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Abstract Background Patients with severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) are treated with corticosteroids. Aim We aimed to evaluate the role of corticosteroid treatment in candidemia development during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This retrospective study was conducted in a Greek ICU, from 2010 to August 2021, encompassing a pre-pandemic and a pandemic period (pandemic period: April 2020 to August 2021). All adult patients with candidemia were included. Results During the study period, 3,572 patients were admitted to the ICU, 339 patients during the pandemic period, of whom 196 were SARS-CoV-2-positive. In total, 281 candidemia episodes were observed in 239 patients, 114 in the pandemic period. The majority of candidemias in both periods were catheter-related (161; 50.4%). The incidence of candidemia in the pre-pandemic period was 5.2 episodes per 100 admissions, while in the pandemic period was 33.6 (p < 0.001). In the pandemic period, the incidence among COVID-19 patients was 38.8 episodes per 100 admissions, while in patients without COVID-19 incidence was 26.6 (p= 0.019). Corticosteroid administration in both periods was not associated with increased candidemia incidence. Conclusions A significant increase of candidemia incidence was observed during the pandemic period in patients with and without COVID-19. This increase cannot be solely attributed to immunosuppression (corticosteroids, tocilizumab) of severe COVID-19 patients, but also to increased workload of medical and nursing staff.
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Abstract Background and objectives: Subarachnoid hemorrhage is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. The aim of the study was to determine predictors of mortality among patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage hospitalized in an Intensive Care Unit. Methods: This is a retrospective study of patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage admitted to the Intensive of our institution during a 7 year period (2009-2015). Data were collected from the Intensive Care Unit computerized database and the patients' chart reviews. Results: We included in the study 107 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage. A ruptured aneurysm was the cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage in 76 (71%) patients. The overall mortality was 40% (43 patients), and was significantly associated with septic shock, midline shift on CT scan, inter-hospital transfer, aspiration pneumonia and hypernatraemia during the first 72 hours of Intensive Care Unit stay. Multivariate analysis of patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage following an aneurysm rupture revealed that mortality was significantly associated with septic shock and hypernatremia during the first 72 hours of Intensive Care Unit stay, while early treatment of aneurysm (clipping or endovascular coiling) within the first 72 hours was identified as a predictor of a good prognosis. Conclusions: Transferred patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage had lower survival rates. Septic shock and hypernatraemia were important complications among critically ill patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage and were associated increased mortality.
Resumo Justificativa e objetivos: A hemorragia subaracnoidea é uma causa importante de morbidade e mortalidade. O objetivo do estudo foi determinar os preditivos de mortalidade entre os pacientes com hemorragia subaracnoidea internados em uma Unidade de Terapia Intensiva. Métodos: Estudo retrospectivo de pacientes com hemorragia subaracnoidea internados na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva de nossa instituição de 2009 a 2015. Os dados foram coletados do banco de dados eletrônico da Unidade de Terapia Intensiva e de revisões dos prontuários dos pacientes. Resultados: Incluímos no estudo 107 pacientes com hemorragia subaracnoidea. A ruptura de aneurisma foi a causa da hemorragia subaracnoidea em 76 pacientes (71%). A mortalidade geral foi de 40% (43 pacientes) e esteve significativamente associada ao choque séptico, desvio da linha média na tomografia computadorizada, transferência inter-hospitalar, pneumonia por aspiração e hipernatremia durante as primeiras 72 horas de internação na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva. A análise multivariada dos pacientes com hemorragia subaracnoidea pós-ruptura de aneurisma revelou que a mortalidade esteve significativamente associada ao choque séptico e hipernatremia nas primeiras 72 horas de permanência na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva, enquanto o tratamento precoce do aneurisma (clipagem ou embolização endovascular) nas primeiras 72 horas foi identificado como preditivo de um bom prognóstico. Conclusões: Os pacientes com hemorragia subaracnoidea transferidos apresentaram taxas menores de sobrevivência. Choque séptico e hipernatremia foram complicações importantes entre os pacientes gravemente enfermos com hemorragia subaracnoidea e foram associados ao aumento da mortalidade.