviewers conducted a screening process.RESULTS:A review of various studies on pre-and intra-arrest prognostic factors showed that survival rates were higher when patients had an initial shockable rhythm.There were conflicting results regarding other prognostic factors,such as witnessed arrest,bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR),and the use of prehospital or in-hospital epinephrine.Emergency thoracotomy was found to result in more favorable outcomes in cases of penetrating trauma than in those with blunt trauma.Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta(REBOA)provides an advantage to emergency thoracotomy in terms of occupational safety for the operator as an alternative in managing hemorrhagic shock.When implemented in the setting of aortic occlusion,emergency thoracotomy and REBOA resulted in comparable mortality rates.Veno-venous extracorporeal life support(V-V ECLS)and veno-arterial extracorporeal life support(V-A ECLS)are viable options for treating respiratory failure and cardiogenic shock,respectively.In the context of traumatic injuries,V-V ECLS has been associated with higher rates of survival to discharge than V-A ECLS.CONCLUSION:TCA remains a signifi cant challenge for emergency medical services due to its high morbidity and mortality rates.Pre-and intra-arrest prognostic factors can help identify patients who are likely to benefit from aggressive and resource-intensive resuscitation measures.Further research is needed to enhance guidelines for the clinical use of established and emerging therapeutic approaches that can help optimize treatment effi cacy and ameliorate survival outcomes.

Most patients with non-hypertensive diseases at a critical care resuscitation unit require arterial pressure monitoring: a prospective observational study

BACKGROUND:Blood pressure(BP)monitoring is essential for patient care.Invasive arterial BP(IABP)is more accurate than non-invasive BP(NIBP),although the clinical signifi cance of this diff erence is unknown.We hypothesized that IABP would result in a change of management(COM)among patients with non-hypertensive diseases in the acute phase of resuscitation.METHODS:This prospective study included adults admitted to the Critical Care Resuscitation Unit(CCRU)with non-hypertensive disease from February 1,2019,to May 31,2021.Management plans to maintain a mean arterial pressure>65 mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa)were recorded in real time for both NIBP and IABP measurements.A COM was defined as a discrepancy between IABP and NIBP that resulted in an increase/decrease or addition/discontinuation of a medication/infusion.Classification and regression tree analysis identified significant variables associated with a COM and assigned relative variable importance(RVI)values.RESULTS:Among the 206 patients analyzed,a COM occurred in 94(45.6%[94/206])patients.The most common COM was an increase in current infusion dosages(40 patients,19.4%).Patients receiving norepinephrine at arterial cannulation were more likely to have a COM compared with those without(45[47.9%]vs.32[28.6%],P=0.004).Receiving norepinephrine(relative variable importance[RVI]100%)was the most signifi cant factor associated with a COM.No complications were identifi ed with IABP use.CONCLUSION:A COM occurred in 94(45.6%)non-hypertensive patients in the CCRU.Receiving vasopressors was the greatest factor associated with COM.Clinicians should consider IABP monitoring more often in non-hypertensive patients requiring norepinephrine in the acute resuscitation phase.Further studies are necessary to confi rm the risk-to-benefi t ratios of IABP among these high-risk patients.

Cardiac rehabilitation after cardiac surgery:An important underutilized treatment strategy

Physical inactivity remains in high levels after cardiac surgery,reaching up to 50%.Patients present a significant loss of functional capacity,with prominent muscle weakness after cardiac surgery due to anesthesia,surgical incision,duration of cardiopulmonary bypass,and mechanical ventilation that affects their quality of life.These complications,along with pulmonary complications after surgery,lead to extended intensive care unit(ICU)and hospital length of stay and significant mortality rates.Despite the well-known beneficial effects of cardiac rehabilitation,this treatment strategy still remains broadly underutilized in patients after cardiac surgery.Prehabilitation and ICU early mobilization have been both showed to be valid methods to improve exercise tolerance and muscle strength.Early mobilization should be adjusted to each patient’s functional capacity with progressive exercise training,from passive mobilization to more active range of motion and resistance exercises.Cardiopulmonary exercise testing remains the gold standard for exercise capacity assessment and optimal prescription of aerobic exercise intensity.During the last decade,recent advances in healthcare technology have changed cardiac rehabilitation perspectives,leading to the future of cardiac rehabilitation.By incorporating artificial intelligence,simulation,telemedicine and virtual cardiac rehabilitation,cardiac surgery patients may improve adherence and compliance,targeting to reduced hospital readmissions and decreased healthcare costs.

A case of post traumatic mitral chordae rupture mimicking acute respiratory distress syndrome

Traumatic mitral chordae rupture is a rare and known cause of acute mitral valve regurgitation and de novo heart failure.Concomitant pathologies in a trauma patient may mask the findings of de novo heart failure due to mitral chordae rupture.Trauma patients may also have other potential pre-diagnoses that could explain symptoms related to heart failure,such as tachycardia,circulatory shock,and acute hypoxemia.The possibility of traumatic chordae tendinea rupture being a preventable cause of mortality should be carefully evaluated.

GLI1 and PTTG1 expression in colorectal carcinoma patients undergoing radical surgery and their correlation with lymph node metastasis

BACKGROUND Few studies have investigated the expression of GLI1 and PTTG1 in patients undergoing radical surgery for colorectal carcinoma(CRC)and their association with lymph node metastasis(LNM).Therefore,more relevant studies and analyses need to be conducted.AIM To explore GLI1 and PTTG1 expression in patients undergoing radical surgery for CRC and their correlation with LNM.METHODS This study selected 103 patients with CRC admitted to our hospital between April 2020 and April 2023.Sample specimens of CRC and adjacent tissues were collected to determine the positive rates and expression levels of GLI1 and PTTG1.The correlation of the two genes with patients’clinicopathological data(e.g.,LNM)was explored,and differences in GLI1 and PTTG1 expression between patients with LNM and those without were analyzed.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were plotted to evaluate the predictive potential of the two genes for LNM in patients with CRC.RESULTS Significantly higher positive rates and expression levels of GLI1 and PTTG1 wereobserved in CRC tissue samples compared with adjacent tissues.GLI1 and PTTG1 were strongly linked to LNM in patients undergoing radical surgery for CRC,with higher GLI1 and PTTG1 levels found in patients with LNM than in those without.The areas under the ROC curve of GLI1 and PTTG1 in assessing LNM in patients with CRC were 0.824 and 0.811,respectively.CONCLUSION GLI1 and PTTG1 expression was upregulated in patients undergoing radical surgery for CRC and are significantly related to LNM in these patients.Moreover,high GLI1 and PTTG1 expression can indicate LNM in patients with CRC undergoing radical surgery.The expression of both genes has certain diagnostic and therapeutic significance.

Cardiovascular risk burden and disability:findings from the International Mobility in Aging Study(IMIAS)

BACKGROUND The association of cardiovascular risk burden with disability is unclear.We examined the association between trajectories of the Framingham general cardiovascular disease risk score(FGCRS)with the trajectories of limitations of physical function in older adults.METHODS A total of 1219 participants with no disabilities from the International Mobility in Aging Study(IMIAS)study who had up to three repeated measures of FGCRS between 2012–2016 and without a history of stroke or coronary heart disease at baseline and follow-up were included.FGCRS at baseline was assessed and categorized into tertiles.Physical function was evaluated with the Short Physical Performance Battery(SPPB).The data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models.RESULTS At baseline,FGCRS ranged between 3–94(mean score:24±15.8),participants were 32(2.6%),502(41.2%)and 685(56.2%)in lowest,middle,and highest tertiles,respectively.In the trajectories of limitations of physical function,the lowest FGCRS had no differences,while the middle and highest had a decrease in physical performance between 2012–2014(P=0.0001).Age,being female,living in Andes Mountains,having middle and highest FGCRS,higher alcohol consumption,being obese,lack of exercise and cognitive impairment increase the probability of disability(P<0.05).Alternatively,living in more developed regions and having a higher educational level reduced the probability of disability during the follow-up time(P<0.05).CONCLUSIONS Higher cardiovascular risk burden is associated with decreased physical performance,especially in gait.Results suggest SPPB may provide a measure of cardiovascular health in older adults.

Obstructive sleep apnea:Overlooked comorbidity in patients with diabetes

In this review article,we explore the interplay between obstructive sleep apnea(OSA)and type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM),highlighting a significant yet often overlooked comorbidity.We delve into the pathophysiological links between OSA and diabetes,specifically how OSA exacerbates insulin resistance and disrupts glucose metabolism.The research examines the prevalence of OSA in diabetic patients and its role in worsening diabetes-related complications.Emphasizing the importance of comprehensive management,including weight control and positive airway pressure therapy,the study advocates integrated approaches to improve outcomes for patients with T2DM and OSA.This review underscores the necessity of recognizing and addressing OSA in diabetes care to ensure more effective treatment and better patient outcomes.

Mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles in skin wound healing:roles,opportunities and challenges

Skin wounds are characterized by injury to the skin due to trauma,tearing,cuts,or contusions.As such injuries are common to all human groups,they may at times represent a serious socioeconomic burden.Currently,increasing numbers of studies have focused on the role of mesenchymal stem cell(MSC)-derived extracellular vesicles(EVs)in skin wound repair.As a cell-free therapy,MSC-derived EVs have shown significant application potential in the field of wound repair as a more stable and safer option than conventional cell therapy.Treatment based on MSC-derived EVs can significantly promote the repair of damaged substructures,including the regeneration of vessels,nerves,and hair follicles.In addition,MSC-derived EVs can inhibit scar formation by affecting angiogenesis-related and antifibrotic pathways in promoting macrophage polarization,wound angiogenesis,cell proliferation,and cell migration,and by inhibiting excessive extracellular matrix production.Additionally,these structures can serve as a scaffold for components used in wound repair,and they can be developed into bioengineered EVs to support trauma repair.Through the formulation of standardized culture,isolation,purification,and drug delivery strategies,exploration of the detailed mechanism of EVs will allow them to be used as clinical treatments for wound repair.In conclusion,MSCderived EV-based therapies have important application prospects in wound repair.Here we provide a comprehensive overview of their current status,application potential,and associated drawbacks.

Recent advances in the diagnostic methods and therapeutic strategies of transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis

Cardiac amyloidosis is a progressive disease characterized by the buildup of amyloid fibrils in the extracellular space of the heart.It is divided in 2 main types,immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis and transthyretin amyloidosis(ATTR),and ATTR amyloidosis is further divided in 2 subtypes,non-hereditary wild type ATTR and hereditary mutant variant amyloidosis.Incidence and prevalence of ATTR cardiac amyloidosis is increasing over the last years due to the improvements in diagnostic methods.Survival rates are improving due to the development of novel therapeutic strategies.Tafamidis is the only disease-modifying approved therapy in ATTR amyloidosis so far.However,the most recent advances in medical therapies have added more options with the potential to become part of the therapeutic armamentarium of the disease.Agents including acoramidis,eplontersen,vutrisiran,patisiran and anti-monoclonal antibody NI006 are being investigated on cardiac function in large,multicenter controlled trials which are expected to be completed within the next 2-3 years,providing promising results in patients with ATTR cardiac amyloidosis.However,further and ongoing research is required in order to improve diagnostic methods that could provide an early diagnosis,as well as survival and quality of life of these patients.

Effect of high-protein peptide-based formula compared with isocaloric isonitrogenous polymeric formula in critically ill surgical patient

BACKGROUND Malnutrition is common in critically ill patients,and it is associated with an increased risk of complications.Early enteral nutrition with adequate caloric and protein intake is critical nevertheless it is difficult to achieve.Peptide-based formulas have been shown to be beneficial in patients with feeding intolerance.However,there are limited studies showing the efficacy and safety of high-protein peptide-based formula in critically ill surgical patients.AIM To determine the effects of a high-protein peptide formulation on gastrointestinal tolerance,nutritional status,biochemical changes,and adverse events in patients in the surgery intensive care unit(SICU)compared to an isocaloric isonitrogenous standard polymeric formulation.METHODS This study was a multi-center double-blind,randomized controlled trial.We enrolled adult patients in the surgical intensive care unit,age≥15 years and expected to receive enteral feeding for at least 5-14 d post-operation.They were randomly assigned to receive either the high-protein peptide-based formula or the isocaloric isonitrogenous standard formula for 14 d.Gastric residual volume(GRV),nutritional status,body composition and biochemical parameters were assessed at baseline and on days 3,5,7,9,11,and 14.RESULTS A total of 19 patients were enrolled,9 patients in the peptide-based formula group and 10 patients in the standard formula group.During the study period,there were no differences of the average GRV,body weight,body composition,nutritional status and biochemical parameters in the patients receiving peptide-based formula,compared to the standard regimen.However,participants in the standard formula lost their body weight,body mass index(BMI)and skeletal muscle mass significantly.While body weight,BMI and muscle mass were maintained in the peptide-based formula,from baseline to day 14.Moreover,the participants in the peptide-based formula tended to reach their caloric target faster than the standard formula.CONCLUSION The study emphasizes the importance of early nutritional support in the SICU and showed the efficacy and safety of a high-protein,peptide-based formula in meeting caloric and protein intake targets while maintaining body weight and muscle mass.

Inflammasome links traumatic brain injury, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and Alzheimer's disease

Traumatic brain injury, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and Alzheimer's disease are three distinct neurological disorders that share common pathophysiological mechanisms involving neuroinflammation. One sequela of neuroinflammation includes the pathologic hyperphosphorylation of tau protein, an endogenous microtubule-associated protein that protects the integrity of neuronal cytoskeletons. Tau hyperphosphorylation results in protein misfolding and subsequent accumulation of tau tangles forming neurotoxic aggregates. These misfolded proteins are characteristic of traumatic brain injury, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and Alzheimer's disease and can lead to downstream neuroinflammatory processes, including assembly and activation of the inflammasome complex. Inflammasomes refer to a family of multimeric protein units that, upon activation, release a cascade of signaling molecules resulting in caspase-induced cell death and inflammation mediated by the release of interleukin-1β cytokine. One specific inflammasome, the NOD-like receptor protein 3, has been proposed to be a key regulator of tau phosphorylation where it has been shown that prolonged NOD-like receptor protein 3 activation acts as a causal factor in pathological tau accumulation and spreading. This review begins by describing the epidemiology and pathophysiology of traumatic brain injury, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and Alzheimer's disease. Next, we highlight neuroinflammation as an overriding theme and discuss the role of the NOD-like receptor protein 3 inflammasome in the formation of tau deposits and how such tauopathic entities spread throughout the brain. We then propose a novel framework linking traumatic brain injury, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and Alzheimer's disease as inflammasomedependent pathologies that exist along a temporal continuum. Finally, we discuss potential therapeutic targets that may intercept this pathway and ultimately minimize long-term neurological decline.

Brain-lung crosstalk: Implications for neurocritical care patients

Major pulmonary disorders may occur after brain injuries as ventilator-associated pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome or neurogenic pulmonary edema. They are key points for the management of brain-injured patients because respiratory failure and mechanical ventilation seem to be a risk factor for increased mortality, poor neurological outcome and longer intensive care unit or hospital length of stay. Brain and lung strongly interact via complex pathways from the brain to the lung but also from the lung to the brain. Several hypotheses have been proposed with a particular interest for the recently described "double hit" model. Ventilator setting in brain-injured patients with lung injuries has been poorly studied and intensivists are often fearful to use some parts of protective ventilation in patients with brain injury. This review aims to describe the epidemiology and pathophysiology of lung injuries in brain-injured patients, but also the impact of different modalities of mechanical ventilation on the brain in the context of acute brain injury.

Is ypTNM staging a comparable predictor as pTNM staging for survival in non-metastatic rectal cancer after preoperative chemoradiation therapy?

Abstract:Background:The pTNM staging system is widely recognized as the most effective prognostic indicator for cancer.The latest update of this staging system introduced a new pathological staging system(ypTNM)for patients receiving neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy(NACRT).However,whether the prognostic value of the ypTNM staging system for rectal cancer is similar to that of the pTNM staging system remains unclear.This study was conducted to compare the ypTNM and pTNM staging systems in terms of their prognostic value for patients with nonmetastatic rectal cancer undergoing proctectomy.Material and Methods:This study was conducted at a large teaching hospital.Between January 2014 and December 2022,542 patients with rectal cancer were analyzed(median follow-up period,60 months;range,6–105 months).Of them,258 and 284 were included in the pTNM and ypTNM groups,respectively.Inverse probability of treatment weighting(IPTW)was performed to account for the effects of confounders.Cox proportional-hazards regression was performed for the between-group comparison of overall survival(OS).Results:The crude model revealed that OS was similar between the two groups(p=0.607).After performing IPTW,we found that patients with the same ypTNM-and pTNM-classified stages had similar overall survival(hazard ratio=1.15;95%CI=0.76–1.73;p=0.5074).Conclusions:For patients with rectal cancer who have received preoperative NACRT,the prognostic value of ypTNM staging appears to be similar to that of pTNM staging,mostly because of the downstaging effect of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy。

Translation and piloting of the Chinese Mandarin version of an intensive care-specific pressure injury risk assessment tool(the COMHON Index)

Objective:To translate an intensive care-specific pressure injury risk assessment tool(the COMHON Index)from English into Chinese Mandarin.Methods:A four-step approach to instrument translation was utilised:1)English-Mandarin forward-translation by three independent bilinguists;2)Mandarin-English back-translation by two other inde-pendent bilinguists;3)comparison of forward and back-translations,identification of discrepancies,with required amendments returned to step one;and 4)piloting of the translated instrument.The pilot study was undertaken in a Chinese surgical intensive care unit with a convenience sample of 20 nurses.A five-point ordinal scale(1=very difficult;5=very easy)was used to assess ease-of-use and understanding.Translations were retained where medians4 indicated use and understanding was easy to very easy.Results:Five iterations of steps 1 to 3,and two sets of amendments to the original English instrument,were required to achieve translation consensus prior to pilot testing.Subscale scoring,sum scoring,and risk categorisation were documented in most pilot assessments(≥80%),but three sum scores were incorrectly tallied.The overall tool and all subscales were easy to use and understand(medians≥4),and most assessments(16/20,80%)took5 min to complete.Thus,translations were retained,with minor amendments made to instrument instructions for scoring and risk categorisation.Conclusions:An easy-to-use Chinese Mandarin intensive care-specific pressure injury risk assessment tool has been introduced through cross-cultural translation.However,it requires further testing of interrater reliability and agreement.A rigorous translation and reporting exemplar is presented that provides guidance for future translations.

Advances in laparoscopy for acute care surgery and trauma

The greatest advantages of laparoscopy when compared to open surgery include the faster recovery times, shorter hospital stays, decreased postoperative pain, earlier return to work and resumption of normal daily activity as well as cosmetic benefits. Laparoscopy today is considered the gold standard of care in the treatment of cholecystitis and appendicitis worldwide. Laparoscopy has even been adopted in colorectal surgery with good results. The technological improvements in this surgical field along with the development of modern techniques and the acquisition of specific laparoscopic skills have allowed for its utilization in operations with fully intracorporeal anastomoses. Further progress in laparoscopy has included single-incision laparoscopic surgery and natural orifice trans-luminal endoscopic surgery. Nevertheless, laparoscopy for emergency surgery is still considered challenging and is usually not recommended due to the lack of adequate experience in this area. The technical difficulties of operating in the presence of diffuse peritonitis or large purulent collections and diffuse adhesions are also given as reasons. However, the potential advantages of laparoscopy, both in terms of diagnosis and therapy, are clear. Major advantages may be observed in cases with diffuse peritonitis secondary to perforated peptic ulcers,for example, where laparoscopy allows the confirmation of the diagnosis, the identification of the position of the ulcer and a laparoscopic repair with effective peritoneal washout. Laparoscopy has also revolutionized the approach to complicated diverticulitis even when intestinal perforation is present. Many other emergency conditions can be effectively managed laparoscopically, including trauma in select hemodynamically-stable patients. We have therefore reviewed the most recent scientific literature on advances in laparoscopy for acute care surgery and trauma in order to demonstrate the current indications and outcomes associated with a laparoscopic approach to the treatment of the most common emergency surgical conditions.

Health care staffs’ perception of patient safety culture in hospital settings and factors of importance for this

Many hospital patients are affected by adverse events. Managers are important when improving safety. The perception of patient safety culture varies among health care staff. Health care staff (n = 1023) working in medical, surgical or mixed medical-surgical health care divisions answered the 51 items (14 dimensions) Swedish Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (S-HSOPSC). Respondents with a managerial function scored higher than non-managers for 11 of 14 dimensions, indicating patient safety culture strengths for a majority of dimensions. Enrolled nurses and staff with experience > 10 years also scored high for several dimensions. The 12 dimensions and sample characteristics explained 49% and 26% of the variance for the outcome dimensions Overall Perceptions of Safety and Frequency of Incident Reporting, respectively. RNs, ENs and physicians have different views on patient safety culture. Hospital Management Support and Organisational Learning is some important factors influencing patient safety culture. Bridging the gap in health care staff’s perceptions of safety in order to improve patient safety is of utmost importance. Managers have the responsibility to foster patient safety culture at their workplace and can thus benefit from results when improving safety for patients.

Assessment of the Management of Post-Tonsillectomy Pain at the ENT-CFS Department of Ignace Deen National Hospital

Introduction: Tonsillectomy is described as one of the oldest surgical procedures according to the authors of the surgical treatise (Aulus Amida and Paul of Aegina in the 6th and 7th centuries) found in the Vatican library. The contraindication of codeine in children has changed the management of post tonsillectomy pain. The aim of this study was to assess the management of post tonsillectomy pain in our developing country context. Methods: This was a prospective, analytical study lasting 6 months (September 2019-February 2020), carried out in the ENT/CFS department of the Ignace Deen National Hospital. We included in this study all patients who underwent a tonsillectomy in the department during the study period and who agreed to participate in the survey. Results: 34 patients were included in our study, i.e. a frequency of 25% of surgical interventions. The mean age of our patients was 18.06 ± 12 years with extremes of 03 years and 45 years. Recurrent hypertrophic tonsillitis with sleep disturbances was the most frequent indication for surgery in our study, at 47.06% (n = 16). We performed an isolated tonsillectomy in 52.9% (n = 18) of cases. Analgesia was multimodal using the WHO Step I and II analgesics in 44.1% (n = 15) and 55.9% (n = 19), respectively. Pain control was satisfactory in all patients. Conclusion: The evaluation of post tonsillectomy pain is essential for optimal management. In this indication, multimodal analgesia, involving several levels I and II analgesics, provided satisfactory pain control.

Swedish Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture— Psychometric properties and health care staff’s perception

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Swedish and the original version of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture within a Swedish hospital setting and described health care staff’s perceptions of patient safety culture. A web-survey was used to obtain data from registered nurses, enrolled nurses and physicians (N = 1023). Psychometric properties were tested using Confirmatory Factor Analysis and internal consistency using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Root mean square error of approximation and other fit indices indicated psychoFmetric properties for both versions to be acceptable. Internal consistency for the dimensions varied between 0.60 and 0.87. Staff scored the dimension “Teamwork Within Units” highest and the dimension “Hospital Management Support” the lowest. The safety was graded as very good or excellent by 58.9% of the respondents and one third had reported more than one event in the past 12 months. The questionnaire is considered to be useful for measuring patient safety culture in Swedish hospital settings. Managers have a great responsibility to work with improving patient safety culture.

Degree of Hyper-Dynamic Circulation Correlates with the Severity of Liver Disease and Predicts Poor Outcome in Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis Patients in Intensive Care Unit

Background: Circulatory dysfunction is known in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) patients. We aimed to determine whether degree of hyper-dynamic circulation is significantly correlated with severity of liver disease and poor outcome in these patients or not. Methods: 61 patients diagnosed to have SBP were enrolled. In addition to routine laboratory investigation, Child Pugh and APACHE II scores were calculated for all patients. Degree of renal impairment was defined using Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) criteria. Stroke volume (SV) was measured by M mode and 2-dimensional Doppler echocardiography. Cardiac output (CO) and Systemic vascular resistance (SVR) were also calculated. All data were statistically analyzed. Results: SV, CO, SVR were significantly correlated with Child Pugh score, p value 0.001, respectively. In 46 (75.4%) patients who had AKI, degree of kidney injury using AKIN criteria is significantly correlated with SVR, SV, and CO. Inpatient mortality occurred in 10 (16.4%) patients. Non-survivors had lower SVR and higher SV and CO compared to survivors (1805 ± 105 dyn&middot;sec/cm2, 80.3 ± 11.2 ml, and 6.7 ± 1.1 L/min vs 1936 ± 504, 67.6 ± 12.7, and 5.7 ± 0.9, p value 0.029, 0.005, 0.007 respectively). Using the Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve, the cut-off value of CO that predicts mortality was 5.89 L/min with sensitivity and specificity measuring 80%, 70.6% respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) is 0.767 with 95% confidence interval (CI) is 0.566 to 0.968, p value 0.008. At this value, the odds ratio (OR) is 7.33 with p value 0.012. Conclusion: Degree of hyper-dynamic circulation is significantly correlated with the severity of liver disease and predicts poor outcome in SBP patients.